A recent study by The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) leverages privacy-aware data and large language models (LLMs) to understand cyberbullying in its wider conversational context, offering new possibilities for identifying such behaviour and building a safer online environment.

Led by Dr Carlin Chu, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at HSUHK, the research resulted in two related studies published in 2026. The first, "Privacy-Aware Code-Mixed Cyberbullying Dataset for Session-Based Analysis", published in Data (volume 11, issue 3), introduces a publicly available dataset for studying cyberbullying in Chinese-English code-mixed conversations. The second, "Early Discovery of Cyberbullying Incidents in Multiparty Chinese-English Code-Mixed Colloquial Dialogue: A Generative AI Approach", published in Intelligent Systems with Applications (volume 30, 2026), develops an LLM-based framework for detecting cyberbullying as harmful interactions emerge.

"When the project first began several years ago, the technology available was not capable of analysing complex online conversations involving multiple participants," says Dr Chu. "Recent advances in large language models have made this work possible."

This is particularly relevant in Hong Kong, where online communication frequently blends Cantonese, written Chinese, English and local internet slang. Conventional AI systems often struggle with such code-mixed language, while cyberbullying itself may be expressed through sarcasm, mockery or indirect attacks rather than explicit offensive words.

To address these challenges, the research team developed the Privacy-Aware Code-Mixed Cyberbullying Dataset, comprising more than 14,000 manually annotated posts organised into more than 1,600 conversation sessions collected from the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The original collection contained hundreds of thousands of posts, with more than six months devoted to data collection, cleaning and annotation.

Rather than assessing individual posts in isolation, the researchers examined entire conversations involving multiple participants and exchanges. The LLM-based framework can identify victims, perpetrators and abusive interactions while considering how behaviour develops over time. This enables the system to recognise repeated targeting, indirect references and changing relationships that may be overlooked by message-level approaches.

The research also proposes a more structured way to assess cyberbullying severity, taking into account factors such as the frequency of abusive interactions, the number of perpetrators and the power imbalance between participants. Such analysis can help prioritise higher-risk cases for earlier human intervention.

Dr Chu also emphasises that AI is not intended to replace human judgement, noting, "AI can help identify potentially problematic content, but human review remains necessary because no automated system is perfectly accurate." Online language also evolves rapidly, requiring datasets to be regularly updated and re-labelled.

The project demonstrates that privacy protection can coexist with effective AI research and in some circumstances, can improve model performance by reducing noise and bias in training data. Its findings could support future research and practical applications in education, social media safety and digital wellbeing.

Looking ahead, Dr Chu and his team plan to extend the research beyond text to images, memes and other multimodal content. "I hope that technology can play a role in reducing the harm caused by online bullying and contribute to a safer digital environment," he says.

Young adults' familiarity with smartphones and video platforms does not necessarily make them confident or effective speakers on camera, according to a new study led by Dr Michelle Huang, Assistant Professor in the Department of English at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK). The findings reveal a mismatch between students' perceived ability and their observed performance, particularly in eye contact and gestures, and point to the growing importance of digital-oratory training for online presentations, video interviews and professional communication.

The study, "Digital oratory: a multi-data analysis of L2 speakers' public speaking anxiety and nonverbal speech performance in digital contexts", published in the international academic journal ReCALL (Volume 38, Issue 2), examines the distinct challenges second-language (L2) speakers face when presenting on digital platforms—particularly managing anxiety and using nonverbal cues effectively.

While young adults are generally comfortable with smartphones and video platforms, speaking persuasively to a camera and engaging an unseen audience require different skills from everyday technology use.

The research found cognitive anxiety to be the strongest concern among participants (mean score 3.54 on a 5-point scale), followed by physiological anxiety (3.35). Technical anxiety was considerably lower (2.02). Students were generally at ease with digital equipment, yet this did not necessarily translate into confidence when speaking to a camera.

Among the 20 interview participants, 85% identified eye contact as a challenge and 75% mentioned gestures. Eye contact scored lowest, while posture and gestures also required improvement.

Meanwhile, students generally found digital presentations less stressful than face-to-face speeches. Eighteen of the 20 participants said asynchronous presentations felt easier and valued the chance to rehearse, pause and restart recordings, control their environment and choose their best take.

Yet Dr Huang emphasised that lower stress does not mean digital presentations are anxiety-free. Cognitive and physiological factors proved more significant sources of anxiety than technical issues. Although a camera removes a live audience, speakers may still feel that they are being evaluated. They may worry about how viewers will judge their language, accent, confidence or competence, and the ability to replay a recording may lead them to focus on perceived flaws. These worries can trigger physical responses such as muscular tension, rapid heartbeat and faster breathing.

By contrast, most participants already knew how to use smartphones, tablets and laptops, showing that digital-oratory anxiety is mainly linked to self-perception and evaluation rather than technology itself.

The findings point to digital oratory as a distinct and teachable communicative skill. Dr Huang recommends that educators give students chances to practise camera-specific eye contact and gestures, rather than simply transferring face-to-face expectations.

