The "BGI Group · 2025 IIOE Digital Higher Education Digitalisation Pioneer Case Award" (hereinafter referred to as the "Pioneer Award") has officially announced its winners. Since its launch, the award has garnered wide attention, receiving 66 valid submissions from 29 countries around the world. A total of 22 outstanding cases from Asia, Africa, and Latin America stood out, including 12 from overseas higher education institutions, 4 from Chinese universities, and 6 from enterprises.This year, one of the world's leading life science and genomics organizations, BGI Group and BGI College, sponsored the IIOE Pioneer Case Award. BGI Group and BGI College are dedicated to life science and genomics research, and cultivate talents for the field. The sponsorship has demonstrated its remarkable support in bringing equitable higher education.

In this edition, we introduce four outstanding cases from South America and Africa in Category 1: Developing Digital and AI Competencies through IIOE Micro-certification.

What is the IIOE Micro-Certification Project？

The IIOE Micro-Certification Project for Higher Education Workforce Digital Competency Building (IIOE Micro-Certification Project) is a mechanism developed by UNESCO-ICHEI and IIOE to provide and certify just-in-time learning for higher education professionals in digital and AI skills. As a more flexible approach to acknowledge different types of professional learning, the IIOE Micro-certification Project offers a comprehensive mechanism including: recommendations for institutional policy and strategy planning, recognition-building, content development, and reference competency framework. With such support, HEIs will be able to provide a robust system for the AI competency development of the workforce.

Case 1 Strengthening Technopedagogical Competencies in Emerging Technologies in teachers of the Central University of Venezuela: Microcertifications in Artificial Intelligence

Project Background

The Central University of Venezuela (UCV), aware of the strategic role of digital transformation in higher education, has committed to strengthening the techno-pedagogical skills of its teaching staff. In a national context marked by structural challenges in connectivity and resources, the UCV is spearheading a pioneering initiative in collaboration with the International Institute of Online Education (IIOE). This action is part of the priorities for modernizing Venezuelan higher education and is supported by the Academic Vice Rectory and the university's Distance Education System. The creation of micro-certifications in Artificial Intelligence (AI) responds to the growing need to integrate emerging technologies into educational processes.

Project Implementation

The program was launched in April 2025 and is being implemented through the IIOE ecosystem, with direct accompaniment from UCV. The learning interface has been adapted to Spanish, including local case studies and institutional strategies. Activities are conducted online with low data consumption resources to address connectivity issues. A cohort approach guarantees monitoring, interaction, and networking among participants. The process has been led by an interdisciplinary team from UCV, with participation from national and international experts.

Project Outcomes

In its first phase, the program has registered over 250 enrolled teachers from different locations and faculties. Notable outcomes include increased confidence and skills in using AI tools for teaching, the development of educational materials that integrate AI, the formation of communities of practice and collaborative teacher networks, and a heightened institutional awareness of the need for ongoing AI training. At the institutional level, the project has impacted UCV's organizational culture by positioning AI as a key tool in educational innovation. It has been integrated into teacher development plans and is expected to expand to other universities in the country and the Latin American region.

Jury's Comments: The project is supported by the Rectorate, the Academic Vice-Rectorate, the Distance Education System, and other UCV's departments, guaranteeing technical and strategic sustainability. Likewise, it is projected as a permanent part of the university's professional development offering.

Case 2 Test Construction Micro-Certificate Course

Project Background

Addis Ababa Universityhas relied on paper-based examinations, which entail significant annual costs and place considerable demands on instructors' time. To address these challenges, the University is transitioning to online examinations this year. However, an assessment of instructors' test construction skills revealed a gap in designing objective, performance-based assessment items. To bridge this gap, the university is developing an online micro-certificate course in test construction to strengthen faculty capacity. With approximately 3,000 instructors at Addis Ababa University, traditional face-to-face training is impractical. This project offers a scalable, flexible solution through a fully online course tailored to the institution’s needs.

Project Implementation

The University established a dedicated committee to oversee the process. The committee identified key tasks, including selecting suitable exam software and building faculty capacity in online test construction. An initial assessment revealed that most instructors lacked the necessary skills for developing online assessments. In response, a group of experienced instructors was nominated to design a training module, which was first delivered synchronously via Google Meet. Participant feedback highlighted the need for broader access and a more flexible format. Based on these insights, the training was converted into a self-paced micro-certificate course, hosted on the UNESCO-ICHEI platform. 

Project Outcomes

In addition to its core objective of training instructors in test construction and analysis, this project has built new institutional capacity at the University for the development and implementation of micro-certificate courses. This experience is particularly valuable for developing similar courses in other subject areas. As a focal center for UNESCO-ICHEI, Addis Ababa University plays a key role in promoting the network by engaging new member institutions. To date, two universities have joined the AAU network, with additional TVET colleges expressing interest in joining. AAU will continue to share its expertise in micro-certificate course development through training initiatives and collaborative course design efforts.

