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Monday, March 24, 2025Tuesday, March 25Wednesday, March 26Thursday, March 27Friday, March 28Saturday, March 29

12:00-13:00: Conference Check-in | 5F Foyer

13:00-13:45: Pre-Conference Information Session | Orion Hall (5F)
Melina Neophytou, IAFOR, Japan
Matthew Chima, IAFOR, Japan
Lowell Sheppard, IAFOR, Japan

13:50-14:35: Pre-Conference Featured Workshop | Orion Hall (5F)
Michael Menchaca, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States
Grant Black, Chuo University, Japan

14:40-15:25: Pre-Conference Featured Workshop | Orion Hall (5F)
How to Write a Clear (and Effective) Introduction
Lara Carminati, University of Twente, Netherlands

15:30-16:30: Pre-Conference Cultural Event | Orion Hall (5F)
Kimono Workshop
This is a free event open to all registered delegates
Delegates are invited to a special session focusing on the art of kimono dressing, featuring live demonstrations by kimono instructor Satoko Yamada.

18:00-20:00: Welcome Reception | The Public Red Akasaka
This is a free event open to all registered delegates

Location: Toshi Center Hotel

09:30-10:30: Conference Check-in & Coffee | Subaru Room (5F)

10:30-10:40: Announcements | Orion Hall (5F) & Online

10:40-11:10: Welcome Address & Recognition of IAFOR Scholarship Winners | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
Joseph Haldane, IAFOR, Japan

11:10-11:35: Keynote Presentation | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
Harry A. Hill, Oak Lawn Marketing, Japan
11:35-11:45: Q&A

11:50-12:15: Keynote Presentation | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
Supporting Quality and Relevant Tertiary Education for Marginalized Youth and Communities: Challenges and Opportunities for International Development
Amir Dhia, Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, Qatar
12:15-12:25: Q&A

12:25-12:35: Conference Photograph | Orion Hall (5F)

12:35-14:00: Extended Break

14:00-15:30: Panel Presentation | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
Education for Good Global Citizenship
Brendan Howe, Ewha Womans University, South Korea
Jun Arima, University of Tokyo, Japan (online)
Kyung Nam Shin, Global Green Growth Institute, South Korea

15:30-16:00: Extended Coffee Break | Subaru Room (5F)

16:00-17:00: Conference Poster Session 1 | Orion Hall (5F)

17:15-18:15: Conference Poster Session 2 | Orion Hall (5F)

19:00-21:00: Conference Dinner | Shunju Tameikesanno
This is an optional ticketed event

Location: Toshi Center Hotel

09:00-09:30: Conference Check-in & Coffee | 5F Foyer

09:30-09:40: Announcements | Orion Hall (5F)

09:40-11:10: Panel Presentation | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
Human vs Artificial Intelligence?: Psychological Threats and Opportunities
Beth Hedva, Canadian Institute for Transpersonal and Integrative Sciences, Canada
Dharmawan Ardi Purnama, Krida Wacana Christian University, Indonesia
Davy Tsz Kit Ng, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Chi-Shing Tse, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Dexter Da Silva, Keisen University, Japan (Moderator)

11:10-11:25: Coffee Break | Orion Hall (5F)

11:25-12:25: The Forum | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
Emiliano Bosio, Global Citizenship Education Interview Series & Toyo University, Japan (Respondent)
Melina Neophytou, IAFOR, Japan (Moderator)

12:25-13:30: Extended Break

13:30-13:55: Keynote Presentation | Orion Hall (5F)
13:55-14:05: Q&A

14:10-14:55: Panel Discussion: IAFOR Global Fellows | Orion Hall (5F) & Online
Hongmin Ahn, IAFOR Global Fellow
Sheng-Hsiang Lance Peng, IAFOR Global Fellow
Joseph Haldane, IAFOR, Japan (Moderator)

14:55-15:40: Extended Coffee Break | Orion Hall (5F)

15:40-16:40: Conference Poster Session 3 | Orion Hall (5F)

15:40-16:25: Featured Workshop Presentation | Subaru Room (5F)
Aging Data: NACDA Resources for Gerontological Research, Training and Education
James W. McNally, University of Michigan & NACDA, United States
Kathryn Lavender, University of Michigan, United States

Conference Venue: Toshi Center Hotel

08:30-09:15: Conference Check-in & Coffee | 6F

09:15-10:55: Onsite Parallel Session 1
Room 603 (6F): ACEID | Skills Development in Higher Education
Room 604 (6F): ACEID | Sustainable Development Issues in Higher Education
Room 605 (6F): ACEID | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice and Praxis
Room 607 (6F): ACEID | Curriculum Design and Development (Workshops)
Room 608 (6F): ACEID | Technology, Pedagogy and Classroom Management
Room 609 (6F): ACEID | Language Education
Room 703 (7F): ACP | Health Literacy
Room 704 (7F): ACP | Mental Health and University Students
Room 705 (7F): ACP | Psychology and Education
Room 707 (7F): ACP | Industrial Organization and Organization Theory
Room 708 (7F): ACP | Psychology and the Brain

10:55-11:10: Coffee Break

11:10-12:50: Onsite Parallel Session 2
Room 603 (6F): ACEID | Institutional Dynamics in Higher Education
Room 604 (6F): ACEID | Education, Sustainability and Society
Room 605 (6F): ACEID | Teaching Experiences in Childhood Education
Room 607 (6F): ACEID | Professional Training, Development and Concerns in Education
Room 608 (6F): ACEID | Innovation in Pedagogy and Technology for Effective Communication
Room 609 (6F): ACEID | Literature, Language and Culture in Education
Room 703 (7F): ACP | Mental Health
Room 704 (7F): ACP | Mental Health and Adolescents
Room 705 (7F): ACP | Psychology and Education
Room 707 (7F): AGen | Robots and Wearable Technology in Gerontology
Room 708 (7F): AGen | Lifespan Health Promotion

12:50-13:05: Coffee Break

13:05-14:45: Onsite Parallel Session 3
Room 603 (6F): ACEID | Sustainable Development Issues in Education
Room 604 (6F): ACEID | Education, Sustainability and Society
Room 605 (6F): ACEID | Approaches to Inclusive Education
Room 607 (6F): ACEID | Professional Training, Development and Concerns in Education
Room 608 (6F): ACEID | AI in EFL Teaching and Assessment
Room 609 (6F): ACEID | Virtual Technologies in Language Learning
Room 703 (7F): ACP | Couple Psychology and Stigma
Room 704 (7F): ACP | Mental Health and Therapy
Room 705 (7F): ACP | Psychology and Education
Room 707 (7F): AGen | Gerontology and Technology
Room 708 (7F): AGen | Special Topics in Aging and Gerontology

