International Day for Digital Learning

According to the resolution of the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference, 19 March is designated as the International Day for Digital Learning, which will be celebrated for the first time in 2024.

Digital learning has the potential to broaden educational access, enhance learning outcomes and equip learning across all age groups to confront the complex challenges of the twenty-first century. It can also foster inclusion and provide access to education, particularly to those impacted by conflict and emergencies. 

At the same time, the digital divide remains a persistent barrier for many learners to benefit from digital technologies, and this must be addressed. Digital technologies must be used to support the holistic development of the individual, and shape the inclusive and sustainable development of our societies. 

Director-General of UNESCO

Ms. Audrey Azoulay

“While it is not a universal solution for education, digital technology can be a powerful tool for learning. But knowing how and when to use it remains a fundamental question. We must answer this question together – to bring education in step with the digital age. The International Day for Digital Learning, celebrated for the first time this year on 19 March, is an opportunity to add new momentum to these efforts.” 

Please check the link to read the full article 

https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000389022

The GEM Report is joining the commemoration of the first International Day for Digital Learning on 19 March by partnering with Restless Development, the Global Student Forum and the SDG4 Youth & Student Network to organise an interactive 2-part webinar and online discussion that will highlight the challenges and opportunities faced by youth and students when accessing and utilising digital learning. The discussion will bring youth leaders, representatives of regional organisations, and other key stakeholders together to discuss the relevance, equity, scalability, and sustainability considerations of the use of ICTs and digital technologies in education. 

01

Digital Transformation 

in Higher Education 

The International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO-ICHEI) is deeply committed to digital transformation in higher education, providing strong support for the digitalisation of higher education institutions (HEIs) in developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America through a series of online and blended teaching competency training for teaching personnel, micro-certification, Smart Classrooms, research on empowering practices and other strategies. UNESCO-ICHEI has achieved milestones and outcomes in expanding access to lifelong learning and quality, equitable education through digital transformation and innovation in higher education. 

IIOE Parallel Session held during UNESCO Digital Learning Week

On 5 September 2023, UNESCO-ICHEI successfully convened the IIOE Roundtable at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, during the Digital Learning Week. Centreing the pivotal themes such as open learning platforms and Artificial Intelligence (AI), the session attracted experts and professionals in higher education, HEIs, representatives of industries and global partner institutions, UNESCO system partners and other stakeholders across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe to jointly explore how to promote digital learning and the sharing of open educational resources (OERs) through the IIOE open learning platform.

IIOE Micro-certification Project Supports Teacher Professional Development

UNESCO-ICHEI initiated the IIOE Micro-certification for Higher Education Teaching Personnel Project in February 2023. In collaboration with the School of Open Learning and Education at East China Normal University and the UNESCO Multi-sectoral Regional Office in Bangkok (UNESCO Bangkok), UNESCO-ICHEI aimed to provide global partner HEIs with the reference framework for teachers' digital teaching competencies, guidance on the implementation of micro-certification, and guidelines for research and policy recommendations. 

Smart Classroom Project Empowers HEIs in Asia and Africa and Bridges the Digital Divide

At the 2023 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit, the UNESCO-ICHEI Smart Classroom Project stood out from over 200 cases and was selected as one of the 13 outstanding cases. Mr. Tang Xiangzheng, Chief Technical Officer of Smart Classroom Project, delivered a keynote speech at the conference titled "Smart Classroom——Ally Industrial and Educational Endeavor to Forge a Cyberspace Learning Community". He pointed out that digital infrastructure is the key to bridging the digital divide. In collaboration with leading EdTech enterprises, UNESCO-ICHEI leverages the advanced experience of Chinese industries in the field of education to benefit the world.

