Professor Cangbai Wang, Professor of Migration, Heritage and Language and Founder and Co-director of the Hub on Migration, Exile, Languages and Spaces (HOMELandS) research centre at the University of Westminster, recently delivered a keynote speech at the eighth International Conference on Migration and Qiaoxiang Studies in China. He joined other international experts to showcase HOMELandS’ impact-led and interdisciplinary research into migration and diaspora and shared ideas on how to shape the future of international collaborations between research centres and universities in an increasingly globalising world.
This biannual conference is China’s key platform for promoting international collaboration in research into global migration, bringing together international experts to talk with Chinese scholars on a wide range of issues in this field. This year, the conference was jointly organised by the China Institute for Chinese Overseas Studies (CICOS), Wuyi University and Jinan University and took cultural heritage as its central theme.
Taking place between 17-20 October at Wuyi University, Jiangmen, China, the event gathered more than 70 scholars, policy makers and heritage practitioners across nine countries to share new findings and methods on the study of heritage and migration.
The welcome address was delivered by Professor Zhang Guoxiong, Chief Expert for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) Kaiping Diaolou and Villages World Heritage Site and former Vice President of Wuyi University. The conference was then opened by Mr Li Yiheng, Director of the CICOS, Professor Chen Wenhua, Vice President of Wuyi University and Professor Chen Ying, Vice President of Jinan University.
Key topics discussed ranged from heritage, diplomacy, identity and place-making in diverse diasporic contexts and the role of heritage in bringing people together across ethnic and national boundaries. In her concluding speech, Professor Li Minghuan, President of the International Society for the Study of Chinese Overseas (ISSCO), emphasised the importance of studying migration from the perspective of heritage, which offers rich resources to knowing the past and building a shared future.
In his keynote speech, Professor Wang introduced HOMELandS’ pioneering research that explores the activities of diverse diasporic communities and called for more innovative and collaborative research to bridge migration and heritage studies in the Chinese diaspora and beyond.
Reflecting on the event, Professor Wang said: “This is the third time HOMELandS has participated in this high-profile international conference series. We were involved as an international co-organiser in 2016 and 2018, with a delegation of colleagues visiting China to speak at the conferences. Participating in international events like these have reinforced our commitments to global engagement in research and knowledge exchange, raised the profile of the School of Humanities and enhanced the reputation of the University.”
Professor Wang’s talk directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4: Quality Education, 10: Reduced Inequalities and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about the Hub on Migration, Exile, Languages and Spaces research centre at the University of Westminster.
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