"Technological development is not an end in itself, but a means to shape the future of society"

 

Trine Jensen works for the International Association of Universities (IAU), where she is currently leading the programme on technology in higher education. From her office in Paris, she is in touch with universities from all over the world, which gives her a clear understanding of their different goals and sensibilities, specifically regarding digital transformation. Ms Jensen and other university representatives and experts in digital transformation and education from all over the world visited the UOC. Her visit to the UOC was dedicated to online education. We talked with her about the future of higher education, the impact of technology and the role of universities in the world today.

 

 

Trine Jensen works for the International Association of Universities (IAU), where she is currently leading the programme on technology in higher education. From her office in Paris, she is in touch with universities from all over the world, which gives her a clear understanding of their different goals and sensibilities, specifically regarding digital transformation. Ms Jensen and other university representatives and experts in digital transformation and education from all over the world visited the UOC. Her visit to the UOC was dedicated to online education. We talked with her about the future of higher education, the impact of technology and the role of universities in the world today.

 

As a global organization representing universities from all over the world, we see that the effects of digital transformations in higher education are very diverse, and challenges vary according to different contexts. Technology in higher education is one of the IAU’s recent strategic priorities. As a first step, we decided to develop a new policy statement in order to outline the values and the principles that must underpin digital transformations in higher education. For this, we have set up an expert advisory group with members from different regions, and we have also organized an open consultation for higher education institutions. It is important for us that the policy statement reflect the diversity of perspectives and needs of universities worldwide. Based on the preliminary results of the open consultation, we have observed that digital transformation is a high priority for the majority of higher education institutions. However, they face several obstacles. One of them is financing and the other is the need for a cultural change within university staff if we are to fully embrace the potential of new technologies.

I think online learning has enormous potential, but I don't believe that it will replace universities or higher education institutions. On the contrary, I think that we will need more training and learning throughout our lives. Maybe higher education institutions and universities have to play a different role. Since there is so much information available online, the role of universities may be more about teaching how to learn, discuss, debate, and be critical about the information that we receive. Another thing we are looking at is the need to include digital literacy as part of students’ learning outcomes – as a competence across disciplines, not necessarily related to tech-related subjects. There is a need for some kind of general knowledge about navigating and using information on the internet. This should be part of primary and secondary education already, before the university level, to make sure that no one is left behind in the information society.

It’s no coincidence that we chose the UOC for our first site visit as part of the IAU programme on digital transformation. The UOC was the world’s first fully online university. Soon it will celebrate its 25th anniversary, and we have only just celebrated 30 years of the World Wide Web. So the UOC has extensive experience in providing online education. For the IAU, it’s crucial that member universities from around the world be brought together to foster peer-learning and dialogue. Most of the IAU’s events are held at on-site universities, so it is very exciting for us to visit UOC and learn from it.

It’s up to our members to see how they can use the UOC’s information and experience in their own contexts. Learning from the UOC’s extensive experience doesn’t necessarily mean that they should do exactly what the UOC is doing. But they can get inspired and see how some of the UOC’s methodologies or initiatives can be used at more “traditional” universities with students on a campus. Participants will gain insights on how online learning is organized and how an online classroom is structured and managed. They will be able to learn about the UOC’s experience in terms of the accreditation process, facilitating online internships and setting up virtual laboratories. These are only a few examples of the different topics that participants will be discussing during the meeting at the UOC.

I agree with the experts who say that we have to demystify artificial intelligence, because it is not necessarily what we see in movies, where robots take over, representing a threat to humanity. The discussion should be more about how we decide to use technology to shape our societies. I think we have to explore technologies’ potential while also being aware of the risks. Some universities, for instance, use algorithms to detect when students are under-performing. This tool can be used either in the interest of the student, who would need tailored support, or to exclude students who do not meet the standards. I hope that we are aiming for the first scenario and we can use technology to support the learning process. Only time will tell in which direction we’ll head in the end, but I think it’s important that we carefully examine technological developments’ ethical considerations.

The IAU supports the idea of sharing knowledge and fostering open science. But we're an inclusive organization, we cover all types of universities, private and public, who might have different approaches to this topic. I think open knowledge is something that will become widespread, but it would also require a change in the way institutions operate. I hope that this will be part of our principles in the IAU’s new policy statement. Last year, our annual conference was devoted to “Higher Education: Partnerships for Societal Impact”, during which we advocated for quality higher education as a global common good.

I think things will change, but it will not be all of a sudden, from one day to another. When I think about the IAU’s annual conferences in the 1950s and 1960s, I realize that they raised the same issues that we are debating today. Some examples include: “The Role of Universities in the Rapidly Evolving Society”, “The Right to Education and Access to Higher Education” and “The role of the University in face of the material and moral changes brought by scientific and technological progress”. Technology has certainly developed and changed societies over the past 70 years, but being confronted with technological developments is a continuous process.

It is the pace of these changes, however, that has increased drastically in recent years. This is why it is all the more important to take time to digest and consider the ethical dimensions of digital transformations. They certainly carry the potential to enhance teaching, learning and research, but it is important to ensure that digital innovations serve the interests of all, and bridge the digital divide instead of deepening it further. We hope that the IAU’s new policy statement will raise awareness of the issues at stake and help shape policymaking. Technological development is not an end in itself, but a means to shape the future of higher education and society.