Responding to the Challenges of the “belt and Road” Initiative: Current Situation and Reform Path of Foreign Language Education Planning
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The Belt and Road Initiative has created an urgent need for versatile multilingual professionals, exposing a misalignment between this strategic demand and the current foreign language education planning in Chinese universities. This gap presents a critical issue for national capacity building. This study aimed to diagnose the systemic deficiencies in foreign language education planning within the BRI context and to propose a coherent framework for reform, thereby addressing the disconnect between educational output and strategic national needs. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating a comprehensive analysis of relevant literature with field research including surveys and interviews conducted at several tertiary institutions. The investigation identified four core structural problems: inflexible student recruitment mechanisms, an overly narrow curriculum scope, a shortage of qualified instructors, and a significant disconnect of pedagogical content from practical application, collectively failing to meet BRI talent demands. The study concludes that synergistic reforms across policy, curriculum, teacher development, and pedagogy are essential. These reforms are vital to realigning educational outcomes with national strategic objectives and to cultivating a competent multilingual workforce for Belt and Road cooperation.
Institution: Rangsit University
Language: English
Subfield: Linguistics and Language
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7215410596