From December 7th to 9th, 2023, the International Institute of Online Education (IIOE) Global Partners Summit on "Transforming Higher Education in the Age of Al" was successfully held. The conference witnessed the rotation of the IIOE Rotating Presidency Unit, with Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria taking over from Universiti Putra Malaysia(UPM) as the rotating presidency unit for the year 2024.

IIOE rotating presidency unit plays a crucial role in the governance structure of IIOE and has been in place since its inception, rotating annually among partner universities in different regions. Since the launch of IIOE in 2019, four IIOE partner universities have successively served as the rotating presidency unit, including Ain Shams University Egypt in 2020, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore Pakisan in 2021, University of Nairobi Kenya in 2022, and Universiti Putra Malaysia in 2023.

IIOE rotating presidency unit closely collaborates with UNESCO-ICHEI and the IIOE Secretariat, providing strategic guidance and support for the development of IIOE and the digital transformation of higher education in various regions. Since its inception in December 2019, with joint efforts from UNESCO-ICHEI and global partners, IIOE has adhered to the development principles of 'Co-consultation, Co-construction, and Shared benefits,' aiming to promote global digital transformation in higher education. Through the collaborative efforts of UNESCO-ICHEI, the IIOE rotating presidency unit, the IIOE Secretariat, and partner universities, IIOE has achieved significant results in areas such as the development of the global partner university network, digital capacity building for university teachers and leaders, innovative research in higher education, and the construction of digital infrastructure.

As of December 2023, IIOE has established partnerships with 87 higher education institutions in 33 countries and 29 enterprises, laying a solid foundation for broader collaboration in the digitisation of higher education. Through IIOE platform, it has provided relevant training in digital teaching for over 12,000 higher education professionals from more than 135 countries and regions worldwide.

In 2023, UNESCO-ICHEI launched the IIOE Micro-certification for Higher Education Teaching Personnel Project, aiming to provide competency-based certified training for IIOE partner institutions, empowering university teaching staff for future development in digital professionalism. Through multiple rounds of in-depth consultations with IIOE partner institutions, international experts, and partner enterprises, UNESCO-ICHEI, in collaboration, introduced a demand-driven framework for the digital competence of higher education teachers. This framework includes complementary competency assessment standards and various related guidelines, facilitating higher education institutions in implementing localized and customized micro-certification programs based on their specific needs. Following the IIOE principle of 'Extensive consultation, Joint contribution, Shared benefits,' IIOE, together with partner institutions, collectively develops training content for different competence modules of the micro-certification, available for use by all IIOE partner institutions. Simultaneously, the IIOE Micro-Certification Program focuses on the recognition of competency certification for teachers' professional development and collaborates with the UNESCO regional office and partner institutions to develop policy guidelines related to micro-certifications.

In 2023, UNESCO-ICHEI established the 'UNESCO-ICHEI Higher Education Digitalisation Pioneer Case Award' to encourage IIOE partner institutions to actively explore innovative practices, promote global experience sharing, and facilitate dissemination. For this edition of the Pioneer Award, a total of 131 submissions were received from 83 institutions across 42 countries and 9 enterprises globally. After the evaluation process, 22 winning entries were selected, comprising 12 cases from overseas institutions, 4 from Chinese institutions, and 6 from enterprises.

UNESCO-ICHEI upgraded the functionality of the IIOE platform, completing the upgrades for versions 2.0 and 3.0 in early and late 2023, respectively. UNESCO-ICHEI introduced the Intelligent Teaching Assistant (iTA) feature to the IIOE platform and granted management permissions to the IIOE National Centers on the platform. This move further supports IIOE partner institutions in conducting capacity building and related activities through the IIOE platform.

UNESCO-ICHEI in collaboration with IIOE partner institutions and businesses, has jointly launched the Smart Classroom project, providing digital infrastructure to IIOE partner institutions to narrow the digital divide. Currently, UNESCO-ICHEI has implemented the Smart Classroom project in 40 countries worldwide, with completed and operational projects in 13 countries.

As the representative of IIOE rotating presidency unit for 2023, Professor Ismi Arif Ismail, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia, summarized the achievements of IIOE in the past year and highlighted Universiti Putra Malaysia's active participation in core projects such as the IIOE National Center and Micro-certification project. He stated that 2023 was an important and challenging year, showcasing the resilience of collaboration. In the age of artificial intelligence, it is essential to enhance our learning skills, and IIOE has played a crucial role in connecting us better in the perspective of digital teaching. Professor Ismi expressed expectations for the future development of IIOE under the leadership of the next rotating presidency unit, Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria, and its representative Vice Chancellor Professor Kabiru Bala. He hoped that IIOE would continue to address a series of challenges, better serve the global network, and create quality higher education. This includes the improved application of digital products and equipment, empowering our society's transformation.

Professor Ismi Arif Ismail, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia

As the representative of IIOE rotating presidency unit for 2024, Vice Chancellor Kabiru Bala of Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria first expressed gratitude to the previous rotating presidency unit for their significant contributions to the development of IIOE. He stated that Ahmadu Bello University, as the rotating presidency unit for 2024, will shoulder its responsibilities, work together with IIOE partner institutions, and further promote the development of IIOE in 2024, forming more alliances at the strategic level. He emphasized the significant role of artificial intelligence in promoting the digital transformation of higher education, stating that a new educational model is emerging, and preparations must be made to reshape and adapt. As managers in higher education, guidelines and principles should be established to ensure inclusivity and fairness.

Professor Kabiru Bala, Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria

In 2024, UNESCO-ICHEI, together with Ahmadu Bello University and IIOE partners, will collaborate to further drive the digital transformation of higher education, contribute to achieving SDG4 goals, and continue to contribute to IIOE's mission. IIOE looks forward to working hand in hand with Ahmadu Bello University and global partners to contribute more wisdom and strength to the global digital transformation of higher education.