14:45-15:00: Coffee Break

15:00-16:40: Onsite Parallel Session 4
Room 603 (6F): ACEID | Comparative Development Issues
Room 604 (6F): ACEID | Inclusive Society and Education
Room 605 (6F): ACEID | Approaches to Inclusive, Active, Adaptive Education
Room 607 (6F): ACEID | Motivation Concerns in Professional Development
Room 608 (6F): ACEID | AI and Educational Technologies
Room 609 (6F): ACEID | Innovation and Media in Education
Room 703 (7F): ACP | Qualitative/Quantitative Research in any other area of Psychology
Room 704 (7F): ACP | Mental Health and Family
Room 705 (7F): ACP | Child Psychology
Room 707 (7F): AGen | Technology Integration in Services for the Aging
Room 708 (7F): AGen | Selected Case Studies in Asia

16:40-16:55: Coffee Break

16:55-18:35: Onsite Parallel Session 5
Room 603 (6F): ACEID | Development in Industry-Academia Collaboration
Room 604 (6F): ACEID | Pedagogy and Technology Development for Inclusive Education
Room 605 (6F): ACEID | Teaching Experiences and Professional Development
Room 607 (6F): ACEID | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Room 608 (6F): No Session
Room 609 (6F): No Session
Room 703 (7F): ACP | Gambling
Room 704 (7F): ACP | Psychology and Culture
Room 705 (7F): ACP | Parenting Psychology
Room 707 (7F): ACP | Older Adults and Health
Room 708 (7F): AGen | Selected Case Studies in Gerontology

Conference Venue: Toshi Center Hotel

08:30-09:00 Conference Check-in & Coffee | 6F

09:00-10:40: Onsite Parallel Session 1
Room 603 (6F): ACEID | Approaches to Language Teaching
Room 604 (6F): ACEID | AI and Technologies in Comparative Education
Room 605 (6F): ACEID | Hybrid and Self-Instructional Module
Room 607 (6F): ACEID | Comparative Approaches to Academic Achievement
Room 608 (6F): ACEID | Teaching Approaches in Childhood Education
Room 609 (6F): ACEID | Leadership and Management in Education
Room 703 (7F): ACP | Leadership and Identity
Room 704 (7F): ACP | Psychology and Technology
Room 705 (7F): ACP | Mental and Emotional Health
Room 707 (7F): ACP | Altruism and Affect
Room 708 (7F): AGen | Aging and Cognition

10:40-10:55: Coffee Break

10:55-12:35: Onsite Parallel Session 2
Room 603 (6F): ACEID | Contemporary Issues in Teaching and Learning EFL
Room 604 (6F): ACEID | AI and Assessment in Education
Room 605 (6F): ACEID | Hybrid and Self-Regulated Module
Room 607 (6F): ACEID | Student Competency in Theory and Practice
Room 608 (6F): ACEID | Health Education and Community Outreach
Room 609 (6F): ACEID | Professional Development: Competency and Well-being
Room 703 (7F): ACP | Psychedelics
Room 704 (7F): ACP | Arts, Media and Psychology
Room 705 (7F): ACP | Mental Health and Gender Differences
Room 707 (7F): AGen | Loneliness
Room 708 (7F): AGen | Retirement and Economic Well-being

12:35-12:50: Coffee Break

12:50-14:30: Onsite Parallel Session 3
Room 603 (6F): ACEID | Language Development and Literacy
Room 604 (6F): ACEID | AI for Skills Development: Policy and Practice
Room 605 (6F): ACEID | Curriculum Design in Distance Learning
Room 607 (6F): ACEID | Foreign Languages Education
Room 608 (6F): ACEID | Comparative Mathematics Education
Room 609 (6F): ACEID | Approaches to Bridging Education-Professional Gaps
Room 703 (7F): ACP | Industrial Organization and Organization Theory
Room 704 (7F): ACP | Consumer Psychology and Capitalism
Room 705 (7F): ACP | Psychology and Sexuality
Room 707 (7F): AGen | Built Environment
Room 708 (7F): AGen | Aging and Physical Activity

14:30-14:45: Coffee Break

14:45-16:25: Onsite Parallel Session 4
Room 603 (6F): ACEID | Foreign Languages Education and Applied Linguistics
Room 604 (6F): ACEID | Human-AI Mediation in Education
Room 605 (6F): ACEID | Issues in Distance Education and Homeschooling
Room 607 (6F): ACEID | Innovation and Development Toward Holistic Learning Experiences
Room 608 (6F): ACEID | Comparative Experiences on Students' Mental Well-being
Room 609 (6F): ACEID | International Education
Room 703 (7F): ACP | Personality and Impression
Room 704 (7F): ACP | Financial Psychology
Room 705 (7F): ACP | Psychology and Religion
Room 707 (7F): AGen | Built Environment
Room 708 (7F): ACP | General Psychology and Emotions

16:30-16:45: Onsite Closing Session | Room 608 (6F)

Conference Venue: Online via Zoom

09:55-10:00: Message from IAFOR

10:00-11:40: Online Parallel Session 1
Live-Stream Room 1: ACEID | Teacher Professional Development
Live-Stream Room 2: ACEID | The Teaching of English
Live-Stream Room 3: AGen | Aging and Gerontology
Live-Stream Room 4: ACP | Psychology Studies in Chinese Contexts

11:40-11:50: Break

11:50-13:30: Online Parallel Session 2
Live-Stream Room 1: ACEID | Educational Policy, Leadership, Management and Administration
Live-Stream Room 2: ACEID | Language Learning
Live-Stream Room 3: AGen | Gerontology, Public Policy, and Economics
Live-Stream Room 4: ACP | Access to Therapy and Mental Health Services

13:30-13:40: Break

13:40-15:20: Online Parallel Session 3
Live-Stream Room 1: ACEID | Special Topics in Higher Education
Live-Stream Room 2: ACEID | Design, Implementation and Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
Live-Stream Room 3: ACEID | Special Topics in Educational Practice
Live-Stream Room 4: ACP | General Psychology and Community Development

15:20-15:25: Message from IAFOR

*Please be aware that the above schedule may be subject to change.

Accepted Presentations

One of the greatest strengths of IAFOR’s international conferences is their international and intercultural diversity.
As of January 5, 2025, ACEID2025 has received over 940 submissions from 75+ countries and territories - including: Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, the United States, South Africa, Japan, Australia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia.

