Gen-AI For Education Takes Center Stage at APU

ASEAN’s educational leaders brainstorm solutions, shaping the future of learning.

The ‘ASEAN Stakeholder Summit on Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) for Education’ attracted over 200 participants.

The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) organised and hosted the ‘ASEAN Stakeholder Summit on Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) for Education’, the region’s inaugural leading event dedicated to Gen-AI innovative solutions for developing ASEAN education on 14-15 May 2024.

The summit attracted over 200 participants ― policymakers, educators, and industry leaders ― from 11 ASEAN countries and 14 non-ASEAN countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, UK and USA.

The summit underlined APU’s leadership role in spearheading educational transformation by leveraging Gen-AI to provide personalised learning, increase student engagement, and push for equal educational access across ASEAN.

The ASEAN Stakeholder Summit on Gen-AI for Education emerged as a key platform for collaboration as the region grapples with both the rapid spread of digital technology and the ongoing digital divide issue.

Themed ‘Unlocking the AI Frontier in ASEAN Education’, the event highlighted the urgency to provide personalised learning, increase student engagement, and promote educational equity access to everyone in Southeast Asia region in the face of these profound challenges.

Datuk Parmjit Singh, APU’s CEO, gave the opening speech, emphasising that unlocking the full potential of Gen-AI and achieving educational excellence required strong leadership, staff development, innovation, and a willingness to embrace new approaches.

The theme resonated deeply among all participants, highlighting the need for innovative and resilient approaches to Gen-AI’s applications in curriculum development, content generation, and customised assessments.

In response, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair currently hosted at APU and received strong support from the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) as primary sponsors.

The discussions highlighted the importance of digital infrastructure and equitable access; content accuracy, assessment validity and ethical considerations; educator and professional development; governmental and institutional support; Al-enhanced learning experiences and personalisation; and policy development and research advancement, emphasising the need for swift action towards practical outcomes and actionable insights.

Datuk Parmjit Singh, APU’s CEO, in inaugurating the summit, highlighted APU’s unwavering commitment in addressing Gen-AI and its potential to reshape teaching and learning across the region.

He urged Southeast Asian educational leaders to embrace Gen-AI’s potential, emphasising that “Unlocking the full potential of Gen-AI and achieving educational excellence requires bold leadership, staff development, innovation, and a willingness to embrace new approaches.”

Prof Dr Azlinda Azman, Malaysia’s Higher Education Director-General, emphasised the importance of educators unlocking Gen-AI’s potential to foster critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities, all of which are aligned with Malaysian educational values.

Prof Dr Azlinda Azman, Malaysia’s Higher Education Director-General, also delivered a powerful keynote address to kick-off the summit, stressing on the ethical and inclusive use of AI in education.

She emphasised on the need for educators to unlock Gen-AI’s potential to foster critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills, which are in line with Malaysia’s educational values.

Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, SEAMEO’s Director, pointed out ASEAN’s rapid digital expansion, with an estimated 400 million users in Southeast Asia and 40 million people going online for the first time in 2020, as well as the digital divide in educational access.

She highlighted the importance of understanding and empathising with various stakeholders, saying that “Understanding the current state is crucial for using Gen-AI to reshape teaching and learning.”

One of the delegates, Phonepasuerth Bounnaphonh from Luang Prabang Teacher Training College, Laos, described the summit as an invaluable learning experience.

The round table discussion process is happening to discuss the potential of Gen-AI in education and methods for applying it to ASEAN education.

“I valued the opportunity to represent my country, learn from diverse perspectives, and gain valuable insights into Gen-AI in education. Thank you to APU, UNESCO, sponsors, and all participants for their warm welcome and knowledge sharing. I am looking forward to future cooperation,” he explained.

Prof Dr Abtar Darshan Singh, APU’s Digital Learning Hub Director and UNESCO Chair, led the discussions on Gen-AI’s uses in curriculum development, content generation, and custom assessments.

Together with Mr Emiljohn Sentillas, Policy and Planning Specialists of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO), they announced the discussion summarised into five key takeaways: the inclusion of diverse perspectives in the definition and future direction of AI, the establishment of AI Resource Centres, comprehensive AI training for educators, AI literacy and ethical considerations, and AI-enhanced learning and personalisation.

The takeaway will be implemented across ASEAN countries, fostering a dynamic collaboration, knowledge exchange and networking among them to collectively devise solutions.

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Prof Dr Abtar Darshan Singh, APU’s Digital Learning Hub Director and UNESCO Chair (far left) poses with delegates while accompanied by Ts. Jonathan JS Kovilpillai, APU’s Program Manager, Digital Learning Hub (far right).