The Global Voice of Higher Education
| Digital transformation of Higher Education |
The digital transformation of society is inevitably reshaping the higher education sector and it impacts the way HEIs operate at all levels, from governance to teaching and learning, from the content of curricula to knowledge production and research activities. This constitutes an important transformation of higher education that comes both with new opportunities as well as challenges. It is an ongoing process that higher education institutions are reacting to, interacting with, shaping to remain relevant and to adapt to increasingly digitalised societies.
IAU Strategy (2022-2030):
The IAU Strategy 2030 includes the following strategic objectives to guide the work of the Association in this area:
- Bridging digital divides through knowledge sharing and building global intelligence to enhance quality of and access to higher education
- Opening up knowledge for humanity
- Fostering innovations in teaching and learning in an increasingly digital world
INTRODUCTION
The IAU activities in this field are organized around the following core functions:
Global advocacy
Digital transformation is one of the four key priorities in its Strategic Plan.
Monitoring transformations
As a global Association with members in all regions of the world, the IAU has a unique position to monitor trends around the world in order to favour exchange of best practices. In end of 2018 and beginning of 2019 the IAU conducted an Open Consultation to monitor the current state of digital transformation within higher education institutions (HEI). This stocktaking exercise also served to the development of the new Policy Statement which will be submitted to the 16th IAU General Conference for adoption. The consultation led to a report entitled: Higher Education in the Digital Era: The current state of transformation around the world which was released in January 2020 a few months prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, IAU has been monitoring transformations through it Global Surveys on the Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Higher Education.
Catalyst for collaboration and exchange
IAU plays an important role as a catalyst for collaboration and exchange. In the field of digital transformation and higher education, IAU seeks to pursue this mission through a series of different activities.
IAU-UOC SERIES: INNOVATIVE EDUCATION FOR UNSHAPED FUTURES (IE4UF)
IAU and UOC (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya) have partnered to develop a series of 6 chapters to explore some of the changes we are currently observing in higher education under the title: Innovative Education for Unshaped Futures (IE4UF).
IDOCOS PROJECT
The IDOCOS project
to leverage the opportunity of the accelerated pace of digital transformation during the Covid-19 pandemic by proposing an innovative approach to co-creation and sharing of doctoral courses among universities in different countries.
INSTITUTIONAL SITE VISITS
IAU launched a new programme in 2019 which is the institutional site visits where higher education institutions that are very innovative or advanced in using technology in higher education in order to improve the quality or to widening access to higher education, invite IAU Members to attend a 2-day meeting to learn from their experiences. The first programme took place at UOC in Barcelona.
Interested in receiving tailored updates and initiatives on HE and Digital Transformation?
GLOBAL ADVOCACY
IAU Policy Statement
In the context of the rapid development of digital technologies, which affects society and higher education, IAU has developed a IAU Policy Statement 2022 to outline the key principles and values that must underpin the digital transformation. This policy statement serves as the framework for the Association’s actions in this field for the period 2022-2030.
Expert Advisory Group
The development of the IAU Policy Statement was steered by an Expert Advisory Group (EAG) composed of experts from different regions of the world as well as representatives of the IAU Administrative Board. It was also opened for a Membership consultation and student Associations were invited to provide their feedback and comments.
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SITE VISITS
INSTITUTIONAL SITE VISITS
ABOUT IAU SITE VISITS
In 2019, IAU launched the Institutional Site Visits programme. The purpose of this programme is to create opportunities for exchange among Members while meeting at a university with an advanced approach to using digital innovations to improve higher education. Members are invited to participate in these site visits to learn from experiences at the host university and to connect with peers from around the world. The aim of the programme is to foster sharing of knowledge and experience among Members and to allow participants to acquire new insights on how to leverage the digital transformation in higher education.
The institutional site visits are held once a year.
Upcoming IAU Open Science Institutional Site Visit to Utrecht University
The upcoming Institutional Site Visit will be hosted by Utrecht University in the Netherlands from 3 – 4 April 2024. The University is pleased to welcome IAU Members to learn from the extensive experience of the institution in its transition to Open Science.
