School of Foreign Languages, Southeast University

Bridging Cultures, Striving for Perfection

School of Foreign Languages

The history of the School of Foreign Languages (SFL) traces back to the founding roots of Southeast University (SEU). As early as 1902, when Sanjiang Normal College—SEU’s predecessor—was established, it already offered Japanese language courses. Notable milestones in SFL’s development include launching China’s first English teacher training program in 1917 and founding the Department of Foreign Languages in 1987. In 2006, the Department was renamed the School of Foreign Languages .

Aligned with the national development priorities, SFL remains committed to its core mission: nurturing students who excel both academically and morally. Focused on serving major national strategies, addressing critical social needs, and meeting key industrial demands, the School has deepened reforms in teaching and research. It places special emphasis on intercultural studies, with dedicated focus areas including national security, China’s global image, and the international promotion of Chinese discourse and narrative systems.

SFL offers doctoral programs and postdoctoral research positions in Foreign Languages and Literature. It also hosts China’s first Sino-foreign joint master’s degree program with Monash University, approved by the Ministry of Education. A testament to its academic strength, the School’s English program was designated a “Key Discipline of Jiangsu Province (Category A)” under the 14th Five-Year Plan. SFL is home to three high-level research platforms: a national think tank on religion and society, the Jiangsu Research Center for International Studies, and the Institute of International and Area Studies of Southeast University. These platforms provide robust support for talent cultivation and academic research.

Academic Structure

SFL comprises four academic units:

• Department of English

• Department of Japanese

• Department of European Languages

• Center for Foreign Language Education

For undergraduate studies, SFL offers five programs:

• English (National First-Class Undergraduate Program)

• Japanese (National First-Class Undergraduate Program)

• Russian

• Dual Bachelor's Degree in English and Information Engineering

• Dual Bachelor's Degree in Japanese and Electronic Science and Technology

Teaching Excellence & Services

SFL ranks among the nation’s leaders in teaching quality. It is a pilot institution for the “New Liberal Arts Initiative” launched by the Ministry of Education and an innovative training base for globally minded talents. Two of its courses have been recognized as “National First-Class Undergraduate Courses.”

SFL delivers first and second foreign language instruction to undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students across SEU. Its teaching excellence has earned it numerous national and provincial awards. The School is a national demonstration site for foreign language teaching reform and a benchmark for quality in this field. Additionally, SFL serves as an authorized test center for international language proficiency exams—including the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), IELTS, and TOEFL—providing high-quality services to both the university community and the public.

Looking ahead, SFL will uphold its longstanding tradition of excellence and advance comprehensive reforms to embark on a new development journey. It is dedicated to supporting Southeast University’s goal of becoming a world-class university, and more importantly, to contributing to global governance and intercultural dialogue through its expertise in language education and research.