Speakers
Prof. Andrea L . Baldini, Peking University, China
Bio : Professor Andrea L . Baldini, is the Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor at Peking University, specializing in interdisciplinary research that bridges aesthetics, cultural studies, intellectual property law, and visual culture. His work explores how creativity can embed political and social value into everyday practices, with a particular emphasis on street art, graffiti, and public art.
He is the founding Editor-in-Chief of the East Asian Journal of Philosophy (EAJP) and holds two doctoral degrees—one in Philosophy from Temple University and another in Text Sciences from the University of Siena. He is the author of three monographs, including A Philosophy Guide to Street Art and the Law (Brill), and has published widely in leading academic journals such as Philosophy Compass, Contemporary Aesthetics, Estetika, The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, and The Journal of Visual Culture.
Beyond his own scholarship, Professor Andrea L . Baldini, serves as a guest editor, scientific committee member, and editorial board member for several academic platforms, including the Bloomsbury History of Modern Aesthetics series. His contributions have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Top Paper in Urban Communication Award from the National Communication Association (NCA) and the Nordev Prize from Temple University.
He has held visiting and research positions at several prestigious institutions, including as a Fulbright Fellow at Temple University, an International Exchange Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies of Nanjing University, and a Visiting Scholar at both the University of Padua and CIEBA – School of Fine Arts at the University of Lisbon.
Title：Algorithmic Spontaneity: AI Semantic Mapping and the Re-negotiation of Public Space Legislation
Abstract：In contemporary smart cities, public space functions as a vital medium of collective communication, yet it is increasingly constrained by rigid, top-down legislative frameworks. Traditional regulatory mechanisms treat urban expression through a lens of spatial disorder, restricting the spontaneous forms of civic dialogue, visual rhetoric, and artistic communication that define vibrant public life. This paper explores how artificial intelligence (AI)—specifically real-time visual computer vision and AI-driven semantic mapping—can reshape the communicative landscape of the city by re-negotiating the relationship between public space legislation and civic expression.
Rather than viewing urban governance solely as a bureaucratic filter, I propose an algorithmic communication framework capable of identifying liminal, underutilized urban spaces in real time. By evaluating spatial data, physical context, and local legal tolerances, AI semantic mapping decodes the urban environment, translating underused sites into dynamic platforms for spontaneous cultural communication. This approach shifts urban governance from static prohibition to a system of interactive, real-time spatial dialogue, replacing cumbersome permitting with automated, dynamic availability.
Framed at the intersection of digital media, spatial semiotics, and legal philosophy, this research highlights how emerging technology can mediate humanistic inquiry and smart city infrastructure. Ultimately, this paper argues that deploying AI semantic mapping establishes a more inclusive urban grammar—one that enhances multi-directional civic communication, promotes social sustainability, and expands the rights of citizens to participate in the ongoing discourse of the connected city.
Prof. Cherian George, Hong Kong Baptist University, China
Bio : Cherian George is a Professor at the School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University. His research interests centre on communication challenges associated with collective life in diverse societies, especially hate propaganda, polarisation, and censorship. His latest monograph is Fighting Polarisation: Shared Communicative Spaces in Divided Democracies (Polity, 2025), which received honourable mention from the International Communication Association Global Communication and Social Change in its Book Awards for 2026. His other books include Hate Spin: The Manufacture of Religious Offense and its Threat to Democracy (MIT Press, 2016), which Publishers’ Weekly named one of the best 100 books of the year; and Red Lines: Political Cartoons and the Struggle against Censorship (MIT Press, 2021), honoured by the Association of American Publishers as one of the year’s three top scholarly books in both the Media & Cultural Studies and Graphic Nonfiction categories. His best-selling books of essays on Singapore include Air-Conditioned Nation Revisited (2020). He was elected a Fellow of the International Communication Association in 2022 and was the 2024 recipient of the Asia Communication Award from the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre. He has had visiting positions at the University of Hong Kong, Stanford University, and the University of Pennsylvania, where he was inaugural Media at Risk Scholar at the Annenberg School in 2018. Before joining academia, he was a journalist at The Straits Times, where he wrote mainly on politics and served as the art and photo editor for three years. He received his Ph.D. in Communication from Stanford University, a Masters in Journalism from Columbia University, and a degree in Social and Political Sciences from Cambridge University.
