Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) and Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) jointly organized the 2nd International Conference of Digital Business, Society & Economy (ICDBSE 2024) on 13-14 November 2024 at the STOU Headquarters in Nonthaburi, Thailand. This event celebrated the STOU’s 46th anniversary.
The ICDBSE 2024 is held under the theme “Innovation and Technology Towards Sustainability and Lifelong Learning.”
The conference aimed to provide a stage for educators, academicians, researchers, and graduate students to exchange knowledge, experiences, and disseminate academic and research work at an international level, while building collaborative networks.
The conference drew a global audience of over 150 participants from 11 countries.
This conference was honored and supported by prominent organizations in the field of open and distance education, such as the Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), and the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU), as well as partner universities, including Chitkara University, Open University Malaysia (OUM), University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), Universitas Terbuka (UT) and Hanoi Open University.
Prof. Dr. Murali Raman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of APU, opening the ICDBSE 2024
At the ICDBSE 2024 Conference, Asst. Prof. Dr. Phanompatt Smitananda, Acting President of STOU and Prof. Dr. Murali Raman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of APU, addressed the welcoming remarks to the attendees, among which were representatives from various embassies including Mr. Bong Yik Jui, Deputy Chief of Mission from the Embassy of Malaysia, Mrs. Vireshika Bandara, Counsellor (Commercial) from the Embassy of Sri Lanka, Ms. Jagpreet Kaur, Second Secretary (Economic and Commerce) from
the Embassy of India, and Ms. Ann Y.H. Hsueh, Second Secretary (Education), from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand. Furthermore, the ICDBSE 2024 also had Mrs. Wanida Gajaseni from the Government Public Relations Department, Ms. Suvadee Seetasit and Mr. Chaiyaporn Sengdonprai from the Budget Bureau attend the opening section of ICDBSE 2024.
Secretary-General of Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL),
delivering Keynote Speech on “Innovative Technology for sustainable Lifelong Learning”
The morning session commenced with a keynote address by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ninnat Olanvoravuth, Secretary-General of
the Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL), on the topic of “Innovative Technology for Sustainable Lifelong Learning.” A panel discussion, moderated by Prof. Dr. Murali Raman, followed, focusing on “Envisioning Excellence: Establishing a Robust Quality Framework for Lifelong Learning.” The panel comprised Prof. Dr. Ojat Darojat, President of AAOU and Rector of Universitas Terbuka, Ms. Torunn Gjelsvik, Secretary-General of ICDE, and Mr. Emiljohn Columna Sentillas, Policy & Planning Specialist of SEAMEO Secretariat.
The afternoon sessions comprised parallel sessions in four rooms dedicated to academic paper presentations. A special session, entitled “Financial Innovation and Technology Towards Sustainability in the Context of Open Universities: the UPOU and STOU Experience,” was conducted. This session, led by experts from STOU and UPOU, namely Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kittipong Keatwatcharachai, Acting Vice-President for Financial Affairs and University Assets, and Prof. Dr. Jean A. Saludadez,
Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, provided valuable insights into the future of open university finance.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor of APU
Pesident of OUM
In the morning of 14 November 2024 (Day 2), Prof. Ts. Dr. Murali Raman, Deputy Vice -Chancellor of Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU) delivered Keynote Speech on “SME and Digital Business Transformation, Role of Change and Culture” and also joined a special session on the topic of “Join Forces for Impactful Advocacy – the ICDE Global Advocacy Campaign in Asia.” The session consisted of honor panelists including Prof. Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria, Chancellor of University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), Prof. Dr. Ahmad Izanee Awang, Pesident of Open University Malaysia (OUM), Dr. John Cribbin, Deputy Director (Academic Services) of University of Hong Kong School of Professional and Continuing Education (HKU SPACE), and Ms. Torunn Gjelsvik, Secretary General of International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) as a moderator for this special session.
The afternoon of Day 2 comprised 2 main activities: the ICDE Global Advocacy Campaign—Asia Working Group Meeting and academic paper presentations. Over the course of two days at ICDBSE 2024, a total of 66 papers were delivered.