Open Science is a movement which encourages collaborative and public research in which findings are shared at the earliest stage possible. The purpose of Open Science is to foster more transparent, collaborative, and inclusive scientific practices to make new knowledge more accessible and verifiable, to ensure more equitable access to science and knowledge, and to enhance international research collaboration.
The Netherlands has long been at the forefront of promoting Open Science, a commitment reflected first in the Amsterdam Call for Open Science in 2016 and in various subsequent policies. The adoption of Open Science throughout Dutch research centres and institutions encourages transparency, collaboration, and accessibility in research, aiming to make scientific knowledge freely available to all.
Appreciating the nation-wide adoption of Open Science policies, Utrecht University has enthusiastically welcomed the notion of Open Science. Since 2017, the University has embraced the Open Science transition in order to “accelerate and improve the realisation of research results and their societal impact.” It has implemented various initiatives to foster Open Science practices among its faculty, academics, and students, and it emphasises open access publishing, data sharing, and collaborative research and education projects, thus aligning the university with the strategy of the Dutch government to promote innovation and accelerate scientific progress through the principles of Open Science. The University thus may be seen as a prime example and source of inspiration for how higher education institutions around the world may too embrace the principles of Open Science.
The IAU Institutional Site Visit will provide insights on the inspiring practices and lessons learned from the institution during the transformation to Open Science. This site visit intends to inspire senior leadership in charge of research and teaching and learning to gain knowledge about how to lead transformations that embrace Open Science.
Session topics will include: Open Science Policy, Public Engagement and Stakeholder Engagement, Open Science in the Faculty, Open Education and Open Educational Resources, and FAIR Data & Software, amongst others. More programme details will soon be announced.
Key Details:
Goal: The focus of this institutional site visit will be to show how universities can contribute to the implementation of the principles of Open Science.
When: 3-4 April 2023
Where: Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Opening Speech: Henk Kummeling, Rector of Utrecht University and IAU Board Member
Fees: 250 euro for IAU Members; 400 euro for Non IAU Members
FIRST IAU SITE VISIT TOOK PLACE AT UNIVERSITAT OBERTA DE CATALUNYA (UOC) - MARCH 2019
The first IAU Site Visit was hosted by Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) - the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) – which is the first fully online university worldwide. UOC welcomed 24 IAU Member representatives from 16 countries to Barcelona on 27-28 March in order to share their experience about online learning, the pedagogical and management model and its educational model based on personalization and accompanying students using e-learning.
When?: 27-28 March 2019
Where?: Barcelona, Spain
Watch a video from the Site Visit: click here
See the Agenda: click here
HOSTING A SITE VISIT
If you believe that your institution is a leader in this field and you wish to promote your institution and share your experience, consider hosting a site visit. Contact IAU to learn more.
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OPEN SCIENCE
IAU Expert Group on Open Science
The recent IAU Policy Statement: Transforming Higher Education in a Digital World for the Global Common Good recognizes the principles laid out in the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in 2021. The latter constitutes a normative and legal instrument adopted by the UNESCO Member States and encourages its implementation - in conformity with the constitutional practice of each State - and it thus serves to influence the development of national laws and practices. The IAU Policy Statement calls for universities to play an important role to shape the implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science across the different countries of the world.
Against this backdrop, the International Association of Universities (IAU) is convening an international Expert Group on Open Science to bring together expertise and knowledge from all regions of the world to discuss and share experiences about how universities can contribute to the implementation of the norms and principles laid out in the UNESCO Recommendation.
