Following its participation in the Times Higher Education (THE) Digital Universities UK 2024 event at the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, Universitas Terbuka (UT) attended the Times Higher Education (THE) Digital Universities Asia 2024 in Nusa Dua, Bali, from July 1-3, 2024. This event, comprising 43 sessions, was organized by THE in collaboration with Universitas Indonesia (UI) under the theme “Inclusive Education for The Digital Age.”
The event was inaugurated by the Director General of Higher Education, Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Abdul Haris, M.Sc., UI Rector Prof. Ari Kuncoro, S.E., M.A., Ph.D., and the Expert Staff of the Minister of Communication and Information Technology, R. Wijaya Kusumawardhana, S.T, MMIB. Key issues highlighted in the opening remarks included educational technology reform and the utilization of AI to create inclusive and empowering environments.
UT sent a delegation of seven representatives to this event: Prof. Dr. Paulina Pannen, M.Ls. (ICE Institute), Dr. Meirani Harsasi, S.E., M.Si. (Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business), Prof. Dr. Mohammad Imam Farisi, M.Pd. (Head of the Quality Assurance Office), Prof. Daryono, S.H., M.A., Ph.D. (Head of the Center for Research and Innovation in Open and Distance Education at LPPM), Dr. Heni Safitri, S.Pd., M.Si. (Expert Staff for Educational Innovation), Dr. Vivi Indra Amelia Nst, S.I.P., M.A. (Chair of the EQUITY Team), and Khalis Narendra, MBA., M.Sc. (EQUITY Expert Staff).
Prof. Dr. Paulina Pannen, M.Ls., from UT, was a speaker in two sessions on the second day: “Upskilling Students for the Workforce: Harnessing Microcredentials for More Flexible Pathways” and “Friend or Foe: AI Implementation in Southeast Asia.” The UT delegation also actively initiated collaborations with potential partners such as Julie Wilkens McMahon, Regional Director of THE for Asia and the Pacific, and representatives from Turnitin, University of Santo Tomas, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Singapore Institute of Technology, and Singapore University of Social Sciences.
UT’s participation in this event demonstrates its commitment to strengthening both national and international collaboration networks through the EQUITY (Enhancing Quality Education for International University Recognition) program. This program is funded by the Higher Education Endowment Fund (DAPT) from LPDP Kemenkeu and the Directorate of Institutional Affairs Ditjen Diktiristek Kemendikbudristek.
The event aims to not only strengthen strategic partnerships with participants from various universities and international institutions but also provide a forum for sharing ideas, innovations, and best practices to address the challenges and opportunities faced by higher education in the digital era.
In addition to participating in THE Digital Universities Asia, the UT delegation visited UT Denpasar, which was conducting online semester exams. During the visit, the delegation interacted with several students taking the online exams, including a disabled student from the Communication Department in their second semester. As a distance education provider, UT remains committed to offering inclusive and equitable education.
