9 July 2024

The National University of Singapore (NUS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish Singapore’s first ‘Borderless University’. This groundbreaking initiative aims to enhance network connectivity, elevating the teaching and learning experience while driving innovations across various domains.

The collaboration envisions a future where NUS students and staff benefit from ultra-fast, uninterrupted network connectivity throughout Singapore. This will be facilitated by a dedicated private Enterprise 5G data network, made possible through eSIM technology. This network will provide instant and secure access to NUS’s digital assets and the internet without the need for repeated logins traditionally required by Wi-Fi networks.

NUS Chief Information Technology Officer, Ms. Tan Shui-Min, highlighted the transformative potential of this initiative, stating, “This collaboration with StarHub aligns with our vision for a future-oriented learning environment. Both staff and students will benefit from seamless access to NUS’s resources and the internet, wherever they are in Singapore; and in the future, overseas, without the need for VPN or other remote access technologies.”

Powered by StarHub’s Enterprise 5G and Cloud Infinity solutions, this connectivity will also enable innovative educational experiences such as virtual labs and augmented reality simulations. Additionally, the integration marks a significant step towards the University’s goal of reducing its carbon footprint through sustainable and efficient digital solutions.

Mr. Tan Kit Yong, Head of Enterprise Business Group at StarHub, underscored the broader implications of the partnership, stating, “In line with our DARE+ initiative, the partnership with NUS will not only enhance the learning environment for NUS staff and students but also set a benchmark for the future of education and offer valuable learnings for other industry applications.”

Furthermore, intelligent data collected from eSIMs promises to optimise campus operations and enhance the overall student experience. This partnership builds on previous collaborations, including the 2022 initiatives where NUS and StarHub deployed outdoor Wi-Fi networks and Wi-Fi on the Move solutions enabled by Enterprise 5G.

P.S. EDUtech_talks spoke to Ms Tan Shui Min, Chief Information Technology Officer of the National University of Singapore. Check out our previous interview here.

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30 January 2024

In what is a first for higher educational institutions, OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, has linked up with Arizona State University (ASU). The collaboration sees the university leveraging ChatGPT’s advanced capabilities to “enhance learning, creativity, and student outcomes”.

Chief Information Officer Lev Gonick shares “By providing access to advanced AI capabilities, these tools are levelling the playing field, allowing individuals and organisations – regardless of size or resources – to harness the power of AI for creative and innovative endeavours.”

Making this a collaborative effort rather than a top-to-bottom implementation, ASU is inviting faculty and staff to submit suggestions on how best ChatGPT Enterprise can be rolled out. Key project areas include enhancing student success, forging new avenues for innovative research and streamlining organisational processes.

This partnership adds to the amalgamation of efforts by ASU to be a leading institution in AI. Just last year, the university launched its AI Acceleration programme, aimed at creating the next generation of AI tools.

Could this be the first of many education partnerships for OpenAI? As education leaders come to grasp the proliferation and potential of AI tools, could we be inching closer to a more complete way of AI-enabled teaching and learning?

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Hear how this institutions’ technology center supported blended learning initiatives with it’s LMS implementation. From on boarding and training to pilot testing and risks hotpots, walk through this process with Director Jasmiene Domingo.

Speaker – Jasmiene Domingo, Director – Center for Instructional Technology Services, Baliuag University

The post Successful LMS roll-out in Baliuag University first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

What is AI? Discover the different types of AI and how you can use a simple tool, LOBE to get started on AI use in your teaching practices.

Speaker – Nevine Asfour, Head of IT, Alexandria International School

The post AI using LOBE first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Is your organisation structured to innovate? From talent to strategy and even physical structure, discover how you can transform your teams to work towards greater innovation to take on the demands of today’s digitalised education space.

Speaker – Paul Wilson, Director, Public Sector (Asia), Google Cloud

The post The culture of innovation first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

By simplifying IT management, increasing efficiencies, and replacing legacy technology platforms, colleges and universities are enhancing the student experience and simultaneously reducing cost and redundancies.

Speaker – Johann Zimmern, Global Education Strategy Lead, Zoom

The post Delivering unified communication for the connected campus first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Enhancing learning through devices, tech-equipped faculty, effective engagement and meaningful learning exchanges. President of Mae Fah Luang University Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chayaporn Wattanasiri shares how the institution is adapting to the age of digital learning.

Speaker – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chayaporn Wattanasiri, President, Mae Luang University

The post Making the shift to digital learning: Assessments, skills and lesson delivery first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Talent mobility and flexible education, Mahidol University’s President shares what steps they are taking to transform into a world-class university. As the learner profile expands to cater a changing digital economy, discover how Mahidol is making learning accessible. Additionally, understand how they are supporting faculty to further develop their research efforts.

