About the School of Foreign Languages, Qingdao University

The School of Foreign Languages（SFL） at Qingdao University was established in 2002, building upon the foundation of the Department of Foreign Languages founded in 1985. It emerged through the collaborative efforts of Nankai University and Qingdao University in training its inaugural cohort of students. SFL offers undergraduate programs in six foreign languages: English, Japanese, Korean, German, French, and Spanish. Notably, the German, English, and Japanese programs have garnered national recognition as top-tier undergraduate programs. The German program is part of the Shandong-Bavaria Education Cooperation Project, a collaboration between the Shandong Provincial Government and the Government of Bavaria. The Korean program has been designated as one ofthe nationalfeatured programs by the Ministry of Education of China and is also recognized as one of theprovincial top-tier undergraduate programs. SFL particularly excels in the following areas: its English (Teacher Education) Program, its "Language Big Data Innovation Experimental Class", and the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization English and RussianBilingualInnovation Experimental Class". Presently, SFL encompasses one national-level virtual teaching and research office, one nationalfirst-class undergraduate course, three provincial first-class undergraduate courses, and one provincial-level ideological and political demonstration course. Moreover, nine courses have been launched on the China University MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) and other platforms with the purpose of sharing our  course resources online. From 2021 to 2023, all undergraduate programs offered by SFL have continuously been listed in the Best Chinese Majors Ranking by Ruanke (Shanghai Ranking), a prestigious ranking list in China.

SFL offers a comprehensive range of graduate programs,including first-level academic master’s degrees in Foreign Languages and Literature, with specializations in Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, English Language and Literature, German Language and Literature, Japanese Language and Literature, and Asian and African Languages and Literature. Notably, the Japanese Language and Literature program holds the distinction of being a key discipline in Shandong Province. Additionally, the school provides professional master’s programs in education (English) and eight specialized tracks in translation studies. In recognition of its academic excellence, Foreign Language and Literature at Qingdao University has consistently ranked among the top 100 in the esteemed “Ruanke’s (Shanghai Ranking’s) Best Chinese Subjects Ranking” for 5 consecutive years, spanning from 2019 to 2023.

SFL currently has 1,716 students and 109 full-time faculty members, including 6 specially-appointed professors, 11 professors, 34 associate professors, 4 doctoral supervisors, 8 co-supervisors for doctoral students, and 42 master’s supervisors, with 44.9% holding doctoral degrees and 94.5% having overseas study experience, contributing to a rich and diverse educational environment. They hold positions in nearly 20 academic organizations at both national and provincial levels, including serving as members of the Teaching Guidance Committee for Foreign Language and Literature Majors in Higher Education Institutions under the Ministry of Education, and as experts on the Expert Committee of the National Professional Master’s Degree Program in Translation and Interpreting. Since 2019, the faculty members have led 59 research projects, including national-level social science fund projects and other provincial-level or higher-level research projects. They have led over 70 vertical and horizontal projects, with a total funding amount of 8.758 million yuan. They have published 166 academic papers in journals indexed in SSCI, A&HCI, and CSSCI, and have authored or translated 69 specialized books. Their research efforts have been recognized with 15 research awards at various levels. Furthermore, their accomplishments extend to securing 13 national software copyrights. They have also played instrumental roles in establishing two Provincial Think Tanks for Foreign Affairs Research and Development, one Provincial Joint Training Base for Postgraduate and one “Provincial Youth Innovation Science and Technology Program Team”. Two faculty members have been honored as Provincial Outstanding Graduate Supervisors, two have been selected for the Provincial Foreign Affairs Translation Expert Database, and one as one of theProvincial Teaching Masters.

SFL adheres to the educational philosophy of “cultivating virtue and nurturing talents”, and has implemented a range of impactful educational initiatives. Notable among these is the esteemed “Foreign Affairs Aid” Youth Volunteer Group, which has received the Excellent Organization Award for Chinese Youth Volunteers, earned recognition as Four Categories of “100 Advanced Exemplary Cases” in Learning from Lei Feng Volunteer Service, and been designated as one of the National Excellent Grassroots Model CPC Branch Construction Points. The “ISTEP Dream Choir” has achieved remarkable success, earning the first prize in the Provincial University Student Art Performance for 4 consecutive years and the second prize in the 6th National University Student Art Performance. Also, SFL hosts the “Foreign Language Short Play Competition” and facilitates the “Yixiang Translation Workshop”. These initiatives have yielded remarkable results in the development of students' character and talents. Over the years, SFL has played a pivotal role in cultivating a multitude of exceptional individuals for the nation. Among them are recipients of prestigious national accolades, such as the National Thousand Talents Program for Young Elite Professionals, the Ministry of Education's New Century Excellent Talents, National Excellent Teachers, Taishan Scholars, government officials, and senior executives in various enterprises and institutions.