The research team led by Professor Joshua Mok, Provost and Director of the School of Transdisciplinary Studies of HSUHK was invited to co-organize the Conference on Responses to the Growing Impact of AI, Aging Society and Global Competition: Critical Reflections of the Role of Higher Education on 26 June 2026 with the Taiwan Association for Institutional Research and Taipei University of Technology. The conference was also supported by the Asia Pacific Higher Education Research Partnership (APHERP). President Yi-Jun Jen of Taipei University of Technology and Professor Joshua Mok presented the opening speeches when opening the conference. After the opening ceremony, the conference began with the first panel of “Internationalization of Higher Education and University Governance. Professor Joshua Mok presented a paper related to the theme of “The quest for international higher education hub in Hong Kong: Comparative perspectives and university governance”. followed by speakers from National Cheng Chi University, City University of Hong Kong, The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Their presentations focus on new course of international education destinations during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, world-class university aspirations and strategies in Taiwan region, and attraction and retention of global doctoral students for Hong Kong through analyzing the student voices from social media respectively.

The research team from Hong Kong also actively engaged with the audience when presenting the research topics related to AI, ageing society and implications for higher education. Dr Shirie Ho from HSUHK gave a paper entitled “From perinatal care to lifelong learning: Leveraging AI for older adults’ wellbeing and education”, Prof Colin Zhai from Lingnan University presented a paper related to “The rise of AI and impact on education for the older adults”, and scholars from Peking University shared the research related to how GenAL improves international publications and its effects on PhDs. In the afternoon. colleagues from Taipei University of Technology highlighted their recent experiences when introducing AI in institutional research and university administration. The conference provides a great platform for colleagues from Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan regions to discuss issues related to the rise of AI and its impact on education, research and university management.