On January 12, 2022, the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) hosted the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO-ICHEI) Annual Partnership and International Institute of Online Education (IIOE) meeting.

The theme of the event was “Digital Transformation of Higher Education in Asia-Pacific and Europe: For a Better Future and Beyond.” It was organized by UNESCO-ICHEI, UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE), and IIOE, and co-hosted by the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (UET Lahore), Pakistan. The meeting was held in a combination of online and offline.

Senior officials from UNESCO and national governments bodies, experts in relevant fields, presidents of universities in Asia and Europe, and faculty members attended the meeting.

The guests discussed the future direction of higher education, the digital transformation of higher education, and the best practices of online and blended learning in various regions through keynote reports and roundtable discussions.

The meeting was also the official launch of the IIOE Russian platform and its first Russian language training program.

Under the framework of IIOE, ICHEI cooperates with IITE, focusing on empowering teachers in Central Asia and promoting the digital transformation of higher education in the region.

The IIOE project is an educational platform jointly established by UNESCO-ICHEI, partner institutions in developing countries in the Asia-Pacific and African regions, and partner institutions and enterprises in China.

IIOE aims to help partner institutions in developing countries enhance their institutional capabilities, improving access to high-quality higher education. Currently, IIOE has provided high-quality digital technology training services to nearly 10,000 teachers in 135 countries worldwide.