Speaker – Banchong Mahaisavariya, President, Mahidol University

The post A two-pronged approach to transforming access to university first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Flipped classroom, blended learning, hybrid lesson delivery, universities are moving into alternative forms of teaching. As we shift away from traditional formats, what sort of student engagement can we expect? How can we ensure student outcomes are met?

Moderator – Arnan (Roger) Sipitakiat, Director, Teaching and Learning Innovation Center, Chiang Mai University
Panellists – Athitaya Nitchot, Lecturer and Assistant Professor, Prince of Songkla University International College; Vara Varavithya, Dean of the Digital Technology Faculty, Chitralada Institute of Technology; Chailerd Pichitpornchai, Director, Mahidol Univeristy; Charoenchai Wongwatkit, Deputy Director of Learning Innovation Institute, Mae Fah Luang University

The post Encouraging active learning with the use of technology first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Hear how Indonesia’s University of Education is preparing its students, future educators, to enter knowledge academies that are digitally-driven. Rector, Solehuddin Muhammad, highlights key shifts in higher education delivery, institutional challenges, and policy issues that need addressing.

Speaker – Solehuddin Muhammad, Rector, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (Indonesia University of Education)

The post The acceptance and challenges technology brings to Higher Education in Indonesia first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

It’s not just about modernising legacy IT systems. Digital transformation looks different at every institution, hear how these university leaders are envisioning their digital future. Go beyond with innovation and collaboration.

Moderator – Richardus Eko Indrajit, Chancellor, Pradita University
Panellists – Paulina Pannen, Chairperson, Cyber Education Institute; I Made Andi Arsana, Head Office of International Affairs, Universitas Gadjah Mada; Ace Suryadi, Professor, Head, PGRI Center Education Policy, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

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Encourage and foster innovation in teaching, learning, assessments, and campus operations. Our panel of speakers deliberate the continued integration of technological tools in the campus and how it should be done in order to ensure quality learning is achieved.

Moderator – Nurhizam Safie Bin Mohd Satar, Deputy Dean (Networking & Alumni), Faculty of Information Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Panellists – Joseph Lee, Vice Chancellor, INTI International University & Colleges; Vintha Guptan, Vice-Chancellor, Saito University College; Hairul Azhar Abdul Rashid, Vice President, Research, Industrial Collaborations and Engagement, Multimedia University; Mushtak Al-Atabi, Provost and Chief Executive Officer, Heriot Watt University Malaysia; Chinmoy Sahu, Vice-Chancellor, Manipal GlobalNxt University

The post Leveraging the acceleration of digitalisation as an opportunity, not just utility first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Chulalongkorn University’s CU Innovation Hub nurtures talents and develop innovations that transform how Thais live, learn, and play. Vice President for Strategic Planning, Innovation, and Global Engagement, Associate Professor Natcha Thawesaengskulthai sat down with EDUtech_talks to chat about what it means to have a university education, the importance of Sustainable Development Goals and how education institutions can encourage entrepreneurship.

EDUtech_talks: How do you develop innovation and research capabilities and mindsets amongst your staff and students?

Dr Natcha: We have our CU Innovation Hub, which is an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem at the University and that is one of the sandboxes of Chula. Changing mindsets means letting people explore future possibilities and resist to possible failures. We keep encouraging them to have an entrepreneur mindset by coming up with new ideas, trying new initiatives, and meeting new people. An entrepreneur in my opinion is a professional value-provider contributing greatly to society in terms of both social and economic impacts. This is also in line with our vision and strategies.

21st century skills paradigm is also critical, to be able to communicate your impactful ideas and to effectively collaborate with other people, you have to come up with creative ideas to solve difficult problems.

All this has been incubated in our project-based learning, where students participate in a social innovation project. Our project-based learning has now become blended learning classes where before we would give them the project in their traditional classrooms.

EDUtech_talks: Could you share with us how blended learning for entrepreneurship is delivered in and how digital tools has supported these programmes?

Dr Natcha: This is part of our sandbox, CU Innovation Hub. We have a degree programme called Bachelor of Arts and Science in Integrated Innovation (BAScii) which is the first of its kind for undergraduate students and we coach the project-based learning at the undergraduate level. We also have it for non-degree programs like upscale rescues. We found that there are big demands in digital technologies such as AI and robotics, which will play a vital role in the development of smart cities, health solutions, and sustainability.

Hence we have this program to bring together arts and science in developing integrated innovations and it has been very successful during the past two years.

Our students and alumni have also developed start-ups that produce education technologies and solutions. We have learning innovation centre, helping to develop new teaching pedagogy, for example, using augmented reality (AR). In our Faculty of Medicine, students can learn how to operate by viewing bodies and organs using AR. Now, learning can happen anytime anywhere, faster and cheaper. The students can also repeat their learning as many times as they want. The centre has so far offered more that 300 active learning methodologies using several different kinds of technologies.

At the same time, we also need the facilities for project-based learning. In the past, when we look at traditional classrooms it’s just a row of tables. However, for project-based learning we need smart and interactive classrooms. There are digital learning experiences where, students are effectively working in groups.

With the digital learning platforms, Chula is on anywhere anytime. We provide more than 100 classes free online for both students and the public. Currently, we have more than 1 million people enrolled in our courses. The students have a new style of learning which, they can learn from home and arrange flexible schedules.

EDUtech_talks: What would be your advice to other schools who are looking to build an entrepreneurship program like Chulalongkorn University?

​Dr Natcha: Everyone can do it, because I think an innovative ecosystem is just a platform that helps people to come together to think and do good deeds for their society. Actually, we also developed an innovative ecosystem at our demonstration school, which is at the primary and secondary school levels, and it works well. Innovation is not only at the university level; it can go down to the primary and secondary schools too. You just have to find the key educators who are supportive of this vision and leave with the goal of bringing people together and nurturing future leaders, developing new solutions for society.

I would say, the next generations are so capable. They are so talented but they just do not have the space to work on their ideas. They do not have the teacher or leader to empower them and to facilitate them to do amazing work.

So, I very much believe in our next generation of students and people. We just need to provide them the sandbox environment, and a teacher who understands them, and gives them opportunities to think critically, especially about social issues. They will be very proud when their product or service is on the shelf. We have got this type of platform for more than five years, so there have been a number of products we have in the marketplace. We are providing this product to the community and citizens for purchasing.

We have a pipeline of research works that we are focusing on, particularly in five clusters, health, education, BCG, sustainable societies, and deep technologies. During COVID-19, we have had a number of start-ups and innovations that helped the healthcare industry. This is something I think is aligned with the new generations’ objective of life. They feel proud of it, what they learn in class can really impact society.

It’s a win-win for everyone, and education is really about developing a good human well-being, not only the students themselves but at the end they feel they are part of this big world, becoming global citizens. This is something I think is aligned with the new generations’ objective of life. They feel proud of it, what they learn in class can really impact society.

Read the full interview with Assoc Prof Natcha in our latest E-book release “In Conversation With…” download your free copy here.

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“More than 95% of our e-learning infrastructure is currently running off the Cloud”.

Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Director of Learning Systems & Applications, Lee Chye Seng shares the challenges he faced when scaling systems for complete e-learning and what technologies he thinks are top-of-mind for future investment.

EDUtech_talks: What has the past year been like for you as the Director of Learning Systems and Applications and how has the University pivoted?

Lee Chye Seng: SUSS is one of the pioneer universities that provides e-learning to our students. But it was still a hectic year as my team had to ensure our e-learning infrastructure continues to be robust and stable with the upsurge in e-learning as a result of the Covid19 pandemic.

In early December 2019, I recall I was conducting a briefing for our schools and admin departments on our Business Continuing Management (BCM) plans for teaching and learning (i.e. how would the University respond in terms of the day-to-day teaching and learning in the event of an emergency), everyone listened at ease with the festive mood in the air. Lo and behold, just 2 months down the road, we received an urgent activation of a 2-week trial run of full-scale online learning by our Provost in Feb 2020. We scrambled to extend the use of Zoom from teaching small cohorts of students to getting every student-and-faculty (15,000 students and 1,200 faculty) aboard full online mode of teaching and learning.

As we were prepared with BCM plans in place, we did not rush to find available technology because we have been using online learning tools, albeit on a much smaller scale. What we had to literally execute quickly next, was to get every faculty ready to teach online. That was a tall order and it was amazing how we managed to deliver 5 training workshops over a short 2-week period.

EDUtech_talks: What do you think are some of the changing needs of the university and its stakeholders post pandemic?

Lee Chye Seng: The pandemic has fast forwarded the use of full-scale e-learning on a campus-wide basis. What was perceived as less ideal (e.g., synchronous learning and e-examination) has become an acceptable mode of delivery for teaching and learning, and progressively evolving into an integral part of the new education eco-system. Our faculty and staff have to be highly competent in facilitating teaching, learning and support for our students be it on-campus, off-campus or a hybrid with both modes inclusive. We are modifying our classrooms to be conducive for all modes of learning and accommodate students that are on-campus and online.

