Talking Across the World Symposium: Global Communication of Chinese Culture in the Digital Age

Call for papers

Hosted by the Research Centre for Professional Communication in English (RCPCE) at the Department of English and Communication (ENGL), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Talking Across the World (TAW) is a forum for academics and practitioners to exchange ideas, share experience and disseminate research in professional communication in English. The 2025 symposium is co-sponsored by the PolyU Faculty of Humanities and the Sin Wai Kin Chinese Humanities Development Fund and features the theme of Global Communication of Chinese Culture in the Digital Age. 

The symposium is set against the background of China’s emphasis on its soft power and global communication. In business, an increasing number of companies are “going abroad” and during the process, negotiating Chinese culture in various geographic contexts. In higher education, English language teaching has moved from a focus on understanding Western culture to emphasizing the global communication of Chinese culture. Meanwhile, digital technologies have given rise to new channels, new resources, and new norms of professional communication, which are changing the theorization and teaching of the global communication of Chinese culture. In responses to these changes, policymakers, teachers, and researchers are exploring new approaches to equip students with multi-disciplinary theories and skills to meet new societal requirements. 

The symposium will bring together scholars, practitioners, and teachers to discuss the research and teaching of the global communication of Chinese culture in the digital age from a wide range of perspectives, such as intercultural communication, business communication, journalism, translation studies, and language education. Possible themes include but not limited to:

• Global communication of Chinese culture
• Intercultural communication in the digital age 
• China in global news 
• Translation of Chinese literature and art
• Business communication in cross-cultural contexts
• Paradigm shift in English language education in China
• Teaching Chinese and Chinese culture overseas

Session types 

• Individual presentations: A 300-word abstract (including references) and 3-5 keywords are required. Oral presentations will be 20 mins, plus 5 mins Q&A (in-person only)
• Panels: A panel should address a common theme. A panel should have 3-4 members. Panel organizers are required to submit:
  a) A summary of the panel (the main abstract), approximately 200 words (including references).
  b) A set of abstracts for each individual presentation within the panel. Each abstract should be approximately 300 words (including references) and include 3-5 keywords.

Important dates

• Call for papers: 10 January 2025
• Deadline for proposal submission: 10 February 2025
• Notification of acceptance: by 28 February 2025
• Deadline for online payment registration (presenters): early bird before 11 April 2025 and later registration by 25 April 2025
• Programme announcement: by 2 May 2025

Submit your proposal now: Click here

If you have any questions about the conference or the proposal submission process, please contact: taw2025.engl@polyu.edu.hk

Talking Across the World 2025 is funded by Sin Wai Kin Chinese Humanities Development Fund.