For the Closing Ceremony, Professor Ts. Dr. Murali Raman delivered the Key Takeaways from ICDBSE 2024, follow by Awards presentation, and Closing Remarks from the two co-organizers.
ICDBSE 2024 proudly recognized the outstanding contributions of the paper presenters for their research and innovative ideas with 3 different awards including Best Paper Awards, Best Student Award and Best Presentation Award. The Awards were presented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Narathip Sriram, Acting Vice-President for Education, Learning Support, and Research.
The winners of the ICDBSE 2024 awards are as follows:.
Category: Digital Learning Category
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tuan Fatma Tuan Sulaiman from Open University Malaysia (OUM), Malaysia
Paper: Does Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Transformation Acceptance Matter in Digital Higher Education Institutions?
Category: Digital Society Category
Dr. Marjea Jannat Mohua from Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), Malaysia
Paper: Is Sustainability Management Accounting Systems Inevitable for Leveraging Intellectual Capital Towards Sustainable Firm Performance in Digital Era? A Cross Sectional Study
Category: Digital Business & Economy
Dr. Changchun Zhu, Vice Dean, Business School, Jiangsu Open University (JSOU), China
Paper: CEO’s Financial Background and Enterprise Digital Transformation: Empirical Evidence Based on Chinese Listed Companies
BEST STUDENT AWARDS
Ms. Kamonporn Siripanachai, Graduate Student, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU), Thailand
Paper: Understanding Household Behavior and Effective Policies for Waste Sorting in Phetchaburi Province, Thailand
BEST PRESENTATION AWARDS
STOU Graduate Student
Paper: An Enhanced Productivity Prediction Model of Garment Employees Using Random Forest and SHAP Algorithm
President/Vice-Chancellor, Open University Malaysia, Malaysia
Paper: Unlocking H5P: Optimizing Self-Instructional Materials in Open and Distance Learning Environment
Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), Malaysia
Paper: Can a Theoretical Framework Unlock Effective Gen-AI Integration in Malaysia, Indonesia, and
the Philippines’ Education?
American Public University, USA
Paper: Creating New Strategic Approaches for Virtual Learner-Centered Group Projects with Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), Malaysia
Paper: Is Sustainability Management Accounting Systems Inevitable for Leveraging Intellectual Capital Towards Sustainable Firm Performance in Digital Era? A Cross Sectional Study
School of Engineering,University of The Thai Chamber of Commerce, Thailand
Paper: Forecasting OTOP Product Sales to Support Decision-Making in Increasing Sales Using Machine Learning
Faculty of Education, Open University Malaysia (OUM)
Paper: Bridging the Digital Divide: Gender and Age Disparities in AI AdoptionWithin the Framework of Society 5.0
Faculty of Technology and Applied Sciences, Open University Malaysia (OUM)
Paper: Enhancing Master Project Completion for Part-Time Science and Technology Master’s Students at Open University Malaysia: Integrating Technology and Support Systems
School of Communication Arts, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU)
Paper: Digital Tooling with Soft Power to Drive the Smart Silver Economyunder the Aged Society of Thailand
Foreign Language Department, Guangdong Open University (GDOU), China
Paper: The Construction of a Model and Promotion Strategies for Open University Teachers’ Digital Competence from an International Perspective
John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University, Philippines
Paper: Learning Management System for Protection of Marine Environment Course:
User Feedback and Student’s Academic Performance
Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), Malaysia
Paper: Determining the Challenges faced by Auditors with Audit Automation
School of Agriculture and Cooperatives, STOU, Thailand
Paper: The Intersection of Financial Technology and Higher Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Implications
West University of Timisoara, Romania
Paper: Transforming Assessment in Higher Education: Cross-Border Perspectives from Romania And Republic of Moldova
University of the Philippines Open University
Paper: Exploring the Sense of Presence in A Virtual Reality- Enhanced Campus Tour of an Open University
School of Educational Studies, STOU, Thailand
Paper: Factors Related to Students Drop out in Distance Learning System in an Open University in Thailand
