invited speakers
Prof. Kelum Gamage, University of Glasgow, UK (PFHEA, FIET, Co-Director of the Centre for Educational Development and Innovation)
Speech Title: AI-Responsive Quality Assurance in Higher Education for Effective Governance, Standards and Accountability
Abstract: The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into higher education challenges established approaches to quality assurance (QA), governance, and academic accountability. This paper investigates institutional QA frameworks, accreditation standards, regulatory codes, and AI governance policies to identify gaps in addressing AI-enabled assessment, algorithmic transparency, data governance, and ethical oversight. Through systematic document analysis, it develops an AI-Responsive Quality Assurance (AI-RQA) framework that conceptualises quality as dynamic, adaptive, and grounded in human-AI collaboration. The framework offers practical directions for embedding AI related considerations into institutional QA processes, supporting responsible innovation, academic standards, and accountable governance across higher education.
Biography: Prof. Kelum Gamage (BSc, PhD, PgCAP, CEng, PFHEA, FIET, FRSA, SMIEEE) is a Full Professor in the James Watt School of Engineering at the University of Glasgow and a winner of the University of Glasgow Teaching Excellence Individual Award (2020/21). He is the Learning & Teaching Enhancement lead of the College of Science and Engineering and the Co-Director of the Centre for Educational Development and Innovation. Prof. Gamage has authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles, where he is the lead editor of "The Wiley Handbook of Sustainability in Higher Education Learning and Teaching" (ISBN: 978-1-119-85283-4) and also the Editor-in-Chief for the STEM Education Section of the Education Sciences Journal (Publisher: MDPI, Switzerland, ISSN 2227-7102). He is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA), a Chartered Engineer (CEng) of the Engineering Council (UK), a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (SMIEEE).
Prof. Luan Trong Nguyen, FPT University, Vietnam
Speech Title: AI-enabled learning practices in higher education: A motivational-cognitive pathway to sustainable entrepreneurial competence
Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly embedded in higher education, yet much of the existing literature continues to explain its role mainly through technology adoption and acceptance perspectives. Addressing this limitation, this study examines how AI-enabled learning practices are associated with sustainable entrepreneurial competence through a motivational–cognitive framework involving autonomy, competence, cognitive engagement, and creative thinking, while also testing the moderating roles of AI self-efficacy and trust in AI. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 263 university students, and the data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that AI-enabled learning practices were positively associated with autonomy and competence, both of which were positively associated with cognitive engagement. Cognitive engagement was further positively associated with creative thinking, which in turn was positively associated with sustainable entrepreneurial competence. Although the direct effect of AI-enabled learning practices on sustainable entrepreneurial competence was not significant, the indirect and sequential indirect effects were significant, indicating that the relationship operates primarily through motivational and cognitive processes. The moderating effects of AI self-efficacy and trust in AI were not supported. These findings suggest that the educational value of AI in higher education lies less in directly producing competence and more in creating learning conditions that support students’ psychological need satisfaction, deeper engagement, and creative problem-solving.
Biography: Luan Trong Nguyen, Ph.D. is Head of the Department of Experimental Entrepreneurship at FPT University, Vietnam, and a Collaborative Professor at Kanazawa University, Japan, where he earned his Ph.D. in 2013. He serves as an editorial board member, conference chair, session chair, reviewer, and technical committee member for numerous international journals and conferences. With 90+ publications in international journals and conferences, including publications with Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, and Springer, his research focuses on entrepreneurship, Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI in Education, entrepreneurial education, Gen Z behaviour, environmental science, ESG, sustainable development, and climate change. He has led and participated in international research and education projects, delivered invited and keynote speeches, and contributed to the development of AI-enhanced, experiential, and technology-driven entrepreneurship education. He also undertakes advisory and coordinating roles in international projects and actively supports startup and innovation ecosystems in the Mekong Delta.
Prof. Michail Kalogiannakis, University of Thessaly, Greece
Biography: Professor of Science Education at the University of Thessaly and Associate Tutor at the Hellenic Open University. His academic work combines science education, STEM/STEAM pedagogy, computational thinking, artificial intelligence in education, mobile learning, teacher education, inclusive education and educational sustainability. He has extensive experience in research leadership, academic governance, external higher-education quality assurance and international research proposal evaluation, including panel deliberations, rapporteur duties and consolidated reporting. Author or editor of an extensive international scholarly portfolio, including more than 150 journal and conference publications. Included in the Stanford–Elsevier World's Top 2% Scientists list since 2021.
Prof. Anand Nayyar, Duy Tan University, Vietnam (Director- IoT and Intelligent Systems Lab, Top 2% Scientists as per Stanford University (2020-2026))
Biography: Dr. Anand Nayyar received Ph.D (Computer Science) from Desh Bhagat University in 2017 in the area of Wireless Sensor Networks, Swarm Intelligence and Network Simulation. He is currently working in School of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence (SCA)-Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam as Professor, Scientist, Vice-Chairman (Research) and Director- IoT and Intelligent Systems Lab. A Certified Professional with 280+ Professional certifications from CISCO, Microsoft, CompTIA, Amazon, Alibaba Cloud, Oracle, Google, Salesforce, Tableau, FinOps, Beingcert, EXIN, GAQM, Cyberoam and many more. Published more than 260+ Research Papers in various High-Quality ISI-SCI/SCIE/SSCI Impact Factor- Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 Journals cum Scopus/ESCI indexed Journals, 100+ Papers in International Conferences indexed with Springer, IEEE and ACM Digital Library, 75+ Book Chapters in various SCOPUS/WEB OF SCIENCE Indexed Books with Springer, CRC Press, Wiley, IET, Elsevier with Citations: (Google Scholar): 25300+, H-Index: 82 and I-Index: 340; (Scopus): 15100+; H-index: 65. Member of more than 60+ Associations as Senior and Life Member like: IEEE (Senior Member) and ACM (Senior Member). He has authored/co-authored cum Edited 85+ Books of Computer Science. Associated with more than 600+ International Conferences as Programme Committee/Chair/Advisory Board/Review Board member. He has completed 3 Research Grant Projects (1 Grassroot, 1 ASEAN Project and 1 Glocal-30 (Viet Nam-Korea Research Project)). He has 18 Australian Patents, 16 German Patents, 4 Japanese Patents, 46 Indian Design cum Utility Patents, 13 UK Patents, 1 USA Patent, 3 Indian Copyrights and 2 Canadian Copyrights to his credit in the area of Wireless Communications, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, IoT, Healthcare, Drones, Robotics and Image Processing. He has guided more than 200+ Undergraduate Students (B.S. Degree), 30 MCA, 7 M.S. Students and completed 1 Ph.D Student and currently 3 Ph.D Scholars and 2 PostDoc Candidates are working under him. Awarded 58 Awards for Teaching and Research—Young Scientist, Best Scientist, Best Senior Scientist, Asia Top 50 Academicians and Researchers, Young Researcher Award, Outstanding Researcher Award, Excellence in Teaching, Best Senior Scientist Award, DTU Best Professor and Researcher Award- 2019, 2020-2021, 2022, 2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025, Distinguished Scientist Award by National University of Singapore, Obada Prize 2023, Lifetime Achievement Award 2023, 2024; Asian Admirable Achievers 2024; Distinguished Academic Leader 2024, Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 and many more.
He is listed in Top 2% Scientists as per Stanford University (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026), Ad Index (Rank No:1 Duy Tan University, Rank No:1 Computer Science in Viet Nam) and Listed on Research.com (Top Scientist of Computer Science in Viet Nam- National Ranking: 2; D-Index: 64; World Ranking: 2555), Top 1000 Scholars in the World 2026 (Ranking: 115 in World, No: 1 in Viet Nam).
He is acting as Associate Editor for Computer Communications (Elsevier), International Journal of Sensor Networks (IJSNET) (Inderscience), Tech Science Press- IASC, Human Centric Computing and Information Sciences (HCIS), IEEE Transactions on Artificial Intelligence (IEEE TAI), Indonesian Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, IJISP, IJDST, IJCINI, IJGC, IJSIR, IJBDCN, IJSI, IJIES, IJKSS. He has reviewed more than 5700+ Articles for diverse Web of Science and Scopus Indexed Journals. He is currently researching in the area of Wireless Sensor Networks, Internet of Things, Swarm Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Drones, Blockchain, Cyber Security, Healthcare Informatics, Big Data and Wireless Communications.