The IAU recognizes the following definition of Open Science laid out in the UNESCO Recommendation:
Open science is defined as “an inclusive construct that combines various movements and practices aiming to make multilingual scientific knowledge openly available, accessible and reusable for everyone, to increase scientific collaborations and sharing of information for the benefits of science and society, and to open the processes of scientific knowledge creation, evaluation and communication to societal actors beyond the traditional scientific community. It comprises all scientific disciplines and aspects of scholarly practices, including basic and applied sciences, natural and social sciences and the humanities, and it builds on the following key pillars: open scientific knowledge, open science infrastructures, science communication, open engagement of societal actors and open dialogue with other knowledge systems.”
There are numerous benefits to Open Science, most importantly democratizing access to knowledge. Science constitutes an essential pillar of society for examining, analyzing, and understanding world phenomena, developing new knowledge and insights, and exploring opportunities for addressing the challenges of today. Since most of the pressing societal challenges of today - environmental, social, and economic - are interconnected, they cannot be solved at the national or local level alone. Therefore, the purpose of Open Science is to foster more transparent, collaborative, and inclusive scientific practices to make new knowledge more accessible and verifiable; to ensure more equitable access to science and knowledge, and to enhance international research collaboration.
The Expert Group on Open Science will be tasked to develop recommendations on potential actions that can support institutions in the complex transition, share best practices and experiences, and to identify what type of research, evidence and data collection can serve universities in their transition towards Open Science.
The purpose of the Expert Group is to provide policy advice for the leadership of universities, based on the following objectives:
Make Open science an institutional priority and invest in Open Science initiatives that support organizational change. For example, revising policies to include incentives for open research and data.
Build capacities and awareness about Open Science and to address issues of concern such as legal and ethical aspects around privacy, intellectual property and open licenses.
Contribute to connecting and building infrastructure to support Open Science practices and make use of or develop repositories for information and data sharing.
Participate in international research collaboration to build standardization that will facilitate data sharing and management practices both nationally, regionally and globally.
Build trust in science by engaging in science communication and collaboration beyond the traditional scientific community.
Identify the key challenges that hamper the transition towards open science such as predatory scientific practices that erodes the ideals of Open Science.
The Expert Group is comprised of the following members:
Chair:
Peter Aronsson, Vice-Chancellor, Linnaeus University, Sweden
Noorsaadah Abd. Rahman, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Universiti Malay, Malaysia
Batool Almarzouq, Bioinformatician and computational biologist affiliated with the Alan Turing Institute (UK) and Open Science Community Saudi Arabia (OSCSA)
Paola Andrea, Librarian, Independent Consultant, Colombia
Tina Baich, Senior Associate Dean for Scholarly Communication and Content Strategies for the University Library, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, United States of America
Claudia Bauzer Medeiros, Professor, UNICAMP, Brazil
Ahmed C Bawa, Professor of Higher Education, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Fernanda Beigel, Principal Researcher at CONICET, Head Professor, National University of Cuyo, Argentina
Geoffrey Boulton, Professor of Geology Emeritus, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Saray Córdoba González, bio, Retired Professor, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica
Elena Denisova-Schmidt, Privatdozentin / Research Fellow, University of St.Gallen (HSG) and CIHE Boston College, Switzerland and USA
Su Nee Goh, Deputy Director and Lead for Open Science and Research Services, Office of Information, Knowledge and Library Services, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Carolina Guzman-Valenzuela, Professor of Higher Education, Universidad de Tarapaca, Chile
Aldrie Henry-Lee, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Graduate Studies & Research, University of the West Indies, Jamaica
Matyas Hirman, Data Steward and Open Science Support, Charles University, Czech Republic
Alina Irimia, Open Science expert, UNESCO Chair on Science and Innovation Policies, The National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) and UEFISCDI, Romania
Pattarachai Kiratisin, Vice President for Research, Mahidol University, Thailand
Moumita Koley, Visiting Scholar, Indian Institute of Science, India
Ahmed Legrouri, Adjunct Professor, International University of Grand-Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire
Erivelton Nepomuceno, Assistant Professor, Maynooth University, Ireland
Takashi Okada, Vice President for Academic Research Affairs, Sophia University, Japan
Sinéad Ryan, Dean and Vice President for Research, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Ireland
Andrea Vargiu, Professor, University of Sassari, Italy
Ricardo Villegas-Tovar, Director of the International Center for International Education, BUAP, Mexico
Interested in receiving tailored updates and initiatives on HE & Digital Transformation?
