Universitas Terbuka (UT) and Indonesia Cyber Institute (ICE Institute) successfully organized an international symposium titled “Digital Transformation Leading the Change in Higher Education” on Tuesday, June 20, 2023. The event took place in a hybrid format, with participants attending at the UT Convention Center (UTCC) in Tangerang Selatan and through the Zoom platform and streaming via the UT TV YouTube channel. The symposium on digital transformation in higher education was made possible through the collaboration of UT, ICE Institute, Tsinghua University, and XuetangX from China, with the support of the World Bank, UNESCO-ICHEI, Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance, and ThaiMOOC as co-organizers.
The symposium was attended by Prof. Ir. Nizam, M.Sc., DIC., Ph.D. – Director General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, Song Yi – Deputy Director, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China (via video recording), Noah Yarrow – Senior Education Specialist, World Bank, and representatives from INDO China. Representatives from consortium institutions, including Universitas Indonesia, Institut Pertanian Bogor, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Bina Nusantara University, and Pradita University were also present.
The collaboration among online learning providers was strategically significant in providing global online learning and addressing future challenges. As known, Indonesia Cyber Education (ICE) Institute is a digital learning marketplace led by UT, while XuetangX is a similar platform in China led by Tsinghua University.
The symposium titled “Digital Transformation Leading the Change in Higher Education” proceeded smoothly with several interesting agenda items, including opening remarks, panel discussions, signing of cooperation agreements, and a sharing session.
Prof. Ojat Darojat, M.Bus., Ph.D., Rector of Universitas Terbuka, stated in his speech that the collaboration between these four institutions is expected to expand access for students from both countries to obtain quality higher education. “This is a great opportunity to obtain various courses from reputable providers,” said Prof. Ojat. He further added, “In this era, collaboration is essential for us to share perspectives, facilities, and strengths. That is why we are building partnerships with other universities, including Tsinghua University and XuetangX.”
Similar sentiments were expressed by Prof. Nizam, M.Sc., DIC., Ph.D., Director General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia. He stated that this collaboration is expected to drive ICE Institute and UT to go international and become world-class universities. “ICE Institute aligns with the spirit of Kampus Merdeka, where students from Sabang to Merauke can take courses anywhere,” emphasized Prof. Nizam. He also revealed that Indonesian students can access course modules from Tsinghua University and XuetangX in addition to existing modules through this collaboration. Prof. Nizam’s message to UT and ICE Institute is to continue expanding access to excellent quality higher education.
Wang Xiaoxiao, Director of the Online Education Center at Tsinghua University, at the same occasion, expressed that Indonesia and China face similar challenges with their vast territories and large demographics. Together, they aim to provide access to the excellent quality of higher education. “Students in remote areas can still access high-quality learning resources from Tsinghua University, just like students in Indonesia,” said Wang Xiaoxiao.
Chen Wei, Director of XuetangX, added that their platform has attracted over 100 million learners from various countries, making it the second-largest online learning platform in the world. They aim to establish a global hybrid classroom in Indonesia through this collaboration. Prof. Paulina Pannen, M.LS., founder of ICE Institute, explained that ICE Institute is an accredited online learning centre under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. ICE Institute offers various online courses from numerous universities and online learning providers throughout Indonesia. With support from 28 partner universities, ICE Institute has offered over 200 courses and has been accessed by 10,000 students for free. The main goal of ICE Institute is to facilitate the provision of high-quality education and ensure the quality of online learning and distance education services. Through ICE Institute, users are facilitated in choosing the right online courses for career development in the era of Industry 4.0.
During the panel discussion session, experts and practitioners shared insights and experiences related to digital transformation in higher education. The discussion was highly productive, focusing on innovative approaches and strategies to adapt to the changing digital landscape and meet the evolving needs of students over time. The panel speakers included representatives from UT, ICE Institute, Tsinghua University, and XuetangX, as well as speakers from partner institutions such as Thai Cyber University, UI, Binus, China Academy, Universitas Pradita, UNJ, and others. The speakers covered several interesting topics during the panel discussion, including three main themes: 1) Digital Development and Innovation of Online Education Platforms, 2) Reforming Learning Models and Improving Governance Systems for the Digital Transformation of Higher Education, and 3) Development of Digital Skills and Literacy for Educators.
The symposium proceeded with the signing of the second-stage cooperation agreement between XuetangX and ICE Institute, conducted by Prof. Ojat Darojat and Chen Wei. This agreement marks an important step in expanding collaboration between the two institutions and strengthening efforts in research, academic exchanges, and the development of relevant and digitally transformative curricula to develop excellent online education jointly.
The symposium concluded with a sharing session on collaborative research between XuetangX and ICE Institute, where both parties shared knowledge and experiences in developing innovative research in the field of education.
This symposium has been a significant milestone in strengthening the collaboration between ICE Institute, Universitas Terbuka, and partner institutions. Through the exchange of insights and experiences, it is expected that digital transformation in education will continue to progress and positively impact educational development in the digital era.
