The 22nd Annual Conference of the International Association of Urban Language Studies (ULS22) will be held at Beijing Jiaotong University from September 19 – 22, 2025. The conference is jointly organized by the School of Language and Communication Studies at Beijing Jiaotong University, the International Association of Urban Language Studies (IAULS) and China Research Centre for Language Strategies (Nanjing University). We sincerely invite scholars from around the world to submit their contributions and participate in this academic gathering.

I. Conference Theme

The conference theme is “New scenarios in language and communication”. New scenarios in language and communication emerge in the changing world today, driven by the increasing complexity of social organization, technological adancement, and the convergence of the social and technological innovation. This conference theme intends to promote interdisciplinary research on the communictive functions of language while enhancing understanding of the developmental trends in human communication in the age of artificial intelligence. This annual conference continues the academic tradition of the international symposiums on urban language studies and welcomes empirical research from diverse perspectives using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

(1) New Social Scenarios in Language Applications
(2) New Scenarios in Language Technology Applications
(3) Child Language Acquisition and Education
(4) Urban Language Planning and Language Policy
(5) Linguistic Symbols and Communication Strategies in Urban Image
(6) Linguistic Diversity and Smart Cities
(7) New Urbanization and Urban Dialects
(8) Emerging Issues in Sociolinguistics

II. Conference Date and Venue

Date: September 19-22, 2025
Venue: School of Language and Communication Studies, Beijing Jiaotong University
(No.3 Shangyuancun, Haidian District, Siyuan West Building, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing https://yyxy.bjtu.edu.cn/cms/)

III. Keynote Speeches

The conference organizers have invited distinguished experts and scholoars from China and abroad to deliver keynote speeches (the alphabetical order of pinyin):

ASAHI, Yoshiyuki (National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics)
Li, Wei (University College London)
Li, Guofang (University of British Columbia)
Li, Yuming (Beijing Language and Culture University)
Simmons, Richard Van Ness (University of Hong Kong)
Van den Berg, Marinus (Leiden University)
Walker, James (University of Melbourne)
Xu, Daming (Nanjing University)
Yin, Jing (Beijing Jiaotong University)
Zhu, Hua (University College London)

IV. Special Panel

Research on Language Policy and Planning for International Students from the Perspective of Global Communication
(Convener: Han Yawen, Southeast University)

V. Submission Requirements

Prospective participants are required to submit paper abstracts with the following specifications:

1. Abstract: Must include paper title, main text, keywords, and references. No author identification information should appear in the abstract.
2. Language: Chinese, English, or Japanese.
3. Word Count: 600 characters for Chinese, 500 words for English, and 800 characters for Japanese (limits include title, main text, and keywords). Abstracts should not contain figures or graphs. References should not exceed 5 items.
4. File Format: Submit abstracts in PDF format. File name should be the first five characters of the paper title.pdf (e.g.,XXXXX.pdf).
5. Submission: Send the PDF as an attachment to uls2025@163.com. Email subject line: ABSTRACT_ULS22. Email body should include: author name, title/position, affiliation, paper title, and email address.

VI. Important Dates

1. Abstract Submission Period : Feb. 15, 2025 – June 15, 2025 (23:59, Beijing Time).
2. Acceptance Notification and Conference invitation: June 30, 2025.
   VII. Registration Fees
   RMB 1200 for non-IAULS members; RMB 600 for IAULS members. Accommodation, travel, and other expenses are not included and should be covered by participants. (Non-members who join IAULS within 30 days after receiving abstract acceptance will be eligible for member rates.)

ⅦI. Contact Information

IAULS Website: https://www.iauls.com Submission E-mail: uls2025@163.com

School of Language and Communication Studies (Beijing Jiaotong University)
The International Association of Urban Language Studies
China Research Centre for Language Strategies (Nanjing University)
May 25, 2025