SCRELE Biennial Conference is sponsored and organized by the Shanghai Center for Research in English Language Education (SCRELE), one of the key research centers for humanities and social sciences in Shanghai. Based at Shanghai International Studies University, SCRELE was established in 2016 by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission to push forward city-wide English curriculum innovations in basic education through in-depth university-school collaborations. 

Shanghai Center for Research in English Language Education (SCRELE), affiliated to Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), China, is now inviting proposals for its Third Biennial Conference under the theme of “Second/Foreign Language Teaching Materials Development and Research”. The event, scheduled on 19-21 September, 2025 will be held on Hongkou campus of Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai. We are looking forward to your contribution and participation.

Shanghai Center for Research in English Language Education

The Shanghai Center for Research in English Language Education (SCRELE) is one of the key research centers for humanities and social sciences in Shanghai. Established in 2016 by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (SMEC), SCRELE aims to advance city-wide English curriculum innovations in basic education through in-depth university-school collaborations. Based at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), SCRELE brings together researchers, teacher educators, and school teachers from universities, teacher education institutes, and schools in Shanghai, as well as scholars from other parts of China. Headed by its chair professor, Professor Shu Dingfang, SCRELE is tasked with curriculum research, textbook development, and teacher training.

The National Research Center for Foreign Languages Educational Materials, SISU

The National Research Center for Foreign Languages Educational Materials (NRCFLEM), based at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), was inaugurated with official authorization from the Ministry of Education in July 2023. The center is led by the university president as its director, with Professor Shu Dingfang serving as the executive director and chair professor. It has an academic advisory board and a guest research team comprising over 30 renowned scholars in foreign language education from across the country. The center has four full-time researchers and collaborates with dozens of part-time researchers nationwide, including university teachers and researchers, teaching research supervisors, and school teachers. 

The center’s primary responsibilities include:

(1) conducting research on foreign language teaching materials;

(2) providing guidance and training for the development and use of foreign language textbooks;

(3) promoting the exchange of research findings on foreign language teaching materials; and

(4) building a robust research team and cultivating professional talent in materials development.

The center’s work emphasizes the integration of textbook “research”, “development”, and teacher “training” on textbook use (the RDT approach). Since 2018, the center has organized three major textbook development projects adopting the RDT approach. These projects have resulted in the publication of English textbook series for Shanghai high schools (2020-2022), middle schools (2024-2025) and primary schools (2024-2025). These initiatives have provided significant support and professional guidance for key aspects of foreign language teaching materials development.