Founded in 2001, the Department of Foreign Languages is the college’s largest department, with Guangdong Foreign Language Normal School as its predecessor. The department has 2359 students, which makes it one of the largest departments in China’s universities.

  The department offers three programs, among which English Education Program has the longest history. It has graduated nearly 5000 English teachers for Guangdong primary education sector since 1978. In 1985, it began to recruit and train middle school graduates through “three + two years” program for the purpose of training future English teachers. In 1994, the department became the first pilot site in China to carry out “three + two years” program for primary school English teachers. In 2002, it was authorized by Guangdong Department of Education to implement the “five-year” English education program. In 2004, the department became the only pilot site in Guangdong province to recruit middle school graduates ahead of high school entrance exams. In 2006, it was selected as provincial Model Program. After years of development, English education program has been at the forefront of the programs and colleges of its kind in Guangdong, winning the first prize five times in China, and three times in Guangdong province. In China, it won the first foreign-language-related Elite Course at national level of all colleges, edited the first primary school English teaching methodology textbook, and established the first Institute for Primary English Teaching. It was also the first to launch non-English teachers’ post-transferring training program, and the first to create short-term training model for Chinese primary English teachers abroad. In Guangdong province, English Education Program was the only program awarded as Model Program, winning the first prize of Guangdong Higher Education and Teaching Achievement. It is also the directing organization for Guangdong English Teacher Education Consultative Committee. Closely following Guangdong Primary Education reforms and development, and constantly reforming and adjusting the program’s education system, the English Education Program has become the college’s brand program with distinctive schooling features.

  The three-year Business Japanese Program began to recruit students from 2009, with the goal of training students morally, intellectually and physically, integrating Japanese language, culture and business skills. Graduates can engage in translation, management and business in the Sino-Japanese joint ventures, foreign-funded enterprises, and travel agencies. Based upon the society’s demands and the principle of “study-work interaction”, the program strives to produce “loyal and competent” graduates with abilities of learning, adaptability and innovation.

  At present, the department enjoys a staff of 126 English teachers, among whom there are 60 full-time teachers, 3 PhDs, 45 Masters of Arts, 6 professors, 13 associate professors. We have 1 Ministry of Education College Educational Evaluation expert, 3 Guangdong Educational Evaluation experts, 3 members of the Teaching Supervision Committee of Guangdong Higher Education Teacher Education, 1 evaluation expert of Guangdong Primary and Secondary school, 1 expert of Guangdong Primary Education Teaching Supervision Committee (Primary School English) , 1 PhD. mentor, 3 master supervisors, and 4 core academic members in the “Backbone Principals and Teachers Training Project” of Guangdong province. The department attaches great importance to teachers’ international exchanges, inviting foreign experts to reinforce the teaching force. The majority of teachers have been to the US, UK, Canada and other countries for further study and training through exchange programs.

  The department has achieved substantial success as to academic research in English teaching methodology, primary school English teaching theories and primary school textbook compiling. It is one of the directing organizations for Guangdong English Teacher Education Consultative Committee. The department has obtained 1 first prize for Guangdong Teaching Achievement, 2 first prizes for the 1st GTCFLA Research Award, 1 first prize for the 1st GTCFLA Teaching Reform Experiment Class, 2 prizes for the 1st GTCFLA Class Competition, 1 Excellence Award for the Sixth National Multimedia Courseware Competition, 22 awards for the 1st GTCFLA Multimedia Courseware Competition. The department has undertaken 1 national education reform project, 3 teaching reform projects at provincial level, 1 Elite Course at national level, 4 Elite Courses at provincial level, and 11 Elite Courses at college level.

  In the past three years, 90 papers have been published in key journals in China like Chinese Translators Journal, Foreign Language Teaching and Research, Foreign Language, Foreign Language World, Foreign Language Education, etc. and up to 100 papers in ordinary ones. Some 20 textbooks and monographs have been published as well, like Let’s Learn English, Guide for Chinese EFL Learners to Use the Right Word at the Right Time, and the Teaching Methodology of Primary English, which make the department one of the strongest in academic research among faculties of its kind.

  Students of the department have won many awards at provincial skill competitions such as the championship and the best pronunciation award at the fifth CCTV “Star of Hope” English Talent Competition (Guangdong University division), the second place at the Third Guangdong Spoken English Contest for College Students, the second place at the National College English Proficiency Contest (Guangdong division). In 2006, 9 first prizes, 28 second prizes and 55 third prizes at the Third National English Teachers Skill Competition for Teachers’ College Students.

  For many years, the graduates employment rate has maintained above 96%. Receiving high fame in Guangdong, many graduates have become the local teaching backbones. For instance, among 322 core primary English teachers at Zhanjiang city are 128 graduates from the department. Among 12 expert members at Guangdong Primary Education English Supervision Committee are 5 graduates from the department. The first, second and third prize winners for the Best Teaching Design Award, the Best Classroom Control Award, the Best Multimedia Employment Award, and the Best Pronunciation Award at Guangzhou Primary English Class, i.e., Teaching Skill Competition 2006, are all our graduates in recent years. More than 20 graduates have continued to obtain their PhD in other universities. Graduate Bao Danghong won the first prize in the 1st National Primary School English Class Competition; Zou Dongmei the first prize in the 2nd National Senior High School English Class Competition. Many more were honored as National Model Teachers, the Gardener of the National Primary and Secondary School.

  After decades of development, the department has become a distinctive teaching brand with profound historical heritage, having great impact in China. With the mission to serve Guangdong primary schools, the department has graduated more than 5000 competent English teachers to serve Guangdong primary education sector, and has trained nearly ten thousand in-service English teachers. Thus the department has been honored as the cradle of training primary school English teachers in Guangdong. We are striving to make the Department of Foreign Languages the most brilliant faculty of its kind in Guangdong province.