The China-Australia bilingual research symposium and the inauguration of “Jinan University-University of Western Sydney Joint Bilingual Laboratory “were held from 3rd to 4th, November. More than 50 scholars from universities and institutes home and aboard attended the symposium including Professor Peter Hutchings, dean of School of Humanities and Communication Arts of UWS, Professor Qi Ruying, from bilingual research lab of UWS, Professor Nicholas Evans, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (AAS), Professor Ye Caiyan from The Chinese University of Hong Kong etc.
Also, the culture department of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council paid close attention to the symposium. Mr. Lei Zhengang, director of the Department and Mr. Qiu Liguo, director of the Overseas Chinese Language Education Center attended the symposium. Mr. Lei Zhengang said that nowadays the different people in the world become closer and closer, and ability of mastering two languages (multi-language) become more and more important: the harmony of world needs it; the implementation of “One Belt One Road Strategy” needs it; Overseas Chinese need it, no matter for living or learning the Chinese culture; overseas Chinese research also needs it. He also said that the task and job of the Overseas Chinese Office was to help the overseas Chinese to learn and to inherit the language and culture of country of origin, so that they would not forget their root and the soul of the Chinese nation. Also, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office would be supportive to the bilingual research between China and Australia.
Mr. Lin Rupeng, vice President of our university said that both of the two colleges, College of Chinese language & Culture of JNU and College of Humanities & Communication Arts, undertaking the current symposium, were famous in the field of bilingual research and Chinese language teaching and also hoped to see blingual research flousish in China and Australia, which brought them to work together and to utilize other part’s comparative advantage to make progress together. He said that the College of Language & Culture of our university will contribute their part to overseas Chinese education and multi-language teaching as usual.
The inauguration of the Jinan University-University of Western Sydney Joint Bilingual Laboratory was held on the symposium. That the lab established in Jinan University symblizes the a new era of China-Australia blingual research and overseas Chinese education.
On the two-day symposium, representatives had discussion and exchanges on several topics such as Aquisition and Development of bi-languages/multi-languages, EST, Research on Translation & Interpretation etc.