The international conference on ‘The Future of English in Asia: Perspectives on Language and Literature’, held from 19 to 21 April, attracted leading international experts on English. Organized by the Department of English, the event coincided with the 50th anniversary of CUHK.

World-renowned writers, academics, and researchers on English were joined by poets, teachers, publishers, HKSAR Education Bureau representatives, and members of the public in discussing the future of English in Hong Kong and across Asia. Speakers included Dr. Nicholas Ostler, author of Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World; Prof. Bill Ashcroft, professor and ARC Fellow, University of New South Wales, Australia; Prof. Andy Kirkpatrick, professor in linguistics, Griffith University, Australia; Prof. Kuo Way, President, City University of Hong Kong; Prof. Zhang Longxi, chair professor of comparative literature and translation, City University of Hong Kong; Prof. Bob Adamson, head of International Education, the Hong Kong Institute of Education; and Ms. Louise Ho, a leading Hong Kong English-language poet. A wide variety of topics related to English literature, linguistics and education were covered, including ‘Language through Literature’, ‘World Englishes’, ‘English Past and Future—Just One More Asian Lingua Franca’, and ‘Models of Trilingual Education in China’.