SFS hosted a forum on MTI education in the context of artificial intelligence on October 19 at iHarbour. The forum brought together over 20 MTI program leaders, faculty members, industry experts, and corporate representatives from across Shaanxi Province to explore the opportunities, challenges, and future directions of translation education amid the rapid development of AI.
In her opening remarks, SFS's Dean Chen Xiangjing welcomed participants and emphasized the urgency of rethinking MTI education amid rapid technological transformation. She highlighted the importance of collaboration between universities and industry partners to drive innovation in talent cultivation.
A keynote address was delivered by Dang Zhengsheng, a member of the China National Committee for Graduate Education of Translation and Interpreting and former vice president of Xi'an International Studies University. He discussed approaches to strengthening practice-oriented training and developing students' comprehensive competencies. He also stressed that AI should be regarded as an empowering tool rather than a replacement.
Industry representatives from sectors including healthcare, education technology, and language services shared industry insights, noting a growing market demand for specialized, technology-enabled language service solutions. They also expressed a strong interest in deepening collaboration with universities. During the event, SFS signed cooperation agreements with two companies to promote university–industry collaboration.
The forum also included thematic discussions on university–industry collaborative training models, quality assurance in MTI theses, and the integration of AI technologies into translation teaching. Participants exchanged insights on curriculum development, internship programs, dual-supervisor system, and the balance between technological training and critical thinking.
At the closing ceremony, Chen Xiangjing proposed the establishment of a Shaanxi Translation Education Alliance, which received positive responses from participating institutions and industry partners. This event provided a valuable platform for dialogue and contributed to the development of new pathways for MTI education in the era of artificial intelligence.
