CSS News: Symposium with the Deans of the Colleges of Foreign Languages Held at SASS

During the afternoon of April 27, 2017, a symposium attended by the editorial department of the journal Contemporary Social Sciences and the deans of the colleges of foreign languages of universities in Sichuan was held at the Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences (SASS). The theme of the symposium was, “Giving play to the advantages of foreign language schools, integrating resources and improving editing.” The symposium was presided over by Li Mingquan, professor and Vice President of SASS. Hou Shuiping, professor and President of SASS attended and addressed the meeting. Present at the symposium were deans and experts of foreign language schools from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Southwest Jiaotong University, Xihua Univeristy, Chengdu University of Information Technology, and the School of Public Administration of Sichuan University, as well as experts from SASS.

President Hou Shuiping expressed welcome and thanks to the foreign language experts and scholars at the meeting, and noted that the symposium had two primary purposes. One was to seek advice on how to run an English language journal and run it well. The other was about seeking help in two areas, the quality of the English translations and journal editing. It was hoped that the foreign language schools could rely on their advantages and provide help for Contemporary Social Sciences in terms of sources of contributions, translating and proofreading, and generally improving the quality of the English language articles published in the journal. Also, the foreign language experts might provide some suggestions or assistance regarding the publishing and promotion of the journal.

Fu Chun, director of the editorial department and associate professor, briefed the experts on the establishing course of the journal, philosophy and goals of the publication, and the current situation of producing Contemporary Social Sciences. She expressed the hope that the foreign language schools could offer some assistance or suggestions in developing an excellent translators/editors team and nurturing a team of foreign proofreading experts.

Li Chengjian, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages, Southwest Jiaotong University, pointed out in her speech that English journals are essential for sharing China’s academic research and culture with the international community. She said Southwest Jiaotong University can help improve the editorial quality, promotion and distribution of theEnglish language version of the journal, and is willing to take advantage of existing resources—the regional national research centers and translation centers—to provide assistance.

Chen Da, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages, Xihua University (XHU), expressed his willingness to provide substantial support, in the form of sources of contributions, translating, proofreading and revising. He also shared XHU’s experience in translation work, and suggested that special columns with prominent local characteristics be created.

Associate Professor Qin Yonghong of Sichuan University (SCU) introduced the international exchange experience of SCU in her presentation, discussing the education and training of foreign students in SCU. She proposed that the journal could be promoted through cooperation with foreign think tanks, overseas Chinese, and Confucius Institutes, thereby increasing its international influence.

Huang Chi, dean of the School of Foreign Languages of Chengdu University of Information Technology, shared information regarding the school’s attempts to disseminate China’s distinctive culture overseas, like the research on Xue Tao—a prominent female poet in the Tang dynasty, and Pengzu—a deity of longevity in Chinese myths, as well as cultural studies and their overseas promotion programs. Dean Huang also said that the college can contribute some articles to the journal. She also recommended that retired foreign language experts of the college who are translation enthusiasts could be both translators and proofreaders for the journal.

Feng Wenkun, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), pointed out that as Chinese scholars mainly publish their foreign language papers or dissertations through foreign journals, it is of great importance to develop a foreign language publishing channel of our own. Dean Feng also pointed out improvements to the journal that are yet to be made. He said the overseas issuing of the English version must be based on the Internet, an online journal, and that the big data platform of UESTC could help promote the journal.

Chen Jie, Mou Wenfu, Fang Yun, Yue Chaomin, experts at SASS, made suggestions from the perspectives of setting special columns, improving promotion and distribution modes and channels, developing cooperation platforms and aligning with international standards in stylistic rules and layouts.

Vice President Li Mingquan, in his concluding remarks, introduced the requirements of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television for the English language version of Contemporary Social Sciences, “Adhering to the correct orientation in running the publication, publishing outstanding research results in China’s social sciences as well as research results about west China development and China’s reform and openingup from overseas, promoting the international reach of China’s academic research achievements, and improving Chinese social sciences’ internationalized.”Mr. Li noted that running an English language journal has its way, and a number of improvements should be made in running Contemporary Social Sciences. He expressed thanks to the deans and experts present for their precious suggestions and offering to share their substantial resources. He expressed his hope that the advantages and resources of the foreign language schools could be effectively integrated with the efforts of the SASS staff to make the English language version of Contemporary Social Sciences supremely suited to the mission of Chinese philosophical and social sciences going global.