On October 17, a ceremony was held to mark the launch of the new branch of the Chulalongkorn University Proficiency Test of Thai as a Foreign Language (CU-TFL) which will be housed at Chengdu University (CDU). This launch not only strengthens the universirty’s commitment to educational advancement but also supports the ASEAN Scholars Forum on Intangible Cultural Heritage. The test center marks significant development in Chinese-Thai relations as it will be the first of its kind in Sichuan Province. The event was attended by Ms. Najjsiri Nimyizhune, Acting Consul-General of the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Chengdu, and Peng Xiaolin, Vice President of CDU.
Peng Xiaolin introduced that CDU has always adhered to the educational philosophy of "openness and integration, serving the local community, and facing the world", integrating the internationalization strategy as one of the four major strategies for the university's development. CDU is the first institution in Sichuan Province to offer an undergraduate program in Thai language. Leveraging the "Sichuan Provincial Research Institute of Thai Studies", it has become an important platform for Sino-Thai educational cooperation in the Southwest. The establishment of the CU-TFL at CDU is a significant achievement in the internationalization of foreign language education and an a key step in deepening Sino-Thai educational cooperation and promote cultural exchange. This initiative marks the university's active support for national strategies and its efforts to enhance Sino-Thai cultural interactions. It signifies the construction of a comprehensive international cooperation system integrating language assessment, academic research, cultural communication, and local service, paving the way for new chapters in the friendship and cooperation between China and Thailand, as well as between China and ASEAN.
Ms. Najjsiri Nimyizhune warmly congratulated CDU on the launch of the first CU-TFL. She stated, "Language is the bridge of communication, and understanding is the foundation of friendship." Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand, establishing a Thai language proficiency center at CDU is of great significance, marking a new stage in Thai language education in Sichuan and the entire southwestern region of China. She expressed that the consulate-general would continue to actively promote Sino-Thai educational cooperation, laying a more solid foundation for collaboration between the two countries in various fields.
Bai Yang, Dean of the College of Foreign Languages and Cultures at CDU, introduced the overall situation of the CU-TFL and the ASEAN Scholars Forum on Intangible Cultural Heritage. The College of Foreign Languages and Cultures and the Sichuan Provincial Research Institute of Thai Studies are continuously advancing interdisciplinary collaboration, enhancing foreign language education and social service capabilities, deeply participating in regional and country-specific studies and talent cultivation, and uniting efforts to promote the advantages of multilingual education in CDU as an application-oriented city university, using the integration of "industry-education-city" as an engine to serve urban development and international exchange.
Dr. Kachen Tansiri, Executive Dean of Chulalongkorn University's Sirindhorn Thai Language Institute, stated that CDU, as the first institution in Sichuan to host the CU-TFL, holds significant historical importance, reflecting the enthusiasm of Chinese students for Thai language and culture. He wished the candidates exceptional success in their first test.
Attending the event were Mrs. Ornwara Diloknawarit, Consul of the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Chengdu, as well as responsible personnel from the School Office, Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, Student Affairs Office, Academic Affairs Office, Social Science Department, College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts, Entrepreneurship College, Overseas Education College, Thai Educational and Cultural Exchange Center, and College of Foreign Languages and Cultures.
On October 18, the inaugural CU-TFL was successfully administered at Chengdu University. The examination proceeded seamlessly and earned high praise from both internal and external candidates, who commended its standardized procedures, professional organization, and comfortable, secure testing environment.
Editor: Min Xiuling Executive Editor: Lyu Jia
