From November 13 to 17, the 30th “21st Century Cup” National English Speaking Competition for College Students was grandly held in Hangzhou. Xu Ziqing, a 2023 English major student, and Chen Ke, a Translation major student from the School of English Language and Culture, competed against 350 contestants from over 100 universities nationwide, including Tsinghua University, FuDan University, and Shanghai International Studies University. With confident expressions and outstanding performances, they won two second prize respectively at the national finals—an unprecedented breakthrough for our university in this competition.
Founded by China Daily in 1996, the competition is one of the most influential English speaking events in China. It is dedicated to nurturing young talents with an international perspective and promoting the development of English education in China. The event has been listed in our university’s academic competition catalog of national-level competitions .
This year’s competition featured multiple exciting rounds. The first round adopted a 1v1 on-site PK format, where two contestants delivered 2-minute impromptu speeches on the same topic. Winners advanced to the next round, while eliminated contestants participated in the revival round the next day. Both students from our university successfully progressed. The second round centered on the theme “Living within and beyond the 21st Century,” consisting of a 4-minute prepared speech, a 2-minute impromptu speech, and a 2-minute Q&A session. This comprehensive assessment tested the contestants’ English expression skills, quick thinking and response. Xu Ziqing shared her journey of choosing English as her major and extended the discussion to the future of education in China. Chen Ke, starting from her Tujia ethnic identity, delved into the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind. Their outstanding performances won recognition from the judges and applause from the audience.
The competition spanned 8 months, from the registration period in early March to the national finals. With strong support from leaders at all levels of the Academic Affairs Office and the School of English Language and Culture, Teacher Li Yan from the English Language Practice Workshop provided professional guidance throughout the process. From refining topic selections in the initial preparation stage to optimizing details, she built a ladder for the candidates to pursue their dreams with a high sense of responsibility and professional competence.
Behind the brilliant achievements lies the joint efforts of teachers and students. They also reflect the School of English Language and Culture’s long-standing teaching philosophy of “promoting learning and teaching through competitions.” This achievement is a microcosm of the school’s educational outcomes and a catalyst for the university’s all-round development, injecting sustainable momentum into talent cultivation, discipline construction, and brand building.
