Launch of IIOE Micro-certification and Pioneer Case Award
On July 4, 2023, UNESCO-ICHEI (Shenzhen, China) successfully launched the IIOE Micro-certification for Higher Education Teaching Personnel Project , and introduced the Higher Education Digitalisation Pioneer Case Award.
The launch ceremony of the IIOE Micro-certification Project under the guiding principle of co-consultation, co-construction, and co-sharing among global partners. Aligned with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 4 and UNESCO's "Futures of Education Initiative", the initiative aims to empower teaching personnel of higher education for future-oriented digital capability development through certification training, based on the IIOE network."
At the same time, the UNESCO-ICHEI Higher Education Digitalisation Pioneer Case Award (hereafter referred to as the "Pioneer Award") was officially launched to the world. The establishment of the Pioneer Award signifies an innovative and important step taken by UNESCO-ICHEI to motivate IIOE partner HEIs in developing countries to respond to the digital transformation of higher education and lead digital teaching measures. It encourages IIOE partner institutions to actively explore innovative practices and promote the sharing and publicity of experiences globally.
Mr. LIM Cher Ping, Chief Expert of IIOE, UNESCO-ICHEI, Chair Professor of Learning Technologies and Innovation, Education University of Hong Kong, Ms. WEI Fei, Associate Research Fellow, Deputy Dean of School of Open Learning and Education, East China Normal University, Mr. Yang Wenming, Professor, Coordinator of UNESCO Chair on Digitalization in TVET and UNEVOC Centre at Shenzhen Polytechnic, Mr. Wesley Teter, Senior Consultant for Educational Innovation and Skills Development (EISD), UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Bangkok, Mr. Paul Prinsloo, Research Professor in Open Distance Learning, University of South Africa, Mr. Mohamed Elfarnawany, Mr. Mohamed Elfarnawany, Director of Division of Priority Africa Coordination, Priority Africa and External Relations (PAX), as well as over 230 attendees from more than 50 countries, attended the meeting. Mr. QIN Changwei, Secretary-General of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO delivered a speech online. Mr. LI Ming, Director of UNESCO-ICHEI, Chair Professor of Southern University of Science and Technology made a summary of the meeting.
IIOE Micro-certification Research Group
In the Micro-certification Research Group Session, Mr. LIM Cher Ping, hosted the sharing of research results. He pointed out that the initiation and implementation of the IIOE Micro-Certification Project are the results of in-depth consultations and refinement with numerous partner enterprises and regional experts. The project aims to launch a demand-driven and future-oriented digital competency-building framework for higher education teachers, promoting the implementation of localized and customized micro-certification project by higher education institutions, thus narrowing regional differences and achieving educational equity.
Ms. SU Rui, Researcher at the Institute for Higher Education Digital Transformation, UNESCO-ICHEI, Deputy lead of the IIOE Micro-Certification for Higher Education Teaching Personnel Project, introduced the IIOE Micro-certification project framework. This project aims to provide opportunities for global HEIs to cultivate digital competencies of teaching personnel, co-construct and co-share relevant training resources, support the systematic promotion of the digital capability reference framework for higher education teaching personel from national policy to institutional practice level, and provide policy recommendations to incorporate Micro-certification into teaching personel's career development pathways. Based on this project, IIOE, in collaboration with East China Normal University, has developed the IIOE Higher Education Teaching Personel Digital Competency Reference Framework and related competency models to serve more IIOE partner institutions, and help teaching personel of various functional backgrounds and levels to enhance their digital competencies.
Ms. WEI Fei, shared the Micro-certification paradigm for higher education teaching personnel digital reference framework and professional development. Based on multiple rounds of international expert validation and iteration, this reference framework considers various aspects such as practical needs, teaching environment, academic basis, and stackable skills, to build a learning model that is grounded, assessable, easy to collect, and mutually certified, providing professional theoretical support for the construction of the IIOE Micro-certification framework and resources.
Mr. YANG Wenming introduced the digital competence framework and evaluation standards for TVET teachers and trainers. The framework covers three dimensions, namely foundation digital skills, digital teaching skills, and digital professional development skills, and helps improve the digital literacy of TVET teachers and trainers, promote digital education resources, and boosts the development of their future-oriented competency. The framework also lays a foundation for the development of demand-driven and localized micro-certification courses.
Action Focus
The Action Focus section of the meeting showcased the regional actions and paths of Micro-certification.
Mr. Wesley Teter pointed out that it is necessary to explore the action plan through practice when building an effective mechanism for teachers' continuous professional development. He raised several key questions: Are institutions promoting more equitable mechanisms? What kind of resources can micro-certification bring to better realize the vision? Will stakeholders be able to maintain their focus on this area? Wesley called on Asia-Pacific universities to actively apply and participate in the regional pilot projects, focusing on the localization processes of project implementation.
Assistant Director & Chief of the West-Asia and Africa Programme Office, UNESCO-ICHEI, Ms. Bi Xiaohan introduced the resources and support that can be provided from the perspective of IIOE and ICHEI to help better implement the micro-certification project in West Asia and Africa. She pointed out that at present, universities face some common challenges in the implementation of micro-certification: insufficient professional qualifications for teachers' digital training, and insufficient funds, resources and technologies related to training projects. In order to tackle these challenges, Bi Xiaohan proposed that solutions should be introduced based on localization. Higher Education Teaching Personnel Digital Reference Framework is not the endpoint, different countries adapt to their own circumstances to give micro-credential programmes a thriving life. IIOE and ICHEI will also provide strong support to partner universities in terms of research, competency building, technology support, learning resources, and experts.