Jury's Comments: The project introduces micro-certification in test construction for the first time at Addis Ababa University, marking a novel initiative in Ethiopia's higher education landscape. It reflects a strong alignment with IIOE's goals—utilizing the IIOE platform, videoding digital competencies, and addressing an institutional skills gap.

Case 3 Research Management and Leadership in African Research Institutions

Project Background

There is a growing demand for increased investment in research and development across the African region, with the aim of driving innovation, generating business opportunities, and ultimately improving the quality of life on the continent. This trend underscores the critical importance of strengthening the capacities of researchers, particularly in the effective management of limited research resources. Against this backdrop, the present collaborative project aims to establish a professional training program to equip researchers with best practices in research management. Key topics covered in the program include research and innovation management, research ethics and governance, intellectual property rights, technology transfer, and grants management.

Project Implementation

The project is being implemented in two phases: course development and course optimization. During the course development phase, modular training programs will be designed in accordance with existing standards and best practices, with learning objectives formulated based on Bloom’s taxonomy. The modular approach is chosen for its practicality and flexibility, allowing it to cater to a diverse range of participants. In the training and optimization phase, two rounds of in-person training sessions and two rounds of program evaluations will be conducted. The final outcome will be an open-access training program, developed under the quality assurance framework of UNESCO-ICHEI to ensure that the courses are standardized, effective, and sustainable.

Project Outcomes

To date, the first training-of-trainers session has been successfully conducted at Cadi Ayyad University, with high participant satisfaction. The project aims to train at least 80 African researchers, with a target of no less than 50% female participation, underscoring its strong commitment to gender equality. In parallel, it will produce high-impact academic publications through systematic data collection and joint authorship. By providing structured training, the project offers researchers formal education in research management and leadership, enabling them to lead teams and manage projects more effectively. It also lays the groundwork for developing future professional research administrators. As it advances, the project is expected to benefit higher education institutions across several African countries and beyond.

Jury's Comments: With long-term policy support and a clear plan including training of the trainers, continuous production of OERs, and a goal to further promote micro-certification recognition, the project marks promising potential for its sustainability. The special emphasis on 50% female representation is also remarkable.

Case 4 AI-Ready Educators: Localizing Global Tools for Training East Africa's University Educators

Project Background

In response to the rapidly evolving digital landscape and global advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), IUCEA, with support from EAC policy frameworks and resolutions from its 2023 Annual Conference, identified the integration of AI into higher education as a regional priority. To actualize this vision, IUCEA initiated a regional capacity-building project in collaboration with UNESCO-ICHEI, aimed at empowering academic staff from its member universities to effectively integrate AI into teaching, learning, research, and academic management. The project aligns with Article 102 of the EAC Treaty, which mandates partner states to harmonize educational standards and promote quality learning.

Project Implementation

The implementation began with the selection and virtual orientation of 18 academic staff from 8 partner states, introducing them to AI teaching tools and certification modules developed by UNESCO-ICHEI and the International Institute of Online Education (IIOE). Participants then attended a hands-on, co-creation workshop in Zanzibar, where they localized six AI modules and developed corresponding instructor-led sessions tailored to East Africa's higher education context. Furthermore, academic training is expected to begin in early August where self paced modules will be accompanied by an associated instructor led module. These sessions will reinforce key concepts and provide Q&A opportunities for participants. 

Project Outcomes

This project is demonstrating excellence in aligning its objectives with the emerging needs of higher education in the African context. Through the hands on, co-creation workshop in Zanzibar, 18 trainers were able to gain advanced knowledge of the IIOE platform and AI micro-certification modules. Additionally, 6 self-paced AI modules were reviewed, localized, and structured into a contextually relevant training programme for East African universities, enhancing not only the content's effectiveness but also empowering local educators as digital leaders. IUCEA will integrate this training into its long-term quality assurance and staff development strategy and institutions are encouraged to video AI modules in professional development programs.

Jury's Comments: The initiative demonstrates strong innovation through its regional coordination model and multiplicative Training of Trainers (ToT) approach. Regional collaboration fully ensures resource sharing and a commitment to regional balance among neighboring areas, effectively balancing existing IIOE resources with newly localized content. 

The above are some outstanding practice cases from South America and Africa in Category 1: Developing Digital and AI Competencies through IIOE Micro-certification of this year's Pioneer Award. These cases demonstrate the innovative explorations and localized achievements of educational institutions in different countries in empowering higher education teachers, providing valuable references for the digital transformation of global higher education. In the next issue, we will introduce cases from Category 2: Enabling Localised Digital Empowerment Initiatives through IIOE National Centres. Please stay tuned for the subsequent updates in the coming weeks!