The campus round of the 8th "SFLEP Cup" National College Students' Intercultural Competence Contest at XJTU was successfully held on May 26, 2025, with 13 contestants advancing to the final round. As a leading national competition platform, the SFLEP Cup aims to provide a stage for college faculty and students to showcase intercultural communication skills and exchange teaching experiences. Since 2023, it has been listed in the National List of College Student Competitions and recognized as one of the three authoritative competitions in foreign language disciplines.
The contest invited Qian Xi, Sun Changhong, Zhu Liyun, and Dong Yanyun from SFS as judges. It consisted of two segments: an impromptu speech (with only 10 minutes of preparation) and interpretation of famous quotes (answered on the spot upon seeing the questions). The 13 contestants impressed the judges with their quick reflexes, broad perspectives, and unique interpretations of "interculturalism" through personal experiences—some discussed Chinese cuisine as a bridge for cultural exchange, others emphasized the importance of "soft power" alongside China's "hard power" on the world stage, some drew insights from history to highlight China's cultural status, and others analyzed the significance of language learning and intercultural competence in the AI era. During the quote interpretation segment, contestants demonstrated both national confidence and inclusiveness toward diverse global cultures.
The event awarded 3 first prizes, 5 second prizes, and 5 third prizes. According to contest rules, top-ranked contestants will form a team to represent XJTU in the provincial round.
As stated in the Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, "We will stay firmly rooted in Chinese culture, collect and refine the defining symbols and best elements of Chinese culture and showcase them to the world. We will strengthen our international communications capabilities, make our communications more effective, and present a China that is credible, appealing, and respectable." Organizing student participation in this national competition helps cultivate students' affection for China, global vision, professional skills, and intercultural communication abilities. In the future, SFS will continue to promote the integrated development of curriculum construction, digital empowerment, and competition practice, creating a multi-dimensional supportive environment for foreign language learning and fostering more comprehensive international talents with global competence.
