On the evening of April 24th, Beijing time, a Special Dialogue was held online. Co-convened by Tsinghua University and UNESCO, the Special Dialogue explored the extraordinary challenges to ensure higher learning continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Themed “Online Education in the COVID-19 Response and Beyond”, the dialogue shared university case studies, best practice, and experience in online education.
Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, thanked Tsinghua University for initiating this Special Dialogue in her welcoming remarks. “Tsinghua University was one of the first in the world to move all courses online, so it’s fitting that you are leading this conversation today. Learning never stops, and learning does not stop and must not stop,” she said.
She mentioned three challenges facing online education in her remarks. The students affected by the closures don’t have access to computers and more or less 40% don’t have access to the internet at all; the readiness of teachers and faculty; and the ethical challenge, how online contest quality is assured.
In the remarks, Giannini also called for global collaboration during this pandemic, “Global cooperation is the only answer to this crisis, and especially to support countries that don't have the capacity to know how or have the resources to deploy distance learning,” she emphasized.
“The more we discover, the more we can really join forces and work together. I hope and am sure that this discussion will pave the way for a new coo