Sister Nivedita University (SNU) successfully hosted the International Communication Association (ICA) Regional Hub Kolkata 2026 from June 4 to 6, marking a significant milestone in communication and media studies in Eastern India.
Organised around the theme “Communication and Inequalities in Context,” the conference brought together leading scholars, researchers, media professionals, policymakers and students from across India and several countries to engage in critical discussions on contemporary communication challenges. A total of 108 papers were presented during the conference.
The three-day academic gathering featured an impressive mix of plenary lectures, panel discussions, presidential sessions, technical paper presentations and international ICA initiatives. The conference opened with an inaugural session attended by eminent academics including Vice Chancellor Sister Nivedita University, Prof. (Dr.) Anupam Basu, Prof. Suranjan Das, Prof. Ashutosh Ghosh, Prof. B.P. Sanjay, and Prof. Minal Pareek. Messages from ICA President Thomas Hanitzsch and renowned communication scholar Prof. Noshir Contractor underscored the global significance of the event.
A key highlight was the plenary session, “Beyond Development Paradigms: Reframing Global Media and Communication Inequalities,” which examined how existing models of development communication must evolve to address emerging forms of exclusion in an increasingly interconnected world. Another major attraction was the ICA Presidential Session on “Risks, Uncertainties and Exposure: Articulating Vulnerability in Academic Work,” which encouraged critical reflection on the challenges facing contemporary scholars.
The diversity of discussions was further enriched by panels such as “Broadcasting, Accessibility and Inclusive Media Practices,” “Power, Data and Ethics: Toward Critical Methodologies in Digital Communication Research,” “Decolonising AI in Southeast Asia: Global Trends, Local Realities and Research Frontiers,” and “Language, Markets and Media: Inequalities in Global and Vernacular Communication.”
The conference also addressed emerging concerns through sessions on AI literacy, algorithmic visibility, digital misinformation, influencer culture, climate vulnerability, media sustainability and indigenous representation. ICA's international REACH panels on sustainability, multilingual communication and AI in communication research brought voices from Asia, Africa and Europe into the conversation, reinforcing the conference's global outlook.
Prof. B.P. Sanjay, former Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Tamil Nadu and Head of the ICA India Chapter, praised the organisers for the successful conduct of the conference. “The Kolkata Regional Hub demonstrated exemplary academic planning and execution. The quality of scholarship, diversity of participation and seamless organisation created an intellectually stimulating environment that will be remembered as one of the most successful ICA regional events in the country,” he said.
Prof. (Dr.) Minal Pareek, Dean, School of Arts, Media and Design, Sister Nivedita University, said, “We are proud that Sister Nivedita University is the first university in Eastern India to host an ICA event. This achievement reflects our commitment to fostering global academic engagement and creating platforms where critical conversations on communication, technology and social justice can flourish.”
The conference concluded with a valedictory session attended by Prof. (Dr.) Dhrubajyoti Chattopadhyay, Pro-Chancellor of Sister Nivedita University, Prof. Deb Narayan Bandyopadhyay, and Prof. Durgesh Tripathi.
The successful hosting of the ICA Regional Hub Kolkata 2026 further strengthens Sister Nivedita University's position as an emerging centre for excellence in media and communication studies, while reinforcing Kolkata's growing importance as a hub for international academic dialogue in the Global South.
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