Online Education Dialogue 2024 “Empowering Higher Education with AI” -Session 6

In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming various aspects of society, it is crucial for higher education to stay at the forefront of these changes. In 2023, the dialogue centered around the theme “Navigating the AI-Driven Digital Transformation of Higher Education,” bringing together 33 speakers from 14 countries for a series of 9 global dialogues. Through the previous events, we recognized the AI’s vast yet largely untapped potential in empowering and transforming higher education through improving personalized learning, enabling efficient management, enhancing research capabilities, and facilitating international cooperation. Moreover, AI can assist higher education institutions in fulfilling their social responsibilities and contributing to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

OED 2024 will follow the footprints from previous themes in depth and continue diving into AI-Led Transformation in Higher Education. Our goal is to equip educators and administrators with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the digital transformation driven by AI, ultimately benefiting learners and society as a whole. By exploring this theme, we aim to contribute to a wider understanding and capacity building of how AI can be effectively integrated into higher education to enhance quality, promote inclusiveness, and create impact. The discussions will foster collaboration, stimulate innovation, and provide insights to reshape the future of higher education in an AI-driven era.

Time

Dialogue time: October 25, 2024, 8:00-9:00 PM (Beijing, UTC+8)

Objectives

• Exchanging insights from educational leaders on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Higher Ed Governance；

• Showcasing examples of frontline educators using new technologies such as generative AI to empower teaching and learning；

•  Facilitating dialogues on the renewal of educational ideas and pedagogies: Adapting curriculum and teaching methodologies to support a student-centered teaching model；

•  Promoting collaboration and international partnerships for knowledge exchange, joint research, and cross-cultural learning experiences on a global scale；

Audience

•    Administrators and decision-makers in higher education institutions；

•    Researchers and practitioners in the fields of online education and artificial intelligence；

•     Teachers and educators；

•     Higher education-related policy makers and industry experts；

•     Students and the public interested in the digital transformation of higher education；

Format

Keynote address and panel discussion featuring 3-4 distinguished speakers

•    Keynote Address: Each speaker will have 8 minutes to share their insights or practices；

•    Panel Discussion: A 25-minute interactive session after keynote addresses；

Organizer

OED is organized by Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance, in collaboration with Tsinghua University, UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education and XuetangX.

Guest Information

Dr. Ho Shen Yong

Dr. Ho Shen Yong is the Executive Director of the Institute of Pedagogical Innovation, Research and Excellence (InsPIRE) at NTU. He joined Nanyang Technological University in 2011 as a Physics lecturer, having previously taught at Hwa Chong Junior College from 1998 to 2003. Dr. Ho completed his Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Toronto in 2009 and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Illinois and NUS.

Passionate about education, Dr. Ho has developed activities to enhance students’ thinking skills and bridge textbook knowledge with real-world applications. In 2014, he helped establish the “Making and Tinkering” course, where students are free to design and construct almost any technological prototype. The course has produced over 140 student projects. Dr. Ho has received numerous teaching awards, including the Nanyang Education Award (Gold) in 2018. He became Principal Lecturer that same year and has held the title of Provost’s Chair in Physics since 2019.

David Lazaro

David is the Director of Edraak, a Jordanian online learning platform featuring over 300 courses and over 9 million registered users in the Middle East & North Africa region. David has led design, development and implementation of projects featuring online and hybrid learning for youth and government partners in the MENA region since 2011, supporting national objectives in skills development, youth empowerment and workforce mobilization of youth, women and refugees.

Prof. Hew Timothy K. F.  

Professor Timothy HEW is a Full Professor of Education at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). He initially trained as a Systems Engineer, earning a bachelor’s degree in Computer Technology from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Before transitioning to the field of education, he worked for four years at Sony Systems Design International (Singapore). Professor HEW furthered his education with a master’s degree in Instructional Design and Technology from Singapore, followed by a PhD in Instructional Systems Technology from the USA. His research primarily focuses on optimizing student engagement in online activities, with a special emphasis on self-regulation and the use of conversational agents. Throughout his career, Professor HEW has received more than 50 types of recognitions and awards. Notably, he was honored with the HKU Faculty of Education Outstanding Research Student Supervisor Award in 2020.

Brian Li

Senior Manager for GMA Development, Tsinghua University Online Education Center

Assistant Secretary-General, Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance.