Since 2013, the Department of Modern Languages at SFS has introduced a new reform in college English education that focuses on innovative study and language practical skills to improve the comprehensive language competence of students majoring in finance, economics and other related disciplines. We have optimized the curriculum and teaching mode, attracted outstanding teaching staff, built strong teaching and research teams, promoted practice outside of class, and introduced stronger teaching management and a diversified evaluation system. The Department has been exploring a possible talent development model that combines multilingual training, interdisciplinary teaching and international practice. In 2015 our reform was accredited as a demonstration program for academic English teaching in Shanghai. In 2017 we received second prize in the Shanghai Teaching Achievement Awards for Higher Education. In 2018 SUFE was selected by China’s Ministry of Education to be among the first institutions for pilot reforms in college foreign language teaching.
Since 2014, the B.A. program in Business English has carried out the “Undergraduate Teaching Project,” a series of reforms aimed at improving teaching quality. Based on its interdisciplinary strength of Language plus Finance/Economics/Commerce, the program has been promoting a talent development model that prepares future elite professionals in Business and English with cross-cultural communication and higher-order thinking skills. We have been refining the overall plan, recruiting first-rate students, optimizing the curriculum and teaching mode, attracting outstanding teaching staff, building strong teaching and research teams, promoting practice outside of class and international experience, and introducing stronger teaching management and a diversified evaluation system. The program aims to develop students’ professional expertise, global vision and national spirit. It also instills in them the soft skills such as critical thinking, originality, leadership, lifelong learning ability, and resilience. Thanks to our reform, the program won many prizes and awards: First Prize in the Shanghai Teaching Achievement Awards for Higher Education (2014), Second Prize of the SUFE Teaching Achievements Awards (2015 and 2017), and First Prize of the SUFE Teaching Achievements Awards (2018). According to the Assessment of Universities and Subjects in China 2017-2018, a report published by Wuhan University, SFS’s B.A. program in Business English ranked in top 3%.