From 21 to 25 October, the 70th Anniversary Celebration and 2024 Congress of the International Association of Film and Television Schools (CILECT) was held at the Communication University of China. As an official member of CILECT, the Shanghai Theatre Academy's College of Film was invited to participate in this event. The delegation was comprised of President of the Shanghai Theatre Academy Huang Changyong, Vice President of the Shanghai Theatre Academy Nie Wei, Dean of the College of Film Li Zhenlin, Vice Dean of the College of Film Dong Jian, and Director of the Experimental Management Center Yan Chengye, who were joined by four student volunteers. They delivered the thematic presentation, and actively proposed the initiative and formalized the plan to host the "2025 CILECT Asia-Pacific Association Conference" at the Shanghai Theatre Academy's College of Film.
This year's congress, themed "Artificial Intelligence and Film Education", brought together leaders, scholars and researchers from film and television schools worldwide. It aimed to celebrate the 70th anniversary of CILECT, promote the sharing of teaching resources domestically and internationally, facilitate exchanges and visits among film and television schools, and further explore and discuss the intelligent development of future film practice education.
Bruce Sheridan, President of CILECT and Professor at Columbia College Chicago, and Stanislav Semerdjiev, Executive President of CILECT and Dean of the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Bulgaria, respectively presided over the main agendas and topics of the congress, including the election of president and the annual work report. During the congress, scholars and researchers from various countries further exchanged and communicated on the future development of CILECT. The teachers and students on our delegation also had in-depth exchanges with representatives from nearly 180 globally renowned film and television schools, including those from France, Belgium, India, Australia, and the United States. Notably, the Royal Institute for Theatre, Cinema and Sound in Belgium successfully established a channel for exchange and learning with our university. Additionally, many renowned institutions extended their congratulations on the upcoming 80th anniversary of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, laying a solid foundation for future inter-school cooperation and cross-national student exchanges.
On 22 October, Yu Ran, President of the CILECT Asia-Pacific Association (CAPA), presided over the thematic report session of the congress. Scholars and researchers shared their teaching and research achievements and related thoughts on artificial intelligence and film education. Our delegation also actively participated and spoke at the session. It showcased the Shanghai Theatre Academy College of Film's long-standing educational philosophy of "building a world-class art institution" and its fruitful teaching achievements. Ultimately, the College of Film successfully secured the opportunity to host the "2025 CILECT Asia-Pacific Association Conference" in 2025. This will be the first time a major CILECT conference is held in Shanghai, and the College of Film will continue to advance efforts to ensure the successful hosting of the CAPA Conference.
This trip to Beijing has been a trip of exchange and harvest. Against the backdrop of celebrating the 70th anniversary of CILECT and the upcoming 80th anniversary of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, this trip holds significant meaning. It is a vivid practice of "going out" in classroom teaching and an important step in "bringing in" exchange and cooperation. Many renowned institutions have expressed their blessings and expectations for the "2025 CAPA Conference" to be hosted by the Shanghai Theatre Academy. This trip will undoubtedly promote the establishment and deepening of friendships between the Shanghai Theatre Academy and various well-known film and television schools worldwide.
