1. Background and Purposes

The International Forum on Linguistics and Chinese Education (IFOLCE) is an annual academic gathering committed to advancing the application of contemporary linguistic research in teaching Chinese as a second language. IFOLCE was first launched in 2015 through a collaborative initiative among scholars from eight universities across the United States, Mainland China, and Hong Kong. Since its inception, the forum has been hosted on a rotational basis at three locations (the US, Mainland China, and Hong Kong) with at least one co-organizer, to foster international dialogue and scholarly exchange in the relevant fields. IFOLCE-1 was held at University of California at Davis (co-organizer Columbia University), IFOLCE-2 at Beijing Language and Culture University (co-organizer Peking University), IFOLCE-3 at University of Notre Dame (co-organizer Princeton University), IFOLCE-4 at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (co-organizer Stanford University), IFOLCE-5 at Columbia University (co-organizer UC-Davis), IFOLCE-6 at Stanford University (co-organizers City University of Hong Kong and the Chinese Language Teachers Association of California),  IFOLCE-7 at Peking University (co-organizer Beijing Language and Culture University), and IFOLCE-8 at Princeton University (co-organizer University of Notre Dame). This year, IFOLCE-9 will be hosted by City University of Hong Kong, in partnership with The Education University of Hong Kong and Stanford University as co-organizers, from June 26 to 28, 2026.

The theme of IFOLCE-9 is Chinese Linguistics, Chinese Education, and Generative AI, advocating cross-disciplinary and empirically oriented research for the advancement of Chinese-related research and applications in the AI era. The progress in linguistics and Chinese as a second or foreign language depends on a solid foundation and up-to-date methods in linguistic research and a meaningful and effective application of new findings and technologies to teaching practices. The purpose is to elevate the quality and benchmark of Chinese language research and education worldwide. This mission honors the legacy of pioneering scholars in modern Chinese linguistics and education, most notably Prof. Yuan Ren Chao and other pioneers, whose contributions continue to inspire generations of educators and researchers. IFOLCE cordially invites scholars, educators, and practitioners from around the globe to rigorize and advance the distinguished tradition of integrating linguistic research into Chinese language education. We welcome exchanges of the latest findings in cutting-edge research, empirical approaches, and innovative methods both in theoretical and pedagogical applications, including AI-integrated technologies in language research and instruction.

2. Conference Plan

(1) Organizers: City University of Hong Kong, The Education University of Hong Kong, Stanford University

(2) Dates: June 26-28, 2026

(3) Location:

Conference: City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, HKSAR

Workshops: The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, HKSAR(4) Schedule:

1. Pre-conference workshops: June 26, 2026, 1-6 pm, two workshops and a panel discussion
2. Conference: June 27-28, keynote speeches, invited speeches, and session presentations 

3. Forum Theme: Chinese Linguistics, Chinese Education, and GenAI

Preferences will be given to papers pertaining to the theme of the Forum, but papers are ALL welcome concerning the following suggested topics (but are not limited to):

1. Innovative linguistic research on various facets of the Chinese language varieties;
2. Application of linguistic research proposals to Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) theories and practices;
3. Application of new findings in various linguistic subfields (phonetics, phonology, prosodic structure, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics) to CSL instruction;
4. Application of cross-disciplinary studies, such as neurolinguistics, psycholinguistics, corpus linguistics, computational linguistics, sociolinguistics, cognitive linguistics, and discourse and communication studies, to CSL education;
5. Application of research findings in historical and cultural studies to CSL instruction;
6. Application of research findings in statistical/quantitative linguistics to CSL instruction;
7. Application of research findings in language acquisition and learning to CSL instruction;
8. Application of empirical approaches and advanced technologies, such as LLMs and multi-modal analyses, to CSL education;
9. Research on curriculum design and teaching materials in CSL advanced-level instruction, including academic Chinese and Chinese for special purposes;
10. Utilizing linguistic research findings for the compilation of dictionaries or textbooks for CSL instruction;
11. Studies on socially and culturally significant issues in relation to the latest developments in CSL practices;
12. Studies on any salient issue of Chinese linguistics and applied Chinese linguistics.

4. Submission of Abstracts

(1) Deadline of submission: Sunday, January 18, 2026, by 12 midnight Hong Kong Time

(2) Format and word limit: Word file in Chinese or English; one page without authors’ names and affiliation.

Abstracts written in Chinese: between 500 to 600 characters.

Abstracts written in English: between 300 to 400 words.

(3) Content of Abstract: clearly highlights a research gap and problem, methods to address the problem, theoretical proposal and key findings, and potential contribution and significance.

