Management University (SMU) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) jointly organised a Global Forum themed “A Whole New World with Computational Social Science (CSS): Transdisciplinary Insights” at CUHK on 23 June 2023, aiming to share insights and experiences in defining societal issues and addressing related challenges in the emerging field of Computational Social Science.
CUHK President, Prof. Rocky Tuan highlighted in his welcome remarks that the challenges have emerged together with the opportunities presented by digital transformation, in particular, the generation of flawed information from incorrect algorithms and data, job insecurity, and ethical issues around intellectual property and data privacy. He welcomed the gathered experts from various disciplines to share their insights and engage in critical discussions about these issues within the context of Computational Social Science.
SMU President, Prof. Lily Kong, shared that SMU’s vision is dedicated to addressing societal challenges through interdisciplinary and impactful research and SMU seeks collaboration with diverse stakeholders in Singapore and the region. She pointed out that the Global Forum provides a high-level dialogue platform for fostering engagement with academia, policy makers and the business community. She believed that Computational Social Science can revolutionise the way of understanding human behaviours and interactions and urged the relevant parties to re-consider the traditional paradigms of academic study and research.
In the opening address, the Guest of Honour, Mr. Ong Siew Gay, Consul-General of Singapore in Hong Kong, emphasized the vital role of the Global Forum the sharing of knowledge, insights and perspectives between Singapore and China. He noted the potential of Computational Social Science to provide urban solutions by providing an interdisciplinary perspective, analysing big data and leveraging technology, in light of the complex social and global trends brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Forum featured two panel discussions. The morning session, titled “Evidence-based CSS: Insights from Academia,” included experts like Prof. David Chan, SMU, Prof. Jeroen van Ameijdea, CUHK, and Prof. Jeong-han Kang, Yonsei University. The afternoon session, themed “A New World Enabled by Computational Social Science: Insights from Policymakers and Practitioners,” featured Dr. David Hanson, CEO of Hanson Robotics; Prof. Lisa Wan, CUHK; and Dr. Zhen Luo, Founder and CEO of ParityBit.
Prof. David Chan from SMU commented that it is important to bring together the expertise, disciplines, knowledge, and skill sets from different backgrounds to tackle complex problems, because the world is not compartmentalised into the disciplines. He also highlighted that there are still some challenges in applying Computational Social Science, as researchers need to break down professional barriers and understand the strengths and limitations in each discipline.
In a post-event interview, Prof. Feida Zhu, SMU, moderator of the second panel session, noted that the dialogue centred on how technologies like Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) like ChatGPT can influence people's lives and change the way social science is studied. He emphasized the need for further interdisciplinary research in areas such as intellectual property and blockchain, in alignment with the emerging trends in generative AI.
The insights shared at the Global Forum reflect SMU’s leading position in the Computational Social Science space. and underscore the university's commitment to building an engaged city university through interdisciplinary insights and collaborations with diverse stakeholders. The Forum also provides a glimpse of the intellect supporting Singapore’s Smart Nation Initiative, sparking optimism and confidence in the future development of Singapore.
Company：Singapore Management University
Contact Person: Ms Nora WU
Email: [email protected]
Website：https://www.smu.edu.sg
City: Singapore
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