View Accepted Presentations

Important Information Emails

All registered attendees will receive an Important Information email and updates in the run-up to the conference. Please check your email inbox for something from "iafor.org". If you can not find these emails in your normal inbox, it is worth checking in your spam or junk mail folders as many programs filter out emails this way. If these did end up in one of these folders, please add the address to your acceptable senders' folder by whatever method your email program can do this.

Conference Programme & Abstract Book

The draft version of the Conference Programme will be available online on February 10, 2025. All registered delegates will be notified of this publication by email.
The Conference Programme & Abstract Book will contain session information and a detailed day-to-day presentation schedule. The final schedule, along with details on how to access the online sessions and what to prepare for your presentation, will be available on the Conference Website from February 10, 2025.

Featured Presentations

  • Tips and Technology to Maximise Your Conference Experience
    Tips and Technology to Maximise Your Conference Experience
    Workshop Presentation: Michael Menchaca, Grant Black
  • How to Write a Clear (and Effective) Introduction
    How to Write a Clear (and Effective) Introduction
    Workshop Presentation: Lara Carminati
  • The Fighter’s Mindset: Training for Resilience Across Life and Business
    The Fighter’s Mindset: Training for Resilience Across Life and Business
    Keynote Presentation: Harry A. Hill
  • Supporting Quality and Relevant Tertiary Education for Marginalized Youth and Communities: Challenges and Opportunities for International Development
    Supporting Quality and Relevant Tertiary Education for Marginalized Youth and Communities: Challenges and Opportunities for International Development
    Keynote Presentation: Amir Dhia
  • Education for Good Global Governance
    Education for Good Global Governance
    Panel Presentation: Jun Arima, Brendan M. Howe, Kyung Nam Shin, Yukari Ando
  • Social Robots For All Stakeholders in Elderly Care
    Social Robots For All Stakeholders in Elderly Care
    Keynote Presentation: Hidenobu Sumioka
  • Human vs(?) Artificial Intelligence: Psychological Threats and Opportunities
    Human vs(?) Artificial Intelligence: Psychological Threats and Opportunities
    Panel Presentation: Dexter Da Silva, Beth Hedva, Dharmawan Ardi Purnama, Davy Tsz Kit Ng, Chi-Shing Tse
  • Global Citizenship Education: Human and Artificial Intelligence
    Global Citizenship Education: Human and Artificial Intelligence
    Forum Discussion: Emiliano Bosio, Melina Neophytou
  • Ageing and Gender in Contemporary Japan: Navigating New Female Buddhist Leadership within Institutional and Societal Constraints
    Ageing and Gender in Contemporary Japan: Navigating New Female Buddhist Leadership within Institutional and Societal Constraints
    Panel Discussion: Hongmin Ahn, Sheng-Hsiang Lance Peng, Joseph Haldane (Moderator)
  • Aging Data: NACDA Resources for Gerontological Research, Training and Education
    Aging Data: NACDA Resources for Gerontological Research, Training and Education
    Workshop Presentation: Kathryn Lavender

Featured Speakers

  • Hongmin Ahn
    Hongmin Ahn
    Inter-University Center for Japanese Studies, Japan
  • Yukari Ando
    Yukari Ando
    University of Toyama, Japan
  • Jun Arima
    Jun Arima
    IAFOR & University of Tokyo, Japan
  • Grant Black
    Grant Black
    Chuo University, Japan
  • Emiliano Bosio
    Emiliano Bosio
    Toyo University, Japan & Global Citizenship Education Interview Series
  • Lara Carminati
    Lara Carminati
    University of Twente, Netherlands
  • Dexter Da Silva
    Dexter Da Silva
    Keisen University, Japan
  • Amir Dhia
    Amir Dhia
    Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, Qatar
  • Beth Hedva
    Beth Hedva
    Canadian Institute for Transpersonal and Integrative Sciences, Canada
  • Harry A. Hill
    Harry A. Hill
    Oak Lawn Marketing, Japan
  • Brendan Howe
    Brendan Howe
    Ewha Womans University, South Korea
  • Kathryn M. Lavender
    Kathryn M. Lavender
    National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA), United States
  • Davy Tsz Kit Ng
    Davy Tsz Kit Ng
    The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • Chi-Shing Tse
    Chi-Shing Tse
    The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • Michael Menchaca
    Michael Menchaca
    University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States
  • Melina Neophytou
    Melina Neophytou
    IAFOR, Japan
  • Sheng-Hsiang Lance Peng
    Sheng-Hsiang Lance Peng
    University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • Dharmawan A. Purnama
    Dharmawan A. Purnama
    Krida Wacana Christian University, Indonesia
  • Lowell Sheppard
    Lowell Sheppard
    Never Too Late Academy & IAFOR, Japan
  • Kyung Nam Shin
    Kyung Nam Shin
    Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), South Korea
  • Hidenobu Sumioka
    Hidenobu Sumioka
    Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Japan
To be announced

Previous Programming

View details of programming for past ACEID conferences via the links below.

ACEID2024
ACEID2023 ACEID2022 ACEID2021
ACEID2020 ACEID2019 ACEID2018
ACEID2017 ACEID2016 ACEID2015
Tips and Technology to Maximise Your Conference Experience
Workshop Presentation: Michael Menchaca, Grant Black

Do you have clear goals and a plan when you attend a conference? Are you able to optimise networking opportunities? Do you consider how to present yourself and keep tabs on who presented and what was said? Do you use technology to record and enhance your experience at conferences? It is common to be unsure or lack confidence in any of these skills, whether you are an early-career academic or a well-traveled delegate. In this workshop, seasoned conference presenters will introduce sound strategies and tools to help you maximise your conference experience, including the use of artificial intelligence to assist in scheduling, recording, and presentation analysis. Time will be allotted for questions and discussion.

Read presenters' biographies
How to Write a Clear (and Effective) Introduction
Workshop Presentation: Lara Carminati

The introduction of papers, articles, and grant proposals holds paramount importance in the scientific publication process: it represents the very first section reviewed by editors and peer reviewers. The quality of the introduction can be the determining factor in whether your work progresses – or stalls – on its long publication journey. Understanding the best practices for structuring this section, recognising what to include and, equally important, what to omit, are essential. In this workshop, we will provide practical insights and tips aimed at enhancing your ability to craft clear and compelling introductions for various publishing pursuits in academia. Although this session is primarily designed for PhD candidates, particularly those approaching the final stages of their doctoral research, early-career scholars navigating their publication endeavours are encouraged to participate.

