MALE’, Oct 30 – The Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education Project for Digital Transformation of Asian Higher Education (DIGITAsia) convened a four-day meeting in the Maldives from October 27 to 30, 2025.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), represented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mahani Mokhtar from the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Technology (FEST), contributed as one of the consortium members by developing an online course designed to train academics in creating digital learning content based on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and incorporating Learning Analytics applications.
The meeting brought together key partners from Croatia, Maldives, Spain, and Sri Lanka to advance the digital transformation agenda in higher education across Asia. The workshop was officiated by Dr. Raheema Abdul Rahim, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Maldives National University.
UTM led the development of modules on the use of Learning Analytics tools within Learning Management Systems and the design of learning using UDL principles. The modules were first piloted among project members and later refined into a Training of Trainers (ToT) tool before being introduced to the wider academic community.
UTM’s team included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Noor Dayana Abd Halim, Dr. Norah Md Noor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Nihra Haruzuan, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nurbiha A. Shukor, all of whom have successfully completed the ToT programme under the DIGITAsia project.
During the meeting, members reflected on the DIGITAsia Training Program and focused on the Capstone Project Workshop, outlining the next phase — Training the Teachers. Other key sessions featured the presentation of the Digital Transformation Framework (DTF) and toolkit, as well as the finalization of the Pilot and Implementation Plans.
Beyond technical discussions, the meeting also fostered collaboration and cultural exchange, including engagements with senior management from Maldives National University, a Certificate Awarding Ceremony for ToT graduates, and cultural tours. Moving forward, UTM will roll out training for Malaysian academics using the newly developed online modules that have been piloted over recent months.
Source: UTM NewsHub
