Plenary session ‘Education in the Digital Era: Challenges and Opportunities for APEC’

11 September 2018

Plenary session ‘Education in the Digital Era: Challenges and Opportunities for APEC’

KEY CONCLUSIONS

Digital era expands opportunities for cooperation in education

“Today, in the digital era, it is way easier to identify points for cooperation than before,” Victoria Panova, Vice-Rector for International Relations of the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU).

“It is becoming possible now to reduce the gap between development of nations thanks to <...> scientific research, thanks to technologies,” Nguyen Kim Son, President of Vietnam National University.

Russian education system adopting digital technologies

“This year, we have become a leader in Russian National Technology Initiative, we have opened a virtual and augmented reality centre, we are a key partner of University 20.35,” Nikita Anisimov, Rector of the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU).

New technologies provide great opportunities for education

“Mixed education, virtual plus real, provide great opportunities <...> The National Online Enrollment System <...> through which one can submit applications and get enrolled. <...> Almost 90% of all students registered through the new online system <...> it’s a big victory for us. <...> We see the online system as a strategic basis for further development, our goal is to connect universities with each other, with the government, with the rest of the world,” Steven Matainaho, Deputy Secretary – Operations, Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Papua New Guinea.

PROBLEMS

Nations are unable to meet global challenges alone

“We live in a hyperconnected world – due to digital technologies. The 21st century brought plenty of challenges: climate change, epidemic diseases, cybercrime, and terrorism. <...> New protection mechanisms are required <...> it all cannot be handled by a single country. <...> We, APEC members, should work together to find ways to meet these challenges,” Chan Wook Park, Acting President of Seoul National University.

Low availability of education in remote regions

“We should <...> leverage the advantages of digital technologies to provide inclusiveness of education, I mean providing services to all segments of the population, including vulnerable groups <...> people living in remote areas,” Igor Morgulov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

“One of our goals is to increase connectivity of our systems, make them more high-tech. It complies with <...> including remote areas into educational processes,” Steven Matainaho, Deputy Secretary – Operations, Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Papua New Guinea.

SOLUTIONS

Extended opportunities for international cooperation

“Only intensive international academic and educational cooperation, use of all resources of our universities will result in real advances and will help respond to the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution,” Nikita Anisimov, Rector of the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU).

“It is new educational technologies, new high-end network solutions, in both horizontal and vertical networks, that make our development successful. <...> You cannot make science on your own today. <...> New technology-based pattern of life required completely new understanding of educational practices,” Marina Borovaya, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

Exporting educational services

“One of [important educational – Ed.] projects is education export,” Marina Borovaya, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

“Student exchange helps strengthen bilateral cooperation of our nations and makes a great contribution to development of science and education, development of Russian culture in Vietnam and the other way round,” Nguyen Kim Son, President of Vietnam National University.

Developing humanities as part of educational process

“In the technological development era, humanities, development of spiritual and moral approaches and development of liberal arts play an important role,” Marina Borovaya, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

“Besides economic goals, our cooperation is going to contribute to improving social aspect of our lives,” Nguyen Kim Son, President of Vietnam National University.

“You can look up almost everything in your smartphone <...> within a few seconds, a great deal more important thing is social skills. <...> In the future, the education that has to do with some personal traits will be valuable,” Kiyoshi Yamada, Chancellor of Tokai University.

“Universities should make effort to raise talented and well-educated individuals who have a keen sense of <...> social responsibility. <...> Efficient technologies are becoming increasingly important, that is why an individual must be reasonable and talented to put together distant areas of expertise and academic issues. <...> We have opened the School of Convergence Science and Technology where we carry out interdisciplinary research,” Chan Wook Park, Acting President of Seoul National University.

Participation of state in educational technology development

“Investment issues are increasingly relevant. Technologies of the future must be sponsored not only by corporations, but also by governments and international organizations,” Chan Wook Park, Acting President of Seoul National University.

“Interrelation between educational establishments will only be effective if the initiative come from the strategic level, from above, that is to say,” Steven Matainaho, Deputy Secretary – Operations, Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Papua New Guinea.

Plenary session ‘Education in the Digital Era: Challenges and Opportunities for APEC’

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