Group photo
Participants discussing in the seminar
Over 40 teachers and researchers from 19 Chinese universities participated in the first seminar on “Portuguese-speaking Countries: Language Teaching and Area Studies”, which was held at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) from Sep.21 to 22, 2018.
The seminar focused on the teaching of Portuguese and area studies of Portuguese-speaking countries among Chinese universities, aiming at enhancing academic communication at home and abroad.
Combination of language teaching and area studies is the trend of the future, according to Professor Wang Chengan, chief expert of Center for Portuguese-speaking Countries Studies. Professor Guo Shuyong, Dean of SISU’s School of International Relations and Public Affairs, introduced the history, theories and thoughts of area studies, and shared his vision on the future development of area studies. Professor Dai Qixiu, Vice Director of SISU’s Center for European Union Studies, stressed the importance of field study and internal view when doing area studies.
At the round table discussion session, representatives had a heated debate on the status quo of Portuguese teaching and fruited several measures, for example, students should be encouraged to participate in discussions to exchange their ideas on the basis of textbooks, and teachers should create opportunities for outstanding students to publish their works. Xu Yixing, head of SISU’s Portuguese language major, appeal to hold seminars regularly to promote communication on teaching of Portuguese and area studies of Portuguese-speaking countries.
The seminar was a good attempt for the first-class discipline development and high-end talents cultivation of SISU’s Portuguese major, and promoted Portuguese teaching and area studies of Portuguese-speaking countries in China.
SISU had set up centers for area studies of Portuguese-speaking countries, including Center for European Union Studies, Center for Brazil Studies and Center for Portugal Studies. This seminar was co-organized by the Portuguese major and Center for Brazil Studies.
SISU Vice President Yang Li, Gilberto Fonseca Guimarães de Moura, Brazil’s Consul General in Shanghai, Mário Antonio de Araújo, Brazil’s Vice Consul in Shanghai, and Israel Esteves Serraiva, Portugal’s Consul General in Shanghai attended the seminar.
