As one of the earliest faculties of the Xiamen University of Technology, the Faculty of International Languages ( FIL ) was founded in September, 1981, who is famed all over Xiamen City. FIL is currently composed of English Language and Literature Specialty, Japanese Language and Literature Specialty, Business Japanese for Special Education and the College English Department. By September, 2007, the total enrollment of full-time students of FIL has reached 700. In the near future, FIL is going to establish another two new specialties, Korean Language and Literature and Teaching of Chinese as a Second Language (TCSL).

      The faculty members who are well versed in their respective areas of studies are well supported by a responsible and competent administrative team. At present, there are 91 full-time teachers and administrators at FIL, among whom 26% are professors and associate professors; 85% have Doctor and Master Degrees; 25% have the experiences of studying, teaching or working overseas. The English specialty has ever won provincial first prize for the National Excellent Teaching Results Award twice, which is also the provincial pilot specialty for teaching reform. “Modern Business English” is awarded as Provincial Classic Course; “English Translation” is awarded as Provincial Excellent Course; “Business Interpreting” is awarded as XMUT Classic Course; “English Newspapers and Periodicals Reading” is one of the national model courses of “21st Century”. And the College English Department ever won third prize for National Excellent College English Teaching.
                                 

      “An Introduction to Comparative Studies of English and Chinese”, written by Professor Wei Zhicheng, head of FIL, is the recommendatory teaching material for graduate students of English Language and Literature Major. Associate Professor Li Chuanfang and Professor Zhang Yanjun are the leading teachers of two provincial Classic Courses. (4 provincial Classic Courses for each university of Fujian Province in average)

      The development of FIL has gained a lot of support from the university. We now possess first-class facilities. All the classrooms are audio-visual, including simultaneous interpreting training lab, international trade lab, business negotiation lab as well as many other language laboratories of special uses. Students are divided into small classes to have lessons. The courses conducted by international teachers run through four-year undergraduate study, accounting for 12% of all the specialized courses.                                    

      FIL who has cultivated its own characteristics in its long practice of teaching has now established an online self-learning website, two classic course homepages as well as many teachers’ blogs. Professors of FIL are practising all kinds of pedagogies to achieve best teaching results for the students. FIL has always been proactive in promoting exchange and cooperation with enterprises and other universities from both home and abroad. As a result, students of FIL participate actively in the annual CIFIT, CXMEE, Xiamen International Marathon as well as other big events held in Xiamen, working as the interpreters and volunteers; they take part in the exchange programs with our counterparts in the UK, Korea and Japan, serving as the teaching assistants of Chinese and Chinese culture; part of the students are recommended to further their study in the universities of Canada, Japan, Korea and Malaysia.

      The students of FIL have won high praise from the exhibition organizing committees, business organizations and the Xiamen press. The graduates are highly recommended by many famous enterprises from home and abroad in the fields of banking, airlines and trade. The employment rate of the graduates has always been 100% for a long time.