Joint Research on Digital Transformation of Higher Education

UNESCO-ICHEI, in collaboration with the Institute of Education (IOE) of Tsinghua University, conducted the "Digital Transformation of Higher Education" series of research, resulting in the Research Report on Digital Transformation of Higher Education Teaching and Learning and three handbooks: Handbook of Education Reform Through Blended Learning, Handbook of Teaching Competency Development in Higher Education, and Handbook of Technical and Vocational Teacher Professional Development in the Digital Age (the "3+1" project, comprising three handbooks and one research report). The Chinese editions of the three handbooks have been officially published by Tsinghua University Press in the second half of 2023, with the English editions simultaneously published by Springer. 

CLOUD | Changing the Paradigm of Teachers' Professional Development - Interview with Prof. Zhu Zhiting of East China Normal University

The flagship magazine “CLOUD” aims to share the cutting-edge research and practices of global higher education practitioners. This interview primarily focuses on Professor Zhu's past research achievements and recent works in conjunction with the direction of UNESCO-ICHEI. We invited Professor Zhu to share insights and reflections on the digital transformation of higher education and teacher empowerment, including digital resilience in education, transformation and innovation of teacher professional development combined with information technology, credential-based learning, etc. 

02

Pioneer Award Leads 

the Digital Transformation of Global Higher Education

The "Higher Education Digitalisation Pioneer Case Award" (hereinafter referred to as the Pioneer Award) is a prize directed by UNESCO-ICHEI, aims to project proactive explorations, innovative experiences, and successful practices of IIOE global partner institutions within the realm of higher education digitalisation. The theme of the 2023 Pioneer Award is "Reform and Innovation of Blended Learning in Higher Education ", covering topics such as innovative teaching, resource building, student support, institutional governance, and strategic transformation, etc. The Pioneer Award emphasises localised practical solutions and showcases typical cases from developing countries in digital education. 

UN-CHK: The role of Open Digital Spaces (ENO) in distance education in Senegal and Sub-Saharan Africa

The Université numérique Cheikh Hamidou KANE (UN-CHK; formerly UVS, Virtual University of Senegal) is a public university with an innovative learning system based on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Senegal with the aim of mitigating inequalities in higher education and bridging the digital divide through digital means. The Open Digital Spaces (L' Espace numérique ouvert, ENO) Network not only popularises digital technologies, but also pays particular attention to communities that are difficult to reach through traditional universities, actively promoting disability inclusion and gender equality. 

UN-CHK has significantly increased the number of students using ENOs

The dropout rate of UN-CHK has been effectively controlled

Ahmadu Bello University: Empowering Institutional Policy Implementation for Digital Teaching & Learning in Nigeria

As IIOE Nigeria National Centre, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) is committed to supporting the implementation of institutional policies for digital teaching and learning in Nigerian HEIs. The specific practices include designing and implementing the comprehensive plan of the Teaching and Learning Policy; enhancing teachers' digital teaching and learning capacities and improving the quality of online courses; supporting the design, development, and production of quality digital content; providing teaching personnel with professional training; supporting ABU in implementing its Teaching and Learning Policy and facilitating coordination among departments and units to promote the development of digital teaching and learning in depth.

UET, Lahore: Enhancing Teachers' Blended Teaching Competency through Emerging Technologies

As IIOE Pakistan National Centre, UET Lahore has made significant progress in the digital transformation of higher education. Through emerging technologies, UET improves access to educational resources and promotes educational equity. Specifically, UET promotes digital teaching strategies to teachers and encourages them to innovate their teaching methods. It also promotes cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to enhance the quality of teaching.

ITS: Promoting educational equity and inclusiveness through Intelligent Learning and Smart Campus

As Indonesia's education system grappled with the challenges of insufficient technological integration, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) is systematising the "Intelligent Learning and Smart Campus" project to establish a teaching and learning system centred on a blended learning mode that effectively combines digital media, digital technology, advanced hardware and smart classroom facilities has been established. ITS has strengthened digital education through digital strategies, regulations, policies, incentive programs, and workshops, and it has provided free MOOCs to promote regional educational equity. 

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