As a major university under the direct leadership of the Chinese Ministry of Education, BFSU is not only the oldest, but also the one that offers more foreign language programs than any other in China. It serves as a national centre for teaching and research on foreign languages, foreign literature, and international studies, and as a major training centre for foreign language personnel, especially senior interpreters and translators. It also houses a leading press that publishes books, periodicals, dictionaries, and audio-visual and digital products related to foreign language teaching and research.