CASLAR (2010) was held from August 27th to 29th in Zijingang Hotel, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, and attracted almost one hundred domestic and overseas scholars and experts from more than ten countries and regions.
Experts and scholars in the research field of Chinese as second language attended the conference, including Professor Fan Jieping, Deputy Secretaries-general of ZJU and Director of International Relations Office, ZJU; Professor Istvan Kecskes, Editor-in-chief of Intercultural Pragmatics, State University of New York (Albany), USA; Professor Steinmüller, former Vice-president of TUB (Technical University of Berlin) and former Dean of SIS; Professor Shen Jian, Party Secretary of Faculty of Arts and Humanities, ZJU; Professor Huang Huaxin, Director of Center for the Study of Language and Cognition and Dean of School of Humanities, ZJU; Professor Ma Bosen, Vice-dean of SIS; ProfessorLiu Hui, Vice-dean of International College, ZJU, and Professor Huang Jianbin, Director of Center for International Promotion of Chinese Culture, ZJU.
With rapidly growing interest in Chinese as a second language (CASL) in the world, scholars and institutions involved in the study shoulder a very important task to transform this discipline primarily based on experience and practice into one supported by researches and theories. Therefore, one of the hot topics of the conference is about this transforming task. Meanwhile, scholars not only shared their ideas on the acquisition, development, use, assessment, textbook design and function of Chinese as a second language from different aspects, but also exchanged ideas and initiated research projects in the development of using Chinese as second language in interdisciplinary theory. Six scholars, including Professor Istvan Kecskes, Editor-in-chief of Intercultural Pragmatics, State University of New York, Albany, USA; Professor Tao Hongyin, Director of Chinese Department of UCLA; Professor Li Wei, President of Birkbeck College, University of London; Professor Lin Ziyu, Library Curator of Macao Polytechnic Institute and Professor Peng Lizhen from School of Humanities, ZJU, presented their reports in the conference. Other home and overseas scholars listened to their presentations and shared their own academic papers as well. By means of presentations and papers, they discussed the studies and teaching results of Chinese as second language from both theoretical and practical aspects.
The conference, which helped to deepen the promotion and communication of Chinese culture and ideas by using Chinese as second language, was of great academic value and highly praised by all the participants.
During the conference, the delegates enhanced their understanding and friendship between each other through communication, which not only offered them a chance to meet the former friends but also helped them build new friendships. In spite of the limited time, all delegates actively discussed academic issues during and after the conference, strengthening their friendship. All delegates judged highly of the opening and organization of the conference, and expected the conference will be opened regularly.
The delegates came from all around the world, including The State University of New York, the UCLA, London University, Science and Engineering University of Macao, the Berlin Industrial University, the Alberta University in Canada, the West Ontario University, the Marseille University, the State University of Ohio, Pittsburgh University, Oregon University, Melbourne University, West Sydney University, South Australia University, the Auckland University, the University Technologie Mara, the Education Ministry of Singapore, and over 80 universities and academic institutes in mainland China, Taiwan, Hongkong, and Macao.
As one of the seminars which belong to the forum on “Civilization, Harmony and Innovation”, the success of this conference promoted several research fields like the international interdisciplinary research on CASL, the construction of platform for universities to interact on and talents training. On the closing ceremony, Professor Fan Jieping pointed out that this academic seminar would undoubtedly promote the internationalization of ZJU’s humanities. What’s more, ZJU and other universities will join hands to develop CASL research and promote Chinese teaching.
On the afternoon of 29th, scholars visited Liangzhu Culture Museum in Hangzhou with interest.
Professor Fan Jieping, Deputy Secretaries-general of ZJU and Director of International Relations Office, ZJU, attended this seminar and had an in-depth discussion with the chairman of this seminar, Professor Istvan Kecskes from NYU, editor in chief of “cross-culture pragmatics”.
The organizing committee informs that the publication on this seminar’s collected papers has been put on schedule. The English edition will be published by a well-known language research publishing house.
