KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 27
The digital transformation could erode trust and social capital, Prof. Jay Kishigami of the Web Consortium Asia Pacific has warned.
Delivering a keynote address at the International Conference of St. Xavier's College (ICSXC-2026) in Kathmandu, Kishigami said cultural change was among the most significant impacts of the digital era. Speaking on "Does Digital Society Make Us Happy?", he said the effects of digital transformation were already becoming evident.
Another keynote speaker, Prof. Gulmora Hundley of the University of Central Florida, said mental health should be regarded as an institutional responsibility closely linked to culture.
Despite access to hundreds of online resources, young people are experiencing profound loneliness, Hundley said, stressing that resilience does not develop in isolation.
The third edition of ICSXC-2026, themed "Reimagining the Global Future with Youth at the Crossroads of Change", brought together more than 300 research students, scholars and academicians from Nepal and countries including the Philippines, Japan, India, Spain, Slovakia and the UK.
The biennial conference focused on the role of early-stage scholars in shaping the emerging digital era. The event was co-hosted by Ritsumeikan University, Universitat Politècnica de València, Web Consortium Asia Pacific and Women's Christian College, India.
The organisers also announced the fourth edition of ICSXC, although the press release lists its scheduled dates as September 14-15, 2026, which appears inconsistent with the 2026 edition.