Major Project Kickoff and Case Studies Symposium on International Communication Held at SISU

 

By Zhu Xue’er

Translated by Guo Yishun

On May 24, the kickoff meeting for the 2024 National Social Science Fund of China (NSSFC) major project, “Research on the Design of an International Communication Effectiveness Evaluation System and Mechanism Construction” (No. 24&ZD216), was held at the International Conference Center, SISU’s Hongkou Campus. The event also featured a thematic symposium, “Case Studies in International Communication: Standards, Theory, and Digital Practice.”

Organized by project lead Professor Guo Ke and his team, the event gathered over 30 prominent scholars and industry experts from leading institutions including Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Communication University of China, and Bowling Green State University (U.S.), as well as representatives from Xinhua’s Reference News, Shanghai Gewu Institute, Haijiao Club, and others.

Notable attendees included Jiang Feng (Vice Chairman, 7th Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations), Sun Weixing (Director, Joint Office of Departments and Schools, Publicity Department of the CPC Shanghai Committee), Pan Mingwei (Director, SISU Research Office), and Wu Ying (Dean, School of Journalism and Communication, SISU), who voiced high expectations for the project’s academic and practical contributions to enhancing China’s cultural soft power.

Director Sun encouraged the team to integrate composite external communication strategies into a persuasive, academically grounded evaluation system.

Professor Guo outlined the project’s aims: to build a scientific and sustainable framework for evaluating international communication effectiveness, rooted in both academic logic and real-world challenges. The project focuses on global hotspots and key countries, incorporating Chinese cultural concepts into international communication scenarios.

A major initiative is the development of a case-based knowledge system linking theory and practice to support a Chinese-led, independent knowledge structure. Since launching in December 2024, the project has already yielded results, including the publication of Global Knowledge Construction and International Academic Publishing: Cross-national Comparisons and Practical Case Studies, which critically explores global publishing inequalities and offers guidance for Chinese scholars.

Presentations were delivered by Professor Louisa Ha (BGSU), Professor Chen Peiqin (SISU), and Researcher Ouyang Jian (SISU). Discussions covered key issues such as balancing flexibility and rigor in the evaluation system, integrating academic and industry resources, and ensuring the framework remains adaptable to changing media landscapes.

Professor Chen Changfeng (Tsinghua) praised the project’s problem-oriented approach and emphasized the need for innovation beyond Western paradigms. Professor Zhang Taofu (Fudan) called for an elastic framework, and Professor Wang Xiaohong (CUC) noted the importance of generalizing patterns across diverse media environments. Other speakers highlighted case mining, industry collaboration, student involvement, and contextualized scenario-building.

Young scholars from SISU and universities across China also participated, contributing fresh perspectives. The event successfully bridged theory and practice, setting a solid foundation for the project’s continued development.