Students may experiment with directing their gaze naturally towards the screen or camera area and position the camera to capture the head and upper body so that purposeful gestures remain visible. Short recordings can also serve as learning tools, letting students to review their gaze, posture and movements to identify areas for improvement. This creates a "record-review-refine" cycle in which students can focus on improving different aspects of their delivery.     

For L2 speakers especially, the study highlights that language proficiency alone is not enough for effective global digital communication. Verbal clarity, audience awareness, nonverbal delivery, intercultural sensitivity and basic technical control all contribute to successful communication.

"The goal should be intelligibility, credibility and meaningful audience connection—not imitation of a narrowly defined native-speaker model," said Dr Huang.

HSUHK is advancing its global research profile, marked by significant growth in internationally recognised scholars and outstanding early-career researchers, underscoring its emergence as a research-informed private university.

This academic year, 23% of HSUHK's professorial staff rank among the world's top 2% of scientists—a 20% year-on-year increase. These HSUHK Top Scholars are recognised by leading international benchmarks, including the Stanford/Elsevier World's Top 2% Scientists, Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers, Research.com Best Scientists Rankings, ScholarGPS, and major academic honours.

Professor Joshua Mok, President of HSUHK, said, "The growth of HSUHK Top Scholars reflects more than individual achievements. It demonstrates our strategic transformation into a university where impactful research, innovative teaching, and societal engagement reinforce one another. As we strengthen our research ecosystem, HSUHK is building a global reputation for scholarly excellence and meaningful impact."

In 2026-27, the University welcomed six outstanding early-career scholars in business management, social sciences, computer science and transdisciplinary studies. Their achievements include rankings among the top 10% of researchers globally by ScholarGPS and strong Scopus citation performance.

Professor David Tse, Acting Provost and Vice-President (Academic and Research), said, "HSUHK Emerging Scholars represent the next generation of innovators, educators and thought leaders whose ideas will shape emerging fields and address future challenges. By attracting exceptional young researchers from around the world, we are laying a strong foundation for sustained research excellence and long-term success."

These results reflect HSUHK's continued investment in talent, interdisciplinary collaboration, research infrastructure and international partnerships. As the University advances its research agenda, both established and emerging scholars are contributing to knowledge creation, innovation and societal impact, further strengthening HSUHK's influence on the global academic stage.

HSUHK has secured HK$11.53 million for 22 research projects under the 2026-27 Research Grants Council (RGC) Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector, marking continued growth in the University's research capacity and competitiveness.

The funding comprises 20 Faculty Development Scheme (FDS) projects totalling HK$10.92 million and two Inter-Institutional Development Scheme (IIDS) projects totalling HK$606,000. The number of funded FDS projects increased by over 33% when compared with the previous year, despite a decline in overall sector funding from HK$89.99 million to HK$84.44 million.

HSUHK achieved a 30.8% FDS success rate, outperforming the sector-wide average of 24.8%. HSUHK ranked first among self-financing universities in Business Studies, Engineering, Biology and Medicine, and Physical Sciences. Notably, all four HSUHK applications in Physical Sciences were successful (100 % success rate), securing HK$2.66 million, approximately 42.9% of the Panel's total funding. Engineering recorded a strong 41.7% success rate, with five of 12 applications supported.

Under the IIDS, two of three applications were successful, giving HSUHK a 66.7% success rate, the highest among all self-financing universities and well above the sector-wide rate of 43.1%. The funded projects span Business Studies and Humanities and Social Sciences.

Professor Joshua Mok, President of HSUHK, congratulated the award recipients and expressed appreciation to all colleagues involved in furthering the University's research mission. He said, "These encouraging results demonstrate the growing strength of HSUHK's research ecosystem and reaffirm our commitment to advancing impactful research that contributes to knowledge creation, innovation and the sustainable development of society."

The results underscore HSUHK's growing research profile and commitment to impactful scholarship. The University will continue to foster research excellence and strengthen interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration as it advances its aspiration to become a leading private university in Asia, distinguished by excellent student learning, impactful research and purposeful engagement for the global common good.

A study by a Marketing scholar at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) has found that the context in which luxury advertisements appear on social media can significantly influence consumers' perceptions of a brand, particularly when the brand is unfamiliar. The research, published in the Journal of Global Marketing in June 2026, provides new insights into how luxury brands can strengthen their positioning in today's digital marketplace.

Inspired by a question she encountered during more than 15 years in the luxury fashion marketing industry, Dr Jennifer Lau, Lecturer in the Department of Marketing at HSUHK, conducted the study with 850 female consumers in the United States who were active Instagram users and owned at least two fashion items worth more than US$250 each. Among them, 66.4% had completed a college or postgraduate education, 64.5% identified as White non-Hispanic, 44.6% were aged 18–29, and 42.7% were aged 30–49.

Participants viewed a mock Instagram feed featuring a sponsored luxury fashion advertisement before completing a questionnaire measuring processing fluency and luxury perception. The experiment compared advertisements placed alongside luxury-related content with those surrounded by unrelated content, using Louis Vuitton as a familiar luxury brand and a fictitious brand, "Vitus Legrand", to represent low brand familiarity.

