11th Global China Dialogue: Global AI and Data Governance

Call for Papers  

Following ten successful Global China Dialogue (GCD) Forums, the 11th GCD – Global AI and Data Governance – will be held at the British Academy on Friday, 4 December 2026. GCD11 will focus on how to advance safe, trustworthy, and sustainable governance of artificial intelligence and data through institutional design, international coordination, and ethical frameworks.

As a transformative force reshaping economic structures, social governance, and knowledge production, artificial intelligence and data are increasingly central to global development. At the same time, they raise critical challenges related to privacy protection, algorithmic bias, data sovereignty, and technological competition. In response, governance efforts are evolving rapidly, with growing emphasis on cross-border collaboration, multi-stakeholder engagement, and the development of shared principles and regulatory approaches.

This Dialogue will provide a platform for diverse conversations, bringing together policymakers, scholars, technology leaders, business representatives, and international organizations to explore emerging frameworks, governance models, and practical pathways for global AI and data governance.

Organizers:

• Global China Academy, UK
• ESRC Centre for Corpus Approaches to Social Science, Lancaster University, UK
• Newcastle university, University of Exeter, UK

Organizing committee:

Chairs

• Professor Tony McEnery FAcSS FRSA, FGCA and Chair of Global China Academy Council; Distinguished Professor of English Language and Linguistics at Lancaster University; Council Member of Academy of Social Sciences, UK
• Professor Xiangqun Chang FRSA FGCA and President of Global China Academy; Honorary Professor of University College London (2015-20), UK; Distinguished Professor of Nankai University, China
• Professor Li Li, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS), University of Exeter, UK; Deputy Secretary General (UK) of UK-China Humanities Alliance for Higher Education, UK

General Secretaries

• Professor LI Boyi, Associate Fellow and Secretary of the GCA Chinese Council, Global China Academy; School of Business Administration, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, China
• Mr Kai Liang, Event Officer, Global China Academy；Director of Business Development of MEL Science, UK

Members (in alphabetical order)

• Professor BING Zheng FGCA, Chinese Chair of Global China Academy Council; Former Vice-President of Jilin University; Former Vice-President of Chinese Sociological Association
• Dr Yuan Cheng, Trustee of the Global China Academy Board of Trustees; Greater China Chairman, Russell Reynolds Associates, China
• Professor Martin Jacques FGCA, a British academic, journalist, political commentator, and author; Senior Fellow and Visiting Professor at several leading universities in the UK and China
• Professor Li Wei FBA FAcSS FRSA FGCA and Director and Non-Executive Chair of Global China Academy Council; Director and Dean of the UCL Institute of Education (IOE), UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, UK
• Mr Barnaby Powell, Council Member, Society for Anglo–Chinese Understanding, UK
• Professor Laurence Roulleau-Berger FGCA, Vice President for European engagement of Global China Academy; Research Director at the National Centre for Scientific Research; Professor at Triangle, École Normale Supérieure of Lyon, France
• Professor Peter Schröder, FGCA and Vice-President and Founding Fellow of Global China Academy; Department of History and European and International Social and Political Studies, University College London, UK
• Professor Elena Semino FAcSS FRSA, Professor at Department: Linguistics and English Language, Director of ESRC Centre for Corpus Approaches to Social Science (CASS), Lancaster University, UK
• Professor XIE Lizhong FGCA and Chinese President of Global China Academy; Former Head of Institute of Sociology and Anthropology and Department of Sociology, Peking University; President of Association of Social Theory Studies of China,  UK
• Professor ZHANG Xiaodong FGCA and Chinese Non-Executive Chair of Global China Academy Council; Executive Director, Academic Committee of the Chinese Management Association; ECO of Agile Think Tank, China

GCD10 consists of four thematic panels:

• Panel 1 AI Governance and Advanced Technology Regulation

This panel explores regulatory approaches to emerging AI systems, including foundation models and high-risk applications. It will examine how governance frameworks, standards, and institutional mechanisms can ensure accountability, safety, and effective oversight in the development and deployment of advanced technologies.

• Panel 2 Data Governance, Digital Sovereignty, and Power Structures

This panel focuses on how data is generated, accessed, and governed across different jurisdictions and sectors. It will address key issues of data ownership, cross-border data flows, digital sovereignty, and the evolving distribution of power in the global digital landscape.

• Global Rule-making and Technological Competition

This panel examines the formation of international norms, regulatory coordination, and standard-setting in AI and data governance. It will also consider how geopolitical competition and cooperation influence the shaping of global governance frameworks and technological ecosystems.

• Panel 4 AI Ethics, Societal Impact, and Sustainable Development

This panel addresses the ethical principles guiding AI development and their implementation in practice. It will explore the broader societal, economic, and environmental impacts of AI, with particular attention to inclusivity, fairness, and the contribution of AI to sustainable development.

Submissions and Collaboration

Through diverse perspectives and cross-sector dialogue, the 11th Global China Dialogue aims to contribute Chinese insights and international experience to global AI and data governance, fostering a more secure, trustworthy, open, and sustainable digital governance landscape.

We invite submissions from diverse disciplines, sectors, and regions, focusing on technology- and data-driven social transformation, to examine key issues, challenges, and opportunities in global AI and data governance.

We also welcome institutional participation in this Dialogue in line with our Guidelines for Partner Institutions, including roles as co-organisers, collaborating partners, supporting organisations, or sponsors.

Important Dates for GCD XI:

• 31st July 2026: Deadline for submitting abstracts for proposed topics.
• 8th November 2026: Deadline for speakers to submit their notes and PowerPoint presentations.
• 20th November 2026: Final deadline for registration.
• 27th November 2026: Programme available for download in English, Chinese, and dual-language formats.
• 4th December 2026: Date of the 11th Global China Dialogue.

The proceedings of GCD XI will be published in 2027, featuring transcribed records, bilingual translation, and editing. 

More info

• Abstract Submition
• GCD11 Call for Papers (Download PDF file)  
• GCD11 Call for Papers (Chinese)  
• GCD11 Partnership Guidelines
• GCD11 Partnership Guidelines (Chinese)
• Registration
• Registration (Chinese)
• GCD11 Call for Participants
• GCD11 Call for Participants (Chinese)
• GCD11 Homepage
• GCD11 Homepage (Chinese)
• GCD series Homepage