On December 6th, 2024, the 2024 International Advisory Committee Meeting of UNESCO-ICHEI was successfully held at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in Shenzhen, China.

The meeting was attended by a distinguished group of experts, including (in alphabetical order): Mr. WANG Duanrui, Chairman of the Hong Kong Industry and Commerce Association and President of Hong Kong Wedon Demos Group; Mr. SHEN Xiaoli, Chief Culture Officer of UNESCO-ICHEI; Mr. LI Ming, Founding Director of UNESCO-ICHEI and Secretary-General of International Institute of Online Education (IIOE) Secretariat; Mr. LIM Cher Ping, Chief Expert of IIOE, Chair Professor of Learning Technologies and Innovation at Education University of Hong Kong, China, and Visiting Professor of SUSTech; Mr. ZHAO Jianhua, Deputy Director of Centre for Future Education Research of SUSTech, and Senior Expert of UNESCO-ICHEI; Mr. ZHU Zhiting, Emeritus Professor at East China Normal University, Distinguished Consultant of UNESCO-ICHEI; Mr. DUAN Peng, President of Beijing Language and Culture University, and International Education Consultant of UNESCO-ICHEI; Mr. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia; Mr. TANG Qian, Former Assistant Director-General for Education of UNESCO; Mr. CHENG Jiangang, Professor at the Institute of Education of Tsinghua University. Also present at the meeting were Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI; Mr. SIT Fung, Assistant Director of UNESCO-ICHEI Chief of the IIOE Management Centre; Ms. HAN Wei, Former Executive Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI and Executive Deputy Secretary-General of IIOE Secretariat, and other relevant colleagues.

Onsite group photo

This meeting was chaired by Mr. LIM Cher Ping, focusing on two core topics: the localized operational mechanism of IIOE National Centres and a series of high-level regional policy dialogues.

Mr. LIM Cher Ping, Chief Expert of IIOE, Chair Professor of Learning Technologies and Innovation at Education University of Hong Kong, China, and Visiting Professor of SUSTech

Mr. JIN Li opened the meeting by briefing the participants on UNESCO-ICHEI's efforts to empower the higher education workforce through localized projects, utilizing the IIOE global partnership network and IIOE National Centers. These initiatives, such as hosting a series of high-level regional policy dialogues, have enhanced UNESCO-ICHEI's regional and international influence, as well as the profile of Shenzhen. Mr. SIT Fung, Assistant Director of UNESCO-ICHEI Chief of the IIOE Management Centre, and Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI, then presented reports on the meeting's key topics. Mr. SIT Fung provided a detailed report on the cooperation model and achievements of UNESCO-ICHEI in supporting IIOE National Centres to deliver teacher training through the IIOE multilingual learning platform in 2024. He also outlined plans for 2025. He emphasized that UNESCO-ICHEI is piloting digital and artificial intelligence empowerment projects for the higher education workforce in several sub-regions. These projects are significant for creating replicable and transferable models that can benefit other universities in the IIOE global network and for supporting more IIOE National Centers to gradually shift to self-operating modes. Ms. BI Xiaohan reported on UNESCO-ICHEI's efforts to bring together multiple stakeholders, including UNESCO HQs its field offices, IIOE National Centres, and enterprise partners, to jointly conduct multilateral policy dialogues. These projects aim to provide policy suggestions and guidelines regarding the application and governance of generative artificial intelligence in higher education.

Mr. JIN Li, Vice President of SUSTech and Director of UNESCO-ICHEI

Mr. SIT Fung, Assistant Director of UNESCO-ICHEI Chief of the IIOE Management Centre

Ms. BI Xiaohan, Deputy Director of UNESCO-ICHEI

Mr. DUAN Peng praised the role of UNESCO-ICHEI and the IIOE in providing crucial resources to higher education systems in underdeveloped areas and bridging the digital divide in the era of artificial intelligence. He expressed hope for future collaboration between Beijing Language and Culture University and UNESCO-ICHEI, particularly in leveraging the partnership network and multilingual course resources.

