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 (US, Mainland China, 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 in June, 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 updated methods in linguistic research and a deliberate application of new findings and technologies to teaching practices. Upholding this principle is essential to elevating the quality and standards of Chinese language education worldwide. This mission honors the legacy of pioneering scholars in modern Chinese linguistics and education, most notably Mr. 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 uphold and advance the distinguished tradition of integrating linguistic research into Chinese language education. We welcome the exchange of cutting-edge, empirical research and innovative methodological developments to enrich and elevate both theoretical findings and pedagogical applications in the face of emerging AI-technologies.

1. Conference Plan

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

(2) Location: City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, HKSAR

(3) Dates: June 26-28, 2026

(4) Schedule:

a. Pre-conference workshops: June 26 afternoon

- Empirical approaches to multimodal semantics: Behavioral Profiles and image analyses

- Applications of LLMs in linguistic studies

b. Conference: June 27-28, with keynote speeches, invited speeches, and presentations 

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

Preferences will be given to papers related to the theme of the forum, but papers concerning the following suggested topics (but are not limited to) are also welcome:

1. Application of innovative linguistic research findings to updating Chinese as Second Language (CSL) theories and practices;
2. Application of new theories in the studies of linguistic subfields (phonetics, phonology, prosodic structure, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics) to CSL instruction;
3. Application of research findings in cross-disciplinary studies (corpus-linguistics, psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, computational linguistics, sociolinguistics, cognitive linguistics, discourse and communication studies) to CSL instruction;
4. Application of research findings in historical and cultural studies to CSL instruction;
5. Application of research findings on cognitive neuroscience to CSL instruction;
6. Application of research findings in statistical and quantitative linguistics to CSL instruction;
7. Application of research findings in language acquisition and language learning to CSL instruction;
8. Application of empirical methodologies with latest technologies, such LLMs and multi-modal analyses, to CSL instruction;
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. Socially and culturally salient issues in linguistic studies in relation to the latest developments in CSL practices.

1. Submission of Abstracts

(1) Deadline of submission: Sunday, January 11, 2026, by 12 mid-night Hong Kong time.

(2) Format and word limit: two pages of Word file in Chinese or English; one page with title, authors’ names, and affiliation; one page with title and abstract (without inclusion of names and affiliation).

Abstract written in Chinese: between 500 to 600 characters.

Abstract written in English: between 300 to 400 words.

(3) Content of Abstract: clearly highlights a research gag and problem, methods used in addressing the problem, theoretical proposal and key findings, and potential contributions 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.