Contemplating the Future of Digital Education
By design, OUM’s story is one that is continuously evolving. Fully cognisant that technologies,institutions, and teaching and learning practices will continue to change, we recognise the need to think carefully about the future. Central to this endeavour is the work of the Centre for Digital Education Futures (CENDEF). Established in 2025, CENDEF serves as OUM’s think tank for exploring the issues and questions in open, distance, and digital education (ODDE) that will shape not only our institution’s future, but also the broader landscape of higher education.
The appointment of five Global Fellows for the 2025-2026 cycle—Prof Extraordinaire Paul Prinsloo (University of South Africa), Prof Olaf Zawacki-Richter (Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg), Emeritus Prof Junhong Xiao (Open University of Shantou), Prof Insung Jung (Seoul National University), and Prof Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria (University of the Philippines Open University)—marked CENDEF’s inaugural effort to convene a distinguished group of scholars to help OUM advance its mission of delivering critical, inclusive, and forward-looking digital education, while affirming our standing at the frontiers of ODDE.
This year, we are delighted to welcome five new Global Fellows for the 2026-2027 cycle: Prof Lim Cher Ping (The Education University of Hong Kong), Prof Felicitas Macgilchrist (Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg), Prof Bart Rienties (The Open University), Prof George Veletsianos (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities), and Prof Emeritus Shinobu Yume Yamaguchi (United Nations University). Like their predecessors, these scholars will contribute not only to OUM’s development, but also to the wider communities in Malaysia and beyond.
Their expertise will be showcased during the 2nd Annual Public Lecture Series, to be held on 5 August in Kuala Lumpur, where each Fellow will present a lecture under the theme “Beyond Standard Scripts: Imagining New Futures in Digital Education.”
"CENDEF is cultivating a vibrant community of scholars and practitioners who are prepared not only to respond to change, but also to shape it."
The theme builds upon last year’s “Visionary Leadership: Charting the Futures of Digital Education.” If the inaugural series invited us to envision a future grounded in human values, this year’s conversations seek to imagine possibilities that extend beyond what is merely efficient, automated, and optimised, and towards digital futures that are equitable, creative, and deeply human.
Meanwhile, the inaugural Southeast Asian Fellowship brings together early- and mid-career academics from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines to examine how digitalisation is reshaping Southeast Asia and its futures. Under the theme “Sociodigital Futures of Southeast Asia,” the Fellows will produce immersive 3D storytelling works to be exhibited at REXPERIENCE Kuala Lumpur, alongside scholarly publications that deepen our collective understanding of the region’s digital landscape.
Through these initiatives, CENDEF is cultivating a vibrant community of scholars and practitioners who are prepared not only to respond to change, but also to shape it. By bringing together global and regional voices in ODDE, OUM aspires to strengthen our role as a leading hub for critical inquiry, meaningful collaboration, and strategic engagement.
The future of digital education is not something that simply unfolds before us; it is something we must create together. We hope you will be part of that journey as we continue writing OUM’s story, and, in doing so, help us create a brighter, more connected future for all.
Prof Dato’ Dr Ahmad Izanee AwangPresident/Vice-Chancellor
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