Huang Yuyun

365828338@qq.com

STANDING on the podium, Professor Zhang Jiliang engages his students with discussions about Sino-American relations and the Thucydides Trap. Known as a “British gentleman” to his students, Zhang, a Chinese-English interpreting expert at Shenzhen University (SZU), stands out despite not being an Englishman or an international relations scholar.

Among the first in China to earn a doctorate in interpreting studies in 2008, Zhang boasts 29 years as an interpreting instructor at SZU. In a city synonymous with China’s reform, SZU has, since its inception, embraced a mission of international interaction. In 2014, Zhang pioneered the Advanced English-Chinese Interpretation Minor Program, offering not just language mastery but also insights into international politics, aiming to foster innovative talent for China’s future.

Open to students from all majors, the two-year program provides professional interpretation training, a rigorous journey requiring high GPAs and proficient bilingual skills. “We accept only 10 students biennially, ensuring that we train those with persistence and passion for professional interpreting,” Zhang emphasized.

Believing in the phrase “practice makes perfect,” the professor requires students to dedicate at least three hours of daily practice and accumulate 2,000 hours of training by graduation.

Beyond teaching interpreting skills, Zhang’s goal is to cultivate students capable of engaging in global communication, contributing to an enhanced understanding of China worldwide. Each themed lesson, covering topics from vehicle advancements to major power competition, incorporates speeches from both Chinese and Western scholars. Zhang aspires to provide his students with a holistic understanding, countering Western media bias and instilling the confidence needed for them to objectively represent China on the global stage.

The impact of Zhang’s teaching is evident as students transition from being book-bound to actively engaging with international circumstances. One student shared, “I learn a lot from Prof. Zhang’s lectures. I used to pay no attention to international affairs, but now I listen to news podcasts as our teacher talks about it and asks for our opinions in class.”