The findings showed that advertisements placed within luxury-related content significantly enhanced perceptions of luxury. Brand familiarity proved to be the strongest driver of luxury perception, with familiar brands consistently perceived as luxurious regardless of surrounding content, while unfamiliar brands relied on contextual cues to signal prestige, exclusivity and authenticity. "Brand familiarity overrides the inherent difficulty and barriers of the social media environment," said Dr Lau, adding that this finding challenged her original expectations.

The study also challenges the long-standing assumption that advertisements should be easy to understand. Processing fluency showed a negative relationship with luxury perception, suggesting that abstract storytelling, artistic imagery and symbolic narratives can reinforce exclusivity. "Making consumers work a little harder to understand an advertisement can actually increase the brand's perceived value because it reinforces the mystery and exclusivity associated with luxury," Dr Lau explained.

The findings suggest that established luxury brands can advertise on mainstream social media platforms such as Instagram without significantly weakening their prestige, while emerging brands should prioritise luxury-oriented environments to build credibility and strengthen perceptions of exclusivity. "For emerging luxury brands, building prestige through association with established luxury brands is more effective than relying on social media advertising alone. Established brands, meanwhile, should embrace creative, abstract campaigns that preserve a sense of mystery and exclusivity," said Dr Lau.

Looking ahead, Dr Lau proposes that luxury groups could develop exclusive digital platforms where emerging brands are showcased alongside established labels, allowing newer brands to benefit from the "halo effect" of well-known luxury names.

By demonstrating how advertising context, brand familiarity and cognitive processing interact, the study advances understanding of luxury marketing on social media while providing practical guidance for brands seeking to build prestige in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.

Over 200 scholars and policy researchers from 121 prestigious institutions worldwide gathered at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) for the 2026 EASP Annual Conference on 17 and 18 July 2026 to explore pathways for social policy innovation in an era of intensifying crises.

Organised by the Graduate School of HSUHK in collaboration with the East Asian Social Policy (EASP) Research Network, the Conference was convened under the theme "Social Policy in Asia in an Era of Multiple Disruptions", with more than 195 papers presented and five panel sessions held across 16 thematic streams.

At its core, the Conference addressed a pressing global concern: the growing tendency of contemporary societies to prioritise economic and instrumental goals at the expense of the human dimension of development. It sought to re‑centre policy conversations on people, values, equity, and the broader purpose of progress in a rapidly evolving world.

The opening ceremony was officiated by Dr the Honourable Ko Wing-man, Chairman of the Social Welfare Advisory Committee of the HKSAR Government; Mr Edward To Wing-hang, the Director of Social Welfare of the HKSAR Government; Professor Kim Bo-yung, Chairman of EASP; and Professor Joshua Mok, Provost and Vice-President (Academic and Research) of HSUHK.

At his officiating speech, Dr the Honourable Ko Wing-man said, "The East Asian context offers valuable lessons here. While our societies differ, we share cultural traditions that emphasise family responsibility, community solidarity, respect for older persons, and collective well-being. This provides a strong foundation for policy innovation. At the same time, we must adapt these traditions to the contemporary realities of changing demographics and social expectations. This is precisely why conferences like today's are so important. They bring together policymakers, practitioners, and researchers for meaningful, cross-disciplinary dialogue. Academic research provides evidence, community practitioners contribute practical insights, and government leaders help translate these ideas into policy. Innovation flourishes when these perspectives converge."

Mr Edward To, the Director of Social Welfare, delivered a keynote speech for the conference to elaborate the targeted poverty alleviation strategy of the HKSAR Government in supporting and empowering those most in need in the society, thereby fostering a greater sense of achievement, belonging and satisfaction among grassroots families.

A core highlight of the opening day was the Roundtable Forum titled "Reimagining Care and Resilience: Policy Innovations for Ageing Societies in Hong Kong and East Asia", where panellists Professor Cecilia Chan Lai-wan, Emeritus Professor of the University of Hong Kong; Dr Fan Ning, Founder of Health in Action; Dr Qian Jiwei, Senior Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore; and Professor Joshua Mok engaged in an in-depth discussion on institutional innovations, cross-border care models and resilience strategies for rapidly ageing societies.

The exchange was further enriched by three keynote presentations from world-renowned academics. Professor M Ramesh, Professor and UNESCO Chair on Social Policy Design in Asia at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, spoke on "Beyond Universal Health Coverage in Ageing Asia: Reorganising Health Systems for Chronic and Long-term Care". Professor John Hudson, Dean of the School for Business and Society at the University of York, examined how social policy teaching and curricula have evolved across the UK and East Asian universities. Professor Choi Young-jun, Professor in the Department of Public Policy and Management at Yonsei University, presented "Toward a Post-Scarcity Welfare State: AI, Redistribution, and the Politics of Serenity.

The 2026 EASP Annual Conference was co-organised by the Department of Applied Social Sciences of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the School of Transdisciplinary Studies and the Centre for Public Policy Research of HSUHK.

For further details, please visit the official conference webpage at https://gs.hsu.edu.hk/en/easp-2026 .