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Dr. Chen Lei Publishes in Social Media + Society
Research and Postgraduate Centre congratulates Asst. Prof. Dr. Chen Lei from the School of Communication on his recent research article published in Social Media + Society, a SSCI Q1 journal with the latest impact factor of 6.8.Dr. Chen Lei is the first author of the paper, co-authoring with Asst. Prof. Dr. Kim Sang Jun and Ms. Zhou Kun, a PhD candidate, both from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Iowa, USA.Titled "'You Are Not Fat': The Postfeminist Contradiction in #RejectBodyAnxiety - A Computationally Assisted Critical Thematic Analysis", the research explores whether and how postfeminism - a dominant way in which contemporary women understand empowerment - has evolved in the context of increasing self-expression by ordinary women through short-form video on social media. Using a computationally assisted critical thematic analysis of 1,915 posts from a body-positivity hashtag on RedNote (Xiaohongshu) with over 540 million views, it identifies a new iteration of postfeminism, showing how such discourse simultaneously enables new forms of empowerment while reinforcing subtle modes of discipline.https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051261419392This research was supported by the Arts and Humanities Initiative (AHI) program at the University of Iowa.Dr. Chen Lei is currently an Assistant Professor in the School of Communication at Xiamen University Malaysia. His research interests include online discourse, digital media, global communication, health communication, and computational approaches. Prior to joining XMUM, he received his PhD from the University of Iowa and conducted teaching and research in both China and the United States.
XMUM Joins International Media Conference as Academic Partner
During 23 to 24 March 2026, the 11th World Conference on Media and Mass Communication (MEDCOM 2026) was successfully held in Bali, Indonesia, bringing together 196 participants from 41 countries and regions. The event served as a vibrant platform for scholarly exchange on emerging issues and future directions in media and communication studies.The School of Communication, Xiamen University Malaysia, participated as an Academic Partner of the conference. Prof. Wang Changsong, Dean of the School of Communication, attended the conference and contributed as a member of the evaluation panel, engaging in scholarly assessment and dialogue with researchers from diverse backgrounds. Since 2019, the School of Communication has served as a co-host and academic partner of the Conference.Under the theme “Rethinking Media Future: Sustainability, Resistance, and Communication Justice”, MEDCOM 2026 addressed critical challenges facing contemporary media ecosystems, including issues of equity, power, and ethical responsibility in global communication.Among the distinguished keynote speakers was Daya Thussu, President of International Association for Media and Communication Research. In his keynote address titled “Intellectual Imperialism: Artificial or Real”, he offered a thought-provoking reflection on the evolving relationship between human intellect and artificial intelligence, questioning the boundaries between technological advancement and authentic intellectual engagement in the digital age.
XMUM Project Among Only Two Selected Nationwide for PPRN 2026 Presentation
A research project from the STARGAZE Centre of Excellence (CoE) at Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM) was selected as one of only two projects nationwide for featured presentation at the Public-Private Research Network (PPRN) Conference 2026, officiated by the Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Seri Diraja Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir. Image Held at the Wyndham Grand Bangsar Kuala Lumpur and organised by the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) in collaboration with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), the conference serves as a national platform for showcasing research collaborations between academia and industry, particularly those with practical applications.At this year’s conference, only two projects across Malaysia were chosen for presentation to the Minister - one from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and one from XMUM - highlighting representation from both public and private universities under the PPRN initiative.The XMUM project, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tan Jian Ping, focuses on developing a microbial-based approach to enhance the efficiency and consistency of bio-organic fertilizer production. Conducted in collaboration with Edafos Agro PLT, the project aims to improve composting processes while ensuring higher product quality.The project was showcased on the main conference screen as part of the featured presentations reviewed by the Minister. In addition, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tan Jian Ping was invited as a speaker for Forum 2, titled "Kejayaan PPRN: Daripada Penyelidikan kepada Industri", where he shared insights on translating research outcomes into industry applications alongside representatives from USM.Another project from XMUM's STARGAZE CoE, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ban Zhen Hong, was also presented at the exhibition booth. Collaborated ECORYS SDN BHD and coordinated by Tan Wan Ting, the project applies CFD simulations, real-time data, and weather forecasting to optimise fertilizer application in durian farming, aiming to improve yield while reducing environmental impact through precise fertigation.During his visit to the exhibition area, the Minister stopped by the XMUM booth, where he engaged with the research team and gained a closer understanding of the projects and their real-world applications. Image
Winners Announced - XMUM's 10th Anniversary Essay Competition
Xiamen University Malaysia is pleased to announce the results of the 10th Anniversary Essay Competition and congratulate the winners on their outstanding work!The winners were chosen by a professional panel of judges, including Dr. Ng Kee Ong, Dr. Ooi Bee Peng, Ms. Li Xiaowen, Dr. Al-Saggaf Mohammad Ali Abdellah, Dr. Irina Ivanova, and representatives from the organizing committee. Here is the list of winners:First Prize: Abdi Abdifatah Ibrahim - The Silence That Changed Everything: My 8,000-Kilometer JourneySecond Prize: Tang Wing Lok - 十年·我在厦门大学马来西亚分校的故事Third Prize: Chan Yi Ying - My Favourite Mid-AutumnSpecial Prize: Fang Xiao(方晓) - 感恩碑Meanwhile, we would like to congratulate another 12 essays that have been selected from the 60 entries we received. They are listed below in alphabetical order:Cheah Yuat Hoong - 我与马来西亚厦门大学的第一个十年Esenalieva Aizhamal Esenalievna - Brick by Brick: Growing Up with XMUMFang Xiao & Zhou Hailiang(方晓 & 周海亮) - 忆厦大马校创办初期的招生工作Gamakharova Mariia - Everything Starts With A DreamIlhomov Azizbek Akbarjon Ugli - Companions, Changes, and Becoming: My Story at XMUMKudaibergen Niara - At XMUM, I Finally BelongedLow Kit Yin - 忆味Lydia Yap Ern Whui - UntitledMubanga Kalumba - My Life at XMUMNorzita Binti Yunus - A Career Change, A Life RewrittenTan Hao - 再见,我的大学Zhang Siyu(张思钰)- The Algorithm of Resilience: How I Coded My Way from Tears to TriumphEssays of the winners and the top stories will be collected into the 10th Anniversary e-Anthology, which is expected to be released later in the year.We would like to thank all the participants who have supported this competition. Your stories have added meaningful chapters to XMUM's journey, and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones together in the years to come.
