School Overview

The School of Foreign Languages was established as one of the founding Schools of Qingdao City University. It now offers seven undergraduate and college-diploma programs in English, German, Russian, French, Teaching Chinese as an International Language, Business English (Bachelor’s), and Business English (Diploma), covering five major languages. The variety of languages and number of programs rank among the top of similar institutions in Shandong Province.

Integrating Chinese and international educational philosophies, the School has developed a diverse curriculum grounded in general education, tailored to individual development, and focused on interdisciplinary connections. It emphasizes the enhancement of language proficiency, cross-cultural communication, critical thinking, and innovation. Through immersive language environments and collaboration between Chinese and international faculty, the School is committed to cultivating versatile, application-oriented global talents with solid language skills, international perspectives, and strong cross-cultural competencies.

The School boasts an international faculty team, with over 40% of its 140+ members having overseas academic experience. In the past five years, faculty have received more than 200 national and provincial awards in teaching, research, and innovation. Students have also excelled, winning over 620 awards in prestigious national and provincial competitions such as the "FLTRP·ETIC Cup" National English Contest, "21st Century Cup" National English Speech Contest, "SFLEP Cup" National Intercultural Competence Contest, iCAN Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, National College English Competition, and various provincial and municipal contests. The School consistently achieves first-time and cumulative pass rates for the TEM-4 and TEM-8 exams that rank among the highest in comparable institutions nationwide.

The School maintains academic partnerships with more than ten well-known universities in English-speaking countries, Germany, France, and Russia, providing students with regular opportunities for academic exchange and overseas study.

Academic Programs

Faculty Expertise

Faculty members in the School of Foreign Languages have earned more than 200 awards in prestigious national and provincial teaching competitions in recent years. Notable achievements include:

• Third prize in the Shandong Provincial College Teacher Innovation Competition (2 awards)

First, second, and third prizes in the Shandong Provincial Young Faculty Teaching Competition (1 each)

• First prize in the "SFLEP Cup" National Foreign Language Teaching Contest (2 awards)
• Special prize in the National Foreign Language Curriculum Ideology and Politics Teaching Case Competition (2 awards)
• Second and third prize in the XJTLU National University Teaching Innovation Competition
• First prize in the Foreign Language Curriculum Ideology and Politics Teaching Case Competition
• National champion, two third-place finishes, and two first prizes in the "FLTRP Cup" Multilingual Teaching Star Contest
• Third prize in the "FLTRP Cup" National Teaching Star Finals, and multiple second and third prizes in provincial-level teaching contests
• One faculty member recognized as a "Qingdao Teaching Master"

In teaching and research, the School has developed:

• 1 provincial-level first-class undergraduate course
• 3 university-level first-class courses
• 10 courses hosted on the Shandong Higher Education Online Open Course Platform

Faculty have also led over 20 provincial- and ministerial-level teaching/research projects, more than 40 municipal and industry-collaborative projects, published over 300 research papers in academic journals, and authored or edited more than 50 textbooks and academic monographs.

Hu Yuan

Associate Dean, School of Foreign Languages (Head of EAP)

Master of Applied Positive Psychology, the University of Melbourne Master of Translation and Interpreting, Macquarie University Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Bond University English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Module Convenors (Design, Architecture, Humanities and Social Sciences) and EAP Senior Lecturer, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University Head of High School English, OCAC Suzhou (International High School) Experienced in curriculum design, academic management and team leadership in international education systems Extensive experience in teaching and administration across multiple international curricula, including the IBDP, IGCSE, and EAP

Xiong Si

Assistant Dean, School of Foreign Languages

Master of Business Administration (MBA), HEC Paris Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Trinity College of Dublin, Ireland Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature, and Law, Beijing Normal University (China) CEO of Loess Education Technology Co. Deputy Manager of Teacher Training, TAL Operation Supervisor, Dasheng Online Education  Technology Co. Over 9 years of experience in education management Cross-national study and work experience in Asia,  America, Europe, etc. Experienced in building teachers’ team and optimizing management system

Zhou Yan

Head of Department, School of Foreign Languages

M.A., Shanghai Jiao Tong University B.A., Zhejiang University Deputy General Manager, Beijing Xueyuanhuizhi Network Technology Director of Teaching and Research Department, College of Foreign Languages, Fuzhou University Teacher, University of Science and Technology of China

Tian Yan

English Teacher, School of Foreign Languages

M.A. in English and American Literature, Tianjin Foreign Studies University More than 30 awards at various levels and in various fields Published 1 monograph and 18 academic papers 18 years of teaching experience