MONITORING
Introduction
As a global Association with members in all regions of the world, the IAU has a unique position to monitor trends around the world in order to favour exchange of best practices.
Second Global Survey on the State of Digital Transformation of Higher Education
After several years of rapid digital transformation particularly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the IAU is pleased to announce that we are preparing the second Global Survey on Digital Transformation of Higher Education. The first global survey on digital transformation was launched in 2019 and it led to the report: Higher Education in the Digital Era: The current state of transformation around the world (January 2020). This report constitutes an important source of information about the state of digital transformation prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This survey will take stock of the current state of digital transformation in higher education to monitor developments and identify key achievements as well as challenges. For the preparation of the global survey, it is essential that we work with experts from different regions of the world to ensure a sound design of the questionnaire and that it is resonating with all regions of the world.
The following individuals will serve as part of the survey’s Expert Advisory Committee:
Sian Bayne, Professor of Digital Education, University of Edinbourgh, Scotland
Ainuddin Wahid Bin Abdul Wahab, Deputy Dean of Research, University of Malaya, Malaysia
Neil Butcher, Expert on OERs and Director, Neil Butcher & Associates, South Africa
Mathieu Denis, Senior Director, and Head of the new Centre for Science Futures, International Science Council
Liz Johnson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic & Alfred Deakin Professor, Deakin University, Australia
Dale Johnson, Director, University Design Institute, Arizona State University (ASU), USA
Simon-Peter Kafui Aheto, "Coordinator for the International Programmes at the College of Education, Senior Lecturer of Education and Information Technology, Department of Distance Education, School of Continuing & Distance Education," University of Ghana, Ghana
Marcelo Knobel, IAU Senior Fellow and Former President, UNICAMP, Brazil
Marcelo Milrad, Professor and Manager for the Knowledge Environment Digital Transformations, Linnaeus University, Sweden
Ilse Yuridia Muñoz, PhD Candidate and Lecturer, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Mexico
Rajani Naidoo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (People and Culture), University of Exeter, United Kingdom
Raphael Ondeko Nyonje, Associate Professor, Open Learning Programmes, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Kate Thompson, Associate Professor and leader of the Digital Learning for Change Research Group in the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Frank Tsiwah, Assistant Professor and AI specialist, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Wondwosen Tamrat, President, St Mary’s University, Ethiopia
Global Survey Report on the State of Digital Transformation of Higher Education
IAU conducted its first Global Survey in the area of digital transformation from 1 November 2018 to 1 April 2019. The results of the survey was launched in the IAU Report: Higher Education in the Digital Era: The current state of transformation around the world in January 2020 just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
An expert group will be set up for the development of the 2nd Global Survey Report in 2023 and the data collection is foreseen in 2024.
Higher Education in the Digital Era: The current state of transformation around the world - 1st IAU Global Survey Report (January 2020)
IAU is pleased to present this first stock-taking exercise in the field, and to contribute to discussing the current state of transformation, the risk of inequalities, the ethical implications and how to jointly leverage the potential of technological developments for a sustainable future.
Global Survey Report related to the the impact of the pandemic on higher education and the accelerated digital transformation
Since the beginning of the pandemic, IAU has been conducting Global Surveys to monitor the impact of the pandemic on higher education. These include perspectives on digital transformation which have clearly changed compared to prior to the pandemic. The first Report was launched in May 2020 only months into the pandemic and the second Report in March 2022 based on data collected in 2021.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education around the World - 1st IAU Global Survey (May 2020)
Almost all responding HEIs declared that they have been impacted one way or another by the COVID-19 crisis. The report presents a general assessment of the situation in universities globally and explores different aspects of the impact of COVID-19, such as: teaching & learning, research, community engagement and other key challenges and opportunities.
