Expanding the international perspective of language education and cultivating talents of Professional English: Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology held the 2016 International ESP Symposium and Workshop.

Both the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of Applied English, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, together with Taiwan ESP Association, jointly organized the 2016 International ESP Symposium and Workshop on English Language Proficiency and invited experts and scholars at home and abroad to participate in the symposium, including Prof. John Adamson from Niigata Prefecture University in Japan, Prof. Helen Basturkmen from the University of Auckland of New Zealand, Prof. Becky Kwan from City University of Hong Kong, Prof. Eun Gyong Kim from Polytechnic University of Korea, prof. Anna Mauranen from the University of Helsinki, Finland, as well as teachers and students from local academics. A total of 29 oral presentations and 13 poster presentations were held to discuss topics related to professional English teaching and teacher training, with the aim of exchanging views with educational experts from different countries.

【Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology held the 2016 International ESP Symposium and Workshop.】

The symposium invited five prominent foreign scholars to give speeches on the development and status of professional English education. The first presentation in the conference was given by Prof. Anna Mauranen, Deputy President of University of Helsinki University about English as ELF. The second presentation was by Dr. Helen Basturkmen of the University of Auckland about the demand of teachers for EAP and ESP. The third speech was given by Prof. John Adamson of Niigata Prefectural University about the challenges and opportunities of EAP in higher education. The fourth one was by Prof. Becky Kwan of the City University of Hong Kong, focused on thesis writing research in college. The workshop was organized by Dr. Eun Gyong Kim of the Korea Polytechnic University on October, 29, who shared current situation and development of EMI in his university.

【Anna Mauranen, Deputy President of the University of Helsinki, Finland, shared her research findings and insights in ELF】

President Tai of STUT expressed his gratitude to the participation and support of the scholars and participants. He also encouraged the attendees to discuss and share the valuable experience of each scholar as well as the problems in today's professional foreign language education. He looked forward to the future where language teaching, education, research, personnel training, and all the related aspects could enter a higher level.

【Chairman Moa-Sun Lin of Taiwan ESP Association was giving a speech】

This three-day symposium and workshop included ESP (English for Specific Purposes), EAP (English for Academic Purposes), EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) and English as a lingua franca (ELF) and other related issues, including the development of the curriculum, curriculum development, learner learning outcomes, teacher training, teaching and research, and cross-cultural communication. Each topic is closely related to the topics of professional English teaching and teacher training. The symposium was supported by a large number of English language publishers, book exhibitions, and the latest publications on foreign language teaching, research and learning.

【Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology held the 2016 International ESP Symposium and Workshop: VIPs and Executive Officers.】