Introduction to the New AUN Thematic Network: AUN Dx

In the Industrial Revolution 4.0, humanity is now thrusting forward in an era where digital technology and transformative innovations are rapidly advancing and continuously being integrated into the fabric of our lifestyles as well as the operational landscape of different organisations and institutions in various sectors. Higher education, with no exception for the ASEAN region, is seeing its mission, operation and deliverables constantly being reshaped and enhanced by new technologies and innovation. In order to ensure that universities as well as related institutions would have the efficiency and capability to responsibly and sustainably leverage such developments, several standards have been established as benchmarking tools to help universities manage their digital systems and infrastructure in different aspects from service management, to efficiency and security.

With so many standards being widely utilised — each with its pros and cons, universities have been facing an incredibly complex challenge in improving and aligning their ICT policies, management and practices with different globally accepted and utilised standards. Such a process can be costly and substantially complicated in order to meet the requirements of different standards. This issue is only emboldened by the disparities of readiness and capacities of universities in the region in terms of digital infrastructure, systems and management – subsequently leading some institutions to lag behind in the process of higher education digital transformation.

AUN Digital Transformation Thematic Network was spearheaded by Prince of Songkla University, Thailand as an enabling mechanism for deeper cooperation among higher education institutions in ASEAN, specifically targeting ICT capability and standardisation. By uniting efforts under this network, HEIs in ASEAN achieve greater cohesion, share resources effectively, and collectively drive advancements in ICT. This fosters a robust community dedicated to enhancing institutional ICT management and quality, supporting regional socio-economic development and ensuring universities remain competitive in the evolving technological landscape.

At the 15^th AUN Rectors’ Meeting and 39^th AUN Board of Trustees Meeting on 18-19 July 2024, the Network approved the proposal of AUN-Digital Transformation, or AUN Dx, as a new AUN Thematic Network.

About AUN- Digital Transformation

The core concepts and operations of this new thematic network centred around the integrative AUN Dx Framework. Initiated in 2022 by Prince of Songkla University, through the team of the Office of Digital Innovation and Intelligent Systems (DIIS), in collaboration with the Institutie (ISEM) and the ASEAN University Network (AUN), what would later become the AUN Dx Framework was aimed to serve as a new “one platform, one protocol” framework that would help universities improve different aspects of digital and ICT management in accordance with several widely used standards such as ISO 9001, CMMI, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 29110 (VSE) etc., at once, thus streamlining the process and expediting the cost-effectiveness of the implementing universities’ investment.

Workshop on Quality Standardisation of University ICT Management and System

With initial conceptualisation by PSU in collaboration with ISEM, the development of the framework later involved representatives of digital management and ICT departments of over 54 universities from across 9 ASEAN countries through three workshops on University’s ICT Quality Management and Systems over the period of March 2023 until May 2024. These workshops provided a continuous platform for the AUN Dx team to engage and work with ICT personnel of the region’s universities to garner their insights and feedback, later incorporating in the finetuning and finalising of the framework model to ensure its efficiency and practicality. Additionally, these workshops also marked the beginning of a strong collaborative community of digital and ICT departments of ASEAN universities – now stronger than ever with the AUN Dx thematic network officially established.

While the thematic network is currently taking shape, AUN Dx has planned to explore and push forward projects, programmes and activities that will foster the quality of university digital and ICT management as well as capacity building – with the AUN Dx Framework as its anchor. From assessment services, digital tool subscription, training programmes to consultation services, exciting times are ahead as AUN Dx is gearing up to help ASEAN higher education prepare for the challenges and opportunities in this fast-paced and digitally-interconnected era.

About Prince of Songkla University

Prince of Songkla University (PSU) is an autonomous public university, established in 1967 as the first university in southern Thailand, with the guiding principle “Our Soul is for the Benefit of Mankind.” The original aims of the university were to raise the general education standards and support regional industry and development. Today, PSU is a world-class research university committed to academic excellence, reputable research and innovation. It is one of the nine national research universities, and top 10 comprehensive universities in Thailand by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking.