Dear TIRF Board Members and Supporters,

As Rector at City University of Macao, I seldom have the opportunity to return to the very classroom where my passion resides. I was so pleased to be invited to give a talk to our newly admitted doctoral students in Applied Linguistics. Needless to say, it was a wonderful experience and it made me reflect on the joy of being a classroom teacher. 

My talk was on “Opportunities and Challenges in the Future Development of English Language Teaching (ELT).” I shared 10 key trends in English teaching and engaged the students in interactive discussions to provide guidance for their research.

Although I have not been a full-time teacher for several years, during the class, I was able to draw on my experience in English language learning, teaching, and university management, encouraging students to explore linguistic phenomena in Macao. I emphasized the importance of understanding language use among different demographics and fostering the ability to tell Chinese stories. Also, I analyzed 10 critical challenges in English medium instruction, content-based teaching, and English for specific purposes, discussing how technological advancements and environmental changes impact contemporary ELT.

Linguistics has evolved into a leading science that bridges social and natural sciences. The Applied Linguistics programs—covering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees—at City University of Macao are aimed at cultivating research-oriented, practical leaders in a multicultural and multilingual environment. The curriculum focuses on intercultural communication, workplace communication, language education, and international Chinese language education.

I am thrilled to have had this opportunity to return to the classroom. There were many smiling faces when I shared information with them about language education-focused organizations like TIRF. And this experience helped to reinforce my reason to serve as TIRF President. I greatly enjoy making connections between our profession and the real world, in this case, students in the classroom. We are nurturing our young talent to become the future leaders in our field of applied linguistics and English language education, and I am gratified to see my students’ excitement when learning about TIRF’s programs and activities. It’s a great reminder of the motivation behind our collective work.

Warm regards,

Jun Liu, Ph.D.

TIRF President

PS: Below are some comments from three of the students who attended my talk. I am confident that many of our learners would share similar thoughts if asked for feedback about your students, past or present.

Zhang Shujing

Professor Liu’s lecture was enlightening, inspiring, and deeply informative. His unique insights into English education, particularly in regards to English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) and the transformative role of AI in language teaching, had a profound impact. As emerging researchers, we are keen to understand the cutting-edge directions in our field, and his presentation provided just that. I am confident that we will greatly benefit from his insights, which will undoubtedly guide us towards significant accomplishments in one or more areas of our research.

Dong Jiayi

I am very grateful for today’s lecture, from which I have gained significant insights. Through this lecture, I learned about the connection between AI and the field of applied linguistics, and gained a new understanding of applied linguistics. In addition to translation work, we can also combine the content of linguistics with artificial intelligence by combining big data and applying it to all aspects of English teaching and human development.

Yang Bingkun

Professor Liu’s professional and indelible lecture at the beginning of this academic journey encourages all candidates to do something meaningful and wonderful. His academic energy and cutting-edge perspectives in certain fields guides everyone to think broadly, to explore wisely, and to contribute positively.