Conference spotlights higher education digital transformation

Some 150 experts and personnel from higher education institutions, as well as representatives from UNESCO and international organizations, attended the International Higher Education Digital Transformation Conference held Tuesday at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in Nanshan District to discuss digital transformation in higher education.

Offline venue of the International Higher Education Digital Transformation Conference at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in Nanshan District on Tuesday. Photo by courtesy of SUSTech

The conference was held simultaneously online, attracting more than 1,000 participants from over 50 countries and regions.

It aims to introduce joint research projects facilitating knowledge sharing on the IIOE (International Institute of Online Education) network, summarize best practices and case studies from the IIOE pilot projects, and make more concrete action plans for the next phase of digital transformation in higher education teaching and learning.

Ismi Arif Ismail, a professor from the Universiti Putra Malaysia, said that digital transformation has become an irreversible trend with higher education’s rapid development. Ismail suggested measures be taken to improve teachers’ skills and knowledge levels to adapt to the needs of the new era.

Qin Changwei, secretary general of the National Commission of the People’s Republic of China for UNESCO, stressed the importance of cooperation in promoting education’s digital transformation during his opening remarks.

Cases on empowering teachers’ digital teaching pilot projects from countries in West Asia, Africa and the Asia-Pacific regions, including China, Egypt, Kenya, Malaysia and Mongolia, as well as IIOE’s global practices for higher education’s digital transformation were also shared at the conference.

Zhu Zhiting, a tenured professor from East China Normal University, emphasized the role of smart education in the future of higher education. According to Zhu, smart education is the future education paradigm through human-machine interaction facilitated by innovative processes.