Digital Transformation and Quality Challenges in Online Education Are the Focus of the International Meeting at Universidad Andrés Bello

At a crucial moment for the future of higher education, Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB) hosted the First Ibero-American Congress on Quality Assurance in Higher Education: Trends in Online Education. This event brought together experts and authorities from various institutions and countries to discuss digital transformation and educational quality.

«We are delighted and proud to inaugurate an event like this. Online education is an established trend that was strengthened during the pandemic and is now being utilized by universities worldwide. How do agencies accredit this quality? How do we address the challenges? How do we align graduation profiles, and how do we ensure a vibrant university experience? These are significant aspects of the challenges this modality imposes on us,» said UNAB President Julio Castro, underscoring the importance of global dialogue in quality assurance.

The Undersecretary of Higher Education, Mr. Víctor Orellana Calderón, also offered his vision for the area’s digital transformation. He stressed the need to adapt to a reality in which enrollment in higher education in Chile tends to stabilize and online education plays a crucial role.

«Distance education represents one of the most defining trends of change and growth at this time. «It is fundamental that our policy of modernizing higher education emphasizes learning through online modalities and how to ensure quality,» explained Orellana.

For her part, UNAB’s Dean of Quality Assurance, Carmen Gloria Jiménez, highlighted the importance of collaboration in the national and foreign education sectors to strengthen online education.

«We are very pleased that this event brings together universities, professional institutes, and technical training centers from different regions of the country, but we also have many foreign participants. We believe it is necessary to meet, talk, and resume effective alliances to strengthen online education,» said Jimenez.

Innovation, Quality, and Inclusion in the Technological Era

The congress discussed current trends in higher education and the need to adapt pedagogical strategies to an increasingly digital world. Panelists addressed how innovation and quality are crucial to ensuring equity and inclusion in online education.

Dr. François Staring, an analyst at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), opened the discussion by reviewing the organization’s policies and recommendations for promoting technological innovation in higher education. The impact of digital transformation on pedagogical models, curriculum design, and educational management was analyzed, highlighting challenges such as the digital divide and data privacy and examples of international best practices in using emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality.

Dr. Yuma Inzolia, Director of Capacity Development at UNESCO IESALC, highlighted the need to ensure inclusion and equity in online education. His lecture focused on how Open Educational Resources (OER) can democratize knowledge and the importance of teacher training to create inclusive digital environments, based on successful examples from Latin America.

Dr. Francisco Marmolejo, President of Higher Education at Qatar Foundation, discussed the opportunities and challenges of online education, focusing on maintaining academic quality in the face of the growing adoption of digital platforms. He stressed the importance of innovation as a driver for continuous improvement in online education and international collaboration as a critical tool for raising quality standards.

Dr. Idna Corbett, representative of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), presented her organization’s quality standards, detailing how they promote institutional transparency and foster excellence in face-to-face and online programs. She highlighted their positive impact on institutional indicators such as retention and student satisfaction.

New Strategies to Ensure Academic Quality

In this context, experts presented various strategies institutions can implement to maintain educational quality, even in virtual environments. These strategies include teacher training and the use of emerging technologies.

Dr. José Antonio Pérez de la Calle, a Spanish international expert in internal quality management systems, explored the implementation of quality management systems in higher education. He pointed out their importance in the continuous improvement and external recognition of academic programs and addressed how data analytics can inform more effective educational decisions.

Dr. Racheal Brooks, Director of Quality Assurance Implementation Solutions at Quality Matters, presented the quality assessment model in online education, emphasizing student-centered course design and continuous improvement of these programs through feedback loops, which positively impact student learning and retention. Emphasis was placed on student-centered course design and constant improvement of these programs through feedback loops, which positively impact student learning and retention.

Dr. Nati Cabrera, Director of the Master’s Program in Evaluation and Quality Management of Higher Education at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), shared her university’s experience in online education, highlighting the success of the Master’s Program in Evaluation and Quality Management of Higher Education. Her approach emphasized flexibility and personalized learning, supported by innovative digital technologies.

Mary Loder, Online Learning Manager, Professional Development & Training EdPlus Instructional Design and New Media Arizona State University, discussed the concept of intentional design in creating online courses, a pedagogical approach that optimizes learning through carefully planned decisions. She stressed the importance of adapting courses to different learning styles and using technological tools that facilitate interaction and flexibility.

Management Models in Higher Education

The panelists also explored management models that ensure the quality and consistency of academic programs. These approaches focus on the flexibility and personalization of learning and the impact of distance education on student success.

The head of Digital Transformation at the Universidad de los Andes (ULA – Colombia), Mg. Verónica Suárez Riaño, presented her university’s digital curriculum management model, highlighting how it ensures the quality and coherence of online and blended programs. She also explored the impact of expanding digital offerings on student success and the quality of higher education.

Dr. María Josefa Rubio, Vice Rector of Open and Distance Education at the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL—Ecuador), presented her university’s approach to distance education. She emphasized the importance of quality monitoring tools and expanding access to education for rural communities in Ecuador. She also underscored CALED’s role in improving the quality of education in the region.

Dr. Alexis Olmedo Navarro, General Director of Online Education at UNAB, presented the university’s innovative model for the digitalization of the academic offerings in engineering, highlighting the use of interactive technologies and innovative pedagogical strategies that have led to the international accreditation of engineering programs, such as the Euro-Inf Seal.

Finally, Dr. Ailsa Crum of the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education addressed best practices for a successful transition to hybrid teaching, highlighting academic integrity, student engagement, and the impact of emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence.

Digital transformation represents not only a challenge but also an opportunity to rethink educational models and strengthen quality standards globally. Therefore, the participants reaffirmed their intention to collaborate on future international initiatives to facilitate access to quality higher education.