16F – Close to Home, Far Ahead: The Untapped Power of ASEAN Study Abroad
Abstract:
The Asia-Pacific region stands at a pivotal moment in higher education mobility. While global learning opportunities
increasingly shape university choice, student demand across the region continues to favour Western destinations. Intra-
ASEAN mobility remains underutilised, which accounts for only around 10% of regional flows, despite strong economic
growth and rich opportunities for contextual, interdisciplinary learning. Beyond Asia, many international partners have yet
to fully recognise ASEAN as a compelling study destination.
Representing HKUST, NTU Singapore, and VinUniversity (Vietnam), this panel explores how institutions can leverage AIenabled
recruitment to unlock this untapped potential. We examine how data-driven personalisation, predictive analytics,
and AI-powered engagement can reshape recruitment narratives, thus, positioning ASEAN study abroad not as a
secondary option, but as a distinct, high-impact pathway offering exposure to emerging markets, cultural diversity, and
sustainability challenges. Practical strategies will include targeted partner engagement, academic course mapping, and
refreshed student outreach.
Importantly, we consider how AI can amplify, rather than replace the human dimension of counselling, aligning with
APAIE 2027’s theme of “Humanity in the AI Age.” We also discuss how technology can broaden access, advancing SDG
4 and SDG 10. Strengthening regional mobility is both a strategic imperative and an underleveraged global opportunity.
Learning objectives:
On completion of this roundtable, participants will be able to:
Evaluate AI-enabled recruitment tools and strategies applicable to their institutional context, including predictive analytics,
chatbots, and AI-driven CRM platforms, understanding their benefits and limitations for regional student recruitment.
Articulate a compelling value proposition for intra-ASEAN and Asia-Pacific study destinations, addressing
common perceptions and leveraging data to demonstrate regional mobility as a high-impact educational pathway.
Design cross-institutional frameworks that enable partner universities worldwide to integrate ASEAN study pathways into
their global mobility portfolios, including academic mapping, credit transfer, and co-curricular alignment.
Develop strategies to engage non-ASEAN partners in promoting regional mobility, positioning ASEAN expertise as a
distinctive asset for students pursuing careers in Asia's rapidly growing markets.
Target audience:
Global student mobility partnerships, AI innovation and collaboration, AI policies and practices for high education, global
strategic partnerships, international agreements, Transnational Education (TNE), global learning, International relations,
global engagement, the SDGs, and Internationalization of Higher Education.
3B – Human-Centered AI in Higher Education: Policy, Practice, and Partnerships in a Transforming World
Abstract:
As artificial intelligence reshapes higher education globally, institutions across the Asia-Pacific are advancing distinctive
approaches that balance innovation with human-centered values. This session brings together perspectives from
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States to explore how AI is being integrated into policy, teaching,
research, and international collaboration. From Indonesia’s framing of AI as a supportive tool under human authority, to
Universiti Malaya’s ethical governance frameworks, Nanyang Technological University’s curriculum-wide AI literacy
initiatives, and Penn State’s collaborative research practices, the panel highlights diverse but converging strategies.
Together, these cases illustrate how institutions are safeguarding academic integrity, ensuring transparency, protecting
cultural and data sovereignty, and strengthening global partnerships and international collaborations. Grounded in a
human-centered approach to AI, this session explores how higher education institutions across the Asia-Pacific are
responding to technological disruption. It highlights how institutions are not only adapting to change but actively shaping a
future where AI enhances—rather than replaces—human judgment, creativity, and cross-cultural collaboration.
Learning objectives:
- Gain insights into national and institutional AI policies across Asia-Pacific higher education, including perspectives
from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States.
- Identify innovative and practical strategies for integrating AI into teaching, research, and international partnerships
while maintaining academic integrity.
- Evaluate responsible and ethical AI use, including transparency, data governance, and human oversight.
- Understand how cultural contexts shape AI adoption and policy development in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Analyze emerging models that balance technological advancement with human-centered educational values.
- Apply holistic approaches to strengthen AI-enabled global collaborations and partnership frameworks.
Target audience:
Global research partnerships, AI innovation and collaboration, AI policies and practices for higher education, International
education, Global Engagement, Transnational Education, Global learning, International relations, Education technology
leaders and policy-makers, the SDGs, and Internationalization of Higher Education.
11C – Humanitarian Design: Engineering Partnerships and Quality Assurance
Abstract:
Engineering education increasingly emphasizes humanitarian design—creating solutions that address global challenges
while serving human needs. Delivering quality engineering education at scale requires strategic partnerships between
universities across regions, enabling student and faculty mobility while maintaining academic standards. As institutions
expand international partnerships through transnational education models, ensuring quality becomes more complex,
particularly as artificial intelligence transforms program delivery, assessment, and accreditation.
This panel examines how universities can establish and sustain effective engineering partnerships while maintaining
rigorous quality assurance. With focus on transnational education models and regional intra-Asia mobility, panelists from
Southeast Asia, North America, and Indonesia will share approaches to structuring partnerships that facilitate meaningful
mobility and exchange while preserving quality. Panelists will explore how humanitarian design principles guide
partnership objectives, how quality assurance mechanisms adapt to hybrid and virtual delivery in transnational contexts,
and how AI can support quality oversight. The discussion addresses practical strategies for managing multi-institutional
partnerships, student learning outcomes assessment, accreditation considerations for TNE delivery, regional mobility
frameworks, and ensuring that engineering education serves both workforce needs and social responsibility.
Learning objectives:
Examine current approaches to structuring transnational education models and engineering partnerships that facilitate
regional intra-Asia mobility while maintaining quality assurance
Understand how humanitarian design principles inform partnership objectives and guide institutional collaboration in
transnational engineering education
Explore practical quality assurance mechanisms for transnational education delivery, including assessment strategies for
hybrid and virtual delivery in regional partnerships
Discover how institutions across Asia-Pacific and North America are implementing TNE partnerships and regional
mobility frameworks that advance engineering excellence and social responsibility
Identify strategies for establishing effective intra-Asia regional mobility pathways and leveraging technology and AI to
enhance quality oversight across TNE partnerships without compromising institutional autonomy.
Target audience:
Transnational education leaders, international education directors, engineering program deans and faculty, and STEM
professionals seeking to establish quality-assured transnational engineering partnerships and regional mobility
frameworks across Asia-Pacific institutions.