In order to promote the development of Irish Studies in China, the Irish Studies Centre at BFSU held a seminar on "New Trends in Irish Studies in the Context of Country and Area Studies" on 18 September. The seminar was also co-organised by the Irish Studies Centres at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, Dalian University of Foreign Languages, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Hebei Finance University, and the British Studies Centre at BFSU, together with the support of the Irish Studies Network in China.
The seminar was conducted in the form of plenary sessions and group presentations and discussions. Scholars either participated online or offline, discussed the frontiers and developmental trends of Irish Studies in China in such fields as literature, culture, history, politics and economy in the context of Country and Area Studies.
The opening ceremony was hosted by Professor Chen Li, Vice Director of the Irish Studies Centre at BFSU. Professor Wang Zhanpeng, Deputy Dean of the School of English and International Studies and Director of the Irish Studies Centre at BFSU, gave an opening speech on "The Development of Irish Studies in the Context of Country and Area Studies", in which he discussed the opportunities and challenges faced by Irish Studies in terms of personnel training, academic research and social services.
Keynote speakers include Professor Feng Jianming, Director of the Irish Studies Centre at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics; Professor Liu Fengguang, Director of the Irish Studies Centre at Dalian University of Foreign Languages; Professor Chen Li, Vice Director of the Irish Studies Centre at Beijing Foreign Studies University; Professor Zhao Huijuan, Dean of the School of International Business and Foreign Languages and Vice Director of the Irish Studies Centre at Hebei Finance University; and Associate Professor Zhang Yongsheng from the Irish Studies Centre at Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy. They shared their views respectively on topics of latest Chinese translations of Joyce's works and research monographs, new trends in contemporary Irish diaspora narratives, new areas of financial cooperation between China and Ireland, and the impact and prospects of the China-EU Comprehensive Agreement on Investment.
In the afternoon, scholars from Beijing Foreign Studies University, Dalian University of Foreign Languages, Hebei Finance University, Tianjin Normal University and so on shared their latest research findings in panel sessions. Professor Lv Chunmei, Dean of the School of English and International Studies at Dalian University of Foreign Languages, and Zhang Ying, Researcher at Irish Studies Centre, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, acted as session moderators.
Mr. Ma Peiying, Vice Director of the Irish Studies Centre at Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, delivered a speech at the closing ceremony. He expressed his congratulations on the successful holding of the seminar and hoped that the next seminar to be held by his university would go smoothly as well.
