From May 25 to 28, 2026, the 5th International Symposium on Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for Education Transformation (ISBDAI 2026) was successfully held at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. It placed particular emphasis on exploring innovative interdisciplinary integration involving big data and artificial intelligence, while especially encouraging original research on the deep integration of digital technologies with educational transformation and economic development. The event provided a high-level and specialized international platform for academic exchange and research collaboration among scholars and experts from around the world in relatedfields.

Picture 1. Main Venue of the ISBDAI 2026 Conference at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

The symposium upheld rigorous academic review standards and brought together a wide range of high-quality research contributions from universities and research institutions both in China and abroad. Closely aligned with such key research priorities as the digital economy, high-quality urban development, and the cultivation of new quality productive forces, faculty members and students from our institution devoted considerable effort to the preparation of two academic papers. Following a stringent submission screening process and expert peer review, both papers were formally accepted by the conference.

During the conference, Associate ProfessorReginaFang-Ying Lin from our School led Zeng Huiqi and Zhuo Yuefan, undergraduate students majoring in International Business from the 2023 cohort, to Hong Kong to attend the symposium and deliver academic presentations. Their presentations provided a focused showcase of the School’s original research achievements to date in such areas as digital economy-enabled urban renewal, support for the development of new quality productive forces, and regional innovation-driven development.

Picture 2.Guests and Representatives of Faculty and Students Pose for a Group Photo at ISBDAI 2026

During the presentation session,Huiqi Zengdelivered a thematic academic presentation titled“Digital Economy Development and Urban Renewal: Evidence from Chinese Cities.” In the presentation, she systematically explained the intrinsic relationship, underlying mechanisms, and practical pathways linking digital economy development with urban renewal in Chinese cities. Drawing on empirical data, she further demonstrated the study’s major findings, offering a new research perspective on high-quality urban development in the context of digital transformation.

Picture 3. Huiqi Zeng delivered a thematic academic presentation titled“Digital Economy Development and Urban Renewal: Evidence from Chinese Cities”.

At the sametime,Yuefan Zhuopresented, on behalf of the research team, another important study titled “How the Digital Economy Fuels New-Quality Productive Forces in China: The Critical Mediation of Innovation and Regional Disparity”. The presentation focused on the central issue of how the digital economy empowers the development of new-quality productive forces, offering an in-depth analysis of the mediating role of innovation factors and the mechanisms through which regional development disparities shape this process.

Picture 4. Yuefan Zhuo presented, on behalf of the research team, another important study titled“How the Digital Economy Fuels New-Quality Productive Forces in China: The Critical Mediation of Innovation and Regional Disparity”.

This participation in the international conference proved highly fruitful and of far-reaching significance. Onthe one hand, it effectively built a bridge for our institution’s international academic exchanges, further broadening channels for research collaboration with universities and research teams both in China and overseas, and continuously enhancing our academic influence in the interdisciplinaryspheres of the digital economy and artificial intelligence. On the other hand, this immersive international academic experience substantially strengthened undergraduate students’ capabilities in academic research, English presentation, cross-cultural communication, and critical thinking in real-time academic settings, fully demonstrating the strong academic literacy and admirable spirit of our students.Meanwhile, the frontier academic resources and research experience accumulated through this conference have laid a solid foundation for our institution’s continued efforts to advance interdisciplinary innovation and cultivate high-level research outcomes.

Picture 5. Group Photo of Attendees

This participation in the international conference proved highly fruitful and of far-reaching significance. Onthe one hand, it effectively built a bridge for our institution’s international academic exchanges, further broadening channels for research collaboration with universities and research teams both in China and overseas, and continuously enhancing our academic influence in the interdisciplinaryspheres of the digital economy and artificial intelligence. On the other hand, this immersive international academic experience substantially strengthened undergraduate students’ capabilities in academic research, English presentation, cross-cultural communication, and critical thinking in real-time academic settings, fully demonstrating the strong academic literacy and admirable spirit of our students.Meanwhile, the frontier academic resources and research experience accumulated through this conference have laid a solid foundation for our institution’s continued efforts to advance interdisciplinary innovation and cultivate high-level research outcomes.

Reference

2. Huiqi Zeng,Yuefan Zhuo,Regina Fang-Ying Lin*.Digital Economy Development and Urban Renewal: Evidence fromChinese Cities.2026 5th International Symposium on Big Data and Artificial Intelligence: For Education Transformation (EI indexed),25–28 May,2026, Hong Kong, China.

2.Shuyun Sun,Yangyi Chen,Rongyu Liang, Regina Fang-Ying Lin*. How the Digital Economy Fuels New-Quality Productive Forces in China: The Critical Mediation of Innovation and Regional Disparity.2026 5th International Symposium on Big Data and Artificial Intelligence: For Education Transformation (EI indexed),25–28 May 2026, Hong Kong, China.

Text: Huiqi Zeng,Yuefan Zhuo

Picture:Huiqi Zeng,Yuefan Zhuo,ReginaFang-Ying Lin

Proofread:ReginaFang-Ying Lin