University welcomes Chinese delegates for research symposium
Academics from a prestigious technology institution in China have visited the University of Exeter for a two-day symposium on media, digitality and generative AI.
A delegation from Zhejiang University of Technology (ZJUT), in Hangzhou, was hosted by the Department of Communications, Drama and Film, during which time they also explored potential research collaborations for the future.
The conference featured almost 30 presentations across four research-focused panels comprising staff and students from both institutions.
Digital Communications and Culture; Global Connections, Nationalisms, and Digital Cultures; and Engagement, Responsibility and Creativity was the focus of day one, where among those who presented were Dr Amelia Morris on ‘Manufacturing Consent for the War on Obesity’; and ‘South-to-South Media Activism and Artivism’ by Dr Andrea Medrado.
The theme of AI, Identity and Creative Expression was the focus on day two, with critical and philosophical presentations exploring processes of media production while grappling with the functionalities and limitations of generative AI tools. They included papers on handwriting recognition, national identities of young British Chinese, and online forums by academics including Dr Brett Zehner and Dr Woori Han.
The symposium concluded with a dedicated 90-minute knowledge exchange session in the Alexander Digital Experience Lab, entitled ‘AI in Immersive Worlds: Pedagogies of Play and Critical Engagement’, led by Dr Aditya Deshbandhu, and a two-hour ‘Cross-Cultural Collaboration Session’, hosted by Dr Medrado, which focused on avenues of research that could be carried out between Exeter and ZJUT.
Senior leaders also took part in the symposium, with welcome addresses from Professor Helen Berry, Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences; and Professor Jane Milling, Head of the Department of Communications, Drama and Film.
Summing up the event, Professor Neil Ewen, Subject Lead for Communications, said: “It was a great pleasure to host friends and colleagues from ZJUT here in Exeter. The symposium showcased some brilliant research being undertaken by staff and students at both universities, and it opened lots of opportunities for future collaborations.”
