University of Nairobi appointed Chair of International Institute of Online Education (IIOE)

During the Conference, The University of Nairobi was appointed rotating Chair unit of the IIOE in 2022. “The IIOE National Centers” were officially launched in Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia.

The UoN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Kiama while accepting to chair the UNESCO ICHEI- International Centre for Higher Education Innovation,said “To all the IIOE representatives here today, the flames are high, and your support and constructive criticism can help us go further.”

The theme of the conference was “Digital Transformation Empowers the Future of Higher Education in West Asia and Africa“. The conference objective was to link IIOE global partners including institutions of higher learning, international organizations, enterprises and governments, build a platform for sharing and exchanging best practices, and discuss the digital transformation of higher education.

More than 120 representatives from institutions of higher learning from 27 countries, UNESCO headquarters and regional offices, other international organizations and international higher education experts attended the meeting.

The keynote address delivered by Mr. Cheng Jiangang, director of the Higher Education Digital Transformation Institute of the Innovation Center, outlined the critical role of digital transformation in building the future of higher education. He introduced the research and practice of blended teaching reform in China, involving courses, majors and institutions. He expressed his hope to cooperate with universities in West Asia and Africa in the field of mixed teaching reform based on the existing research and practical experience.

UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Africa Priority and External Relations, Mr Firmin Edouard Matoko,  stressed the importance of higher education in unlocking the potential of the African continent, especially its youth, which is crucial to a more prosperous and sustainable future.

More than 120 representatives from institutions of higher learning from 27 countries, UNESCO headquarters and regional offices, other international organizations and international higher education experts attended the meeting.

The conference was jointly organized by the UNESCO Higher Education Innovation Center (Shenzhen, China), UNESCO, and the IIOE 2021 rotating chair unit Lahore University of Engineering and Technology (Pakistan).