On December 3, the final of the 2022 Shanghai Global Competency English Public Speaking Contest was successfully held at Shanghai Xihua Hotel. Initiated by the School of Foreign Languages of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the contest was hosted by the Shanghai College English Teaching Society and organized by the Virtual Teaching and Research Office of the College English Learning, Teaching and Testing. The final attracted 33 students from 12 universities in Shanghai.

 

At the opening ceremony, Mr. Chen Yongjie, president of Shanghai College English Teaching Society, delivered a speech. He believed that this speech contest provided an excellent platform for Shanghai college students to communicate with the world and hoped that the contestants can fully demonstrate their ability and style in analyzing global issues. At the same time, it was also hoped that college students can have a good command of Englisih, use idiomatic English to tell Chinese stories and spread Chinese voices well.

 

Chang Hui, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, introduced the history of English education of the School of Foreign Languages in his speech. Dean Chang Hui pointed out that in the 1980s, SFL developed the first scientific English corpus in China, and on this basis developed the National College English Test Band 4 and Band 6. This year, SFL was approved by the Ministry of Education to be the first batch of the Virtual Teaching and Research Office of the College English Learning, Teaching and Testing. At the same time, the team led by Professor Chen Yongjie developed the applied English proficiency test for higher vocational colleges. This laid a solid foundation for SFL’s English education and teaching, and provided strong support for cultivating talents with global competence.

 

 

In the competition, 33 contestants each gave a 3-minute English speech on the 17 global Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations and answered the judges' questions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The judges graded the contestants’ performance from the three aspects of content, language and skills, and finally selected 3 grand prizes, 5 first prizes, 10 second prizes and 15 third prizes.

 

It was reported that Shanghai Jiao Tong University successfully held the first Global Competence English Public Speaking Competition in 2021. It was for the first time for the all universities in Shanghai to enter the competition this year. 

Virtual Teaching and Research Office of the College English Learning, Teaching and Testing, which based itself on the School of Foreign Languages of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, focuses on the integrated reform and research of college English learning, teaching and testing, including the learning of students, the teaching of teachers, the evaluation of learning and teaching effects, and the application of information technology. At the same time, the Virtual Teaching and Research Office will be jointly built and operated by the School of Foreign Languages, the Science and Technology Committee of China University Alliance for the Development of Foreign Language and Literature Discipline, IFlytek Co. LTD and dozens of well-known universities in China.

Global competency includes the ability to analyze regional, global and cross-cultural issues; the ability to understand and appreciate the perspectives and worldviews of others; the ability to interact openly, appropriately and effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds; and the capacity to contribute to collective well-being and sustainable development.