Higher Education One Year into the COVID-19 Pandemic - 2nd IAU Global Survey (March 2022)
In 2021, the IAU conducted the Second Global Survey to monitor the impact of the pandemic on higher education. The Survey Report offers a comprehensive picture of how higher education institutions have been affected by the difficult conditions under which they were operating during the pandemic. The report covers a broad institutional perspective, looking at governance, teaching and learning, research and community/societal engagement. 496 higher education institutions from 112 countries and territories responded to the survey. The report presents the results at the global level as well as by region. It also compares trends among public and private higher education institutions. It uncovers worrisome tendencies both in terms of funding and research, but it also reveals several transformations and opportunities that may have positive effects beyond the pandemic.
Interested in receiving tailored updates and initiatives on HE & Digital Transformation?
IAU-UOC
IAU-UOC PUBLICATION: Improving Online Teaching: Practical Guide for Quality Online Education
ABOUT THE PUBLICATION
 | In complement to the IAU-UOC Innovative Education for Unshaped Futures (IE4UF) Series, IAU is happy to announce the publication of Improving Online Teaching: Practical Guide for Quality Online Education. After two years of pandemic related educational disruption, the need for strong and sustainable digital solutions for higher education is critically clear. The IAU-UOC collaboration to study the effects of and necessary solutions for online higher education learning has culminated in the publication of this text. The final draft will be submitted for official endorsement at the IAU 16th General Conference in Dublin on 25-28 October 2022 in Dublin, Ireland. |
IAU-UOC SERIES: INNOVATIVE EDUCATION FOR UNSHAPED FUTURES (IE4UF)
ABOUT THE SERIES
The pandemic has accelerated digital transformation of higher education. After a year of adapting to the sudden disruption of higher education and pivoting operations to increasingly rely on digital technologies in higher education, the new constant is uncertainty and a need for resilience to respond to fast changing environment. Within this context, the International Association of Universities (IAU) and UOC (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya) have partnered in 2021 to develop a series to explore some of the changes we are currently observing in higher education under the title Innovative Education for Unshaped Futures (IE4UF). The series is divided into 6 chapters exploring different levels of change and moving from broader topics to more specific areas in the second part of the series. Each chapter includes perspectives from an online and a campus-based university. The recordings are available below.
PROGRAMME
CHAPTER I: Return to Campus: Making sense of (innovative) hybrid teaching and learning | Thursday, 10 June 2021
This first session in the series includes opening words from the leadership of the two partner organisations to officially kick off the series, followed by a discussion on the changes and innovations in teaching and learning. At Deakin University, students had access to both online and physical campus prior to the pandemic. Learn more about the current trends and developments as well as their vision for blended and hybrid modes of learning moving forward. UOC University, on the other hand, has 25 years of experience in fully online learning and shares experiences about leveraging the potential of this method. The last part of the session is dedicated to questions from the audience.
Speakers:
- Albert Sangrà, UNESCO Chair in Education & Technology for Social Change, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain
- Liz Johnson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Education, Deakin University, Australia.
Moderator:
- Trine Jensen, Manager, HE & Digital Transformation, International Association of Universities (IAU)
CHAPTER II: Assessment practices in hybrid and online HE scenarios | Tuesday, 22 June 2021
Speakers:
- Nati Cabrera, Professor and Director, Master Programme in Quality Evaluation and Management in Higher Education, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain.
- Henrik Hansson, ICT - Culture - Flexible Learning - Sustainable Development, Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, Stockholm University, Sweden.
Moderator:
- Albert Sangrà, UNESCO Chair in Education & Technology for Social Change, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain.
CHAPTER III: Leadership for Digital Education: Shortcuts and pitfalls | Thursday, 1 July 2021
Speakers:
- Josep M. Duart, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain.
- José Antonio Bowen, Senior Fellow, Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), USA.
Moderator:
- Deborah Arnold, AUNEGe, Digital University for Management and Economics, France.
