Published: 2024-04-16

In response to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Hong Kong Baptist University co-organized a two-day international symposium in Taiwan together with two partners in the region, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

A cross-section view of participants at the symposium

The tri-university symposium, “Emerging Media for Communicating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, brought together scholars and other experts from different fields to share and exchange research findings. Topics included the use of new communication technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality in promoting and implementing SDGs.

Associate Dean and Professor of the School of Communication, Wei Ran, highlighted the challenges of pressing issues that the world is currently facing and emphasized the role of emerging media and technologies in communicating and formulating strategies to overcome the obstacles and achieve a sustainable future.

Professor Wei Ran (L) exchanges gifts with the host at the symposium

Ten participants from Hong Kong Baptist University participated in the symposium, including faculty members Leanne Chang (Associate Professor, Department of Communication Studies), Stephanie Tsang (Assistant Professor, Communication Studies), and Nick Zhang (Assistant Professor, Journalism) as well as research postgraduate students, Wang Tat Chio, Xiyuan Zhou, Zhihuai Lin, Songli Nie, Kaiming Su, and Lin Zhou. Their presentations explored the media’s impact on sustainable development, the influence of social media on humans’ mental health and well-being, the proliferation of misinformation and its adverse societal impact, and self-censorship in the socio-political context of China.

From R – L: Nick Zhang, Leanne Chang, and Stephanie Tsang

The highlights of the symposium included keynote speeches delivered by Professor Patrice Buzzanell, former ICA President and Distinguished Professor of the University of South Florida, and Professor Kouta Minamizawa, Graduate School of Media Design in Keio University, Japan.

The symposium provided a timely platform for the examination of the power of communication technologies to inform, educate, and mobilize action towards achieving the SDGs. It also presented a great opportunity for the academic community in the region to contribute to the global conversation on sustainable development which inadvertently plays a pivotal role in shaping a better world for future generations. Furthermore, the symposium served as an excellent opportunity for graduate students to network with senior colleagues and peers in different programs.

The next symposium on SDGs will be held in Shanghai in spring 2025. It will be HKBU’s turn to be the host in 2026.