Hebei University Participates in the 2024 World MOOC and Online Education Conference

From December 12 to 13, the 2024 World MOOC and Online Education Conference was held at Queen Mary University of London, UK. Notable attendees included Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO, Wu Yan, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education, China, and Jack Smith, Minister of State for Education in the UK, who delivered speeches at the main conference.  

During the conference, four thematic meetings were held focusing on shared concerns such as the restructuring of university models, ethical risks of artificial intelligence, professional competencies and digital literacy, and new paradigms of practice-oriented teaching. Meng Qingyu, President of Hebei University, was invited to participate and presented a speech in a sub-forum titled “Ethical Risks of AI: Challenges and Policy Recommendations from a Global Perspective.” Meng discussed the ethical boundaries of artificial intelligence technology, the construction of regulatory frameworks, and comprehensive governance paradigms, sharing insights and practical explorations on the governance of ethical risks associated with artificial intelligence. He pointed out that artificial intelligence technology is profoundly changing the modes of production, lifestyle, and thinking in human society, while ethical risks such as subject alienation, algorithmic bias, and the digital divide have become global issues. He emphasised that the healthy development of artificial intelligence technology must adhere to the principles of joint consultation, construction, and sharing, establishing an open, fair, and effective governance mechanism. He advocated for the organic unity of value rationality and instrumental rationality to shape a better future for technology that benefits humanity. He also expressed a desire to deepen communication and cooperation with all parties to enhance mutual understanding and achieve win-win development.  

The theme of this conference was “Reconstructing Future Higher Education in the Intelligent Era.” It introduced the concept of the global higher education entering the “Era of Smart Education” for the first time and released the “World Higher Education Digital Development Report (2024)” and the “World Higher Education Digital Development Index (2024).” Additionally, it unveiled typical application scenarios for smart education and hosted an exhibition showcasing cutting-edge achievements in educational digitalisation, highlighting the latest advancements in digital education from various countries. Representatives from 340 institutions, including 135 universities, online education platforms, international organisations, and government agencies from 28 countries participated in the conference.