Scholars from the PRC and Central Asian countries gathered at the 14th International Summer School of Journalism and Communication at Lake Issyk-Kul to discuss media practice, workforce training, and innovation in the era of artificial intelligence. The event was primarily organized by Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University and the Central Asia-China Journalism Research Association. Timed to coincide with UNESCO’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week, the summer school was held under the theme "Smart Communications: Media and Digital Literacy" with media support from the Adyrna.kznews agency and the Jananews.kz portal.

The curriculum covered fact-checking, source verification, digital hygiene, and the full cycle of content production in modern news outlets. Experts also discussed practical applications of AI tools like Speech-to-Text in journalism, improving translation quality, digital culture and security, safeguarding journalists' rights through media literacy, as well as cognitive resilience concepts and the implementation of national strategies.

Opening the event, Professor Feng Wu, Associate Secretary of the School of Journalism and New Media at Xi'an Jiaotong University, highlighted joint research initiatives between Chinese and Central Asian scholars to advance international academic cooperation. He emphasized the vital importance of fostering digital and media literacy amid rapid technological shifts. Under his academic supervision, Master's student Jiabei presented a report detailing emerging trends in new media platforms and the nuances of digital storytelling.

Professor Gulmira Sultanbaeva, Doctor of Political Sciences at Abai University, conducted a masterclass on media ethics in visual content creation. She analyzed the "Visual Turn" in media, the boom of short-form videos (Reels, TikTok, Shorts), and strategies to combat AI-driven disinformation. Associate Professor Aykerim Alimzhanova from SDU University contributed a series of practical lectures on authorial video content creation and visual storytelling methodologies. Arman Aubakir, head of the Adyrna national portal, led a workshop on onboarding young professionals, breaking down the operational workflow of a contemporary news agency through real-world case studies.

During sessions dedicated to regional nuances and media practices in Central Asia, participants examined several key applied case studies. Tamara Valieva, Chair of the Media Complaints Commission in Kyrgyzstan, highlighted the critical role of media literacy in countering misinformation and protecting journalists' rights. Asel Eshimkanova, Department Chair at Bishkek State University named after K. Karasaev, conducted a training session on digital culture and security. Dilorom Makhkamzoda, Associate Professor at Bokhtar State University in Tajikistan, delivered a talk on integrating AI tools (Speech-to-Text, dialect recognition) into daily newsroom practices and addressed translation challenges in press outlets. Meanwhile, Yakutkhon Mamatova, Professor at the National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek, presented Uzbekistan’s National Strategy on Media Literacy along with the concept of cognitive resilience.

Participants expressed sincere gratitude to Abai University for organizing the International Summer School of Journalism and Communication, which successfully bridged academic research with hands-on practice.

Abai University Media Center