The 5th ASEF Higher Education Innovation Laboratory (ASEFInnoLab5) Onsite Event successfully took place on 21-25 October 2024 in Shanghai, China, bringing together 50 academics from 22 countries across Asia and Europe.
Under the theme “Universities’ Role in AI Innovation Ecosystems”, participants delved into three key areas: AI Governance, AI in Education, and AI for Sustainable Development. Through intensive discussions, brainstorming, and collaboration, the cohort worked on a set of white papers focused on these subthemes. These documents will outline the current landscape, provide guiding principles, and recommend actionable steps for university leaders, offering strategic guidance for higher education in the AI era.
We were delighted to co-organise this impactful event with Fudan University, our local host and implementing partner. We also had support from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the ASEM Education Secretariat (AES), and the Asia-Europe for Artificial Intelligence (AE4AI) Network in making this possible. This week-long gathering showcased a dynamic exchange of knowledge, insights, and perspectives, reinforcing the essential role of universities in shaping responsible and impactful AI innovation across Asia and Europe.
On 23 October, we were glad to co-host the meeting of the ASEM Education Expert Group on Digitalisation. Select members of the EG came to Shanghai for their hybrid meeting. Afterwards, they joined the main cohort to further enrich the discussions on AI in Education, beginning with a panel discussion that explored how education policies influence the role of universities in fostering AI innovation across Asia and Europe. Their sharing underscored the importance of proactive policy-making to position universities as central players in the evolving AI innovation ecosystem.
Each day, we put the spotlight on one subtheme for a sharper focus on the discussions, with workshops following each programme block to give the thematic working groups a chance to integrate their learnings into their white paper.
Read on for an overview of the discussions on each topic!
ASEFInnoLab5 kicked off with an intensive focus on AI Governance, exploring how universities can shape responsible AI innovation and policy.
In his keynote, Prof. SHEN Yi from Fudan University underscored universities’ central role in AI innovation, emphasizing their impact on research, ethics, and policy to ensure AI serves society responsibly. Prof. XIAO Qian of Tsinghua University expanded on this by discussing the international landscape of AI governance, the progress in China, and Tsinghua’s initiatives in this domain. Prof. LU Chuanying of Tongji University shared insights on China’s Artificial Intelligence strategic model, which involves government, industry, and academia.
We were also inspired by student panelists from Fudan University, Mr Filip FILIPOVIC, Kaiwei ZHOU, and Zhao YANG, who highlighted the significance of empowering youth in AI governance through the Youth Innovation Competition on Global Governance.
The panel discussion that followed explored key trends such as the commercialisation, politicisation, and polarisation of AI, highlighting the essential role universities play as curators of scientific standards, facilitators of stakeholder dialogues, and regulators of AI’s societal impact. Panelists emphasised risk management and training to reduce AI biases, underscored the need for interdisciplinary research, and stressed data quality, security, and sovereignty. They called for international collaboration, suggesting that universities focus on specific areas of AI governance based on their expertise and prepare for future challenges. Ethical considerations, transparency, data privacy, and accessibility were also identified as essential for building a responsible, open-source AI ecosystem.
The third day, focused on Sustainable Development, kicked off with an insightful keynote presentation by Prof Mohd Fadhil Md Din, Director of UTM Campus Sustainability at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He highlighted the current state of AI for Sustainable Development and shared key trends that will shape the future of AI in higher education.
This was followed by a panel discussion where speakers highlighted the urgent need to address the environmental impact of AI, noting that data centers could consume up to 3.5% of global energy by 2028. They called for increased research into energy-efficient AI solutions that balance accuracy with sustainability. Emphasising the importance of international and interdisciplinary collaboration, the panel advocated for open AI research, the development of energy-efficient systems, and the integration of ethical AI education. Additionally, they underscored AI’s potential to create a sustainable and inclusive future, stressing the necessity of multi-stakeholder partnerships to maximise AI’s benefits while effectively mitigating its risks.
On the last two days of the event, keynote speakers provided forward-looking insights into AI’s impact on education and the workforce. Ms Ummuhan BARDAK from the European Training Foundation discussed the skills essential for the future labor market, focusing on the EU Framework on AI, adapting education to the age of AI, and strategies for universities to address associated risks. Ms Yvonne LIAO from Squirrel Ai Learning showcased how their innovative Large Adaptive Model (LAM) is transforming personalised learning, bringing a new dimension to AI-driven education. These sessions underscored the critical role of AI in shaping both learning experiences and future career landscapes.
In addition to the policy-focused panel discussion by the members of the EG on Digitalisation, two others were held to facilitate sharing of ideas on the White Paper on Universities’ Role in AI in Education.
Speakers tackled diverse themes, from the challenges of using AI in qualification recognition and enhancing learning outcomes through AI literacy to rethinking industrial design education with a student-centered, collaborative approach. Presentations also highlighted the potential of AI in reducing administrative barriers and fostering fairer qualification recognition processes.
The panelists shared actionable strategies, such as creating AI ecological education policies, promoting ethical guidelines, and supporting reflective, human-centric learning experiences. They emphasised the importance of inclusive, competency-based assessments, the role of AI in reducing burnout, and the need to balance academic integrity with AI innovation. Discussions also underscored building strong AI education ecosystems through collaboration, upskilling, and supporting women’s representation in AI fields. Together, these insights laid the groundwork for integrating AI responsibly and effectively into higher education across Asia and Europe.
Check out the ASEFInnoLab5 main programme materials here:
Other key programme highlights were the cohort’s visit to MiniMax, a prominent AI firm in China rapidly gaining recognition as one of its top “AI Tiger” companies. The Dialogue on AI Innovation in Asia and Europe was also held as a soft launch ceremony for the ASEFInnoLab5 publication—a compilation of the position papers produced by the online cohort earlier this year.
On the last day, we celebrated the closing of our week-long programme where participants shared their reflections on the program, and our facilitators gave insights into the white paper progress. We also proudly welcomed our cohort into the Asia-Europe for Artificial Intelligence (AE4AI) Network—a group established by ASEFInnoLab4 alumni last year. New members discussed their visions for the network’s future, setting an exciting direction for the year ahead.
As ASEFInnoLab5 comes to a close, preparations continue for the ASEFInnoLab5 publication’s official launch and the finalisation of the White Papers on Universities’ Role in AI Governance, AI in Education, and AI for Sustainable Development.
If you wish to learn more about work in Education, visit our thematic webpage here. Highlights from our portfolio will also be shared from time to time through our e-newsletter and posted through our online channels such as Facebook (ASEF; ASEFEdu) and LinkedIn (ASEF; ASEFEdu). Follow us to stay connected!