The Spanish and Portuguese Department, founded in 2012 to oversee the majors of Spanish (first offered in 2002) and Portuguese (2008), was the first to offer these subjects in tertiary institutions in northeast China. Spanish has been offered as a postgraduate specialization since 2008 and was designated as a key provincial discipline.
The Spanish and Portuguese Department has thirty full-time faculty members and staff, including six professors, an associate professor and seven native-language speaking experts. In addition, the department engages a large roster of specialized guest lecturers on a regular basis. The department therefore draws on the expertise of a highly experienced team of educators and researchers. The department is privileged to have eminent and distinguished MA advisors, including deans of the School of Foreign Languages in Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing International Studies University, the University of International Business and Economics, and Beijing University.
The department emphasizes the internationalization of its education programs and has been actively promoting cooperative programs with universities in places with relevant linguistic and cultural heritages, such as Aveiro University, Macao Polytechnic Institute, Rovira University, Burgos International Business School, Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca and Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Together with the Confucius Institutes established in Columbia and Brazil, these initiatives have paved the way for the success of the department in cultivating students with international perspectives.
Another focus is internship projects. DUFL offers internship programs with the Central Compilation and Translation Press, and the Columbia-China Chamber of Commerce. These have contributed to the recruitment of excellent Spanish and Portuguese translators and interpreters from DUFL directly and, in turn, facilitated the training and the employment of outstanding graduates in the future.
Guided by modern educational concepts, the Spanish and Portuguese Department has adapted to the needs of regional economic and social development and has improved its pedagogy and faculty composition. New developments and practices in personnel training have led to successful educational reforms and have greatly benefited students. As a department, it has matured in all aspects of its work.
Graduate students from the Spanish-Portuguese Department have an excellent background in their chosen languages and the cultures of the Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking world. Proficient in listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation, they are qualified for employment in areas such as foreign affairs, tourism, business and commerce, international communication and academic research. Graduates are in great demand with domestic and international enterprises and organizations, and employment rates are often as high as 100%.
