KNUST Explores New Opportunities for Online Education and Collaboration at Leeds Conference

Professor Eric Appau Asante, Director of the KNUST E-Learning Centre, has described the International Partners Conference at the University of Leeds as a step toward advancing KNUST’s goals in online education and global partnerships.

The conference brought together institutions to explore topics such as embedding global mindsets, fostering collaborations, and scaling digital education.

University of leeds

Discussions

Professor Asante met with Dr. Margaret Korosec, Dean of Online and Digital Education at the University of Leeds, to discuss scaling online education. Dr. Korosec expressed her interest in supporting KNUST’s efforts to enhance its online learning capabilities. Dr. Korosec also showed interest in participating in KNUST’s upcoming E-Learning Week scheduled for June or July 2024. In another engagement, Professor Asante held discussions with Dr. Ward, leader of the Collaborative Online International Learning initiative.

The focus was on creating opportunities for KNUST faculty and students to participate in cross-cultural learning experiences.
University of leeds - Prof K Duah and Prof Eric Asante

Panel discussion on global mindsets

The Dean of KNUST’s International Programmes Office, Professor Daniel Y. A. Duah, participated in a panel discussion themed "Embedding Global Mindsets in Universities.

"Professor Duah highlighted KNUST’s commitment to partnerships, citing over 400 agreements with global institutions, half of which are active.

"KNUST is dedicated to internationalization through student and staff mobility as well as joint research. This has enhanced our visibility on the global stage,"Professor Duah said. He emphasized the importance of balancing global perspectives with local contexts and shared strategies KNUST employs to increase the visibility of its International Office, such as social media updates and roadshows.

University of leeds Prof Duah

Potential collaboration in virtual reality

Another outcome of the conference was a potential collaboration between KNUST and the Virtual Reality (VR) team at the University of Leeds. The VR team expressed interest in working with KNUST’s Immersive Learning Unit, housed at the E-Learning Centre.

Takeaways and next steps

The visit to Leeds revealed opportunities for KNUST:

1. Collaborating with the University of Leeds on online education and immersive learning.

2. Leveraging Dr. Korosec’s expertise to scale KNUST’s online education strategies.

3. Formalizing participation in the COIL initiative to promote global connections for faculty and students.

4. Adopting innovative strategies shared by Professor Duah to enhance the visibility of KNUST’s international programs.

5. Advancing collaborative learning technologies through the proposed partnership with Leeds’ VR team.

Professor Asante outlined steps following the conference.

"We plan to schedule follow-up meetings with Dr. Korosec and Dr. Ward to explore these opportunities further. Additionally, a working group will be established to define the scope of our collaboration with the Leeds VR team," he said. The International Partners Conference has opened new avenues for KNUST to strengthen its digital education initiatives and global partnerships.

Published: 13th December,2024 Source: KNUST E-Learning Centre