Press Release

HKBU hosts “Emerging Media for Communicating SDGs Symposium” for the first time to advance UN Sustainable Development Goals 

Thursday, 2 April 2026

 

The School of Communication at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) held the “2026 Emerging Media for Communicating SDGs Symposium” from 27 to 28 March. The event focused on the intersection between emerging media and the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and brought together over 80 scholars and students from the Chinese Mainland; Hong Kong, China; Macau, China; Taiwan, China; as well as Singapore, South Korea and Japan, to explore how digital innovation can drive global sustainable development.

The symposium is co-organised on a rotating basis by the School of Communication at HKBU, the School of Media and Communication at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Institute of Communication Studies at Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, and the Department of Communications and New Media at the National University of Singapore. Its aims to foster regional academic synergy and strengthen networks among established scholars and emerging researchers. Entering its third edition this year and hosted by HKBU in Hong Kong for the first time, the event showcased six thematic panels: Sustainable Health, Narratives and Development, Living with AI, Green and Virtuality, Digital Media Access and Usage, and Technology for Engagement.

The officiating guests included Professor Martin Wong, Provost of HKBU; Professor Wei Ran, Associate Dean (Research and Development) of the School of Communication at HKBU; Professor Mou Yi, Vice Dean of the School of Media and Communication at Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Professor Lee Juinde, Associate Professor and Director of the Institute of Communication Studies at Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, and Professor Zhang Weiyu, Professor of the Department of Communications and New Media at the National University of Singapore.

In his opening remarks, Professor Martin Wong said: “At HKBU, SDGs are closely connected with the way we teach, learn, conduct research, and engage with society. Our latest Sustainability Report notes that 673 courses across the University incorporate SDG-related elements, reflecting a broad effort to embed sustainability in everyday academic life.”

He further highlighted: “In the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025, HKBU ranked 69th in the world and maintained 2nd place globally in SDG 4, Quality Education, for the second consecutive year. These achievements strengthen our resolve to continue contributing to society through education, research and cross-sector collaboration.”

Professor Wei Ran said: “The School of Communication at HKBU has identified the SDGs as a pivotal initiative for its academic and disciplinary advancement. We are dedicated to exploring the application of cutting-edge technologies and emerging media, harnessing them as a key force to generate social impact and drive positive change. By hosting cross-regional dialogues such as this symposium, we aim to bridge the gap between academic research and pressing global issues, ensuring our scholarly outcomes translate into public interest and provide substantive solutions for a sustainable global future.”

The event featured two distinguished keynote addresses by Professor Se-Hoon Jeong, Professor of the College of Media and Communication and Director of BK21 Media and Communication Research & Education Center at Korea University, and Professor Kouta Minamizawa, Dean and Professor of the Graduate School of Media Design at Keio University. Professor Minamizawa also led a hands-on “Rapid Prototyping Workshop”, where symposium participants, together with HKBU students and faculty, designed solution-based prototypes aimed at solving specific SDG challenges.

The 27 papers presented during the symposium successfully bridged rigorous theoretical inquiry with digital application, offering transformative insights for the field. The next symposium will be hosted by the National University of Singapore in 2027. 

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The officiating guests of the symposium include Professor Martin Wong, Provost of HKBU (middle); Professor Wei Ran, Associate Dean (Research and Development) of the School of Communication at HKBU (3rd left); Professor Mou Yi, Vice Dean of the School of Media and Communication at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2nd left); Professor Lee Juinde, Associate Professor and Director of the Institute of Communication Studies at Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (3rd right), and Professor Zhang Weiyu, Professor of the Department of Communications and New Media at the National University of Singapore (2nd right).
The symposium brings together scholars and students to explore how digital innovation can drive global sustainable development.
Professor Se-Hoon Jeong, Professor of the College of Media and Communication and Director of the BK21 Media and Communication Research & Education Center at Korea University, presents a keynote address.
Professor Kouta Minamizawa, Dean and Professor of the Graduate School of Media Design at Keio University, delivers a keynote address.
The symposium participants, together with HKBU students and faculty, engage in the hands-on Rapid Prototyping Workshop led by Professor Kouta Minamizawa.