To enhance students’ intercultural communication competence, establish a professional platform for competition preparation, and promote academic exchange, the School of Foreign Languages held a preparatory salon for intercultural competitions on December 26 in Classroom B233 of the Second Teaching Building. The event was guided by Ms. Chang Gaoge, with participation from selected students of the School. Student Lun Zihan served as the moderator.

At the opening of the session, Ms. Chang Gaoge provided a systematic overview of the significance and rigorous structure of intercultural competence competitions. She clearly explained the three-tier selection process—from the university level to the provincial and national stages—and emphasized that the coming ten months represent a critical period for sustained preparation and competence development. She then offered an in-depth analysis of the core components of the provincial-level competition, particularly the eight-minute timed intercultural case presentation and analysis, which consists of a five-minute situational performance and a three-minute analytical commentary, as well as the independent assessment segment, “Telling China’s Stories,” an impromptu speech task. Ms. Chang recommended that students use the “IELTS Bro” mobile application to strengthen impromptu speaking skills, and draw on classic translation texts from the College English Test (CET-4 and CET-6) as resources for systematic practice in expressing Chinese culture in English.

Subsequently, student Yu Jia shared practical preparation strategies based on personal competition experience. She recommended authoritative readings such as Intercultural Communication and suggested maintaining reflective learning journals to document and systematize individual growth. Ms. Chang further highlighted Yu Jia’s transformation from reserved to confident, encouraging all students to value competition platforms as important opportunities for self-breakthrough and personal development. Toward the end of the event, faculty and students jointly viewed recordings of competition finals. By observing the performances of outstanding teams, participants gained a more intuitive understanding of the high standards and profound appeal of intercultural communication.

Through professional guidance, experience sharing, and live-case observation, this preparatory salon not only provided students with systematic competition guidance and innovative preparation strategies, but also fostered a specialized platform for intercultural learning and exchange. Looking ahead, the School of Foreign Languages will continue to strengthen intercultural practice platforms, expand competition mentoring resources, and support students in enhancing their professional competence in a global context while effectively sharing China’s stories with the world.