CCTT Launches Asia Hub

The Crisis Communication Think Tank (CCTT) at the University of Georgia officially launched its Asia Hub in partnership with Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) on May 8-9, 2025.

The two-day CCTT Asia inaugural program began with a discussion, hosted at HKBU’s Department of Communication Studies, on the work that the recent research projects put together by the CCTT. The group, led by CCTT Director Yan Jin and CCTT partner members Jason Epstein, Timothy Coombs, Kate LaVail and Joe Watson, discussed industry trends and some of the latest crisis communication and risk management  theory development and research directions led CCTT’s Crisis Insights & Analytics Lab. The first day of the launch program also saw dialogues with current graduate students in Hong Kong looking to navigate the trends and next frontiers of crisis studies, and how best to prepare for their academic and professional careers in this growth industry . 

The CCTT Asia Inauguration ceremony was held at Mira Hotel on  the second day of the launch program, followed by a symposium on AI and cyberattacks. CCTT U.S. representatives and invited experts from Hong Kong discussed some of the most hot button issues and exchanged newest insights from academic research and the forefront of industry practice.

HKBU discussed their launch announcement including major takeaways , speaker presentations and details about what is it to come from the collaboration. 

“Today, we are honored to host a diverse group of 35 scholars and professionals, each contributing invaluable insights to our discussions,” said Dean Bu Zhong of HKBU’s School of Communication. “Today’s Symposium also marks the establishment of the CCTT Asia Hub. This is a significant milestone in fostering collaborative partnerships that enhance our understanding of crisis management. This collaboration not only strengthens our ties with the CCTT and PolyU but also opens doors for impactful international research that can improve practices in Asia and beyond.”

“We’re so deeply honored to be able to have our amazing Crisis Communications Think Tank crew on hand at Hong Kong Baptist University for this exciting new venture,” said Charles Davis, dean of UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. “Facing AI and Cyber Attacks: Navigating Challenges and Seizing Opportunities for Crisis Resilience” represents further global expansion of the Think Tank. We’re indebted to our partners at Hong Kong Baptist for hosting this ground-breaking event.”

The CCTT Asia Hub looks to contribute innovative solutions for organizations in Asia to navigate the evolving crisis communication and risk management landscape, relying on interdisciplinary research and, above all, dialogue and collaboration between scholars and industry professionals.

“The Department of Communication Studies at the School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University, is renowned for its comprehensive research and integrated curriculum in public relations, advertising and strategic communication in the AI era,” said Regina Chen, head of HKBU’s Department of Communication Studies. “As the oldest communication department in Hong Kong, we are proud to leverage the resources of the newly developed AI and Media Center at the School. Our strong reputation for academic excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, thought leadership and industry relevance has positioned us to effectively manage the CCTT Asia Hub.”

“The very first CCTT Asia-Hub event exemplifies the power of collaboration on multiple levels – collaboration in terms of internationalization by bringing leading crisis communication scholars and practitioners from the U.S. and Hong Kong together, as well as collaboration in terms of bridging the gap between theory and practice to address unique crisis communication challenges by means of best practices,” said Elina Tachkova, CCTT member and program director of public relations concentration at HKBU. “The Department of Communication Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University was honored to be selected as the host of the event and the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received indicates it was a success. We are looking forward to more exciting collaborations with the CCTT and on a personal note, I am excited to join the Think Tank as a member in Hong Kong.”

This inaugural symposium laid the foundation for further groundbreaking research, knowledge exchange and solution innovation in international and interdisciplinary arenas of crisis communication and risk management.

The CCTT Asia 2026 annual program will be held in Hong Kong again, co-led by CCTT HQ at UGA and CCTT member Cindy Ngai at PolyU, in collaboration with Tachkova and other partners from HKBU and industry communities.

Author: River Gracey, [email protected]