Event Date

December 11-13, 2025

Call for papers: LSPPC8 - Collaboration, Innovation, and Impact

Extended until May 21, 2025

Dear friends and colleagues,

We are pleased to announce our call for the 8th International Conference of the Asia-Pacific LSP & Professional Communication Association on the theme of “Collaboration, Innovation, and Impact: Bridging Academic and Professional Worlds”, to be held in person from 11th to 13th December 2025, hosted by the Department of English at City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.

The conference theme reflects the growing complexity in the social context of Languages for Specific Purposes and Professional Communication practices. Developments in technology, including the recent rise of generative artificial intelligence and more long-standing ubiquity of social media communications, continue to have a profound effect on the communication practices of academics and professionals alike. At the same time, society is increasingly faced with a range of “wicked problems” that demand collaborative and innovative responses from stakeholders in the academy, the professions, and in industry. Issues of communication frequently play an important role in determining whether effective solutions can be found, and, to engage with these issues, collaboration and innovation is essential. Against this backdrop, this conference aims to provide a platform for academics, students, industry partners, and institutions to discuss changing professional communication practices, identify synergies, and facilitate the collaboration and innovation needed to generate impact.

Confirmed Plenary Speakers:
Prof. Averil Coxhead, Victoria University of Wellington
Prof. Christoph A. Hafner, City University of Hong Kong
Prof. Sylvia Jaworska, University of Reading 
Prof. Matthew S. McGlone, The University of Texas at Austin

Invited Panels, Convened and Chaired by: 
Prof. Lifei Wang, Beijing Language and Culture University
Prof. Csilla Weninger, National Institute of Education, Singapore
Prof. Simon Harrison, ISGS-HK, City University of Hong Kong

Featured Panel, International Society for Gesture Studies – HK Hub
Prof. Simon Harrison, City University of Hong Kong

Submission of Abstracts

Because of heavy competition for slots in the program, we can only consider one contribution of which they are the first author (whether thematic panel contributions, papers, or posters). Anyone may be involved in a second or even a third paper if someone else is the first author and will also be present at the conference.  

The required format for submissions is an abstract of 300 words (excluding references). For references, please follow the APA Citation Style (7th edition). Abstracts should include a brief outline of the research/project context and clearly indicate the objectives, method(s), and results.

We invite proposals of paper presentations, poster presentations, and thematic panels with 4 presenters and a discussant for a maximum of 2 hours (please indicate the type of submission¹) that address any aspect of LSP and Professional Communication research, including but not limited to the following topics:

• Technological innovations, including AI, in LSP and professional communication
• Theoretical/methodological innovations in LSP and professional communication  
• Pedagogical innovations in LSP and professional communication  
• Interdisciplinary approaches to research on LSP and professional communication
• Collaboration between academics and professionals
• Knowledge transfer in LSP and professional communication
• Needs analysis
• Course/materials design in LSP and professional communication 
• English for academic purposes
• English for research publication purposes
• English medium instruction and LSP and professional communication
• Genre pedagogy in LSP and professional communication
• Digital literacies pedagogy in LSP and professional communication
• Testing and assessment in LSP and professional communication  
• Teacher training in LSP and professional communication  
• Language and genre analysis in LSP and professional communication
• Research methods in LSP and professional communication
• Ethical issues in LSP and professional communication
• Digital genres and practices in LSP and professional communication 
• LSP and professional communication in the Global South
• Language as embodied activity: gesture, languaging, and translanguaging
• Emotion and affect in LSP and Professional Communication 
• Other topics relevant to LSP and Professional Communication

Important Dates

Submission Link: Please click here

12^th May 2025: Extended submission Deadline 
30^th June 2025: Notification of Acceptance & Early Bird Registration Opens 
15^th September 2025: Early Bird Registration closes & Regular Registration Opens 
31^st October 2025: Regular Registration Closes 
11^th to 13^th December 2025: Conference in Session (including pre-conference day on 11^th Dec)

The local organising committee at the Department of English, City University of Hong Kong, looks forward to seeing you in Hong Kong!

Local organising committee

• Prof. Christoph Hafner (Conference Co-chair, President of Asia-Pacific LSPPC Association)
• Prof. Esterina Nervino (Conference Co-chair, Outreach Officer of Asia-Pacific LSPPC Association)
• Prof. James Jia (Programme Co-chair) 
• Prof. Ge Lan: (Programme Co-chair) 
• Ms. Hemans Wong (Conference Secretariat) 
• Ms. Cecilia Chan (Conference Secretariat)
• Mr. Lau Chun Yin
• Mr. Gabriel Tetteh
• Ms. Youping Zhang
• Ms. Minqing Liu
• Ms. Shuang Xu 
• Ms. Silvia Dini

Scientific committee

• Prof. Helen Basturkmen, The University of Auckland
• Prof. Vijay K. Bhatia, City University of Hong Kong
• Prof. Marina Bondi, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia 
• Prof. Christine Feak, University of Michigan
• Prof. William Feng, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Prof. Azirah Hashim, University of Malaya
• Prof. Kevin Knight, Kanda University of International Studies
• Prof. Becky Kwan, City University of Hong Kong
• Prof. Carmen Pérez-Llantada, University of Zaragoza
• Prof. Sue Starfield, University of New South Wales
• Prof. Wang Lifei, Beijing Language and Culture University

Contact us
Secretariat email: enlsppc8@cityu.edu.hk

Websites
Asia-Pacific LSP & Professional Communication Association
Submission Link

¹ The scientific committee may suggest another form of presentation according to reviewers’ comments.