In terms of our fellow colleagues working in the new normal, our campus facilities have been under-utilised with staff working and students learning all remotely from home. We soon realised our office spaces have to be re-designed to accommodate the change as hotdesking could be a better concept instead of dedicated workspaces. The furniture and layout should also be designed with safe distancing in mind.

EDUtech_talks: Do you currently employ any cloud solutions in your organisation?

Lee Chye Seng: More than 95% of our e-learning infrastructure is currently running off the Cloud.

EDUtech_talks: What gave you the push to start implementing cloud-based solutions?

Lee Chye Seng: Time to market, lean staff strength, ease of IT service management and cost savings were the important factors. We could not afford to wait 6 to 8 weeks for the server hardware to be purchased and configured.

EDUtech_talks: What’s your Digital Campus vision and how are you working towards it?

Lee Chye Seng: We are trying to make our all-in-one learning mobile app smart. In the app, there is an indoor navigation and positioning system. Users who are wheelchair-bound will be prompted by a new feature that will guide them to use the elevator instead of the stairs. We are also keen to incorporate other smart features such as identifying students through facial recognition for security purposes.

Read the full interview with Chye Seng in our latest E-book release “In Conversation With…” download your free copy here.

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We sat down with Shui-Min Tan, Chief Information Technology Office at National University of Singapore to discuss how the institution has evolved over the past two years, how her team is tapping on AI and other emerging technologies to meet evolving demands not only in teaching but also in student life, understand how IT leaders, like herself, are having a say on how we teach, learn, live and work in a digital campus.

EDUtech_talks: What has the past year been like for you as the Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO) and how has the institution pivoted?

Tan Shui-Min: I took on the role right smack in the middle of the pandemic, so it was like taking over the baton and sprinting ahead. We were rolling out pandemic solutions whilst keeping to the timelines of our planned projects. As such, it has been busy, busy, busy. But it has been immensely satisfying so far, as the team worked together to deliver results for NUS. I have been blessed with a very strong and supportive team, one that is resilient especially when the going gets tough. I was formerly Director (Applications) and my focus was very much on the applications side of IT. Since taking over, I have had to keep up with the developments of infrastructure and cybersecurity as well.

We transited to remote working quite seamlessly and it showed that in terms of infrastructure we were quite prepared. Everything is either cloud-based or centralised and we have the security provisions to protect it as well. When it came to end-user devices, they were correctly configured to work from home which helped confirm that things put in place before were adequate.

EDUtech_talks: What do you think are some of the changing needs of the university and its stakeholders post pandemic?

Tan Shui-Min: Hybrid is here to stay – hybrid teaching and learning, hybrid research work, hybrid administrative work, etc. People have realised that work can be done remotely, but also recognised the importance of human interaction. As such, the future of work and learning is going to be a mix of physical and digital spaces.

We also envision a lot more online, blended type of learning and we need to be prepared not just with infrastructure but also other solutions like exam proctoring solutions and innovative pedagogy. This involves building smart classrooms, smart boards and also a need to bring up the digital dexterity of our staff. Teachers will need help with converting their lesson materials to video recordings and slides for students to refer to online.​

Additionally, we have subscribed to edX, continued to upgrade our learning management system and created a “geNiUS channel” where we put a lot of our teaching videos virtually.

We have been dabbling with Artificial Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) for the past three to four years and have built innovative pedagogies using these technologies. Through technology, we are seeeing virtual counselling, where medical students learn to support patients through virtual scenarios using VR. Instead of looking at two-dimensional molecular diagrams in a textbook, there is now the capability of looking at complex molecular structures in three-dimensional. These technologies cushioned us during the pandemic.

In today’s situation, students do not have patients for practice purposes and there is a limit in the numbers in the physical laboratory. Faced with these physical restrictions, VR and AR can create a new kind of learning environment for the student and one that can take place any time of the day.

In addition, NUS IT is working towards positioning as the “borderless” university, where students can learn from any part of the world, and research collaboration transcends geographical locations. A “borderless” university will no longer be constrained by physical and geographical limitations; it will be driven by technology, where teaching and learning, research can take place in the digital realm.

We have set this as our “True North”, where we draw our directions in creating our solutions. We are realising this in our implementation of the digital workplace to facilitate hybrid working and learning as well as the use of MR technology to create a digital learning space that can mimic the physical environment.

EDUtech_talks: What role do you see artificial intelligence (AI) playing in the future of education?

