On November 25th，the founding conference of ZAFLS(Zhejiang Association of Foreign Language Schools) and the first ZheFu education forum was held in ZISU.
President Hong Gang attended the ceremony together with Gong Yafu, chairman of Specialized Committee of foreign language education in China, and Shu Peidong, director of Foreign Affairs Office of the provincial education department, as well as many other representatives. Deputy Party secretary Zhao Fa presided over the conference.
The association was proposed and promoted by ZISU, aiming to implement the Party's education policy, deepen education reform and boost contacts and exchanges between the local specialized foreign language schools and the international, inter-provincial and provincial relevant platforms. Meanwhile, the association was expected to promote the process of internationalization for foreign language schools inside and outside the province to carry out scientific research in education, and improve school education teaching quality and level. The proposal received positive responses and affirmations from the parties. Presidents and English teachers from more than 60 foreign language schools and foreign language specialized schools, and more than 10 Zhejiang top presidents, along with presidents from 4 “International teacher development schools”, a total of over 160 people attended the conference.
During the conference, Hong Gang and Shu Peidong unveiled the ZAFLS together.
Gong Yafu, Hong Gang and Shu Peidong were appointed to be consultants. And Zhao Fa was elected as director. ZISU along with other 26 foreign language specialized schools were delegated to be executive director units among the 67 council members.
Hong Gang awarded Gong Yafu the “Honorary Professor”appointment.
As the association conference was founded, association schools were grouped to exchange the intention of cooperation. Gong Yafu delivered a lecture titled with “Pluralistic objective course construction in the perspective of internationalization”.
In the afternoon, participants were divided into two groups to stage the first ZAFLS education forum themed with “Internationalization and localization: our thinking and practice” and “The way to the state-running schools: the improvement of the core competence of teachers in foreign language schools”.
The conference was highly affirmed by the parties, and the association was considered to have built a super big stage with large scale, high grade and rich information. After the conference, the Provincial Foreign Experts Bureau and a number of governing units reached the intention of cooperation .
The founding of association attached attentions of many local media, and The Voice of Zhejiang has interviewed President Hong. Besides, Zhejiang TV, Zhejiang daily, Hangzhou TV, Youth, Zhejiang Online, China Online Education, Zhejiang Education, Qianjiang Evening News, Sina and other media have been carrying reports.
(English Press Corps Song Weizhi Qin Yuyun)