Title：Media in Polarised Times: Building a Larger “We”
Abstract：Polarisation, which divides society into hateful “us” versus “them” groups, has consumed societies all over the world. In extreme forms, polarisation makes democracy unworkable. In many societies, the forces of division seem irresistible. However, Cherian George will argue that cynicism and despair is itself a problem. Drawing from his recent book, Fighting Polarisation: Shared Communicative Spaces in Divided Democracies (Polity, 2025), he shows that how grassroots projects around the world are able to challenge us-them divides and build a larger, more inclusive “we”. This requires rejecting false beliefs that human nature is innately selfish and violent, and recognising that the main drivers of polarisation are politicians, social media, and news media that increase people’s distrust of others. Instead, media can help cultivate people-centred dialogue and deliberation. Learning from promising interventions around the world, media can build shared communicative spaces that emphasise mutual respect, empathy and understanding.
Assoc. Prof. Catherine Lee Cheng Ean, Sunway University, Malaysia
Bio : Dr Catherine Lee is an Associate Professor at the School of Communication and Media Studies and Deputy Dean (Education) at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Sunway University, Malaysia. She holds a PhD in Educational Research from Lancaster University, UK; an MA in Communication Studies from Sheffield Hallam University, UK; and a BA (Hons) majoring in Media Studies from the University of Malaya, Malaysia. With over 24 years of experience in higher education, her expertise covers public relations, social media, internal communication, curriculum design, and technology-enhanced learning. She also serves in various professional roles regionally and internationally, contributing to the advancement of media, communication, and education scholarship. Dr Lee is also a Certified Officer in Quality Assurance of Higher Education and a panel assessor with the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).
Title：Communicating Trust in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Reimagining Public Relations, Social Media Engagement, and Communication Education in a Digitally Connected World
Abstract：Digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming the way organisations communicate, engage stakeholders, build relationships, and manage reputations. As communication increasingly takes place within digitally connected and algorithm-driven environments, public relations has evolved from a message-centred function focused on information dissemination into a strategic, interactive, and dat driven process of engagement, dialogue, and trust-building. Social media platforms have become critical communication ecosystems through which organisations negotiate meaning, respond to public concerns in real time, strengthen organisational legitimacy, and cultivate relationships with diverse stakeholders.
This keynote explores the evolving intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Public Relations, Social Media Communication, and Communication Education in shaping the future of communication. Tracing the evolution of public relations across successive technological eras, the presentation highlights how digital transformation has redefined professional communication practices, expanded stakeholder expectations, and created new opportunities for strategic engagement. Digital public relations now relies on a diverse and interactive toolkit that incorporates social media platforms, data analytics, social listening, digital storytelling, influencer engagement, and AI-assisted communication to foster meaningful and measurable stakeholder relationships.
The keynote further examines how the role of public relations professionals is being reimagined in the age of AI. Contemporary communicators and public relations practitioners are expected to move beyond traditional media relations roles and function as digital strategists, community managers, content creators, data interpreters, and trust-builders capable of navigating increasingly complex communication environments. While AI and emerging technologies offer unprecedented opportunities for personalisation, responsiveness, and communication effectiveness, they also present significant challenges related to misinformation, algorithmic bias, declining trust, information overload, ethical accountability, and the preservation of authentic human connection.
Beyond professional practice, the presentation considers the implications of digital transformation for communication education, teaching, and learning. As the communication landscape continues to evolve, educators and higher education institutions must rethink curricula, pedagogical approaches, and learning ecosystems to develop graduates who are digitally competent, analytically informed, ethically responsible, and capable of communicating effectively in AI-mediated environments. Preparing future communication and public relations professionals requires not only technological proficiency but also a deep understanding of trust, ethics, critical thinking, and human-centred communication.
The keynote argues that the future of communication lies in balancing technological innovation with human values. Ultimately, the success of public relations in the digital age will depend not on the sophistication of algorithms but on the ability of organisations, educators, and communication professionals to cultivate trust, meaningful dialogue, and authentic relationships in an increasingly connected world