MUSCAT: The 11th session of the Arab World Digital Universities Conference concluded in the Wilayat of Al Seeb, emphasising the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. The conference called for universities to reimagine their use of agent AI, AI-enabled learning, and digital technologies in medical education and national research networks.
Participants also stressed strengthening leadership and human resources, embedding digital transformation at the highest levels of university strategy, and empowering faculty, staff and students with the confidence, skills and ethical frameworks needed to excel in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Conference recommendations included promoting flexibility and inclusiveness, launching targeted pilot initiatives accessible to all learners, and integrating locally relevant tools and resources in Arabic to ensure technology meets the needs of Arab societies.
Universities were urged to measure readiness for AI, benchmark with peer institutions, exchange expertise and transfer technology to educational practices. Initiatives such as the Higher Education Digital Maturity Index were encouraged to guide strategic planning, accelerate institutional missions and provide frameworks for progress, ensuring higher education shapes the future of technology.
The three-day conference, titled 'Digital Innovation for Sustainable and Flexible Higher Education,' was organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation in collaboration with the Arab Open University in Muscat. It brought together over 300 participants, 80 specialised speakers from 28 countries, 100 organisers, and representatives from 70 higher education institutions. — ONA
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