Southeast Asia Division Contest of China International College Students' Innovation Competition 2026
Video file About the CompetitionSEA-CICSIC 2026 is the Southeast Asia regional contest of the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition (CICSIC), providing a regional platform for students to participate in this prestigious global competition. It aims to foster cross-cultural collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship among university and college students from Southeast Asian countries, while encouraging participants to apply their innovative solutions to regional and global challenges.The China International College Students’ Innovation Competition (CICSIC) is a premier global event that unites university and college students worldwide to engage in innovation and entrepreneurship. It provides a platform for participants to showcase their ideas, collaborate with peers, and explore innovative solutions addressing global challenges and advancing sustainable development. Since its inception in 2015, CICSIC has successfully held consecutive annual competitions. In 2025, it attracted 24.43 million participants from 5,673 universities, with 6.19 million projects submitted and 4,729 projects awarded.All projects submitted to SEA-CICSIC 2026 will be eligible for recommendation to the CICSIC 2026 global competition. Students passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship are invited to participate.Project Entry Requirements1.Projects should address social needs, create new products and business models, and promote the transformation of key industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, health, energy, and environmental protection. They should also facilitate the integration of digital technology with education, medical care, transport, finance, and cultural exchange.2.Projects must be ethical, legal, and free of any content that violates Chinese and any other Southeast Asia countries’ laws or regulations. All inventions, patented technologies, and resources involved must have the attendant legal intellectual property rights and proprietary rights. Entrants who submit plagiarized or pirated entries will be disqualified from the competition, forfeit any awards received, and shall bear all legal liabilities.3.Entrants must choose the proper category for submitting their projects. The participating teams must truthfully fill out and submit entry materials in the registration system in a timely manner. Projects that have won the Gold or Silver Awards in previous sessions of the CICSIC and Gold Awards in the MCYIC are not eligible for submission.4.Entrants must be under 35 years old (born in/after 1991).How to ParticipateThe Competition only accepts team entries. All entrants shall participate as teams of 2 to 15 members (team leader included). A team may be formed by members from more than one college. All entrants shall be core members of the team.All entrants must be students who are currently enrolled at a university/college or those who have graduated within the past 5 years (graduated in/after 2021). The application should be submitted by the team leader. A team shall represent only one foreign institution in which the team leader is currently enrolled or has graduated from. In this case, a foreign institution refers to a higher education institution that is located in Southeast Asia countries (outside Mainland China as well as Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions of China) and is qualified to provide tertiary education and award degrees. Participants from different universities are allowed to form a team.All submissions will be classified into one of the following two categories depending on the entrants' academic status: Undergraduate or Postgraduate. The submissions will be further classified into two sub-categories based on the projects’ business stage: Idea Stage and Startup Stage Projects. All participating colleges shall instruct entrants to correctly fill out the application and register in the appropriate category.Requirements for Undergraduate & PostgraduateIdea Stageare creative;have mature product prototypes or service models;have not completed business registration or other types of registration on or before 1 April 2026.The applicant must be the team leader, and the team leader and members must currently be undergraduates or junior college students.Startup StageProjects are projects that have completed business registration or other types of registration (before 1 April 2026).The applicant must be the team leader, the legal representative of the start-up and a current undergraduate or an undergraduate/junior college student who has graduated with an undergraduate degree within the past 5 years.Timeline:Registration Opens: April 11, 2026, 12:00 noon Registration Closes: April 27, 2026, 12:00 noon Eligibility Review: April – May 2026 Finalists Announcement: May 2026 (tentative) Final Competition & Award Ceremony: June 2026Learn more:Event Website: https://events.xmu.edu.my/seacicsic26/Registration Website: https://mys.pilcchina.org/homeXiamen University Malaysia – Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center: innocompetition@xmu.edu.my Image
Education Roadshow April 2026
Join our April Roadshow to explore programmes, scholarships, and campus life 🎓✨Let’s plan your next step together — don’t miss the chance to discover exciting opportunities and exclusive offers 🔥 Image


