Report lays path for future of more digitized learning

A report compiled by government officials and 200 senior global experts from 72 universities, industries, and international organizations experienced in the digital transformation and development of education has just been released.

Compiled by the Secretariat of the Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance, it was released at the Global MOOC and Online Education Conference 2022.

Titled the "Report on the Digital Development of Global Higher Education", it shows that a study of the global higher education landscape demonstrates that many countries consider digitalization as a strategic initiative and as an essential path to the sustainable, high-quality development of higher education.

Although every country has its own priorities and characteristics, common patterns do emerge, among them systemic reform to create an inclusive, fair and resilient ecosystem of education; upgrading infrastructure to consolidate the foundation for digital transformation; the technology-empowered classroom revolution; services for personalized learning and lifelong learning; and improving digital competence to unleash the potential of information and communication technology.

Other moves include improving quality assurance support; using crises as a means of providing diverse international learning opportunities; building a secure and trusted intelligent governance system for complex situations; and creating an open, cross-sector and transregional digital community.

Digitalization is disrupting traditional philosophy and modes of higher education, creating a universal demand for diversification, personalization and modernization.

The digital transformation of higher education displays three trends: systematic transformation of higher education through digital technology; building more resilient higher education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and reshaping the philosophy, modes and practices of higher education with sustainable development goals.

The report also pointed out that digital technology is leading to disruptive changes in the philosophy and paradigm of higher education. Through information technology, higher education has seen systematic changes to educational methods, models of operation, governance and supporting systems.

As the fountainhead of new ideas, the cradle of innovators and the incubator of technology, institutions of higher education still face many challenges in their quest for reform and innovation in the digital era, namely that the digital divide keeps widening; the digital competence of teachers needs to be improved; mechanisms and policies are not in place to support the sharing of digital resources; digital governance remains weak in universities; inter-university and multilateral cooperation in digital education still lacks good practices; and that new rules and mechanisms are needed for the digitalization of higher education.

Index released

The report included the Digital Development Index of Global Higher Education, which was compiled to achieve three objectives. First, to capture the global processes and trends of digital transformation in higher education; second, to measure the digital transformation of higher education in various countries; and third, to provide a benchmark for digital transformation strategies of higher education worldwide.

The index was developed according to the requirements of digitalization in higher education and by reference to domestic and international research and practices. It has four primary indicators — digital capacity, digital schooling, digital management and digital support-10 secondary indicators and 18 specific attributes.

The report also put forward six missions and objectives for the digital transformation of higher education. These include adopting a more people-centered education philosophy; building a more intelligent education process; adopting more diversified approaches to education evaluation; fostering an educational culture that values openness and connectivity; providing individualized education services; and building a higher education system that values sustainability.

Finally, the Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance proposed that governments, international organizations, universities, platforms and enterprises work together to accelerate the digital transformation of higher education and create a better future for digital education.

Proposed actions include building a global higher education community for digital transformation; promoting a new paradigm of digital education for all-around development; applying technology in a new model of higher education; strengthening international cooperation for open and inclusive education; enhancing services and governance of global digital education; and upholding educational principle and ethics.