Six photography works by faculty members and students from the School of Communication at Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM) were selected as Outstanding Works at the 9th Incheon Open Port International Photo Festival, held in Incheon, South Korea, from 25 July to 5 August 2026.

The works were submitted by Journalism faculty member Dr. Yin Qingxia, Communication faculty member Dr. Yong Cheng Fei and four students: Dang Chenxi and Wu Qixiang from the Journalism programme, and Kiyo Yong Qi Hui and Leonard Lim Yi Ken from the Communication programme.

The festival's Incheon World University Photography Festival programme centred on the theme “Identity of Photography”, bringing together photographers and students to explore contemporary approaches to photographic creation. The wider festival attracted participants from 13 countries and 83 universities, with more than 300 photographers and students involved and over 1,500 photographic submissions received.

The selected works explored different approaches to photography. Dr. Yin Qingxia's “Under the Spotlight” captures fern shoots illuminated against darkness, while Dr. Yong Cheng Fei's “Slanted Shadows” uses sunlight and architectural space to explore light and form. Among the student works, Dang Chenxi's “The First Command" examines the relationship between human creativity and AI-assisted image-making, while Wu Qixiang's “The Orange and Blue” reflects on human activity against the vast ocean. Kiyo Yong Qi Hui's “The Autumn Leaves” captures seasonal changes through colour and natural light, and Leonard Lim Yi Ken's "The Solitary Fisherman” portrays solitude and resilience along a rugged coastline.