12th ASEAN+3 Heads of International Relations Meeting: Digital Transformation in Educational Institutions
By Ahmad Fauzi - Mahasiswa Rekayasa Kehutanan, 2021
Editor M. Naufal Hafizh, S.S.
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id – Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) served as the host of the 12th ASEAN+3 Heads of International Relations Meeting, with one of its events held at the East Hall, ITB Ganesha Campus, on Thursday–Friday (8–9 May 2025). Organized by the ASEAN University Network (AUN), this event brought together various universities from ASEAN countries, along with representatives from the People's Republic of China, South Korea, and Japan.
On the first day, there was a presentation session with the theme “Institutional Innovative Pathways in Digital Transformation”, featuring speakers from the Vice President of International Engagement at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Prof. Lee Pooi See, and the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and International) of Universiti Utara Malaysia, Prof. Dr. Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani.
Prof. Lee explained that NTU began its digital transformation journey in 2017, which was further strengthened in the NTU2025 Plan. There are several objectives of the digital transformation: resource savings, efficiency, experience, and readiness. “Resource savings relate to time, budget, and impact, while efficiency relates to compliance and productivity; experience refers to engagement and quality; and readiness refers to future preparedness and sustainability,” she said.
She gave an example that NTU was the first university in Asia to implement cloud-based enterprise technologies to operate and support the university's functions remotely in various areas such as finance, human resources, IT, procurement, and student affairs.
“Especially in human resources, we were the first in Asia to launch a digital platform,” she said.
In addition, NTU has developed digital learning through both distance learning and blended learning formats. The university has also advanced workforce development by aligning the curriculum, providing digital literacy training, conducting research, fostering innovation, and running pilot programs.
To achieve digital transformation, NTU collaborates with various international partners, one of which is ITB through a joint initiative called INSPIRASI (Indonesia–NTU Singapore Institute of Research for Sustainability and Innovation), focusing on research and sustainable innovation. NTU also partners with a non-profit organization from Germany through a program called Quantum Sovereignty and Resilience (QUASAR), which focuses on quantum cybersecurity.
Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani presented an overview of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), located in Kedah, Malaysia. UUM has implemented innovative digital education that aligns with the principles of sustainability.
“There are five main digital innovations at UUM: 1) UUM Smart Campus Roadmap; 2) Institute for Advanced and Smart Digital Opportunities (IASDO); 3) Green Digital Campus Initiatives; 4) Changloon Transformation Project; and 5) Sustainability in Digital Education,” he said.
The UUM Smart Campus Roadmap was launched in 2022 with the goal of transforming UUM into a fully integrated smart campus by 2030. This initiative focuses on energy-efficient digital infrastructure and sustainable campus operations. Meanwhile, IASDO aims to empower Malaysian citizens to become part of a digital society and to support the ‘Smart Digital Nation’ initiative. There are two key aspects to this effort: community engagement and educational outreach.
UUM also integrates environmentally friendly practices into its educational framework, which includes energy-efficient digital infrastructure, green digital citizenship, and curriculum integration. Meanwhile, the Changloon Transformation Project focuses on smart city initiatives and community development.
Translator: Indira Akmalia Hendri
