【Article by IMICS】
On November 17 and 18, Dr. Katherine Yi-Ning Chen, Dean of the College of Communication at National Chengchi University, led two other esteemed professors, Dr. Sumei Wang and Dr. Tsung-Jen Shih, along with four dedicated graduate students—Yen-Hsuan Huang, Albert Cheng-Chang Yu, Yu-Cheng Fan, and Schawin Kongthawee—to attend the 3rd Communication Research International Conference (CRIC2023) hosted at The University of the Philippines Diliman.

The conference commenced with opening remarks from the city mayor and the university chancellor, ensued by keynote addresses by professors from partner universities, including Goldsmiths University in London and Nanyang Technological University Singapore.

Following the opening session, Dr. Katherine Yi-Ning Chen and Dr. Tsung-Jen Shih delivered insightful remarks, engaging in discussions during the plenary sessions along with other distinguished discussants from Chulalongkorn University, Sunway University, Universitas Multimedia Nusantara, and Nanyang Technological University Singapore.The discussions focused on the evolving landscape of the media industry in individual countries, among many other topics on pioneering development of technology.

During the parallel session on the afternoon of November 17, Dr. Sumei Wang presented a paper titled 'Women and COVID-19: Gender inequality, news representation, and policy implications in Taiwan.' Simultaneously, doctoral student Yen-Hsuan Huang presented a paper titled ' Don't you have any secrets: an analysis of #metoo offenders' tactics & discursive practices,' while graduate students Albert Cheng-Chang Yu & Yu-Cheng Fan discussed ' The impact of Facebook use on online political participation in Taiwan: Exploring the moderating effect of civic online reasoning,' and Schawin Kongthawee explored ' Grassroots Chinese anti-western nationalism in a mediatized context: The case of r/Sino.'

Around ten days prior to the seminar kick-off, Prof. Shi and Prof. Wang organized a rehearsal for the four graduate students slated to present their papers in the Philippines. This session aimed to familiarize them with the nuances of international academic settings, allowing for adjustments and enhancements to individual presentations. As the seminar unfolded, the well-prepared graduate students exuded confidence. Their presentations were warmly received, prompting local students to engage further by posing questions and seeking photo opportunities with the NCCU School of Communication representatives.

NCCU's active participation in this annual event not only strengthens the bonds between the College of Communication at NCCU and other universities in Southeast Asia but also facilitates the exchange of invaluable research insights with experts at the forefront of media and technology studies.