The 2023 UTokyo-SNU-NCCU Symposium marked the first in-person gathering in four years, taking place at Fukutake Hall on the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo on October 27th. Attended by faculty and students from three universities – the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies at UTokyo, the Department of Communication at Seoul National University (SNU), and The College of Communication at National Chengchi University (NCCU) – this year’s symposium centered around the theme, “Mediating the World in the Digital Age: Politics and Culture of Technological Change.”

The event featured faculty presentations, with two representatives from each university, as well as poster sessions by 20 students from the three institutions. Over 30 additional participants joined the sessions, contributing to lively discussions. The faculty session covered a range of topics that include various aspects of digital media, migration, diasporic nationalism, smart safe city technologies, technological risk perception, communication patterns in social media, political support for energy options, as well as the impact of social media on civil discourse, the public sphere, AI utilization for online discussion, and experiences in virtual reality. The student poster sessions addressed various issues relevant to cultural shifts, technological impacts on society, gender dynamics, social networks, employment trends, and the influence of technology on modern life. The presentations were digital, promoting paperless formats, and were conducted in dedicated spaces to facilitate effective discussions – a setup typically challenging for traditional poster presentations.

The symposium concluded with a reception at a restaurant on campus, allowing participants from the three universities to discuss further and deepen the understanding of each other’s research topics. The following day, October 28th, included a field trip to TV Asahi for presenters and faculty from the three universities. This included a limited tour of TV Asahi and a discussion session with veteran news reporter Mr. Go Yoshida, who has had an illustrious career at TV Asahi, including roles in sales, news show production, news reporting, and serving as the London Bureau Chief.

Overall, the symposium and field trip provided invaluable opportunities for promoting intellectual exchanges among the students and faculty. Looking ahead, NCCU will host the next international joint symposium in Taiwan, promising new avenues for productive exchanges in the coming year.

Text: Priya Mu (Doctoral Student ・Research Assistant)
English proofreading: David Buist (Project Senior Specialist)

Comments from participants:

After a long period of online seminars and online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, I enjoyed the face-to-face interaction with members from Seoul National University in Korea and National Chengchi University in Taiwan, who were of diverse nationalities and backgrounds.

I learned a lot from the presentations by the faculty members and the lively Q&A at the student poster presentation sessions. Furthermore, it was interesting to discover differences in the direction of research interests and presentation styles among the three universities. I will do my best to make use of this valuable experience in my future research and academic exchange.
ZHANG Yusi, Doctoral Course, Socio-information and Communication Studies Course

The 2023 Annual UTokyo-SNU-NCCU Symposium was an unforgettable journey that broadened my horizons and deepened my understanding of the ever-evolving media landscape. Presenting my research and sharing it with a broader audience provided me with the opportunity to receive constructive feedback from diverse perspectives. Utilizing this feedback, I recognize the necessity to clarify the limitations of my research and believe it is essential for further improvements in my studies. Additionally, listening to presentations from professors and students from Taiwan and Korea has broadened my horizons.

I look forward to incorporating these experiences into my future endeavors and am excited about participating in other international conferences in the future. This symposium has not only enhanced my understanding and perspective regarding various research methodologies and studies but also significantly motivated me towards continuous learning and global participation.
Jiajie Zhang, Master’s Student, Cultural and Human Information Studies Course

It was an honor to present my research about the impact of work-from-home on the home and interact with participants with various knowledge. The other presenters including faculty members and students talked about a variety of topics, such as gender-biased technology, social media and coronavirus pandemic misinformation, and communication between AI characters and fans. From each perspective, we were able to look at the effects of the progress of science and technology, and deepen our discussions about the similarities and differences between the three countries. I plan to focus on the positive and negative aspects of technology and include interdisciplinary and international perspectives in my research to help create a better society. Thank you so much for organizing this symposium.
Rurika Morishita, Master’s Student, Social-information and Communication Studies Course

It was an extremely valuable experience for me to give my presentation at the symposium, which provided an opportunity for interdisciplinary international research exchange. The themes of the presentations were diverse, offering a rare opportunity to explore research topics that are not typically encountered. I strongly believe that interdisciplinary research exchange is crucial for introducing fresh perspectives and ideas into the increasingly complex and specialized world of academic research. Moreover, presenting my research in English at the international symposium has boosted my confidence in disseminating my work on an international scale. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the many professors and individuals involved in organizing this symposium for their efforts.
Rantaro Nasu, Master’s Student, Cultural and Human Information Studies Course

This was my first challenge presenting research in English. There are two things that I would like to bear in mind for improvement. First, I felt that it was essential to be selective about the information I wanted to present, and I should focus on only one conclusion. The second is about how to present in English. I aimed to deliver my presentation in my own words without reading a manuscript, but I couldn’t do it in front of a large audience. The other presenters presented while alternately looking at their manuscripts and the audience. That style was very admirable. I will aim for that style next time.
Kazuki Yanase, Master’s Student, Social-information and Communication Studies Course

The UTokyo-SNU-NCCU Symposium was a wonderful experience of international exchange and collaboration.The symposium was fast moving and intensely stimulating. From morning till night, I heard about cutting edge research from many bright minds. The student presentations were full of interesting and varied content with studies spanning video game communities to AI chatbots. My own experience presenting proved really exciting, as I was able to share my own research progress and get new suggestions from many of the attendees. The event ended as well as it started with a fun reception where we were able to unwind and connect with students and faculty from the other universities. The Saturday excursion to TV Asahi was the cherry on top, as we got a fascinating view into the media world after having a jam packed day talking about it. Overall, this symposium was a wonderful experience.
Will Guzman, Master’s Student, ITASIA Course

This symposium made me notice the significance of my research in a new way. The audience’s questions underscored that one of the significant aspects of my research is the fieldwork method I took to approach my question about the relationship between technology and gender. The audience’s response gave me confidence that my research topic has the potential to contribute to the academic discussion about information technology. Their questions also suggested that the definition of some terms in my research were unclear.

Furthermore, it encouraged me to take an international perspective, different from a Japan-centered eye. I attended a student presentation that illustrated the Taiwan-Korean similarity in men’s construction of gender identity. I would never have known about this relationship if I had not attended his presentation. It made me notice that the interrelation of Asian countries is much more complicated than I thought, and I need to learn more.
Tomoka Suga, Master’s Student, ITASIA Course