KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
TOPIC: TOWARD 6G: INTELLIGENT CONNECTION-TRANSMISSION-SCHEDULING FOR WIRELESS NETWORKS
This speech addresses the vision, challenges, and intelligent solutions for sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks. Driven by the explosive growth of heterogeneous devices and mission-critical applications such as autonomous driving and low-altitude intelligent networking, conventional communication paradigms face bottlenecks including coverage gaps, severe interference, and time-varying wireless channels. To overcome these challenges, an integrated framework of intelligent connection, transmission, and scheduling is established. For intelligent connection, user-centric cell-free communication and quality of service (QoS)-aware massive random access techniques are adopted to enhance coverage, access success rate, and resource utilization. For intelligent transmission, efficient channel estimation and prediction methods are developed, together with sparse coding and joint source-channel coding for semantic communications, to achieve high reliability, low latency, and strong robustness in dynamic environments. For intelligent scheduling, multi-domain resource coordination and integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) beamforming are employed to optimize spectral and energy efficiency while enhancing sensing-communication synergy. Significant performance gains are demonstrated via theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, and hardware testbeds.
SPEAKER'S BIO :
Xu (Judy) Zhu received the BEng degree in Electronics and Information Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, and the PhD degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China. She was a Reader of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, the University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. She is currently a Professor of the School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, China. Her research interests include MIMO, channel estimation and equalization, ultra reliable low latency communication, cooperative communication, green communication, etc. She has co-authored 2 books and more than 210 technical papers, and received a Best Paper Award of IEEE Globecom 2019. She has served as an Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications and a Guest Editor for several international journals such as Electronics. She was Vice Chair of the 2006 and 2008 ICARN International Workshops, Program Co-Chair of ICSAI 2012, Symposium Co-Chair of IEEE ICC 2016, ICC 2019 and Globecom 2021, and Track Co-Chair of IEEE WCNC 2022.
TOPIC: CO-INNOVATING INTELLIGENT NETWORKS: ACADEMIA–INDUSTRY COLLABORATION FOR 5G/6G EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
This keynote explores the evolution of intelligent networks and the shift toward future-ready connectivity. It highlights academia–industry collaboration in co-innovating emerging technologies, accelerating innovation and translating research into real-world impact. Key focus areas include intelligent network solutions, Quantum and Sensing Technologies, enabling 5G/6G next-generation intelligent networks.
SPEAKER'S BIO :
Dr. Hizamel M. Hizan is the Director of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Intelligent Network at TM R&D, with over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. He holds a Ph.D. in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from the University of Leeds, U.K., an M.Sc. (with Distinction) in RF and Communication Engineering from the University of Bradford, U.K., and a B.Eng. (Hons.) in Electronic and Communication Engineering from the University of York, U.K. He began his career at Telekom Malaysia, developing expertise in technologies such as WCDMA and WDM systems, and previously served on the Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) at the Centre on Optical Wireless Application (COWA), National Science Foundation, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA. At TM R&D, he has led numerous connectivity and IoT initiatives, contributing to international recognition, including the IoT Innovation Award at the World Communication Awards 2020 and the TM Forum Excellence Award 2020 (Beyond Connectivity category). He is a certified Professional Scrum Product Owner and a Graduate Member of the Board of Engineers Malaysia. His research interests include 5G/6G, integrated sensing and communication, fibre technologies, autonomous networks, network convergence, deep packet inspection, IoT, Radio-over-Fiber (RoF), DAS, WiFi, LTE, and satellite communications.
Emeritus Professor
Dr. Tharek Abd Rahman
Fellow of Academic of Science Malaysia (FASc)
TOPIC: 5G TECHNOLOGY AND EVOLUTION TOWARDS 6G
5G technology and its subsequent evolutions serve as the backbone for modern global digital infrastructure, scaling network capabilities to handle explosive data traffic. By offering data transfer rates up to 20 Gbit/s, ultra-low latencies down to 1 millisecond, and the capacity to support 1 million devices per square kilometre, this ecosystem shifts telecommunications from simple consumer mobile broadband into a highly integrated platform for automation, industry, and intelligent computing.
SPEAKER'S BIO :
Professor Emeritus Dr Tharek Abd Rahman, FASc holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom, Master’s Degree in Communications Engineering from University of Manchester, United Kingdom; and PhD in Mobile Communication from University of of Bristol, United Kingdom. Professor Emeritus Dr Tharek Abd Rahman was a Professor of Wireless Communications at Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Professor Emeritus Dr Tharek has published more than 300 scientific papers and journals whereby his ideas won national and international recognition. He is an active member of several research academic entities and has been appointed as Fellow of Academic of Science Malaysia (FASc) and Subject Matter Expert for MCMC Academy. Professor Emeritus Dr Tharek plays a key role in developing 5G Malaysia initiatives. In the 1990s, he was involved in ITU Task Force 8/1 related to the IMT2000 (3G) and Working Party 5D (ITU-R) Standardization related to 5G (IMT-2020) and 6G (IMT2030). He connects academia and the telecommunication industry, forming effective collaboration and partnerships. This includes the engagements with Japan’s 5G Mobile Communications Promotion Forum (5G MF) and Korea’s 5G Forum, which promotes knowledge transfer and the collaboration in 5G research and development.