As Washington’s strategic focus shifts and energy and grain supply disruptions continue to unsettle the Middle East, Beijing’s expanding presence across Central Asia is expected to be in focus as Kyrgyzstan hosts the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit this week. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s presence in Bishkek is expected to put the spotlight on whether the increasingly diverse grouping can move beyond diplomatic signalling, according to analysts. The SCO’s 25th anniversary summit...

Navigating the intricacies of South Korea’s residential real estate market is notoriously complex even for long-time local residents. For the country’s steadily growing international population, however, steep language barriers, unfamiliar administrative procedures, and unique tenant laws make securing rental housing a particularly daunting endeavour – and one fraught with potential financial risk. To help bridge this informational divide and protect vulnerable foreign renters, Gangbuk, a...

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] When policymakers talk about sustainable development and better governance, the conversation usually centres on regulation, compliance and economic reform. Rarely does it begin with a runway. Yet in late 2025, Fashion to Reconnect: A Tale of Two Style Capitals showed how cultural innovation—through fashion—can become a powerful driver of systemic change. Organised by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences...

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] In cities around the world, the mechanics of local government often grind slowly: a pothole reported but not repaired, a noise complaint logged but unanswered, a maze of departments passing responsibility from one counter to another. Yet across China, a simple five-digit number—12345—is reshaping how governments respond to citizens and, increasingly, how they anticipate problems before they arise. What began decades ago...

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] In Hong Kong, around 40,000 people live with schizophrenia. Many move through a system designed to stabilise symptoms—reduce hallucinations, manage medication, shorten hospital stays. But once the symptoms are controlled, a more difficult question lingers: what kind of life are people returning to? For Professor Sylvia KWOK from the Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences (SS) at City University of Hong Kong...

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] As universities worldwide explore how technology can reshape teaching and learning, the CLASSy World Project is preparing to launch a bold experiment in immersive education.  Launched in July 2026, CLASSy World is a metaverse initiative designed to enhance blended and team-based learning across disciplines. Rather than replicating lectures in digital form, the project creates interactive virtual environments where...

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] For more than a decade, Vietnam has built one of Southeast Asia’s most data-driven public administrations. Ministries track performance indicators. Provinces report standardised metrics. The central government aggregates information from different localities.  But, according to Professor Bert GEORGE, Professor at the Department of Public and International Affairs (PIA) and Associate Dean for the College of Liberal Arts...