“Higher Education at the Crossroads: Pioneering AI-Driven Paradigm Shifts”
Co-hosted by the Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance (GMA), Tsinghua University, XuetangX, and UNESCO International Institute for Information Technologies in Education, the first Online Education Dialogue (OED) of 2025 was successfully held on April 17th, 2025. This dialogue, themed “Higher Education at the Crossroads: Pioneering AI-Driven Paradigm Shifts”, delved deeply into the transformation direction and practical paths of higher education in the intelligence era.
Speakers for the session, including Gerardo L. Blanco (Associate Professor, Academic Director, Center for International Higher Education, Boston College), Nghiêm Xuân Huy (Associate Professor, Director of Institute of Digital Education and Testing, Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Simon Thomson (Professor, Director of Flexible Learning, Office of The President and Vice Chancellor, The University of Manchester), Ying Long (Professor, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University), shared their expert perspectives during the dialogue. Yifan Li, Senior Manager for GMA Development of Tsinghua University Online Education Center and Assistant Secretary-General of Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance, hosted the session. The dialogue was broadcast live on XuetangX, attracting a global audience of over 6,000 views.
(From left to right) First row: Gerardo L. Blanco, Nghiêm Xuân Huy, Simon Thomson
Second row: Ying Long, Yifan Li
Gerardo L. Blanco reflected on the urgent need for a paradigm shift in higher education, especially in the U.S., offering insights from the perspective of global higher education leadership. He emphasized that universities must reclaim their role as leaders in innovation and argued that true institutional resilience lies in the ability to adapt rather than resist change. He highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence to support student learning, provided it was used thoughtfully and ethically, and called attention to issues such as algorithmic bias, equity, and accessibility. In conclusion, Blanco stressed the importance of faculty development that prioritizes both practical skills and open-minded attitudes, and he urged educators to reflect on which processes could be automated, which should remain human-centered, and how to foster inclusive, adaptive educational environments.
Nghiêm Xuân Huy shared findings from a recent university-wide survey on faculty use of artificial intelligence in teaching. Conducted in February 2025, the study revealed that while nearly half of the lecturers frequently used AI, many lacked confidence or deep understanding. Most used AI for translation, lesson planning, and learning analytics, yet few found it highly effective. Barriers included limited knowledge, time constraints, and insufficient infrastructure. Without institutional AI tools, lecturers relied on free public platforms with restricted capabilities. Ethical concerns—such as overreliance and academic integrity—also emerged. Huy emphasized four faculty-driven recommendations: training and upskilling, better infrastructure, clear institutional policies, and revised assessment methods, highlighting the need for systemic support in AI integration.
Simon Thomson emphasized the University of Manchester’s strategic, human-centered approach to AI adoption. He outlined the university’s guiding principles that promote AI as a tool for enhancing—not replacing—teaching and learning. Through an institution-wide pilot, staff and students are exploring how AI can improve efficiency while maintaining academic integrity. Thomson shared practical applications, including AI-generated formative quizzes and AI-assisted essay drafting and feedback, illustrating how the technology supports both educators and learners. He highlighted the importance of equitable AI access, ongoing sector-wide collaboration, and the need to invest human resources in high-impact educational activities. Ultimately, the university aims to define a balanced, ethical relationship between humans and AI in education.
Ying Long shared his pioneering efforts in AI-empowered teaching materials based on his course New Urban Science, one of Tsinghua’s first pilot AI courses and winner of 2024 GMA Awards. By developing an AI assistant trained on his course materials, he demonstrated how AI can support both personalized learning and innovative teaching practices. His work reflects a broader trend of integrating AI into the entire teaching process – from content creation to student interaction – highlighting the potential of AI to become a true “partner” in education. This case illustrates how educators can actively shape and apply intelligent tools to enhance teaching quality and scale personalized support, aligning closely with the vision for the future of higher education in the intelligence era.
The panel discussion centered around the critical question of how higher education institutions can navigate the intersection of tradition and innovation in the age of AI. Blanco emphasized the need to build trust by ensuring that certain high-impact processes remain human-led, fostering a sense of psychological safety for experimentation. Nghiêm shared concerns about students’ over-reliance on AI tools, underscoring the need for educators to recalibrate teaching strategies to preserve the effectiveness of learning. Thomson stressed the importance of developing institutional frameworks that ensure equitable and responsible AI use, cautioning against both unregulated adoption and avoidance. Long pointed out that AI usage in higher education is becoming inevitable and should be approached with careful attention to its potential for polarization.