Read presenter's biography
The Fighter’s Mindset: Training for Resilience Across Life and Business
Keynote Presentation: Harry A. Hill

As society faces the challenges of an aging population, the need for resilience and lifelong learning has never been more pressing. In this keynote, Mr Harry A. Hill, entrepreneur, former CEO, and author of Fighter!: A Guide to Life and Business (2025), presents how we can cultivate resilience through education, physical training, and mental adaptability.

Drawing from his extensive experience in business leadership and fitness, Mr Hill introduces the Chief Kickboxing Officer (CKO) Program, a unique pedagogical approach that applies Total Physical Response (TPR) – an immersive learning method traditionally used in language acquisition – to train resilience in both professional and personal settings. The CKO method incorporates multi-disciplinary training and stress inoculation techniques, strengthening both body and mind and proving that resilience is trainable, not inherent.

This presentation will address three key aspects of this method: aging and physical resilience, cognitive resilience and lifelong learning, and education and adaptive learning.

Through personal stories, scientific evidence, and real-world applications including insights from his work with UFC Gym Japan and aging athletes, Mr Hill will illustrate how developing resilience is the key to thriving at any age. This session invites attendees to rethink their approach to aging, education, and resilience, encouraging them to embrace lifelong learning, physical training, and the fighter’s mindset in their personal and professional lives.

Read presenter's biography
Supporting Quality and Relevant Tertiary Education for Marginalized Youth and Communities: Challenges and Opportunities for International Development
Keynote Presentation: Amir Dhia

No individual should be left out of education, particularly those among the most marginalised, vulnerable, and conflict-affected communities. Joint action and advocacy have become vital in removing obstacles and supporting these individuals in accessing inclusive, quality, and relevant tertiary education. By taking into consideration diversity in global contexts and placing them at the heart of global partnerships and scholarship programs, students in these demographics are empowered to excel beyond their challenging environments and achieve sustainable, positive contributions to the social and economic development of societies at large. This presentation highlights such trajectories, programmes in place with this mission in mind, and how access to equitable education opportunities contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to the student’s well-being, employability, and advancement in society.

Read presenter's biography
Education for Good Global Governance
Panel Presentation: Jun Arima, Brendan M. Howe, Kyung Nam Shin, Yukari Ando

Good governance involves reconciling conflicting interests, generating collective good, providing security for all, and respecting the rule of law. At the state level, these aspirations manifest in the instruments of government. Internationally, however, we aspire to achieve similar goals but in the absence of formal governing mechanisms. Global governance represents both the attempts to govern internationally and the production of policy guidelines and best practices for national governments. Global governance faces many challenges, including climate change, pandemics, demographic timebombs involving both growth and shrinkage of youth sectors, democratic recession, authoritarian populism, and the humanitarian crisis of forced migration and refugees. While the information and communication technology (ICT) revolution has democratised access to information, it has not necessarily led to the propagation of knowledge. Education plays a crucial role in allowing global citizens to make informed choices when it comes to the construction of governance structures and selection of their representatives. This panel focuses on the importance of dissemination of principles of good governance in the face of these challenges. Participants will address responsibilities towards others, including future generations, of those who govern, and of the citizens of the world.

Read presenters' biographies
Social Robots For All Stakeholders in Elderly Care
Keynote Presentation: Hidenobu Sumioka

The increasing proportion of elderly individuals has made elderly care a pressing societal issue, with robots anticipated to play a significant role in addressing this challenge. Beyond providing rehabilitation and physical support, researchers are also exploring the use of social robots for psychological and emotional support, particularly for individuals with dementia, to alleviate the workload of caregivers. However, recent studies indicate that while the introduction of social robots is expected to reduce caregiver burden, these technologies often fail to effectively assist individuals with dementia, inadvertently increasing the workload for care staff. This keynote will introduce ongoing research on the development of “Hiro-chan”, a baby-like robot designed specifically for elderly care. Findings from two- and four-week field trials of Hiro-chan as part of the elderly care toolkit for dementia patients and their caregivers helped us to understand how the baby-robot was perceived and interacted with, including the significant impact of the robot's interactive design on the nursing home environment. The development and implementation of Hiro-chan presents the case for an all-stakeholder-centred approach and a profound understanding of the needs of dementia patients and care staff are essential for successfully integrating robots into nursing home settings.

Read presenter's biography
Human vs(?) Artificial Intelligence: Psychological Threats and Opportunities
Panel Presentation: Dexter Da Silva, Beth Hedva, Dharmawan Ardi Purnama, Davy Tsz Kit Ng, Chi-Shing Tse

The proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has had an enormous psychological impact on society in terms of how we view ourselves and others, how we communicate with each other, and our relationship with technology. From an educational psychological perspective, Human Intelligence (HI) itself is contested: is it one factor, as in Spearman’s General Intelligence (GI) , measured by IQ tests; or does it consist of multiple factors, as in Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI), or Sternberg’s Triarchic Approach, with Analytical, Creative, and Practical Intelligences? Other types of HI have been proposed, such as Cattell’s Fluid Intelligence vs Crystallised Intelligence and Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence (EQ).

While there is no universally agreed upon definition of HI, it is generally accepted that it involves certain abilities, including learning, recognising, and solving problems. HI is understood as being brain-based, and that brain processes can largely be seen as computational processes. Our understanding of AI is also in a state of flux with rapid developments and disagreement among experts. At the moment, there are at least three different types of AI: Narrow AI, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) = HI-level intelligence, and Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI). What is generally agreed on is that AI Large Language Models Systems ‘are not dissimilar to the human brain’s prefrontal cortex, the part of us that does abstract thinking and that separates us from the (sic) animals’. (Hamilton, William and Hattie, 2023).

The boundaries between humans and machines are already blurred. Hamilton, William and Hattie (2023) suggest that ‘We may already be in the era of “peak humanity”, with the greatest levels of education, reasoning, rationality, and creativity… spread out amongst the greatest number of us’. Although AI has yet to achieve its full potential, some experts believe that AGI will be fully realised within two years. The question of how humans are superior to machines is usually met with the same answers: consciousness, emotions, empathy, motivation, and creativity. Psychology, as the scientific study and application of human thinking, emotions, and behaviour, is well positioned to harness AI for positive human interaction with people from diverse backgrounds, achieving intergenerational and cross-cultural understanding. Both AI and psychological literacies are, therefore, extremely important: urgent action is needed to establish AI use policies in terms of equity, ethics, safety, and the future of humanity.

