In celebration of Chung Yuan Christian University’s upcoming 70th anniversary, the Department of Applied Chinese Language and Literature held an expanded 2025 New Southbound Policy Professional Mandarin Forum: Industry, Digital, Sustainability from May 23 to 24. The event brought together Mandarin education experts and graduate students from Vietnam, Myanmar, South Korea, the Czech Republic, and Taiwan.
Focusing on the three core themes of Professional Mandarin, Digital Innovation, and Educational Sustainability, the forum explored key trends and practical strategies in language education across New Southbound regions. The initiative aims to further strengthen international collaboration and connections in the field of Mandarin teaching and learning.
The first day of the forum began with a keynote speech by Professor Nguyen Hoang Anh from Vietnam National University, Hanoi, titled “Textbook Development Concepts and AI Applications in Chinese Language Education for Primary and Secondary Schools in Vietnam.” Her talk explored practical strategies for integrating educational materials with emerging technologies.
During the midday session, Principal Yang Chung-Ching of AMI International School in Myanmar delivered a presentation on “Current Status and Challenges of International School Education in Myanmar.” He shared his personal journey in school leadership and Chinese language promotion, reflecting his long-term dedication to the development of education in Myanmar.
In the afternoon, CYCU Chair Professor Teng Shou-Hsin gave a lecture on “Some Principles of Grammatical Analysis and Teaching,” offering a linguistic perspective on key issues in Chinese grammar instruction.
The morning session focused on “Teaching Practices Integrating Digital Technology in Mandarin Education,” featuring a panel discussion among scholars from National Taitung University, National Taiwan Normal University, and Ming Chuan University. Topics included practical experiences in applying generative AI, instructional data analytics, and digital tools in language education.
In the afternoon, two forum sessions were held: “Intercultural Education and Mandarin Curriculum Design” and “Mandarin Teaching Materials Development in New Southbound Countries.” Scholars from National Kaohsiung Normal University, CYCU, NTNU, Ming Chuan University, and local educators from Vietnam exchanged ideas on topics such as aesthetic education, cultural literacy, AI-driven material development, and localized textbook design.
The second day of the forum continued with insightful presentations. In the morning, Vice Dean Tran Thi Kim Loan of Thuyloi University (Vietnam) shared perspectives on the development of Mandarin teaching materials in Vietnam. At noon, Professor Park Jung-Gu, Chair of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Seoul National University, presented on the application of linguistic typology in Mandarin language instruction. Both talks offered a balance of theoretical grounding and practical strategies, enriching the forum’s academic depth.
A highlight of the forum was the inclusion of three graduate student paper sessions, during which ten outstanding research papers were presented. Topics covered grammatical analysis, textbook design, learning motivation, and AI applications, showcasing the innovative perspectives and pedagogical practices of the new generation of scholars in multilingual educational contexts.
The forum concluded with the Mandarin Teaching Practice Workshop, co-hosted by two senior scholars—Professor Sun Yi-Fen from the Department of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language at National Taiwan Normal University, and Professor Zhao Yan, a retired Mandarin educator from National Chengchi University. The workshop featured hands-on demonstrations of speech recognition techniques and instructional strategies for using “Let’s Learn Mandarin,” a textbook series published by the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC). The session was highly interactive, showcasing the practical potential of integrating digital teaching materials into real-world instruction.
In the closing ceremony, a textbook donation ceremony was held. Professor Nguyen Hoang Anh of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and Vice Dean Tran Thi Kim Loan of Thuyloi University presented their co-edited teaching materials to CYCU’s Department of Applied Chinese, symbolizing the deepening and continuity of Taiwan–Vietnam academic cooperation. The event also included the presentation of the Outstanding Paper Awards, with Chair Professor Teng Shou-Hsin of CYCU offering final remarks and personally presenting the awards, encouraging graduate students to continue pursuing excellence in Mandarin language education research.
At the forum’s closing ceremony, Professor Liu Yu-Fen, Chair of the Department of Applied Chinese Language and Literature at CYCU, delivered a speech expressing her sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Education, the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC), and the CYCU 70th Anniversary Committee for their generous support of the event.
Professor Liu emphasized the department’s continued commitment to promoting both localized Mandarin teaching practices and international academic collaboration, with a focus on strengthening industry partnerships and driving digital innovation. She also announced that the department will host the 14th International Conference on Emerging Perspectives in Mandarin and Overseas Chinese Education next year, and warmly invited scholars from Taiwan and around the world to participate and jointly expand the global impact of Mandarin education.