Mr. Paul Prinsloo reviewed the situation in the West Asia-Africa region. The allocation of educational resources has also been affected by national and cultural differences, and the launch of micro-certification needs to be implemented for the specific situation in South Africa and adapted in practice. Micro-certifications should set a more humane focus and lead teachers to a development path that is professional and closely integrated with practice.
Diverse Collaboration Mechanism
Micro-certification from the Industry
This session was hosted by Mr. XUE Feng, Chief of IIOE Management Centre, UNESCO-ICHEI, Lead of the IIOE Micro-Certification for Higher Education Teaching Personnel Project. He released Micro-certification courses from industry partners including Huawei, Baidu, OS-Easy, Weidong Cloud Education, and CreateView, and showcased a joint video of course launches. To enhance the value, authority, and mutual recognition of the Micro-certification, IIOE advocates for joint certification with partner universities and enterprises, promoting resource sharing and driving the development of teaching personnel digital competencies, while also benefiting the cultivation of students' digital skills.
Effective from the date of this announcement, the Micro-certification courses will be gradually available on the IIOE platform. It is also anticipated that this mechanism will continuously facilitate co-construction and co-sharing of resources.
Pioneer Award Mechanism Release
Mr. Mohamed Elfarnawany, Director of Division of Priority Africa Coordination, Priority Africa and External Relations (PAX), UNESCO, presided over the significant global launch of the UNESCO-ICHEI Higher Education Digitalisation Pioneer Case Award and highly praised the initiative. He expressed appreciation to IIOE for its work in the micro-certification project, and appreciate the flexibility and effectiveness of micro-certifications, and will continue to follow up the work systematically to bring the micro-certification project to fruition in Asia Pacific, West Asia, Africa and other parts of the world, so that more people can enjoy the benefits of digitalization and reduce the impact of the digital divide. An official video was shown to the attendees on the details of the Pioneer Award. The Q&A was conducted by Mr. LIM Cher Ping. He emphasized that the Pioneer Award is an important award jointly created by IIOE and global partners, the award is inclusive and inclusive, and the inaugural Pioneer Award focuses on hybrid teaching, and looks forward to seeing more sucessful cases and pioneer institutions emerge around the world.
The Pioneer Award is held every three years, with this edition's theme being "The Reform and Innovation of Blended Learning in Higher Education". The IIOE Secretariat will select ten best practice cases from the global partner network and award each winning case with CNY70,000 (or equivalent USD) to encourage the leading and exemplary role played by some HEIs in developing countries in addressing the digital transformation of teaching over the past three years.
Starting from July 4, the IIOE officially published the charter and proceedings for the Pioneer Award on IIOE official website. The iioe.org will be the only official channel for the award application. The application will be open for submission from August to October 31, 2023. Please stay tuned for updates. The IIOE Global Partners Summit will be held by IIOE Secretariat in Shenzhen, China in December 2023, and in announcing the poineer award ceremony.
Closing Remarks
Mr. Hou Shengtao, Professor of SUSTech, presided over the closing session, inviting Mr. Qin Changwei, Secretary-General of the Secretariat of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, and Mr. Li Ming, Chair Professor of SUSTech and Director of the UNESCO Innovation Centre for Higher Education, to deliver closing remarks, and would like to thank all the online and offline speakers for their wonderful speeches.
Mr. Qin Changwei said that the digital transformation of education is an important carrier and direction of the world's education transformation, and all countries should adhere to integrity and innovation to make the achievements of digital education more beneficial to the people of all countries. China attaches great importance to the key role of digital technology in the reform and development of education, and is vigorously implementing the national education digitalization strategic action, promoting the integration and development of digital technology and traditional education, building a national smart education platform, providing strong support for personalized learning and lifelong learning for all people, and actively promoting teacher training and improving teachers' digital competency as important basic work and achieving good results. The UNESCO-ICHEI launched the IIOE Micro-Certification for Higher Education Teaching Personnel Project ,which provides more flexible learning models for teachers around the world, creates conditions for diversified development resources, and opportunities for professional and collaborative development; At the same time, The UNESCO-ICHEI Higher Education Digitalisation Pioneer Case Award is set up to encourage higher education institutions and educators to continue to explore cutting-edge concepts and innovative practices of digital transformation in education, and promote the international dissemination and sharing of excellent practice cases.
Mr. Li Ming said that over the past few years, The UNESCO-ICHEI has carried out various ICT education digitalization projects with global partners, and built an education digital platform and formed an alliance through "extensive consultation, joint construction and shared benefits. Through the IIOE Micro-Certification project and UNESCO-ICHE Higher Education Digitalisation Pioneer Case Award, the UNESCO-ICHE and its partners will continue to improve and enhance the ecosystem of digital transformation of higher education. The IIOE Micro-Certification for Higher Education Teaching Personnel Project will carry out the first round of pilots in interested universities in Asia Pacific and Africa, and will customize the plan according to the localization needs of different countries and universities to achieve effective landing goals. The Pioneer Case Award aims to inspire IIOE national centres and partner institutions to develop blended teaching best practices, create a trend of point-to-face innovation, and encourage partner institutions and teachers in developing countries to achieve further excellence.
The UNESCO-ICHEI welcomes global partners to join the pilot project of "IIOE Micro-Certification for Higher Education Teaching Personnel project " and the "UNESCO-ICHEI Higher Education Digitalisation Pioneer Case Award", and join hands with global partner universities and enterprises to move towards a new chapter of digital transformation of higher education!