This panel discussion will address the following pressing questions regarding this need to act: What is the potential for AI? How is it currently being used, and how can it help transform human interaction and communication for the better? And finally, what are the dangers and benefits of these uses?

Read presenters' biographies
Global Citizenship Education: Human and Artificial Intelligence
Forum Discussion: Emiliano Bosio, Melina Neophytou

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is promised to enhance our efficiency and quality of life. However, we have also been warned about AI’s threats to human autonomy, honesty, integrity, and responsibility. While AI excels at processing vast amounts of information, generating content, and automating tasks quickly, it lacks essential human qualities such as critical thinking, ethical reasoning, empathy, and self-reflection. This is evident with academic dishonesty, for example, where AI’s convenience can weaken students’ sense of responsibility, leading them to prioritise shortcuts over intellectual and moral development. Beyond the classroom, this issue can escalate into a broader identity crisis in an AI-driven world, as students transition to become members of society.

According to UNESCO, ‘Global Citizenship Education (GCED) recognises the relevance of education in preparing learners to understand and address global challenges in their social, political, cultural, economic, environmental, and technological dimensions. It promotes a sense of belonging to a community and common humanity beyond our local or national environment’. Education should be the bridge that links technology, identity, and social responsibility, helping students grow into individuals who are not just academically capable but also socially aware. Education needs to take advantage of the fact that AI is not inherently bad: it has the potential to cultivate empathy and understanding, promote global collaboration, and develop critical thinking – skills necessary for becoming socially responsible and ethically-minded global citizens.

Read presenters' biographies
Ageing and Gender in Contemporary Japan: Navigating New Female Buddhist Leadership within Institutional and Societal Constraints
Panel Discussion: Hongmin Ahn, Sheng-Hsiang Lance Peng, Joseph Haldane (Moderator)

Japanese Buddhism is undergoing a period of profound transformation, driven by an ageing clergy and a declining follower base. As these demographic shifts place increasing pressure on Buddhist institutions to adapt, they also raise critical questions about leadership, gender roles, and the future of the tradition. Against this backdrop, this panel examines the 2009 appointment of Kim Myoseon, a Korean traditional dancer, as head priest of one of Japan’s most revered Buddhist temples. As the first female and non-Japanese leader among the 88 temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, her appointment marked a rare departure from established norms, which have historically reserved such leadership roles for Japanese men. But does her leadership signal a broader shift in Japanese Buddhism as it grapples with these demographic challenges, or is it merely a temporary response to institutional necessity rather than a fundamental reconfiguration of gender dynamics?

Ageing further complicates the experiences of female religious leaders, positioning them in a paradoxical space where their authority is both respected – as seniors – and restricted – as women. The psychological toll of negotiating these tensions between legitimacy and societal expectations intensifies over time. This panel applies Jeffrey Jerome Cohen’s Monster Culture (1996) framework to explore how Buddhist perspectives on gender have historically framed women’s religious roles as liminal, exceptional, or even transgressive. Cohen’s concept of the ‘monstrous’ as that which unsettles social categories provides a critical lens to examine how female religious figures – both venerated and marginalised – contend with issues of legitimacy, purity, and institutional authority.

Drawing on reflexive anthropological methodologies, this panel investigates the complex realities facing female religious leaders, illustrating how institutional structures and societal expectations shape their authority, identity, and lived experiences. By situating these discussions within the broader contexts of gender, ageing, and religious authority, this analysis hopes to contribute to ongoing scholarly debates on the evolving role of women in contemporary Japanese Buddhism.

Read presenters' biographies
Aging Data: NACDA Resources for Gerontological Research, Training and Education
Workshop Presentation: Kathryn Lavender

Creating and maintaining sustainable data archives can be challenging, but they offer clear advantages for both national and international research strategies. Multiple researchers can use preserved data to test various hypotheses and increase the return on investment to the expensive data collection process. Having an internally managed archival system also provides greater control and autonomy in the equitable distribution of data resources. This workshop will offer hands-on examples of how to discover data resources, obtain them, and implement them as part of a research strategy. Regardless of whether you are a student looking for a thesis topic, an instructor looking for research material to use in classroom teaching, or an established researcher, the wealth of publicly available data creates almost unlimited opportunities to explore new themes and collaborate with researchers worldwide.

The workshop introduces you to the National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA) and our worldwide partners. NACDA has existed for over 40 years and freely distributes over 1,600 studies on the lifecourse and health, representing one of the world’s largest research data collections. All researchers attending the conference are welcome to participate, ask questions, and learn about data resources you can use for research, classroom instruction, or in developing a research paper or thesis for your college classes. Our instructors will help you access the wealth of information at your fingertips.

Read presenters' biographies
Hongmin Ahn
Inter-University Center for Japanese Studies, Japan

Biography

Hongmin Ahn is an incoming student at the Inter-University Center for Japanese Studies in Yokohama, Japan (2024-25). He holds a Master of Theological Studies in Buddhism from Harvard Divinity School at Harvard University, United States, and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Bard College, also located in the United States. As an interdisciplinary scholar, Mr Ahn’s research focuses on modern transnational Buddhism in Korea and Japan, exploring their history, culture, practices, gender dynamics, and institutions such as clerical marriage and the popularisation of Buddhism through military chaplaincy.

Supported by IAFOR grants, Mr Ahn’s forthcoming ethnographic study on modern transnational religions in Korea and Japan, with a particular emphasis on Zainichi – the Korean diaspora in post-colonial Japan. His research explores the transnational networks of Zainichi religions that connect Korea, Japan, and the global Korean diaspora.

Panel Discussion (2025) | TBA
Yukari Ando
University of Toyama, Japan

Biography

Yukari Ando is a Professor at the University of Toyama, Japan. Her field of research centres around international refugee law and international human rights law. She served as a programme adviser in the Cabinet Office of Japan, during which she was involved in the General Election in Sudan in 2010 and the Southern Sudan Referendum in 2011 as an international observer. She obtained her LLM from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom, and an MA in International Cooperation Studies from Nagoya University, Japan. She has also conducted research at the Paris Human Rights Centre (CRDH), Paris-Panthéon-Assas University, France. One of her English publications related to her speech is the chapter ‘Impacts on Refugee Law: Implications for Japanese Law, European Union Law and International Human Rights Law' in Global Impact of the Ukraine Conflict: Perspectives from International Law (Springer, 2023).

Panel Discussion (2025) | Education for Good Global Governance
Jun Arima
IAFOR & University of Tokyo, Japan

Biography

Professor Jun Arima is the President of IAFOR, and the senior academic officer of the organisation. In this role, Professor Arima is the Honorary Chair of the International Academic Advisory Board, as well as both the Academic Governing Board and its Executive Committee. He also sits on the IAFOR Board of Directors.

Jun Arima was formerly Director General of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), UK from 2011 to 2015 and Special Advisor on Global Environmental Affairs for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan, from 2011 to 2015. He has previously held various international energy/environment-related positions, including: Head of Division, Country Studies, International Energy Agency (IEA); Director, International Affairs Division, Agency of Natural Resources and Energy, METI; and Deputy Director General for Environmental Affairs at METI’s Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau. In the COP (UN Convention on Climate Change) 14, 15 and 16, he was Japanese Chief Negotiator for AWG-KP.

Since 2015 Jun Arima has been a Professor at the University of Tokyo, Japan, where he teaches Energy Security, International Energy Governance, and Environmental Policies in the Graduate School of Public Policy. (GraSPP). He is also currently a Consulting Fellow at the Japanese Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI). He is also Executive Senior Fellow at the 21st Century Public Policy Institute, Principal Researcher at the International Environmental and Economic Institute (IEEI), Distinguished Senior Policy Fellow, at the Asia Pacific Institute of Research (APIR), Senior Policy Fellow on Energy and Environment, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and was the Lead Author, the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC).

Grant Black
Chuo University, Japan

Biography

Professor Grant Black is a professor in the Faculty of Commerce at Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan, where he has taught Global Skills and Global Issues since 2013. Grant is engaged in diverse roles as a global manager, systems builder, executive leader and university professor. His research and teaching areas include global management skills, intercultural intelligence (CQ) and organisational management. He also has taught Japanese Management Theory at J. F. Oberlin University (Japan), and a continuing education course in the Foundations of Japanese Zen Buddhism at Temple University Japan. Previously, he was Chair of the English Section at the Center for Education of Global Communication at the University of Tsukuba where he served in a six-year post in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. He holds a BA Highest Honors in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara; an MA in Japanese Buddhist Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles; and a Doctor of Social Science (DSocSci) from the Department of Management in the School of Business at the University of Leicester. Dr Black is a Chartered Manager (CMgr), the highest status that can be achieved in the management profession in the UK. In 2018, he was elected a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI) and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). Grant is President of Black Inc. Consulting (Japan), a Tokyo-based firm specialising in international and intercultural project management, communication projects, and executive leadership and training. He is the director of the Nippon Academic Management Institute (NAMI) and the author of Education Reform Policy at a Japanese Super Global University: Policy Translation, Migration and Mutation (Routledge, 2022). He serves as a Vice-President for the International Academic Forum (IAFOR).

Emiliano Bosio
Toyo University, Japan & Global Citizenship Education Interview Series

Biography

Dr Emiliano Bosio is a leading educator, author, and public intellectual. He is known internationally for his work on values-based, critical, and ethical global citizenship for sustainability and the common good. As the Director of the Global Citizenship Education Interview Series, Dr Bosio fosters dialogue among scholars in international and comparative education. He currently teaches at Toyo University and Sophia University in Japan, contributing his expertise to the next generation of engaged and responsible global citizens.

Dr Bosio is the Guest Editor of UNESCO Prospects and Chief Editor of Conversations on Global Citizenship Education (Routledge), Ethical Global Citizenship Education (Cambridge University Press), Global Citizenship Education in the Global South (Brill), Value-Creating Education (Routledge), and The Emergence of the Ethically Engaged University (Springer). Dr Bosio’s broader commitment to sustainable and ethical societies is reflected in his roles on the Research Board of the Center for Global Nonkilling (CGNK), United States and as an Associate at the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development at Sunway University, Malaysia. His recent publications include Fostering Service to Society, Inclusion, and Equity through Global Citizenship Education (with Hans de Wit), Critical Pedagogy and Global Citizenship Education (with Henry Giroux), Linking Moral and Social-Political Perspectives in Global Citizenship Education (with Wiel Veugelers), and Global Citizenship Education at the Crossroads (with Carlos Alberto Torres).

Forum Discussion (2025) | TBA
Lara Carminati
University of Twente, Netherlands

Biography

Dr Lara Carminati is a Senior Assistant Professor in Organisational Behaviour and Change Management at the University of Twente, Netherlands. She earned a PhD in Management, Organisational Behaviour from The University of Surrey, United Kingdom. Her research lies in the field of identity with key focuses on human-technology interactions from an identity work perspective, the role of (observed) emotions and emotional intelligence in team settings, as well as the micro and macro processes surrounding identity dynamics. Her work has been published in a number of journals, including Applied Psychology: An International Review, Production, Planning & Control, Frontiers in Psychology, Current Psychology, and Ethics and Behaviour.

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Dexter Da Silva
Keisen University, Japan

Biography

Professor Dexter Da Silva is Professor Emeritus at Keisen University in Tokyo, Japan, where he has been teaching for 35 years. He is an Educational Psychologist who has taught at junior high school, language schools, and universities in Sydney, Australia, and at various educational institutions in Japan. He was educated at the University of Sydney, Australia (BA, Dip. Ed., MA), and the University of Western Sydney, Australia (PhD). He has presented and co-presented at conferences throughout Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States, and published or co-published a number of books, articles, and book chapters on education-related topics. He is a past president of the Asian Psychological Association and currently a Vice-President of IAFOR. As an Educational Psychologist, he is very interested in how Artificial Intelligence will continue to be incorporated into and impact research and theory on the nature, types, and uniqueness of Human Intelligence(s).

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Amir Dhia
Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, Qatar

Biography

Dr Amir Dhia is the Manager of Higher Education at the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation in Qatar. His career spans over twenty-five years of global experiences and achievements in private, public, non-governmental, and state institutions. He has held several senior positions internationally, including Advisor, Dean, and Director General, contributing to the advancement of higher and executive education, certification institutions, language institutes, and international education partnerships.

At the EAA’s Al Fakhoora Programme, Dr Dhia supports efforts to transform lives through access to quality and relevant tertiary education by providing scholarships to over 10,000 marginalised and conflict-affected youth in more than 60 top-tier universities in over 10 countries worldwide.

Dr Dhia holds a PhD (summa cum laude) from the Centre d'Études Diplomatiques et Stratégiques, France, specialising in Knowledge Society and Diplomacy. He has also earned a number of designations in leadership, management, and business development. He is also an Associate Professor and Expert Trainer, having delivered keynote presentations at international conferences, lectured in various higher education institutions, and trained professionals at all levels.

