The Digital Universities Asia International Conference 2024, a collaboration between Universitas Indonesia (UI) and Times Higher Education (THE), was officially concluded at The Westin Resort, Nusa Dua, Bali, after three days, from July 1 to July 3, 2024. The closing remarks, which emphasized the importance of collaboration between multiple universities and partners (n-Helix collaboration), were expressed by the University Secretary of UI, dr. Agustin Kusumayati MSc., PhD.
Agustin Kusumayati said, “In the last three days, we held discussions beneficial for the integration of technology in education, the effort to increase skills, and the importance of ethical and inclusive Artificial Intelligence (AI) implementation. We hope that the collaboration and ideas shared will bring positive and sustainable impacts for universities in the future.”
The biggest challenge is digitizing education, especially because of how difficult it is to reach scattered regions and tough access. “This is a shared responsibility, a collaboration, with other sectors, especially in the field of infrastructure supporting the digitalization of education,” said Agustin.
This year, the theme of THE Digital Universities Asia 2024 was “Inclusive Education for the Digital Age.” This event was attended by academics, policymakers, and industry leaders, to explore the importance of inclusive education in the digital technology era. This international conference is an important milestone for UI as an effort to improve its ranking at the Asian and international levels. Approximately 400 participants from 25 countries in Asia, America, and Europe, got together to exchange ideas, increase global involvement, and seek joint solutions to various issues relating to the use of digital technology in education.
Some of the speakers of this international conference are the Deputy for Green and Digital Transformation of the Nusantara Capital City (IKN), Prof. Mohammed Ali Berawi, M.Eng.Sc., Ph.D; Head of UI Greenmetric, Prof. Riri Fitri Sari, M.M., M.Sc; Turnitin Area Director of South-East Asia, Jack Brazel; the Dean of the Faculty of Economy and Business (FEB) UI, Dr. Teguh Dartanto; and the Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science UI, Prof. Petrus Mursanto. In addition, more than 80 experts also filled in not less than 30 sessions at this conference. Other themes discussed in the event are, How to Leverage AI and World-Class Content for Transformative Teaching and Learning, How to Promote Digital Literacy Among Staff and Faculty, and How to Build a Cybersecure Campus for Everyone.
At this conference, the solution to overcome the disparity between demands in the work industry and the qualifications of university graduates was also discussed. The education institution must prepare students with suitable skills for what the work market requires. They must be equipped with multiple skills, including problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, and social concern.
Education Inclusivity is a goal, which is why AI has great potential in the university revolution. The President of the Association Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) THE, Simone Dilena, conveyed how AI and digital platforms show up as a “friend” in reaching that goal. “Digital transformation moves fast and requires a shift in thinking paradigm and fast adaptation. This discussion seeks the best strategy in using AI and digital platforms to realize digitizing education,” she said. She also expressed her appreciation to the Minister of Communication and Information, Director General of Higher Education, Research and Technology, Universitas Indonesia, and partners who paved the way for this goal.
After the series of events of this international conference concluded, the participants were invited to witness a Kecak dance performance in Uluwatu. This cultural activity is hoped to provide valuable experience for participants to participate in experiencing the rich culture of Bali Province, enrich their insight, and strengthen the relations between countries.
