Establishment and Development of the College
In July 2019, the International College was newly established by merging the former Overseas College and the School of Humanities and Law. It serves as the educational and teaching management institution for training foreign language professionals and executing Sino-foreign cooperative education programs. Simultaneously, the college oversees the recruitment and management of international students and delivers public language courses university-wide.
In April 2023, the Ministry of Education approved the establishment of FAFU-Dal Joint College, a non-independent legal entity for Sino-foreign cooperative education. Currently, the Dalhousie University Joint College operates alongside the International College, advancing the university’s global engagement.
The college comprises five departments: the Department of Public Foreign Language Teaching, the Foreign Language Department, the Department of Sinology, the Foreign Language Teaching Department for Graduate Students, and the Foreign Language Training Department, along with one Master of Translation and Interpreting (MTI) Education Center and one Language Lab Center. It offers five undergraduate programs and one MTI program, with 1,202 enrolled students, including 592 in the China-Canada program, 407 English majors, 42 MTI students, and 161 international students. The college employs 104 full-time faculty members and 21 administrative staff.
Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education
Since 2003, FAFU has partnered with Canadian universities such as Dalhousie University to deliver programs in Horticulture, Agricultural Resources and Environment, Landscape Architecture, and Ecology. To date, 2,437 students have enrolled, with 820 progressing to Canadian partner institutions. Notable achievements include multiple recipients of the Governor General’s Silver Medal (Canada’s highest undergraduate honor) and Dalhousie University Honorary Medals (awarded to top-ranking students).
The Horticulture and Agricultural Resources and Environment programs ceased enrollment in 2024 due to contract expiration. The Landscape Architecture 3+1 program was integrated into the FAFU-Dal Joint College, while the Ecology program continues with annual enrollment of 40 students.
The FAFU-Dal Joint College, launched in 2024, admitted its first cohort of 107 Landscape Architecture and 105 Agricultural and Forestry Economics Management students. Utilizing a “4+0” model, the college combines curricula and faculty resources from both institutions, enabling students to earn dual degrees while studying entirely in China.
International Student Education
Since 1993, FAFU has continuously expanded its international student programs. It was designated a Chinese Government Scholarship recipient institution in 2011 and secured the “Silk Road Scholarship–University Project” in 2017.
As of December 2024, FAFU has educated over 500 international students from 60+ countries, with 161 currently enrolled. Half hold Chinese or Fujian government scholarships, while the remainders receive university funding. Over 95% are graduate students, reflecting FAFU’s strength in advanced agricultural research.
To diversify its international cohort, FAFU partners with leading universities in Belt and Road countries, including Pakistan’s Faisalabad Agricultural University and Sri Lanka’s University of Peradeniya, to recruit high-caliber students.
Disciplinary Development and Talent Cultivation
1. English Major Program
Evolving from a 1988 business English diploma program, the undergraduate English major ranked B in the 2024 Soft Science Ranking (Shanghai Ranking). Its 23 faculty members (3 professors, 8 associate professors) have developed 4 national/provincial first-class courses and 20+ industry partnerships, including with New Oriental and Yiguo Yimin Translation Company. Graduates regularly advance to top institutions like University College London and Beijing Foreign Studies University.
2. Public Foreign Language Teaching
The 54-member department (11 senior faculty, 3 PhDs) emphasizes agricultural-forestry disciplinary support. Recent achievements include 10+ national/provincial teaching awards, 20+ research projects, and student wins in the FLTRP Cup series.
3. Liberal Arts and Chinese Language Education
The Department of Sinology (10 faculty, 3 PhDs) teaches courses like “Recitation of Chinese Classics” and manages the Traditional Cultural Education Base of Chinese Agricultural Civilization. Notable outputs include a trilingual dictionary (Chinese-English-Zulu) and provincial competition awards.
4. Graduate Foreign Language Education
This 8-member team (5 senior faculty) developed the textbook “Comprehensive Course in Agricultural and Forestry English for Graduate Students in the New Era” (2023). Their course “The Fujian Story of China’s Poverty Alleviation” earned recognition from the China MOOC Alliance for Foreign Languages (2023).
5. Foreign Language Training Department
Focusing on the Sino-Canada program, the 9-member team (2 PhDs) uses original English textbooks to replicate overseas classrooms, ensuring seamless transition for students studying abroad.
Website: https://english.fafu.edu.cn/gjxyen/main.htm