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Beth Hedva
Canadian Institute for Transpersonal and Integrative Sciences, Canada

Biography

Dr Beth Hedva, has been called by United Nations ambassadors and national associations to assist in a variety of humanitarian missions across the globe. She has trained and upgraded psychologists and volunteer recovery workers in the two deadliest natural disasters of the century – the 2004/5 tsunami in Aceh, Indonesia and the 2010 Haitian earthquake; supported post-civil war healing in Sierra Leone; developed and lead multigenerational-genocide trauma recovery in post-Vietnam Cambodia; facilitated recovery from colonisation, and tackled racism between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians. A licensed psychologist and marriage and family therapist, international lecturer, and trainer of helping professionals, Dr Hedva is a former Director of the International Council of Psychologists and Canadian Chair of the Association for Trauma Outreach and Prevention.

Dr Hedva's reputation grew from blending emerging and contemporary clinical psychological practices with ancient and indigenous cultural healing and spiritual approaches to develop a uniquely flexible integrative strategy for individual and community health and wellness. Award-winning author of Betrayal, Trust and Forgiveness: A Guide to Emotional Healing and Self Renewal, she is listed in the 12th Edition of The World Who’s Who of Women, Marquis Who’s Who in America; and the American Biographical Institute’s Hall of Fame for Humanitarian Contributions in Cross-Cultural Psychology.

Harry A. Hill
Oak Lawn Marketing, Japan

Biography

Mr Harry A. Hill is a passionate and dynamic business and civic leader. As President and CEO of Oak Lawn Marketing, Inc. (OLM) in Japan from 2006 to 2017, the company grew from 15 billion JPY to 68 billion JPY in sales. Mr Hill and his management team successfully created a robust corporate culture based on their vision of ‘enriching lifestyles worldwide’. In 2009, he orchestrated one of Japan’s most significant M&A transactions when NTT Docomo took a majority share in OLM. In September 2017, Mr Hill stepped down as CEO, but remains an outside director. He went on to found Better-U, a fitness company operating UFC Gyms in Japan, in 2019.

Keynote Presentation (2025) | TBA
Brendan Howe
Ewha Womans University, South Korea

Biography

Brendan Howe is Dean and Professor of the Graduate School of International Studies, Ewha Womans University, South Korea, where he has also served two terms as Associate Dean and Department Chair. He is also currently the President of the Asian Political and International Studies Association, and an Honorary Ambassador of Public Diplomacy and advisor for the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has held visiting professorships and research fellowships at the East-West Center (where he is currently enjoying a second term as a POSCO Visiting Research Fellow), the Freie Universität Berlin, De La Salle University, the University of Sydney, Korea National Defence University, Georgetown University, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, and Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Educated at the University of Oxford, the University of Kent at Canterbury, Trinity College Dublin, and Georgetown University, his ongoing research agendas focus on traditional and non-traditional security in East Asia, human security, middle powers, public diplomacy, post-crisis development, comprehensive peacebuilding and conflict transformation. He has authored, co-authored, or edited around 100 related publications including Society and Democracy in South Korea and Indonesia (Palgrave, 2022), The Niche Diplomacy of Asian Middle Powers (Lexington Books, 2021), UN Governance: Peace and Human Security in Cambodia and Timor-Leste (Springer, 2020), Regional Cooperation for Peace and Development (Routledge, 2018), National Security, State Centricity, and Governance in East Asia (Springer, 2017), Peacekeeping and the Asia-Pacific (Brill, 2016), Democratic Governance in East Asia (Springer, 2015), Post-Conflict Development in East Asia (Ashgate, 2014), and The Protection and Promotion of Human Security in East Asia (Palgrave, 2013).

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Panel Presentation (2024) | Communication and Education for Peace
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Featured Discussion (2023) | IAFOR’s Collaborative Efforts: AAS and the IAFOR Research Centre
Kathryn M. Lavender
National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA), United States

Biography

Kathryn Lavender is the Data Project Manager for the National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA), the aging archive at the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) at the Institute for Social Research, the University of Michigan, United States. NACDA is funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Ms Lavender helps to guide data producers on data management and data sharing in the realm of data on aging populations/gerontology; promotes secondary research resources for public use; and contributes to spreading knowledge about quality metadata and data discovery through NACDA, as well as through the DDI Alliance. Ms Lavender has been an ICPSR staff member for more than 15 years and has been managing NACDA for nearly half of that time.

Featured Workshop Presentation (2025) | Aging Data: NACDA Resources for Gerontological Research, Training and Education
Davy Tsz Kit Ng
The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Biography

Dr Davy Tsz Kit Ng is currently an Assistant Professor at The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. He was previously an IT Panel Head at a local secondary school in Hong Kong and a Visiting Scholar at the Division of Integrative Systems and Design, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He holds a PhD in Education and Technology from The University of Hong Kong (HKU), a Master of Education in Educational Psychology, a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, and a postgraduate qualification in ICT Education from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Hong Kong. His research interests lie in the areas of Generative AI literacy, the metaverse and STEAM education, and technology-enhanced pedagogic innovation.

He has published around 50 articles, many in Q1 journals, and authored a book on AI literacy that obtained the China New Development Award from Springer Nature in 2023. His work is informed by recent research on using ChatGPT in self-regulated learning and conceptualising AI literacy and the metaverse. He was a recipient of the Research Postgraduate Student Publication Award at HKU, the Social Innovation Leadership Award at CUHK, and the Outstanding Paper Award in the International Postgraduate Roundtable and Research Forum at The Education University of Hong Kong. He has been named in the 2024 Stanford's List of World's Top 2% Scientists in Education.

Chi-Shing Tse
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Biography

Professor Chi-Shing Tse currently teaches in the Department of Educational Psychology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. He also serves as the university’s Director of the Doctor of Education program and the Associate Director at the Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies. His research spans several interdisciplinary fields, including autobiographical memory, learning sciences and technologies, psycholinguistics, and psychological well-being, reflecting a broad commitment to understanding complex cognitive and affective processes. In addition to his work as an educator and researcher, Professor Tse is involved in student affairs, holding the role of Associate Dean of Students at the university’s United College, where he plays a role in promoting the holistic development of students, placing a strong emphasis on mental health and well-being.

Michael Menchaca
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States

Biography

Michael Menchaca is a professor at the Department of Learning Design and Technology at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States. He specialises in distance education, and has designed, implemented, and coordinated online and hybrid programs for over 20 years. He serves as editor for the IAFOR Journal of Education: Technology in Education Edition. He was an IT specialist for many years in the public and private sector. As an educator, he teaches and conducts research in the areas of online learning, technology integration, and social justice with technology.

