International higher education embrace 'smart education'

The Global MOOC and Online Education Conference 2024 was held at Queen Mary University of London recently, bringing together global leaders in education to discuss the transformation of higher education in the age of artificial intelligence, according to China's Ministry of Education.

With the theme "Reimagining the Future of Higher Education in the Intelligence Era", the conference announced for the first time that higher education worldwide is entering a new era of smart education.

Two landmark reports were released during the conference, namely the Report on the Digital Development of Global Higher Education 2024, and the Digital Development Index of Global Higher Education 2024.

The scenario of teaching computational biology with the assistance of artificial intelligence, using mpox virus as a case study, was developed by 13 teams from four countries, including China, the United Kingdom and Austria.

It demonstrates the application of AI, Digital Twin, virtual simulation and other new technologies to create smart classrooms.

Meanwhile, an exhibition of cutting-edge educational digitalization projects showcased the latest innovations from institutions and organizations worldwide.

Projects from 17 universities, including Tsinghua University and Beihang University, as well as AI companies demonstrated AI-powered innovations in teaching, learning and virtual lab simulations, highlighting the transformative potential of technology in education.

The conference also hosted four symposiums addressing pressing issues such as university restructuring, ethical risks of AI, professional competency in the digital age and practice-based teaching models.

During the event, the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education in Mexico and Jordan's Edraak platform, the first massive open online platform in the Arab world, were announced as new members of the Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance.

A total of 340 representatives from 135 universities, online education institutions, international organizations and government agencies across 28 countries attended the conference, the ministry said.