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Monthly Report - Sep 2026
1. Lab News & Institutional Developments
MetaBuilding Platform Listing (Sept 18, 2026): HEPA Lab’s organizational profile was approved and listed on the MetaBuilding platform, establishing an external online presence to enhance international visibility, cross-disciplinary connections, and knowledge exchange.
Knowledge Equity Network Signatory (Sept 25, 2026): HEPA Lab officially signed the Declaration on Knowledge Equity (KEN), joining an international community committed to open, collaborative, inclusive, and sustainable approaches to education and research.
DORA Signatory (Sept 09, 2026): HEPA Lab became an official signatory of the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), advocating for responsible research evaluation, broader recognition of research outputs, and transparency in metrics.
2. Lab Research & Publications
Problematic TikTok Use & Self-esteem: Yundong Wu published a study in Media Watch (Sept 25, 2026) examining the mediating role of upward and downward social comparisons in the relationship between problematic TikTok use and lower self-esteem among university students in South Korea.
Pre-Service Special Education Teacher Education: Yundong Wu published a research trend analysis in Milky Way Scientific Journal (Sept 13, 2026) covering literature from 2000 to 2025 on teaching methods in Chinese pre-service special education.
AI in Chinese Education: Weijian Kong, Ying Chen, and Yundong Wu published a content analysis in 澄启学刊 (Sept 29, 2026) covering literature from 2020 to 2026 regarding AI applications in Chinese language education from a human-AI collaboration perspective.
Mental Health Model for Arts Students: Yundong Wu, Ruofan Lin, and Weijian Kong published paper in Frontiers in Educational Innovation and Research (Sept 11, 2026) proposing a counselor-led mental health support model to build a sustainable educational ecology for arts major students.
3. Member Updates
Dr. Yundong Wu (Sept 08, 2026): Joined the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University as a Collaborating Researcher to engage in international, interdisciplinary research on institutional analysis, public policy, and higher education.
Ying Chen (Sept 30, 2026): Personal profile of Ying Chen (Lab Legal Advisor & Associate Research Fellow) was included in Baidu Baike, enhancing her public professional visibility.
4. Education Industry News
PISA 2025 Results (Sept 08, 2026): The OECD released PISA 2025 results involving over 760,000 students across 91 countries, highlighting a significant performance decline in reading and mathematics.
UNESCO Digital Learning Week 2026 (Sept 08–11, 2026): Held in Paris under the theme "Education in the age of AI: Facts | Frictions | Frontiers", focusing on AI tutors, synthetic content, and digital sovereignty.
UNESCO ESD Tools (Sept 17, 2026): Launched three guidance tools to strengthen Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) across whole-institution approaches, teaching competencies, and learning assessments.
Education at a Glance 2026 (Sept 29, 2026): OECD published its annual overview of education systems, placing particular emphasis on teacher shortages and international comparative data.
MetaBuilding Platform Listing (Sept 18, 2026): HEPA Lab’s organizational profile was approved and listed on the MetaBuilding platform, establishing an external online presence to enhance international visibility, cross-disciplinary connections, and knowledge exchange.
Knowledge Equity Network Signatory (Sept 25, 2026): HEPA Lab officially signed the Declaration on Knowledge Equity (KEN), joining an international community committed to open, collaborative, inclusive, and sustainable approaches to education and research.
DORA Signatory (Sept 09, 2026): HEPA Lab became an official signatory of the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), advocating for responsible research evaluation, broader recognition of research outputs, and transparency in metrics.
2. Lab Research & Publications
Problematic TikTok Use & Self-esteem: Yundong Wu published a study in Media Watch (Sept 25, 2026) examining the mediating role of upward and downward social comparisons in the relationship between problematic TikTok use and lower self-esteem among university students in South Korea.
Pre-Service Special Education Teacher Education: Yundong Wu published a research trend analysis in Milky Way Scientific Journal (Sept 13, 2026) covering literature from 2000 to 2025 on teaching methods in Chinese pre-service special education.
AI in Chinese Education: Weijian Kong, Ying Chen, and Yundong Wu published a content analysis in 澄启学刊 (Sept 29, 2026) covering literature from 2020 to 2026 regarding AI applications in Chinese language education from a human-AI collaboration perspective.
Mental Health Model for Arts Students: Yundong Wu, Ruofan Lin, and Weijian Kong published paper in Frontiers in Educational Innovation and Research (Sept 11, 2026) proposing a counselor-led mental health support model to build a sustainable educational ecology for arts major students.
3. Member Updates
Dr. Yundong Wu (Sept 08, 2026): Joined the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University as a Collaborating Researcher to engage in international, interdisciplinary research on institutional analysis, public policy, and higher education.
Ying Chen (Sept 30, 2026): Personal profile of Ying Chen (Lab Legal Advisor & Associate Research Fellow) was included in Baidu Baike, enhancing her public professional visibility.
4. Education Industry News
PISA 2025 Results (Sept 08, 2026): The OECD released PISA 2025 results involving over 760,000 students across 91 countries, highlighting a significant performance decline in reading and mathematics.
UNESCO Digital Learning Week 2026 (Sept 08–11, 2026): Held in Paris under the theme "Education in the age of AI: Facts | Frictions | Frontiers", focusing on AI tutors, synthetic content, and digital sovereignty.
UNESCO ESD Tools (Sept 17, 2026): Launched three guidance tools to strengthen Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) across whole-institution approaches, teaching competencies, and learning assessments.
Education at a Glance 2026 (Sept 29, 2026): OECD published its annual overview of education systems, placing particular emphasis on teacher shortages and international comparative data.