Co-hosted by The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) and Shandong University (SDU), the ‘1st International Conference on New Liberal Arts’ (ICNLA-1) is to be held on 18 and 19 December 2025 at EdUHK’s Tai Po Campus.

With the background of global digital transformation and China’s ‘New Liberal Arts’ development initiative, humanities and social sciences education must respond to contemporary challenges through interdisciplinary integration, technological innovation, and cultural preservation. This conference explores how digital technologies profoundly reshape academic research, pedagogical practices, and societal engagement. It aims to bridge Eastern and Western scholarship while advancing paradigm shifts in liberal arts education.

Conference Strands

1. Innovation in Public Policy: Examines AI and big data applications in tackling real-world governance challenges.
2. Digital Rebirth of Cultural Heritage: Leverages digital tools to preserve, interpret, and disseminate diverse cultural assets.
3. Harnessing the Power of GenAI to Boost Teaching and Learning Effects: Transforms interdisciplinary curriculum design, teaching methodologies, and learning assessment to cultivate future-ready talent.
4. Trans-literacies in Learning and Communication: Explores multimodal media for deep learning and cross-cultural dialogue in complex information ecosystems.

Collectively, these strands construct an analytical framework for scholars and practitioners to navigate digital-age opportunities and challenges, pioneering innovative pathways for the humanities and social sciences.

Conference Keynote & Roundtable Speakers

• Professor John Lee Chi-Kin (President of EdUHK; Professor of Curriculum and Instruction; UNESCO Chair in Regional Education Development and Lifelong Learning)
• Professor Cao Xianqiang (Vice President of SDU; Executive Director of National Research Center for New Humanities and Social Sciences (NRCNHSS))
• Ms Helen Gai Huixia (Associate Vice President (Mainland Engagement and Development) of EdUHK)
• Professor Wang Fen (Dean of Undergraduate School; Dean of School of Archaeology, SDU)
• Professor Shen Shuxin (Deputy Dean of Undergraduate School of SDU; Office Director of NRCNHSS)
• Professor Cong Runmin (Professor of School of Control Science and Engineering, SDU)

Keynote Speakers

Deadline for Registration: 5 December 2025

*Conference registration fees waived for EdUHK students, staff and alumni, participants from Shandong University and other partner institutions.

Conference Website: Please click here