Keynote Speakers

Dr. Song Yanjie, Professor, Associate Director, The Education University of Hong Kong
Keynote title: Generative AI-Powered Immersive Learning: Shaping the Future of Education

Dr. Yanjie Song is Professor at Department of Mathematics and Information Technology, Associate Director of the Centre for Immersive Learning and Metaverse in Education (CILME) and Associate Director of the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) at The Education University of Hong Kong. She obtained her PhD in at the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, and her MEd at the University of Leeds, UK. Her research interests include: augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI) and metaverse in education, and multimodal learning analytics. 

Professor Song has successfully led her team in developing several award-winning applications, including the AR and VR-supported vocabulary learning app, ‘VocabGo’; the collaborative inquiry-based science learning app, ‘m-Orchestrate’; and the commercialised metaverse platform, ‘Learningverse’, which is further being developed into LearningverseVR with VR and generative AI. Her team has secured several patents for technological innovations. She has a proven track record of obtaining competitive external research grants and other funding that have impacted education. She was among the top 2% in the Stanford list of the world’s most-cited scientists in education in recent years. 

Marcelo Milrad, Professor, Linnaeus University, Sweden
Keynote title: Artificial Intelligence in Education: A Historical Journey and the Transformative Power of Generative AI

Marcelo Milrad is a Full Professor of Media Technology at Linnaeus University, Sweden. His research focuses on Technology-Enhanced Learning, advanced human-computer interaction, and the innovative use of Artificial Intelligence in education and healthcare.

Since March 2020, Professor Milrad has served as the scientific coordinator of LNU’s Digital Transformations knowledge environment, where he leads multidisciplinary research and fosters collaboration across diverse fields. He works closely with industry partners and the public sector, facilitating the adoption of cutting-edge technologies.

Currently, he leads the EU-funded project Extending Design Thinking with Digital Technologies (2022-2025, €3.2 million), which integrates digital tools into design thinking processes. Professor Milrad has published over 250 articles‪ in international journals, refereed conferences, and books. He has also delivered lectures on his research in more than 45 countries worldwide. His multidisciplinary approach aims to advance academic research while bridging the gap between theory and practice, with the potential to transform real-world educational practices.

Päivi Häkkinen, Professor (Educational Technology), University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Keynote title: Redefining Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning at the Age of AI

Päivi Häkkinen is working as a professor of educational technology and as a vice-director of FIER. She is leading the research area on technology-enhanced learning and has extensive experience as a PI of research projects on computer-supported collaborative learning. Her recent research interests also cover the possibilities of AI, learning analytics and XR in supporting learning processes. Currently she is co-leading the research area on ‘Scalable digital technologies in learning and the school of the future’ as a part of Education for the Future (EDUCA) Flagship project, funded by Research Council of Finland.