A Chinese research university plans to phase out traditional English classes, citing the ability of artificial intelligence (AI) translators to bridge language barriers in real time.
In a video posted to the university’s social media account on July 2, Zhao Wei, the provost of Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology (SUAT), announced that the institution would do away with standard English courses in favour of classes that emphasised cross-cultural skills.
These new courses are designed to help students understand both Chinese and Western cultures so they can engage with people overseas with confidence and poise.
“If you apply to SUAT in 2026, we will be running the experimental [curriculum], which will gradually phase out university English and replace it with intercultural communication courses,” Zhao said.
He said that technological progress, particularly real-time translation tools, allowed people to communicate effectively even if they did not know each other’s language.
“Today, I don’t need to understand English at all,” Zhao said. “You can speak in English, and the translation comes through my earphones in Chinese. I can speak Chinese, and your earphones may receive it in Spanish. Real-time translation has become impressively effective.”