Prof. Kafenia Botsoglou, University of Thessaly, Greece
Biography: Professor at the Department of Special Education, University of Thessaly, with extensive experience in higher education, teacher education, educational research, academic leadership and programme evaluation. Research interests include early childhood education, play and learning environments, teacher education and professional development, educational quality, inclusive education, mentoring, digital learning and innovative pedagogies. Long-standing experience as principal investigator, project partner, doctoral supervisor, journal reviewer and external evaluator for national and European programmes. SDG 4 Ambassador for Quality Education (2025–present), supporting initiatives related to educational quality, pedagogical innovation and equitable learning opportunities.
Prof. Paulo Batista, University of Évora, Portugal
Biography: Current director of the Arquivo Nacional Torre do Tombo, he was senior technician positions at the Instituto de Arquivos Nacionais/Torre do Tombo, Instituto Português do Património Cultural and the Instituto Português do Património Arquitetónico. He has also worked as researcher at the Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical – Centro de Estudos de História e Cartografia Antiga, and as professor at the MS program in Information Science and Documentation at Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (UNL).
Paulo Batista holds a Post-Doctorate in Architecture and Urban Planning (University of Brasília, Brazil), a Ph.D. in Documentation (University of Alcalá, Madrid-UAH, Spain), an MS in Information Science and Documentation - Archival Studies (UNL), and an MA in Documentation (UAH). As part of his doctorate, he also received a Diploma of Advanced Studies in Bibliography and Documentation Retrospective in Humanities (UAH), and he also holds a postgraduate degree in Information Society Law (University of Lisbon) and Information and Documentation Science - Librarianship and Archival Studies (UNL), and a specialization in Good Practices in Patrimonial Management (UNL) and Information Science and Documentation - Archival Studies (UNL). He holds an undergraduate degree in History (University of Lisbon).
Paulo Batista is integrated researcher at CIDEHUS – Interdisciplinary Center for History, Cultures and Societies of the University of Évora, Portugal, where he coordinated, between 2022 and 2025, the research group 2: Heritage and Literacie(s), and professor at the Autonomous University of Lisbon, where is coordinator and professor of the Postgraduate in Promotion and Cultural and Educational Dynamization of Archives and Libraries, and the Postgraduate in Architectural Archives.
He is also a Corresponding Academician of the Portuguese Academy of History (2023-), and secretary of the Executive Committee of the Architecture Archives Section of the International Council on Archives (2022-).
He is the author of several books and numerous articles published in national and international journals and conference proceedings.
He was also keynote speaker and invited speaker at various international conferences (Portugal, Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Egypt, England, Fiji, France, India, South Africa, Thailand, Türkiye and South Korea).
More information: https://www.cienciavitae.pt//0618-CE7B-7145
Assoc. Prof. Mustafa Ozguven, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China
Biography: Dr. Mustafa Ozguven is an Associate Professor at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), where he is affiliated with the Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Hub. Prior to his academic appointment, he held senior executive leadership roles in multinational organizations across the finance, technology, and international development sectors, including Director-level, Chief Marketing Officer, and Chief Executive Officer positions, as well as advisory engagements with international institutions and corporations.
Dr. Ozguven is an Honorary Research Fellow in the School for Data Science and Computational Thinking at Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. His research lies at the intersection of entrepreneurship, international business, and emerging technologies, with particular emphasis on artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicle technologies, and corporate social responsibility. A core strand of his scholarly work focuses on the internationalization of entrepreneurship education, examining how digitally enabled, cross-border pedagogies foster entrepreneurial competencies, global mindsets, and responsible innovation. He is committed to evidence-informed, technology-enhanced, and industry-engaged learning, and regularly contributes to international academic conferences and professional development initiatives.
