International Academic Conference 'Journalism Education in Russia and China in the Age of Digitalization' Held on June 8-9

14.06.2023

UUMApS2tWNQ.jpgrYEsEAlmJws.jpgOn June 8-9, we welcomed colleagues from China at the Faculty of Journalism for the first time since the pandemic. A delegation from Huazhong University of Science and Technology came to Moscow to attend the big conference on Russian-Chinese journalism education, while colleagues from other Chinese universities joined the event online.

Festive opening ceremony went off with scholars and public figures of both countries offering heartwarming words of support and encouragement. Experts gave an overview of the history of bilateral cooperation, each from their own perspective. Each path is so diverse in terms of specific tools, yet so unified by its final objective.

Deans of journalism faculties and researchers from different parts of Russia, as well as scholars from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Renmin University of China, and Hangzhou Normal University, along with students and executives at media companies gathered both in Zoom and in the beautiful historic building on Mokhovaya 9 to discuss ways of strengthening ties between the two countries.

Three rounds of thematic sessions were to follow on the first day of the conference. Participants focused both on building on joint strategies for embracing innovations. Metaverse, CHATGPT, live-streaming technologies, blogging, social media, media literacy and international communication literacy of netizens, and so much more exciting topics were on the agenda. Discussion also revolved around the challenges and opportunities of educating journalism students with a different cultural background.

At the end of the first session, Dean of our Faculty of Journalism Professor Elena Vartanova and Head of International Exchange at Huazhong University of Science and Technology Professor Xu Minghua have signed the document promoting sustainable partnerships and mutual understanding between the universities. This certainly marks a new era in our relations with dear colleagues from China!

The second day of the conference brought more fruitful discussions, with yet another three rounds of thematic sessions set up to feed participants’ creativity and open up a handful of opportunities to network and collaborate. Topics for discussions cut across the whole gamut of modern transformations arising in both educational realm and journalism industry. Thus, participants discussed AI-driven education, neural network tools, online training eco-structures, as well as new requirements brought about by a dramatic shift towards audiovisual and interactive online content.

Another large area for discussions was more impression-oriented, as educators shared their first-hand experience of making educational space more inclusive, while students offered their own conceptualization of study abroad experience. In many presentations, country-specific training approaches were coupled together with common challenges for both educational systems that should strive to be proactive in embracing technological advances.

The two-day action-packed conference brought together 15 thematic sessions in three languages along with a comprehensive plenary meeting, offering a unique venue to discuss joint efforts in modernizing journalism education in Russia and China. Thanks to all the participants for their precious contributions!

Photos: Yuliya Tsyapa