The Fourth Round Research Project Call of International Association of Cultural and Creative Industry Research (IACCIR)

Digital Justice and Cultural Inclusion: Public Value and the Future of Cultural and Creative Industries in the Age of Intelligent Technologies Call for Proposals

International Association of Cultural and Creative Industry Research (IACCIR), initiated by the USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, is dedicated to providing funding resources for promising research in the cultural and creative industries, offering opportunities for industry-academia collaboration, delivering academic think-tank services for universities and related institutions, and fostering international collaboration between scholars and industry practitioners.

To achieve these goals, IACCIR continuously organizes international conferences, establishes research funding schemes, publishes academic journals, and releases industry reports and policy recommendations. IACCIR seeks to bring together scholars and practitioners from diverse generations and disciplinary backgrounds in order to enhance the quality of teaching and research in cultural and creative industries and to contribute to the sustainable development of the field.

Since 2021, IACCIR has launched three rounds of global research funding, supporting a total of 30 projects. Funded scholars have come from leading universities worldwide, including the University of Southern California, Yale University, National University of Singapore, Utrecht University, University of Helsinki, The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, Curtin University, University of Zurich, Syracuse University, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, University of Washington, University of Liverpool, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Imperial College London, University of Groningen, University of Amsterdam, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, and East China Normal University, among others. These projects have engaged in interdisciplinary research across a broad range of fields.

Continuing our sustained concern with the widespread impact of generative AI technologies on culture and the creative industries, this round of funding adopts “digital justice” and “cultural inclusion” as its dual anchors. We invite scholars worldwide to submit research proposals that combine critical perspectives with constructive pathways for intervention. We especially encourage interdisciplinary projects that confront structural inequalities embedded in technological applications, mobilize technology for social care, and respond to public values through industrial innovation. We hope the proposed research will not only identify pressing issues, but also offer practical and implementable solutions.

For the first time, this call introduces thematic and topical guidelines in order to further focus IACCIR’s core academic concerns. By encouraging applicants to engage with shared problematics while pursuing differentiated research trajectories, we aim to promote the synergistic development of theoretical insight and industrial practice in cultural and creative industry research, thereby enhancing both the academic quality and social impact of funded projects.

I. Topic Design Framework

This call conceptualizes cultural and creative industry research through four interrelated yet distinct dimensions, forming a complete design chain from problem identification to applied value.

Dimension 1 | Problem Domains and Research Perspectives

This dimension identifies concrete social pain points and communities of concern, defining the target of the research. It asks: Who is the research for, and what real social problem does it address? The aim is to ensure that each proposal is grounded in tangible social realities rather than abstract concepts.

Keywords: Digitally marginalized groups (elderly populations, persons with disabilities, underdeveloped regions, etc.); intergenerational discontinuity in intangible cultural heritage; post-truth trust crises; local community cultural resilience; youth crises of meaning; anxieties surrounding AI substitution; misinterpretation and power asymmetries in cross-cultural communication; urban-rural intelligent divides.

Dimension 2 | Technological Means and Media Forms

This dimension gathers technological tools and media forms currently available for cultural and creative research. Technology here is not treated as the research object itself, but rather as a toolbox for addressing the issues identified in Dimension 1.

Keywords: Generative AI (AIGC); multimodal large language models; affective computing; embodied intelligence; spatial computing; digital twins and 3D reconstruction; virtual production and real-time rendering; brain-computer interfaces; edge AI; blockchain; AI agents; immersive media (XR/MR); digital humans; spatial audio; nonlinear interactive storytelling; short-video algorithmic ecosystems; hybrid UGC/AIGC content ecologies; decentralized content platforms.

Dimension 3 | Humanistic Values and Ethical Anchors

This dimension provides normative criteria for evaluating technological applications and industrial practices, ensuring that proposed research is not only feasible, but also socially meaningful and ethically justified.

Keywords: Digital dignity; cultural sovereignty; narrative justice; algorithmic fairness and bias auditing; responsible innovation; technology for social good; rights to collective memory; protection of cultural diversity; decolonization; human subjectivity; symbiotic ethics beyond anthropocentrism.

Dimension 4 | Industrial Forms and Social Impact

This dimension connects research with business models and public service pathways, enabling the translation of academic insights into industrial practice and social application.

Keywords: Intelligent cultural and creative supply chains; AI-driven industrialized content production; full-chain IP incubation; creative crowdsourcing and distributed collaboration; digital cultural tourism and experience economies; social enterprises and impact investment; creative cities and local economies; localization strategies for global cultural dissemination; commercialization of accessible design; evaluation of public cultural service effectiveness; care-oriented economic models.

