Not a crisis, but a vital rebirth

As I stood before our new students this semester, seeing the flicker of concern in their eyes, I opened my lecture with conviction: "English as a major is not declining. It is transforming."

For over 20 years, I've devoted myself to foreign language education, and today, I see this moment not as a crisis, but as a vital rebirth. Yes, we face challenges — declining enrollment, fierce job competition, the relentless tide of AI — but I believe this is our historic opportunity to evolve.

When the University of Science and Technology of China decided to phase out its English major in late 2023, it sparked a wave of adjustments across over 100 universities, with many canceling language majors such as English and Japanese. To some, it looked like retreat. To me, it signals a profound shift from training mere "tool users" of grammar and vocabulary to nurture true "bridge builders".