Assoc Prof. Liqiao Nong, Guangxi Polytechnic of Construction, China
Biography: Dr. Liqiao Nong received her PhD in Curriculum and Teaching Methodology from Southwest University of China. Dr. Nong is currently an associate professor in school of humanities and education at Guangxi Polytechnic of Construction. Her research interests include intelligent teaching, AI applied in education, educational technology integrated into language teaching. Dr. Nong currently serves as technical member for International Conference on Education and Information Technology, ICEIT and Global Chinese Conference on Computers in Education Application, GCCCE and the editorial board member for Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education and US-China Foreign Language. Dr. Nong is Educational Technology Engineer and senior member of Institute of Educational Technology.
Assoc. Prof. Zhang Zhongwei, Chongqing College of Humanities, Science & Technology, China
Biography: Zhang Zhongwei graduated from Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, majoring in Computer Science and Technology. Prior to joining Chongqing College of Humanities, Science & Technology, he worked as Director of Product Planning at ZTE Corporation, where he specialized in cloud computing and IT products for more than 15 years. He is currently an Associate Professor at Chongqing College of Humanities, Science & Technology and Senior Engineer at the Big Data and Intelligent Computing Research Center. His research interests cover artificial intelligence and membrane computing. He also serves as an evaluation expert for the Chongqing Associate Senior Professional Title Evaluation Committee, Chongqing Government Procurement, Chongqing Vocational Capacity Building Committee, and Chongqing Science and Technology Bureau.
Lecturer Shuangxin Zhang, Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University, China
Biography: Shuangxin Zhang (Lucía) is a Language Lecturer and Deputy Module Leader for the Year 1 Advanced EAP module at XJTLU’s English Language Centre. She holds a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics for TESOL (English for Academic Purposes) from Durham University and a CELTA certificate. She is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and holds the BALEAP TEAP Fellowship. She has been teaching English language for 13 years. Her research interests focus on students’ English language acquisition and development in EAP contexts, particularly in speaking and writing. She has presented at a few international conferences and published several research articles regarding students’ WTC (willingness to communicate) and AI’s impact on students' learning.
Dr. Hua Li, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China
Biography: Senior Language Lecturer in the Global Cultures and Languages Hub at XJTLU. Dr Li holds a PhD in evaluation and measurement from Kent State University. She has been supporting doctoral students across disciplines since 2020 and has over ten years of experience teaching English in the USA and China. Her research interests include quantitative analysis and measurement.
Dr. Chamil Arkhasa Nikko Mazlan, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysia
Speech Title: When AI Becomes Ordinary: Rethinking Learning, Human Judgement, and the Purpose of Education
Biography: Dr. Chamil Arkhasa Nikko Mazlan is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Music and Music Education, Faculty of Music and Performing Arts, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Malaysia. He began his academic training in music performance at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA), where he obtained a Diploma in Music and a Bachelor of Music (Hons.) in Performance. He subsequently earned his Master's degree and PhD in Music Education from UPSI.
His research interests span music pedagogy, educational technology, human-centred artificial intelligence, digital learning, educational assessment, and professional judgement. His scholarly work has appeared in journals including Educational Technology Research and Development, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Contemporary Educational Technology, and Discover Education. He currently serves as Associate Editor for the Arts Education section of Cogent Education (Taylor & Francis) and an Editorial Board Member of Discover Education (Springer Nature). In 2026, he received UPSI's Anugerah Ahli Akademik Harapan (AKIRA 2025) and Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang (APC 2025).
Dr. Liang Cao, The Education University of Hong Kong, China
Biography: Dr. Liang Cao (he/him) is a Research Grants Council (RGC)-funded Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of English Language Education at the Education University of Hong Kong. He holds a Ph.D. in Languages, Cultures, and Literacies from Simon Fraser University, Canada, where his research focused on racialized queer immigrants’ experiences in English language learning. His work explores sociolinguistic perspectives on human-AI relationality, critical discourse analysis, feminist and queer linguistics, Chinese queer cultural studies, and sexuality in English language education. An active scholar, he is a member of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and the Sexuality Studies Association (SSA). His recent publications appear in Journal of Homosexuality, Linguistics and Education, The Canadian Modern Language Review, and The Journal of Sex Research, among others.