Since 2014, under the caring leadership of Professor Hou Jianxin, the dean of IEC, the institute has established Latin language courses in its undergraduate and graduate teaching systems. The Latin language curriculum has continued to evolve and mature, and now includes two elective courses covering two semesters.The library of theIEC has also successively purchased authoritative literature on ancient and medieval Europe, such as the Loeb Classical Library and the Oxford Medieval Texts.
On March 31, 2023, Associate Professor Liu Xuefei led some students majoring in world history to the library of IEC to learn Latin and encouraged them to touch Latin literature and use reference books to retrieve vocabulary and interpret the literature.At the beginning of the activity, Professor Liu Xuefei introduced to the students the important original literature used in the study of ancient history around the world - the Loeb Classical Library.The library of IEC currently has 343 volumes of the Greek-English version and 181 volumes of the Latin-English version of the Loeb Classical Library, totaling 527 volumes. In addition, Ms. Liu Rui from the library also showed the students some of the latest acquisitions of the Oxford Medieval Texts series.
After the introduction, Associate Professor Liu guided the students to practice reading Latin texts with the help of dictionaries and other reference materials. The students had the opportunity to touch the ancient Latin books and feel the texture of the pages, which added a sense of historical authenticity to their learning experience.
The activity was not only informative but also interactive. Associate Professor Liu encouraged the students to ask questions and share their own perspectives on the significance of learning Latin for the study of world history. The students were able to gain a deeper understanding of the role of Latin in the development of European civilization and its impact on modern languages.