On May 21, the “International Language Service Research Alliance of Universities in Beijing (hereafter the Alliance)”, jointly initiated by 36 universities including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, Beijing Jiaotong University, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing Language and Culture University and Capital University of Economics and Business, was established at CUEB. Representatives from government institutions such as the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau, Translators Association of China, CICG (China International Communications Group) Academy of Translation and Interpretation, Beijing International Trade in Services Center, Beijing Volunteer Service Federation, Foreign Affairs Office of Fengtai District, Fengtai District Commerce Bureau, and Beijing Fengtai General Chamber of Commerce (short for BFGCC), along with corporate representatives from Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, Beijing Capital Group Exhibitions & Events, Tencent and over 100 university representatives gathered at CUEB to witness this event. At the same time, the “University Foreign Language Service Volunteer Team in Beijing (hereafter the Volunteer Team)” and the “University International Language Service Research Center in Beijing (hereafter the Research Center)” were also launched, exploring cutting-edge developments in language services.

Before the launch of the Alliance, leaders from government institutions, universities, and enterprises held discussions at VIP lounge of Boyuan Building. Wu Weixing, Deputy Party Secretary and President; Li Xiaomu, Vice President and Yin Chao, Standing Committee of CUEB Party Committee and Vice President, extended a warm welcome and heartfelt gratitude to all the leaders and guests.

Wu Weixing delivered the opening address. He noted that with advancing globalization and China’s accelerated advancement toward a new stage of opening-up, CUEB, supported by the CICG Academy of Translation and Interpretation, has joined with other universities and industry partners to establish the Alliance, the Volunteer Team, and the Research Center. The aim is to leverage university resources in advancing Beijing’s function as an international exchange hub, thereby promoting the city’s higher-standard, more profound, and higher-quality openness and cooperation. He mentioned that AI is reconstructing language services paradigms at an unprecedented pace. Therefore, the Alliance has invited representatives from academic institutions and digital and intelligent tech firms to explore cutting-edge topics such as disciplinary construction, interdisciplinary integration, and multilingual ecosystems, ultimately delivering innovative solutions through cross-disciplinary collaboration. Professor Wu also highlighted that an ideal language environment enables free communication and a sense of cultural belonging for everyone in the city. He expressed hope that concerted efforts from government, industry, academia, and research sectors would pioneer a new chapter in language services, contributing Chinese wisdom and strength to building a global community with a shared future.

Wu Weixing delivers the opening address.

Huang Yulong, Vice President of the Translators Association of China and Dean of the CICG Academy of Translation and Interpretation, stated that the quality of international language services reflects a city’s internationalization and cultural soft power. Consequently, it is essential to strengthen relevant research and development. He proposed three steps: First, enhance the capital’s language services by improving multilingual public signage and translation guidelines. Second, broaden the pool of skilled translators to support national diplomacy and the capital’s external exchanges. Third, utilize deep learning algorithms and AI translation to create interactive language services in healthcare, business, and tourism, addressing the diverse needs of people around the globe.

Huang Yulong delivers a speech.

Yin Liang, deputy director of the Beijing International Trade in Services Affairs Center, stated that since its launch in 2012, the China International Fair for Trade in Services (short for CIFTIS) has become China’s largest and most internationally influential service trade platform, serving as a crucial window for opening-up. As a key support for service trade, language services are not only deeply integrated into economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges but also serve as a significant tool for showcasing Beijing’s international image and enhancing the city’s appeal. He expected that the Alliance would foster connections among the government, enterprises, and universities to actively advancing the development of a multilingual promotion system, enhance international communication capacity, and cultivate language service personnel with global outlook through collaboration with universities and enterprises.

Yin Liang delivers a speech.

Li Shujing, President of the Higher Education Office of Beijing Education Commission and Secretary of the Party Committee of School of Foreign Languages of Peking University stated that language bridges the world and highlighted the importance of university English education and language service research. She endorsed the Alliance’s role in promoting industry-education-research collaboration and fostering university innovation. She also underlined the importance of discussing the language service system construction. She noted that future cooperation between stakeholders would deepen in multiple ways: universities will establish cross-school language service training bases to integrate academic strengths and cultivate well-rounded language personnel; collaborate with enterprises to develop customized courses to meet industry demands; and leverage the power of the Foreign Language Service Volunteer Team to conduct community-based language service activities, enhancing Beijing’s language services.

Li Shujing delivers a speech.

Following the ceremony, the leaders marked the official launch of the Alliance by pouring multicolored sand in a symbolic plaque unveiling, celebrating its establishment.

At the conference, CUEB officially established the Beijing University Language Service Research Center. The center’s opening ceremony was attended by several prominent figures, including Chang Xiaoling, Vice Editor-in-Chief of Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press; Deng Jie, Director of the Human Resources Department of Beijing Capital Group Exhibitions & Events; Zhang Qiao, Head of Intelligent Decision-making System at Tencent; and Yin Zhichao, member of the Standing Committee of the CUEB Party Committee and Vice President.

Subsequently, the “Beijing University Foreign Language Service Volunteer Team” was established. Huang Fang, Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality and Zou Shenglan, Director of the Beijing Volunteer Service Federation, presented flags and distributed uniforms to volunteer representatives from Peking University, Beijing Jiaotong University, University of International Business and Economics, and CUEB.

The conference was hosted by Li Xiaomu. He noted that the Alliance’s establishment coincided with “Xiao Man”, a solar term in the Chinese lunar calendar that falls around early May, signifying a state of being full but not overflowing. He also expressed his anticipation that with this auspicious beginning, experts and colleagues from various fields would join hands and advance together to write a new chapter in urban language services.

Li Xiaomu hosts the conference.

The participants also visited the “Mock CIFTIS” at Camel Square of CUEB. This activity, a regular part of the CIFTIS, is an immersive practical education project jointly created by BCGEE, the Fengtai District Commerce Bureau, and CUEB. It is developed based on core courses like “Labor Practice” and “Business English”

Students engaged with enterprises through coursework and practical projects, gaining operational knowledge and applying their learning in the “Mock CIFTIS” to achieve the educational goals of “learning, thinking, practicing, and comprehending.” At the international exhibition area, guests toured with multi-lingual guides in Chinese, English, French and other languages, experiencing the global influence of “China's Intelligent Manufacturing.” They watched as Chinese and foreign teachers and students jointly explored paper-cutting, an intangible cultural heritage, traditional food from long-established brands and innovative coffee drinks, and learned about global financial services, all immersing themselves in language services across diverse scenarios.

The establishment of the Alliance and the Research Center marks a new paradigm of “industry-education-research” collaborative development in language service research. It will provide theoretical research support for Beijing’s efforts to become a “language-friendly city.” Subsequently, under the guidance and support of CICG Academy of Translation and the Higher Education Office of Beijing Education Commission, the Alliance will fully leverage the think tank role and professional strengths of universities to facilitate academic communication. Relying on the Volunteer Team, it will also carry out foreign language service activities for the society. These includes dispatching volunteers for foreign affairs reception, international events, foreign-related exhibitions, cultural exchanges, and participating in the standardization of foreign language signs in the public service sector.

Leaders from relevant departments of CUEB attended the conference, including the Office of Student Affairs, Academic Affairs Office, Office of Development and Planning, Office of Logistics Services, International Cooperation and Exchanges Office, Labor Union, Youth League Committee, School of Labor Economics, Accounting School, School of Public Finance and Taxation, and School of International Studies.

Participants take a group photo.