Global Media Highlights in April

THE CONVERSATION

Headline: Misteri dalam prasasti: Bagaimana perangkat lunak beralgoritma ‘membaca’ batu Singapura (Mystery in the inscriptions: How algorithmic software ‘reads’ Singapore’s stones)

Published on: 18 March 2026

Summary: The Singapore Stone, a sandstone monolith from the 10th to 14th centuries bearing a unique and undeciphered script, remains one of history’s great unsolved puzzles. Researchers have developed a computational tool called “Read-y Grammarian” that uses algorithms to reconstruct fragmented texts.

Dr Francesco Perono Cacciafoco, Associate Professor at XJTLU’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences, reports that after years of development, the system has successfully reconstructed several plausible complete versions of the inscription. This marks a crucial first step towards deciphering the unknown language and writing system.

THE STRAITS TIMES

Headline: Chongqing surpassed Shanghai in consumer spending. Singaporeans played a part.

Published on: 30 March 2026

Summary: Chongqing overtook Shanghai as China’s top city for consumer spending in 2025, with total retail sales reaching 1.67 trillion RMB, driven by a large resident population of 31.9 million and a surge in tourism.

Dr Wangshuai Wang, Associate Professor at XJTLU’s International Business School Suzhou, explains that tourists in trendy destinations like Chongqing enter a “vacation mindset”, becoming less price-sensitive and more willing to pay for emotionally rewarding experiences that make for good social media content.

MICRO TRUSTIVA

Headline: IAI Beijing Creative Practice Center Inaugurated, 20th Anniversary Premiere Exhibition Kicks Off with Award-winning Designers in Attendance

Published on: 1 April 2026

Summary: The International Advertisting Awards (IAI) Beijing Creative Practice Center was inaugurated on 28 March 2026 in Beijing, marking the opening of IAI’s 20th anniversary premiere exhibition. The event brought together nearly 100 industry figures, including award-winning designers from diverse fields.

Among the exhibitors was Ines Essen, Assistant Professor at XJTLU’s Department of Architecture, who presented her ceramic innovation gold award work “New Forms, New Consciousness”. The centre aims to nurture local designers and transform creative achievements into industrial applications.

THE STAR

Headline: Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University awarded highest civic honor by Liverpool

Published on: 2 April 2026

Summary: XJTLU, the joint venture between China’s Xi’an Jiaotong University and Britain’s University of Liverpool, has been granted the Freedom of the City by Liverpool, the highest civic honour of the north-west English port city.

The unanimous decision recognises XJTLU’s contributions to Sino-British educational cooperation and marks the university’s 20th anniversary. Professor Youmin Xi, Executive President of XJTLU and Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, said the honour will be carried forward as motivation, responsibility, and a reminder that the boundaries broken today lay foundations for others to build upon tomorrow.

BANGKOK POST

Headline: CP unveils university partnership to transform education

Published on: 4 April 2026

Summary: Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group has partnered with XJTLU to launch a “syntegrative” education centre at True Digital Park in Bangkok, aiming to position Thailand as a global learning hub. The centre will offer flexible micro-credentials, short courses, and collaborative research and development initiatives focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, digital transformation, and business and startup development.

Professor Youmin Xi, Executive President of XJTLU, said that education must cultivate critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to integrate knowledge across disciplines, which the university terms “syntegrative wisdom”.

THE STRAITS TIMES

Headline: Booking over 20 flights: Some Chinese travellers stockpiled air tickets before fuel surcharge hike­­

Published on: 9 April 2026

Summary: Several Chinese airlines raised domestic fuel surcharges nearly fivefold on 5 April 2026, following a rise in global oil prices. Some travellers responded by stockpiling tickets before the hike, with one self-described travel enthusiast buying more than 20 flights for trips until September.

Dr Linjia Zhang, Associate Professor at XJTLU’s International Business School Suzhou, explains that Chinese travellers tend to anticipate cost changes and adapt proactively as an economically efficient strategy. He notes that this reflects a more mature consumption pattern, in which price sensitivity coexists with a sustained willingness to travel.

THE STRAITS TIMES

Headline: Lights, camera, algorithm: China’s AI microdramas go viral but spark copyright fears.

Published on: 9 April 2026

Summary: China’s AI-generated microdrama industry, now valued at approximately 100 billion RMB, has seen thousands of productions released monthly. However, concerns are deepening over copyright infringement and the unauthorised use of actors’ likenesses.

Dr Xiao Lu, Assistant Professor at XJTLU’s Academy of Film and Creative Technology, notes that while generative AI can shorten production cycles from months to weeks and reduce costs, maintaining consistency, such as a character’s appearance, remains a technical risk. She advocates a hybrid production model that combines human input with AI-generated content.

EUREKALERT

Headline: Parents’ screen habits shape teen gaming

Published on: 13 April 2026

Summary: A longitudinal study of 7,407 adolescents found that parental screen habits significantly influence later teenage gaming behaviour. Greater parental screen-time modelling, mealtime screen use, and bedroom screen use were associated with higher odds of mature-rated gaming, while parental monitoring and screen-time limits were linked to lower odds.

The research, which included Dr Jinbo He, Associate Professor at XJTLU’s Department of Biosciences and Bioinformatics, highlights that family routines and parental example may shape how teens engage with games more strongly than explicit rules alone.

MARK-UP

Headline: Il marketing del made in Italy alla prova del mercato cinese (The marketing of made in Italy put to the test in the Chinese market)

Published on: 14 April 2026

Summary: In China, “made in Italy” is no longer a sufficient competitive advantage. While product recognition remains strong, brands must now build cultural connections with increasingly sophisticated Chinese consumers who seek deeper meaning beyond Western prestige.

Professor Roberto Donà at XJTLU’s International Business School Suzhou who analysed Chinese digital consumer behaviour at a recent industry event, contributed to the discussion. The speakers noted that the market has moved beyond status-driven purchasing, requiring Italian brands to translate authenticity into local cultural relevance.

ECONEWS

Headline: Scientists are studying the digestive tracts of wild bees, and what they’re discovering is forcing us to rethink why some parks appear green but are far less beneficial than we thought

Published on: 21 April 2026

Summary: Researchers have found that the gut of a wild bee can act as a sensitive biological sensor of urban environmental quality. By sequencing DNA from the digestive tracts of Osmia excavata bees across ten sites in Suzhou, China, the team identified plant diets, antibiotic resistance genes, and signs of viral spillover between managed honey bees and wild bees.

The study was led by Dr Min Tang at XJTLU’s Department of Biological Sciences and Bioinformatics. The findings suggest that a city can appear green while offering limited real food for pollinators, pointing to practical fixes such as planting more diverse native flowers.

By Vionna Fiducia Theja
Edited by Xinmin Han