Melina Neophytou
IAFOR, Japan

Biography

Dr Melina Neophytou is the Academic Operations Manager at IAFOR, where she works closely with academics, keynote speakers, and IAFOR partners to shape academic discussions within The Forum, bring conference programmes together, refine scholarship programmes, and build an interdisciplinary and international community. She is leading various projects within IAFOR, notably The Forum discussions and the authoring of Conference Reports and Intelligence Briefings, and she oversees the Global Fellows Programme.

Born in Germany and raised in Cyprus, Dr Neophytou received her PhD in International Development from Nagoya University, Japan, in 2023, specialising in political sociology, the welfare state, and contentious politics. She received an MA in International Development from Nagoya University, with a focus on Governance & Law, and a BA in European Studies from the University of Cyprus, Cyprus.

Her research interests currently focus on the Japanese welfare state, family values within Japanese society, and their relationship to family policies. She is particularly interested in state-society relations by uncovering how informal social ideas influence formal social policy.

Sheng-Hsiang Lance Peng
University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Biography

With his recent PhD completion from the University of Cambridge’s Education Faculty, Dr Sheng-Hsiang Lance Peng is an early career research fellow at IAFOR. His PhD work combines the spectral lens of hauntology with phenomenology to explore the gender(ed) lives of justice-involved girls in out-of-home care. Lance leverages his experience in applying uncanny perspectives such as mnemohistory, monster culture, and hauntology to work with marginalised narratives, and he currently uses monstrous othering to reinterpret voices on the fringes of Japanese society context as part of his monster(s) project.

Panel Discussion (2025) | TBA
Dharmawan A. Purnama
Krida Wacana Christian University, Indonesia

Biography

Dr Purnama is currently a lecturer in Psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine, Krida Wacana Christian University, Indonesia. He serves as one of the executive board members of the Ricci Catholic School Foundation and is the founder of Smart Mind Center Consulting and the Asian Psychiatry Intervention Network (APIN), which is an association of psychiatrists and neuropsychiatrists from Asia focused on neurostimulation (ECT, rTMS, and neuromodulation). His broad interests in biological psychiatry include consultations in psychosexual and marital issues (sexual addiction and pornography), Consultation Liaison Psychiatry for Diabetes Mellitus, cardiovascular, gastroenterology, and neuropsychiatry, as well as ADHD in children and adults.

Both an active academic and practitioner, Dr Purnama has served as Chairman of Indonesian Sexology Associations, Chairman of The Indonesian Medical Association (ISI) North Jakarta Branch, Deputy Chairman of the Consultation Liaison Psychiatry section of the Indonesian Psychiatric Association, and an administrator of the PDSKJI Jakarta (Indonesian Psychiatric Specialists Association) and the Psychosexual and Marital section of the Indonesian Psychiatric Association.

Dr Purnama completed his general medical education at the Faculty of Medicine, Unika Atma Jaya Catholic University, Indonesia. He went on to obtain a specialist degree in Psychiatry from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia as well as a Doctorate in Philosophy from the Driyarkara School of Philosophy in the field of Existential Psychotherapy, with a dissertation on Logotherapy with a narrative restoration approach. He has undergone training at a number of institutions, including The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University as well as clinical training at Sawa Hospital in Toyonaka City, Osaka, Japan.

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Lowell Sheppard
Never Too Late Academy & IAFOR, Japan

Biography

Mr Lowell Sheppard is an author, speaker, social entrepreneur, and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society with a lifelong commitment to social impact, ethical leadership, and exploration. He has worked extensively with established NGOs and start-ups, most notably as the Founder of HOPE International Development Agency Japan. Under his leadership, HOPE-JP has grown to rank among the top 2% of charitable organizations in Japan, achieving the prestigious nintei tax-deductible certification. Mr Sheppard has been a longtime supporter and past speaker at IAFOR Conferences. He currently serves as the organisation’s Director of Development, seeking to expand the Global Fellowship Programme and scholarship opportunities.

Mr Sheppard’s passion for social and environmental improvement projects has driven his career. For over two decades, Lowell has served as an informal advisor to companies and boards around the globe. In pursuit of adventure and deeper insights into ageing and longevity, Mr Sheppard moved onto a sailboat five years ago and has been sailing full-time around Japan, embracing the life of a digital nomad and explorer. Most recently, he has been moored in the Blue Zone of Okinawa, learning from one of the world’s longest-living communities.

In 2025, he embarks on a bold new journey: sailing the entire length of Japan, following the annual Cherry Blossom Front, retracing by boat the route he cycled 25 years ago. As he celebrates his 70th birthday along the way, he aims to uncover the secrets of long and energized living from Japan’s remote coastal communities.

As an author, his book Never Too Late (Lion Hudson PLC, 2005), published in four languages, became the inspiration for his latest social enterprise, the Never Too Late Academy. His most recent book, Dare to Dream, was shortlisted for the UK Business Book of the Year Award in 2023.

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Kyung Nam Shin
Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), South Korea

Biography

Dr Kyung Nam Shin serves as the Assistant Director-General and Head of the Investment & Policy Solutions Division at the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in South Korea, a leading international organisation dedicated to promoting green growth and climate resilience. GGGI collaborates with approximately 70 countries, including 49 member countries.

He leads global programmes in areas such as green hydrogen, low-carbon transport, and the circular economy, which have the potential to mobilise from 500 million to over 1 billion USD. He played a key role in securing a project preparatory fund of approximately 25 million USD over five years, supporting the expansion of sustainable project development. Currently, he is establishing a blended finance facility that integrates public and private capital.

He has an extensive career spanning 15 years at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), where he played a pivotal role in structuring financing agreements and processing project loans in South Asian countries. Prior to joining ADB, he spent over 13 years at the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Korea, focusing on international finance and public resource management.

Following his tenure at ADB, he served as Director-General at the Green Technology Centre, a Korean government agency specialising in climate technology projects, including renewable energy and sustainable transport initiatives.

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Hidenobu Sumioka
Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Japan

Biography

Dr Hidenobu Sumioka is the leader of the Presence Media Research Group in Hiroshi Ishiguro Laboratories, part of Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Japan, where he has conducted research for over ten years. He received a PhD in Engineering from Osaka University, Japan, in 2008. Following the completion of his doctoral studies, Dr Sumioka served as a Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), subsequently becoming a researcher at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in 2009 under the direction of Professor Rolf Pfeifer. His research interests include human-robot touch interaction, application of social robots for elderly care, and physiological influence of social robots on humans.

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