CRDS Workshop: How to Leverage AI for Personal and Career Development (25 Oct 2025) – Free for Lingnan University Alumni

We are delighted to invite you to an exclusive workshop organized by the Master of China and Regional Development Studies (CRDS) programme:

How to Leverage AI to Enhance Personal Capabilities and Shape Future Career Pathways in China and Regional Development Studies
如何利用人工智慧提升個人能力並塑造中國及區域發展研究的未來職涯道路

Date: 25 October 2025 (Saturday)
Time: 18:00 – 20:00
Venue: MPL1403 (M+)
Speaker: Mr. Michael SO (Founding President of AiX Society)

This comprehensive workshop is designed to help students and professionals understand how artificial intelligence can be leveraged to enhance personal capabilities and develop successful career pathways in China and Regional Development Studies. Join us for an engaging session that will provide practical insights and actionable strategies for integrating AI into your professional development.

AI Empowerment Workshop: Unlocking Your Potential for Future Careers

Workshop Details:
Date: 26 Sep.
Time: 1600-1730
Venue: Main Campus, Lingnan University
Topic: How to Leverage AI to Enhance Personal Capabilities and Shape Future Career Pathways

Unlocking Your Potential for Future Careers is uniquely tailored to enhance the academic and professional journeys of students in the Master of China and Regional Development Studies (CRDS) program at Lingnan University. By leveraging the interdisciplinary and region-focused nature of the CRDS curriculum, this workshop equips students with cutting-edge AI tools and mindsets to excel in careers related to China’s regional engagements, such as roles in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), trading companies, government regional offices, and policy development. Below, we outline how the workshop aligns with the CRDS program’s objectives and supports its students’ career aspirations.

Workshop Objectives:
1. Enhance Regional Analysis with AI (AI + Competency)Equip CRDS students with AI tools to strengthen competencies in analyzing China’s regional engagements, such as trade policies, infrastructure projects, and geopolitical strategies, enabling them to excel in roles within the Greater Bay Area, trading companies, or government offices.
2. Cultivate a Proactive AI Mindset for Global Challenges (Attitude)Foster an open and forward-thinking attitude toward AI adoption, empowering students to embrace human-AI collaboration for addressing complex issues in China’s regional influence, such as the One Belt, One Road Initiative or RCEP.
3. Develop Practical AI Skills for CRDS Careers (Skill)Provide hands-on training with user-friendly AI tools (e.g., Perplexity, NotebookLM, Gamma, Dify) tailored to CRDS-related tasks, such as policy brief drafting, trade data analysis, and professional presentations, to prepare students for careers in policy development and international trade.
4. Deepen Knowledge of AI for Regional Career Pathways (Knowledge)Deliver actionable insights on leveraging AI for career development in CRDS-related fields, including resume optimization for GBA roles, LinkedIn branding for trading companies, and policy analysis for government positions, ensuring students are competitive in regional and global job markets.

Key Contents:
Part 1 – AI + Competency: Redefining Your Strengths for Regional Development
● CRDS Context: Being AI-powered as an individual means leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance personal and professional capabilities, transforming traditional competencies into AI-augmented ones that are more efficient and impactful. Traditional competencies, such as communication or problem-solving, rely solely on human effort, while AI-augmented competencies integrate tools like Perplexity or NotebookLM to streamline research, analyze data, or create compelling presentations, enabling CRDS students to excel in analyzing China’s regional influence. Explore how AI can enhance competencies like cross-cultural communication, geopolitical analysis, and policy formulation, which are critical for careers in the GBA, trading companies, or government roles. In addition, To further enhance these competencies, the workshop introduces the distinction between +AI and AI+ business models, emphasizing their relevance to CRDS-related careers.

Part 2 – AI Tools Overview and Practice
● CRDS-Specific Tools:
○ Mannus (AI-powered knowledge management for organizing research/notes).
○ Perplexity (AI research assistant for fact-checking and refining resumes/cover letters).
○ NotebookLM (Google’s AI notebook for brainstorming ideas with document-based insights).
○ Napkin (AI-driven one-click graphic design for social media/presentations).
○ Gamma (Transform text or data into polished reports/decks with AI-generated visuals).

Part 3 – AI for Career Planning and Applications
● Greater Bay Area (GBA) Roles: Utilize AI tools like Perplexity to analyze job market trends in the GBA, identifying high-demand roles in tech-driven industries such as fintech, logistics, and smart infrastructure. Optimize LinkedIn profiles with AI-driven insights from tools like NotebookLM to craft compelling narratives that highlight expertise in China’s regional development, attracting employers in the GBA’s innovation ecosystem.

● Trading Companies: Leverage Mannus for organizing research on trade regulations and market dynamics, enabling CRDS students to stay updated on policies like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Use Napkin to simulate professional client presentations, creating visually engaging slides to pitch trade strategies or investment opportunities.

● Government Regional Offices: Practice AI-driven mock interview simulations using tools like Coze to prepare for roles requiring expertise in China’s geopolitical strategies, such as advising on cross-border infrastructure projects. These simulations help students articulate complex ideas with confidence and clarity.

● Policy Development: Employ NotebookLM to draft data-driven policy recommendations for regional initiatives like the One Belt, One Road, streamlining the process of synthesizing economic and geopolitical data into actionable insights for government or think tank roles.

● Entrepreneurship in the AI Era: AI agents and AI-driven employees are revolutionizing entrepreneurship by reducing operational costs, enhancing decision-making, and enabling rapid scaling. Now is the ideal time to start a business, as AI agents can handle repetitive tasks (e.g., customer service via Coze chatbots) and AI employees can provide data-driven insights (e.g., market forecasting with Perplexity), allowing CRDS students to create agile startups that capitalize on China’s global trade networks and regional influence. For example, students can use Gamma to design investor pitch decks for a GBA-based startup focused on sustainable infrastructure, aligning with China’s green development goals.

Outcomes & Takeaways:

● Gain proficiency in at least 3 AI tools to support your career goals
● Understand real-world applications of AI in personal and professional development
● Build an AI-ready mindset for continuous self-improvement
● Walk away with a personalized “AI Career Empowerment Blueprint”