Combination Rules for Topic Design

Each proposal should combine one or two keywords from different dimensions to ensure responsiveness to social problems, technological innovation, value orientation, and industrial feasibility simultaneously.

II. Six Major Themes

The six themes follow the value chain of the cultural and creative industries, moving from production tools and content dissemination to cultural objects, service populations, business models, governance frameworks, and civic literacy.

Theme A | Intelligent Creative Tools and the Transformation of Cultural Production Paradigms

Theme B | Digital Content Ecosystems and Emerging Forms of Cultural Communication

Theme C | Digitalization and Living Transmission of Cultural Heritage

Theme D | Empowerment of Digitally Marginalized Groups through Cultural Participation

Theme E | Innovation in Cultural and Creative Business Models and the Transformation of Social Value

Theme F | Algorithmic Ethics, Platform Governance, and Citizens’ Digital Literacy

Other related topics are also welcome.

III. Funding Scheme

The Association will support the following categories of projects:

• 2 Key Projects: USD 25,000 each
• 4–5 General Projects: USD 15,000 each
• 6–8 Early Career Projects: USD 10,000 each

This funding scheme emphasizes international academic collaboration. Joint applications between faculty members from the USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry (though not limited to the Institute) and overseas universities are especially encouraged.

Research teams should demonstrate complementary strengths, and clearly articulated collaborative prospects will strengthen the competitiveness of the proposal.

Supported journals include:

Digital Intelligence, Creativity and Management (Chinese);

Telematics and Informatics Reports;

Media, Technology & Governance;

Computers in Human Behavior Reports.

IV. Review Mechanism

Applications will be reviewed and evaluated by the Association’s Board of Directors or an appointed review committee according to international academic standards, including a blind review process.

Due to limited funding, not all proposals can be supported. The committee will pay particular attention to:

• the proposal’s potential contribution to scholarship in cultural and creative industries, especially from an interdisciplinary perspective;
• the proposal’s originality, forward-looking vision, professional relevance, and practical feasibility;
• and the project’s potential to attract future industry partnerships, national research grants, or other forms of external funding.

V. Submission Guidelines

Applications should include:

• CVs of all research team members (maximum 2 pages each);
• A research proposal and project description (3–4 pages), including:

1. the research topic and the specific issue addressed;
2. the necessity and originality of the proposal;
3. the project’s potential academic and practical contributions to the cultural and creative industries;
4. theoretical frameworks;
5. research methods and activities (e.g., fieldwork, experiement, surveys, virtual ethnography);
6. expected outcomes, including forms of output, dissemination strategies, academic value, and social impact.
7. A statement regarding the project’s potential for obtaining external funding (maximum 1 page);

• A project budget based on a six-month research cycle. Please refer to the budget template provided in the link at the end of the document. Travel expenses must specify destinations outside Shanghai and expected conference locations.
• All materials must be submitted in both Chinese and English.
• Please send application materials to: icci-IACCIR@sjtu.edu.cn

VI. Timeline

Submission Deadline: November 30, 2026

The Board of Directors or the appointed review committee will begin evaluations in December 2026, and funding results will be announced in January 2027.

The funding program is expected to officially commence in January 2027. Successful applicants will be required to sign relevant agreements with IACCIR and the USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry. Collaborative projects will additionally require cooperation agreements among participating parties.

International Association of Cultural and Creative Industry Research (IACCIR)

Mission

As one of the most dynamic industries of the 21st century, cultural and creative industries have become a key driver of innovation-led development and economic transformation. To better integrate research resources, promote international collaboration, provide industry resources and funding support for outstanding research teams, and offer academic think-tank services for institutions and enterprises, the USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry initiated the establishment of IACCIR.

The Association advances its mission through organizing international conferences, establishing research funds, publishing academic journals, releasing industry reports and policy recommendations, and facilitating transnational collaboration among member institutions. It is committed to promoting international cooperation and generating greater social value through cultural and creative industries.

At the same time, the Association hopes to serve as a spark that brings together researchers and practitioners from different generations, backgrounds, and disciplines to collectively advance the research and practice of cultural and creative industries. We sincerely invite colleagues around the world to join us in shaping the future of the field.

Scope of Activities

• International Conferences:Building flagship academic conferences for the global cultural and creative industries community.
• Research Funding:Collaborating with industry partners to globally solicit and support research projects, advancing cultural and creative education and maximizing the social value of the cultural and creative industries.
• Journal Publishing:Partnering with leading scholars in the field to publish influential Chinese and English academic journals.
• International Collaboration:Providing opportunities for cultural and creative professionals to learn and exchange ideas, while promoting cross-border collaboration among member institutions.