Speaker

Prof. Xiangyang Zhang      

Institute for Open Education, Suqian University, China

Research interests: Open Pedagogy, OER, Online Learning, Online Course Design

Title: Empowerment of Open Education for Resilient and Sustainable Higher Education: Achievements, Challenges and Opportunities in the Future

Abstract: Disrupted COVID-19 at the end of 2019 and early 2020 shocked the world and changed the global higher education landscape in diverse ways. Sudden lockdown of campus drove the academics and students of from campus to online, or at least blended learning. In such a prevailing pandemic situation around the world, the marginal online and distance learning move unexpectedly and gradually into the spotlights at the centre of stage, with the consequence of gates of universities and colleges opening wider. Open and online learning and teaching together with their open educational resources have not been so emphasised and boomed overnight, though pushed by the pandemic.

However, open education is not just a term, a concept and it is not confined to any formats of e-learning or traditional distance education context. Open education does not just mean accessibility, flexibility, open technology, open course strategy, open educational knowledge or open educational resources. It is the “Openness” in open education. It is social equity, a culture of sharing enhanced and augmented by participatory learning culture from the digital natives. It remains a dramatic challenge to the conventional or mainstream universities and the individuals in these institutions. By open education, we need to find a way to reconceptualise the learning paradigms and education models to meet the future demand of resilience and sustainability in higher education changed by and, not the last, the pandemic COVID-19.

In this speech, I would like to address the framing of the definition of open education, its theoretical dimensions, and then detail the achievements and challenges for resilience and sustainability in higher education, citing some cases selected from higher-income, medium-income and lower-income countries around the world. Finally I will offer a prospect for promising opportunities in the future resilient and sustainable higher education context.

Distinguished Prof. Xianhua Wu

 School of Economics & Management, Shanghai Maritime University

Research interests: Hazard risk analysis, big data analysis, and applied statistics

Title:  Comprehensive Economic Loss Assessment of COVID-19 Epidemic Disaster Based on Dynamic CGE Model

Abstract: The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been continuously spread in China and some countries around the world, attracting wide attention from the whole society. In order to cope with the COVID-19 epidemic, most cities in China have adopted preventive and control measures such as home quarantine, blocking traffic passenger flow, and extending the Spring Festival holiday, which have caused a serious impact on China's manufacturing, transportation industry, service industry, trade activities and labor employment. But how big is the loss? Quantitative model-based analysis is rarely seen. Based on the available data currently, this paper adopts the Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model to calculate the dynamic trend of comprehensive economic losses under different scenarios from the aspects of the direct impact on the manufacturing, transportation industry, service industry, the reduction of trade activities and labor employment with the consideration of dynamic changes in the international situation. The empirical results show that the total loss of total social output caused by the epidemic this year is 12247.0574 billion yuan, accounting for 12.36% of GDP in 2019. With the gradual recovery of international trade activities, the loss of total social output that year will be reduced to 9710.3377 billion yuan, accounting for 9.8% of GDP in 2019. In addition, as the economy recovers, the impact of the epidemic will decay. According to the analysis results, corresponding countermeasures are proposed. Emergency prevention work in key industries such as transportation, services, and medical care must be strengthened. Focus should be placed on disaster emergency rescue in highly sensitive sectors. Big data methods should be used to strengthen delicacy management of disaster risk, etc.

Prof.Boon TAN      

Xi'an International University (China), Academic Studio (UK), 

PSB Academy (Singapore) Research interests: Open Pedagogy, OER, Online Learning, Online Course Design

Title: A Study on Perceptions of Factors Influencing the Quality of Retirement Life in Singapore

Abstract: Retirement is a pivot point in a person’s life where it is impacted by the aspects of social,emotional and nutritional life, both negative and positive. The World Health Organization(WHO) has defined old age as being 65 years old and older (WHO, 1984). However, this isnot universal and that the quality of life, which is the general well-being of individuals andsocieties, including positive and negative aspects of life after retirement, is one of the majorpopular topics nowadays. This is due mainly to the growing implications of the silvertsunami in most developed economies.

Singapore, although a newly developed economy, is also facing the predicament of facingthe effects of the silver tsunami. A pilot study was thus undertaken further to understandthe relationship between quality of retirement life and influencing factors. We will presentthe importance of quality of retirement life was introduced as well as the backgroundinformation of the aging population in Singapore. Some of the major factors affectingquality of retirement life are identified and will be presented here, with an attempt toestablish the relationship between these factors and the satisfaction level on the quality ofretirement life.

A. Prof. Qi  Li

Shandong Normal University，China

Research Area：The main research directions are the construction and governance of digital government，state governance.

Title：The basic theory of data resource confirmation, theoretical basis and practical application framework

Abstract:Promote the normative and efficient collection, sorting, and analysis of data resources, as well as the protection of personal privacy, corporate rights, and public safety，are of great significance for the promotion of economic and social development and the modernization of national governance. However, the primary problem facing the current promotion of the production and utilization of data resources is "data resource confirmation", to construct the theoretical basis for data resource confirmation, and to form a unified practical application framework. This article analyzes the related theoretical disputes and practical dilemmas, and believes that the existing legal norms and spirit based on traditional resources cannot be effectively applied to the confirmation of data resources in theoretical discussion and practice. It clarifies the theoretical basis of data resource confirmation based on the characteristics of data resources and the use of property rights theory, and then builds a practical application framework for right confirmation. After fully considering the characteristics of data resources, the analysis shows that there are two basic dimensions of data resource confirmation: exclusive dimensions and associated dimensions. The exclusive dimension analysis is based on the three factors of technical level, social efficiency and distribution equity, balancing the interests of data producers, overall social efficiency and social risks, and clarifying the three institutional choices of exclusive, limited exclusive and non-exclusive and their effects. The associated dimension analyzes the classification of the associated subjects of the data resources, and the degree of the associated ones determined by the interests of the associated subjects and the degree of participation in the data production, and determines the types of data resources and property rights. Analyze the practical application framework of data resources based on exclusive and associated dimensions, various data resource property rights can be divided into 5 types: personality rights, private property rights, club property rights, public property rights and conditionally limited public property rights, and according to the characteristics of each subject, the possibility and method of ownership and transaction and sharing of property rights are analyzed to balance social fairness and efficiency, which not only protects the interests of each subject, but also promotes the continuous output and circulation of data resources.