CHAPTER IV: Designing Quality (Online) Learning | Thursday, 16 September 2021
Speakers:
- Sian Bayne, Professor of Digital Education, University of Edinburgh; Director, Centre for Research in Digital Education, Edinburgh Futures Institute, Scotland, UK.
- Marcelo Maina, Professor and Director Master Programme in Education and ICT (e-learning), Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain.
Moderator:
- Trine Jensen, Manager, HE & Digital Transformation, International Association of Universities (IAU).
CHAPTER V : Interaction and collaboration: being social in digital environments | Thursday, 30 September 2021
Speakers:
- Shanali Govender, Academic Staff Lecturer, Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
- Montse Guitert, Professor, Psychology and Education Department, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Moderator:
- Albert Sangrà, UNESCO Chair in Education & Technology for Social Change, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain.
CHAPTER VI: Data Governance: What should we be aware of?
Thursday, 14 October 2021 | 2:30 pm CEST (12:30 pm UTC)
Speakers:
- Nela Petkovic, CIO, Information and Communication Technologies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada
- Juliana E. Raffaghelli, Ramón y Cajal Programme Researcher, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Moderator:
- Trine Jensen, Manager, HE & Digital Transformation, International Association of Universities (IAU)
IDOCOS
INNOVATIVE DOCTORAL COURSE FOR SUSTAINABILITY (IDOCOS)
Introduction
Innovative Doctoral Courses for Sustainability (IDOCOS), focuses on how to secure both quality enhancement, an increased number of PhDs and increased efficacy. IDOCOS combines an innovative approach in co-creation and sharing with relevant existing building blocks and has the following five objectives:
To support and facilitate university staff and doctoral students across universities in different countries:
- In co-creation and sharing of digitalised courses and open learning materials prepared for quality online, flexible and blended teaching and learning.
- For adopting a scalable and robust methodology for co-creation and sharing of digitalised courses.
- Access to shared courses and open learning materials for teaching and learning.
- For access to relevant tools, (open when available) for co-creation and sharing of open courses and learning materials.
- In building competencies for digital transformation.
Visit the IDOCOS Portal
Concluding Event
Innovative Doctoral Courses for Sustainability (IDOCOS) is a project that aims to enhance the quality of and increase access to doctoral courses through international co-creation and sharing. To support this objective, the main focus of the project has been to develop a methodology for international collaboration building on co-creation and sharing of doctoral courses.
The methodology builds on the opportunities provided by digital technologies while linking the content to sustainable development. Learn more about the scope of the project here.
The project includes a demonstrator course on Digital Transformation as well as a platform that supports the process of co-creation and sharing.
The partners of the project are pleased to invite you to an online event where the key project outcomes will be presented. The session will also include an interactive session where the audience can engage, ask questions and share their experience in terms of collaboration around doctoral courses.
This event will welcome the following speakers:
Hilligje van’t Land, Secretary General, International Association of Universities (IAU)
Gard Titlestad, Director, Nordic Insight
Elizabeth Keller, Administrative Coordinator, KTH, Sweden
Henrik Hansson, Professor at Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, Stockholm University, Sweden
Johan Thorbiörnson, Director, KTH, Sweden
Tore Sætersdal, Assistant Director, and Academic Coordinator, Global Challenges, Center for International Health, University of Bergen, Norway
This event will be moderated by Trine Jensen, Manager for HE & Digital Transformation, International Association of Universities (IAU)
The online event will take place on 15 May from 12:00 - 2:00 PM UTC/GMT.
Funding source and partners
IDOCOS project is co-funded by the Erasmus + Strategic Partnership programme of the European Union and within this frame, the key target group for the project deliverables are universities in EU countries. Yet the group of partners is committed to building on the project and engaging with universities from different parts of the world and most particularly Africa.
The project runs from March 2021 to May 2023.
PARTNERS:
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology
- International Association of Universities (IAU)
- University of Bergen
- Nordic Insight
For more information, contact Trine Jensen
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