Tan Shui-Min: The potential implementation and application of AI are broad and wide-ranged and can apply to a multitude of facets in an organisation. For a higher-learning organisation, an AI system can bring tremendous benefit to the university’s foundation, that of education, research, and administration.​

On the educational aspect, we can view it from both sides of a learning process, via the educator, and the student. Educators benefit from an AI assistant system that reduces labour-intensive work, such as grading homework or assessing papers. This alleviates their burdens and allows educators to spend more time to focus on tailoring and conducting impactful lessons for their students, as well as research.​

At the same time, an AI assistant gathers insights on how well a student performs and provides recommendations on maintaining or improving their performance. Such information provides an early warning and course-corrective recommendations for non-performers who are on a trajectory of dropping out.​

On the student side, the application of an AI system should be all about maximising the chance of a successful learning process. The most basic application is probably a chatbot or assistant to help students navigate the university’s physical, virtual, and academic spaces. A more advanced application could tailor the learning process according to the student’s profile and allow students to select a learning path that fits their preferences and schedule.​

EDUtech_talks: What is your Smart Campus vision and how are your working towards it?

Tan Shui-Min: Smart Campus initiatives can be grouped into 2 areas – One revolving around the campus life and experience, and the other anchored in safety and sustainability initiatives.

Firstly, on campus life and experience. A student experiences life on campus through integrated experiences where technology is weaved into their activities. For instance, on-campus dining could be a cashless experience, with the capability of pre-ordering via their mobile, getting campus food delivered and having food lockers. Other initiatives include smart student accommodation with robot concierge services, AI help desks or dining halls with facial recognition.​

With campus life all in their palm, students can get a personal assistant on their phone, to remind them of class times, relevant bus arrivals, suggested routes, set-off time and nearby dining options. We want to create a one-stop mobile platform for staff and students, one that is smart and personalised for the individual and one that knows them well.

Secondly, we want to work on safety and sustainability and how technologies can play a role. Enhanced security with facial recognition around campus and video analytics, equipping buildings with sensors, internet of things (IoT), and algorithms to optimise energy consumption to work towards sustainability are all possibilities we will be looking into.

Read the full interview with Shui-Min in our latest E-book release “In Conversation With…” download your free copy here.

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Higher education institutions play a vital role in society. Not only do they produce holistic individuals that move on into industries but they are also hubs of innovation, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning. Discover how Silliman University embraces and leverages digitalisation not only in lesson delivery but also in creating spaces to tackle societal issues.

Speaker – Betty C Mccann, President, Silliman University

The post Designing and implementing innovative digital solutions for your institution first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

How can you create consistent and open channels of communication between IT and academic leaders? The role of IT leaders is growing in importance as institutions place heavier emphasis on digitalisation efforts. Of equal importance is their role in how lessons are being delivered, how can institutions encourage innovation with both parties?

Moderator – Elmerito Pineda, College Dean, City of Malabon University
Panellists – Ramcis N Vilchez, Dean, College of Computing Education, University of Mindanao; Yolynne Medina, Director, Educational Technology Centre, Universidad de Zamboanga; Redante Mendoza, Head, Teaching Innovations and E-Learning, St. Lukes Medical Centre College of Medicine; Harriet Fernandez, Computer Science Dept, Faculty; Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan; Nick Hutton, Regional Director, Asia, D2L Asia Pte Ltd

The post Driving collaboration between IT leaders and academic leaders for cohesive digital transformation first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

With the power of cloud technology, universities are able to offer students learning anytime anywhere. Understand how these two universities have built their cloud infrastructure and strategy so far, how it has supported them during school closures and their potential for future learning.

Speakers – Elenita Lasala, IT Director, Father Saturnino Urios University; Sandra Lovenia, Information Technology Resource Management Director, Ateneo de Manila University

The post Enabling seamless learning with cloud technology first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

Digitalisation, a necessity rather than an option. This period of change has shored up questions on traditional higher education. As institutions push on to move fully into the digital space, how has strategy and approach been reimagined?

Speakers – Ryan O’Hare, CEO, Asia Pacific, Keypath Education; Maria Spies, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Holoniq

The post New models for higher education partnerships first appeared on EDUtech_talks.

From incorporating the UN’s sustainable development goals into university objectives to focusing research efforts on community challenges. Understand how these two universities are moulding students into 21^st century citizens, capable of taking on the challenges of today’s world.

Speakers – Natcha Thawesaengskulthai, Vice President for Strategic Planning, Innovation and Global Engagement, Chulalongkorn University; Hieng Ho Lau, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus

The post Reimagining the digital campus: Keeping the evolving needs of the community in mind first appeared on EDUtech_talks.