Mr. David Allardice

English Teacher, School of Foreign Languages

M.A. in Education (in the field of English Language and Literature), Eurasian International University B.A. in English Literature, Kingston University London, the UK TESOL Certificate, Chichester College, the UK 10-year teaching experience

Ciaran Grayson

English Teacher, School of Foreign Languages

University of Glasgow MA University College Dublin Bachelor English Teacher, Qingdao Agricultural University (QAU) English Teacher, Qingdao EWHA Korean School Vocational Certificate, 140 Hour TEFL Certificate

Ingrid Chrisman

English Teacher, School of Foreign Languages

Southwest Minnesota State University M.A., Education, English & Literature Ottawa University B.A., Education/English English Teacher in the US., dual Master degrees in English and Education Over 20-year teaching experience in IG, IELTS, and TOEFL.

Thomas Brown

English Teacher, School of Foreign Languages

University of Brighton Bachelor Degree in International Finance and Capital Market Studies Senior English teacher in the UK taught at prestigious institutions, including the British Council, YMCA Osaka International School, Nintendo headquarters, and Kyoto University 15-year teaching experience

Nicolas VITAL

French Teacher, School of Foreign Languages

Master, Icart Paris - Groupe EDH Bachelor, UT 1 Capitole - Toulouse French Teacher, Anhui University Operations Manager, Chine internationale - Paris

Vladimir Skryabin

Russian Teacher, School of Foreign Languages

PhD, Kyrgyz National University M.A., Ukrainian Academy of National Security Sciences Mainly engaged in language education, Russian language research Participated in the research of the univeristy-level project "Comparative Study of Russian-Chinese Internet Language from the Perspective of Intercultural Pragmatics"; taught Russian at Qingdao City University for 9 years; tutored students in a number of national competitions, and students won the first and second prizes for many times.

Yuan Weihan

Teacher, Department of French, School of Foreign Languages

Assistant Professor, PhD (Wuhan University) Primary research interests in cognitive linguistics and the philosophy of language Published 1 paper in international journals; obtained 2 national invention patents; participated in the translation and compilation of 3 books. Provided interpretation services for a seminar for African French-speaking think tanks, organized by the Ministry of Commerce of China

Wang Chuanmei

Teacher, Department of English, School of Foreign Languages

Associate Professor Master, Ocean University of China Extensive experience in both Party affairs work and teaching Awarded more than 30 prestigious prizes, including first-place awards at national and ministerial/provincial levels Published 15 academic papers; served as lead editor for 2 textbooks, associate editor for 1, and contributing author to 3 others. Served as Principal Investigator (PI) for 2 research projects (municipal/commission-level and industry-collaborative). Contributed to 7 additional projects at various levels.

Teaching Features

1.Industry-Aligned Curriculum
The School of Foreign Languages features a demand-driven curriculum structured into three distinct clusters: Foreign Languages & Literature, International Business, and International Trade. Course content is regularly updated to reflect industry trends and integrated with AI tools, ensuring graduates acquire relevant and forward-looking skills.
2.Team Teaching by Chinese and International Faculty
This collaborative teaching model employs student-centered, high-impact educational practices to stimulate independent learning and creativity. It is designed to strengthen cross-cultural competence and practical language application.
3.Multi-Dimensional Practical Learning System
A integrated approach combines in-class exercises, extracurricular initiatives, and off-campus placements to enhance real-world skills. Corporate mentors are invited into the classroom, and students are encouraged to join overseas exchange, summer, and short-term study programs—broadening their perspectives and improving language proficiency.
4.Dual Foreign Language Proficiency
The program is designed to develop fluency in both the major language and a second foreign language throughout the four-year study, equipping students with professional mastery alongside widely applicable communication skills.
5.Flexible, Personalized Program Design
Traditional barriers between concentrations, grade levels, and majors are minimized, allowing students to freely combine courses based on career goals and interests for a truly customized educational experience.

Facilities

The School of Foreign Languages is housed in European-style buildings with red roofs and green trees, nestled by the West Lake on campus. It is equipped with 48 modern multimedia classrooms, 13 digital language labs, a specialized resource library, and a foreign language FM radio station. All learning areas are centrally air-conditioned, providing students with a comfortable and focused academic environment.

Graduate Outcomes

Graduates of the School of Foreign Languages (SFL) are highly valued by employers for their solid subject knowledge, comprehensive professional skills, and strong workplace adaptability. They have built successful careers across diverse sectors, including government agencies, education, digital media, e-commerce, cultural tourism, and business translation.

Our SFL graduates pursue further studies at prestigious Chinese universities, such as Project 985 and 211 institutions, as well as leading universities worldwide, including in the UK, Australia, Germany, France, Russia, Austria, and Switzerland.