Mr. DUAN Peng, President of Beijing Language and Culture University and International Education Consultant of UNESCO-ICHEI

Mr. TANG Qian highlighted that by exporting the advantages and experience of Shenzhen and China, UNESCO-ICHEI had set a strong example for other UNESCO member states, especially those in the Global South. He suggests that UNESCO-ICHEI should continue to capitalize on its unique role as a multilateral platform, and focus on its core strengths, enhancing the depth and impact of its projects, and making greater contributions to global higher education and UNESCO's strategic goals.

Mr. TANG Qian, Former Assistant Director-General for Education of UNESCO

Mr. Shahbaz Khan emphasized that digitalization and artificial intelligence are two key trends in global education development, and UNESCO is actively promoting them as part of its ongoing efforts. He expressed optimism that UNESCO-ICHEI’s future work would continue to support United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4). With backing from UNESCO HQs field offices, he expects UNESCO-ICHEI to enhance the inclusiveness, openness, and security of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in higher education and drive digital governance forward.

Mr. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia

Mr. ZHU Zhiting acknowledged the progress of IIOE Micro-Certification Project for Higher Education Workforce Digital Competency Building. He called for continued improvement of the micro-certification mechanism, development of exemplary case studies and core courses, and localized promotion to drive international educational exchanges and enhance UNESCO-ICHEI’s global influence.

Mr. ZHU Zhiting, Emeritus Professor at East China Normal University, Distinguished Consultant of UNESCO-ICHEI

Mr. WANG Duanrui, as one of the first enterprise partners of UNESCO-ICHEI, stated that Hong Kong Wedon Demos Group will collaborate on the Smart Classroom project. He also expressed anticipation for deeper cooperation within the framework of Wedon Demos Group’s “Future Universities” initiative.

Mr. WANG Duanrui, Chairman of Hong Kong Industry and Commerce Association and President of Hong Kong Wedon Demos Group

Mr. CHENG Jiangang praised UNESCO-ICHEI’s contributions to empowering the global higher education workforce by integrating quality resources worldwide and operationalizing the IIOE National Centres. He recommended that UNESCO-ICHEI continue to systematize and standardize the self-operating mechanism of IIOE National Centres while promoting blended teaching reforms, enhancing digital competencies for university teachers, and strengthening leadership for university administrators and leaders.

Mr. CHENG Jiangang, Professor at Institute of Education of Tsinghua University

Mr. SHEN Xiaoli reviewed the launch and vision behind UNESCO-ICHEI’s flagship publication CLOUD and commended its foresight and the role it plays in operationalizing the IIOE global partnership. He suggested that CLOUD should further mobilize the successful experiences and cases accumulated by UNESCO-ICHEI, better disseminate UNESCO-ICHEI’s ideas and achievements, and gradually establish the publication as a recognized brand.

Mr. SHEN Xiaoli, Chief Culture Officer of UNESCO-ICHEI

Mr. ZHAO Jianhua emphasized that new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, offer new opportunities for the development of the IIOE. He recommended that UNESCO-ICHEI leverage Shenzhen’s technological advantages and integrate open resources, such as the Smart Education of China, to optimize resource integration and sharing, ultimately supporting global educational cooperation and innovation.

Mr. ZHAO Jianhua, Deputy Director of Center for Future Education Research of SUSTech, and Senior Expert of UNESCO-ICHEI

Mr. LI Ming stressed that the success of UNESCO-ICHEI’s projects in various regions depends heavily on the strong support from UNESCO and other partner organizations and institutions. He affirmed that the next phase of UNESCO-ICHEI’s work will continue to align with UNESCO’s overall strategies and priorities, contributing to China and the international community while enhancing UNESCO-ICHEI’s and Shenzhen’s global influence.

Mr. LI Ming, Founding Director of UNESCO-ICHEI and Secretary-General of IIOE Secretariat

Mr. LIM Cher Ping concluded the meeting by thanking all the experts for their valuable contributions. He highlighted that their suggestions would serve as important guidance for the future planning of UNESCO-ICHEI. He emphasized the need for UNESCO-ICHEI to deepen its collaboration with UNESCO, fully integrate with key initiatives, and align more closely with SDG4. He expressed his anticipation of further exchanges and cooperation with the experts at the next International Advisory Committee meeting, to continue advancing the work of UNESCO-ICHEI to new heights.