A collaborative and inspiring atmosphere was fostered among participants during the international symposium titled “Digital Transformation Leading the Change in Higher Education,” held on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, by Universitas Terbuka (UT) and the Indonesia Cyber Education Institute (ICE Institute). The symposium focused on the importance of digital transformation in higher education and was organized through a collaboration between UT, ICE Institute, Tsinghua University, and XuetangX from China. It was a highly strategic and meaningful event, especially with the full support of the World Bank, UNESCO-ICHEI, the Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance, and ThaiMOOC as co-organizers.
The collaborative ties became even stronger with the implementation of various agendas on the second day, Wednesday, June 21, 2023, in the form of a series of tours and collaborative discussions. In the morning, UT and ICE Institute organized a tour to the UT Head Office in Pondok Cabe for the Chinese delegates. They had the opportunity to explore the facilities available at the Office of Multimedia Teaching Materials Development (PPBAM) and the Directorate of Information Systems. They also had the chance to shop for UT souvenirs at Karunika Mart, the UT employee cooperative’s mini-market.
The collaborative atmosphere continued with a collaborative discussion session involving delegates from various universities in China. The delegation included representatives from Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Shanxi Acupuncture Hospital, Shantou University, China Academy of Art, Ningbo City College of Vocational Technology, International School of Cultural Tourism Hangzhou City University, MOE Research Center for Online Education, XuetangX, UNESCO ICHEI, and Tsinghua University.
The collaborative discussion session between the UT and ICE Institute leaders and the delegates from various universities in China was engaging and inspiring, focusing on the potential for collaboration in educational development among all participating institutions. The event concluded with a lively lunch, where a sense of togetherness was fostered among all participants.