(4) Review and notification: All abstracts will be anonymously reviewed, and decisions on acceptance will be sent out by March 15, 2026. All accepted papers will be delivered on site.

(5) Submission link: Please submit the abstract to EasyChair (https://easychair.org/conferences?conf=ifolce9).

5. Conference language

English or Chinese

6. Registration

(1) Registration fee

Early bird (on or before 10th April 2026): HK$1200

Regular fee (after 10th April 2026): HK$1400

Full-time student special rate: HK$1200

Special rate for members of CLTAC: HK$1200

(2) Registration form:  will be available after Jan. 11, 2026 on the Forum Website (https://wwwstaging.cityu.edu.hk/lt/ifolce-9/). Please fill out the registration form and pay the registration fee by clicking on the payment link on the form.

Note: Both presenters and non-presenters are welcome to participate in the forum and workshop.

(3) Deadline for Registration: May 30, 2026. Requests for registration fee refunds must be submitted to the IFOLCE-9 organizing committee in writing before April 10, 2026, after which no refund requests will be accepted.

Note: The registration fee covers lunch on June 27 and 28, dinner on June 28, and tea breaks throughout the forum.

7. Lodging and Transportation

Lodging Information:  30-50 rooms at CityU Lodge will be reserved for registered conference participants who indicate preference for campus lodging.

Transportation Information: https://www.cityu.edu.hk/en/about/campus/getting-to-cityu

Campus Map: https://www.cityu.edu.hk/en/about/campus/map

8. Sun Dejin Young Scholar Theses Award (SYSTA)

This award is first offered as an encouragement to young scholars who wish to devote themselves to a career in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language, a field in which Dr. Sun Dejin was especially interested in, and to which he has made numerous important contributions. The award is an annual prize in the amount of US$200, donated by the founding members of IFOLCE. On the recommendation of the review committee after reviewing all the SYSTA submissions, a maximum of three finalists will be invited to present their papers in the special SYSTA session at the forum. Two nights of local lodging will be provided for these three finalists (one recipient for each paper) by the organizer free of charge, although the finalists must notify the organizer of their travel plan in a timely manner as required.

(1) Eligibility

Age: The applicant must be 45 years of age (or younger) in the year of the forum.

Degree: Applicants are not required to hold a PhD. However, for those who do, the degree must have been awarded no more than six years prior to the year of the forum.

(2) Applicants must submit an abstract of their thesis before January 18, 2026. Those whose abstracts are shortlisted as finalists will be asked to submit a full paper by March 15, 2026. The full paper must be no more than 20 pages (single spaced) in length and formatted in APA, MLA or LSA style or the styles of other Chinese core academic journals in Chinese linguistics or language acquisition. The following should be written as the first line of the paper: “Submission for the Sun Dejin Young Scholar Thesis Award”. Submitted papers must be original works that have not been published elsewhere. Priority will be given to applicants who have not received this award before. A maximum of three finalists will be anonymously reviewed and selected by the review committee, and the thesis must be presented at the special session of the annual forum.

9. IFOLCE Steering Committee (alphabetical order)

储诚志 Chu, Chengzhi, University of California, Davis 加州大学戴维斯分校

崔希亮 Cui, Xiliang, Beijing Language and Culture University 北京语言大学

刘乐宁 Liu, Lening, Columbia University 哥伦比亚大学

刘美君 Liu, Mei-Chun, City University of Hong Kong 香港城市大学

孙朝奋 Sun, Chaofen, Stanford University 斯坦福大学

王    静 Wang, Jing, Princeton University 普林斯顿大学

王之容 Wang, Zhirong, Columbia University 哥伦比亚大学

赵    杨 Zhao, Yang, Peking University 北京大学

朱永平 Zhu, Yongping, University of Notre Dame  圣母大学

10. IFOLCE-9 Organizing Committee (alphabetic order)

陈伟强 Chan, Timothy Wai Keung, The Education University of Hong Kong 香港教育大学

揭春雨Kit, Chunyu, City University of Hong Kong 香港城市大学

林善敏 Lam Sin Manw Sophia, The Education University of Hong Kong 香港教育大学

罗燕玲 Law Yin Ling, The Education University of Hong Kong 香港教育大学

刘美君 Liu, Mei-Chun, City University of Hong Kong 香港城市大学

卿鸿宾Qing, Hongbin, City University of Hong Kong 香港城市大学

孙朝奋 Sun, Chaofen, Stanford University 斯坦福大学

王婵娟 Wang Chanjuan, The Education University of Hong Kong 香港教育大学

王    聪 Wang, Cong, The Education University of Hong Kong 香港教育大学

Forum Website: https://wwwstaging.cityu.edu.hk/lt/ifolce-9/

Email address: ifolce9@gmail.com