The Jiangsu-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance Meeting and President Forum 2023 was held in Hong Kong yesterday. Prof. Jun Liu, rector of the City University of Macau, was invited to attend the event and gave a keynote speech on the topic “Opportunities and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data in Higher Education.” He pointed out that AI technology has brought new opportunities for discipline development, teaching methods, and research methods in higher education, and universities should take advantage of its positive impact to strengthen talent training and continue to enhance cooperation and exchange among universities in Suzhou, Hong Kong, and Macao.

At the opening ceremony, Jin-Guang Teng, president of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, delivered a welcome speech. Liu Jin, director of the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs and director-general of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges, Jiang Yong, director-general of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education, Choi Yuk-lin, secretary for Education of Hong Kong SAR Government, and Teng Sio Hong, deputy director of the Macao SAR Government Education and Youth Development Bureau, delivered speeches.

University representatives of the universities discussed “Opportunities and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data in Higher Education” and “University Scientific Research and Industrial Technological Innovation”, providing suggestions for the sustainable development of universities in Suzhou, Hong Kong, and Macao.

In his speech, Rector Jun Liu proposed three significant opportunities and challenges faced by higher education in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, and provided an in-depth analysis and discussion.

In terms of opportunities, firstly, AI and data science have played a significant guiding role in the development of higher education disciplines. With the influence and support of data science, traditional disciplines such as humanities, finance, and education have undergone transformation and innovation, giving rise to new disciplines such as digital humanities, fintech, and smart education. Therefore, the current era provides the best opportunities for leading the development of higher education disciplines. Secondly, it brings innovation to teaching methods and concepts. In the age of information, students can easily access knowledge, and traditional teaching methods are no longer suitable for today’s classrooms. Therefore, universities should take this opportunity to adjust their teaching methods, such as inspiring students to find and explore knowledge on their own, while teachers provide guidance and comments, rather than simply imparting knowledge. Thirdly, it brings progress to research methods. In the past, it was very difficult to study the language process of a particular student and it required timely checkup at different phase. However, with the rise of AI, it is possible to use it to track a student’s learning progress every six months, identify the causes and challenges, and bring new opportunities to research.

In terms of challenges, firstly, AI technology has not been able to fully comprehend the subtle differences, social dynamics, and complex cultures in disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, history, and humanities, making it crucial to inspire creativity in order to understand and compare. Secondly, for the academic community, the abuse of AI may lead to an exacerbation of problems such as academic plagiarism. It is increasingly critical to effectively avoid the problem of academic plagiarism caused by the abuse of technology and to guide students on the appropriate use of AI technology. Thirdly, the application of AI technology is based on massive amounts of data, which involves personal information and privacy. Universities should develop appropriate policies and measures to protect the data privacy and security of teachers and students, and ensure that the use of data complies with ethical and legal requirements.

In summary, AI technology currently has a positive impact on higher education, and universities should seize the opportunities to actively guide teaching methods, concepts, exercises, and design that are in line with the times. By relying on the positive impact of new technologies on teaching, universities can strengthen talent training and lead students towards success.

The Jiangsu-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance (JHMUA) was founded in 2021, initiated by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education and its Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, and jointly launched by Nanjing University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, University of Macau, and Nanjing Normal University. By harnessing the strengths of partner institutions in Jiangsu Province, Hong Kong, and Macao, the alliance aims to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in talent cultivation and innovation and technology research. Adhering to the openness, sharing, and win-win, the alliance aims to build a high-level cooperation platform and a high-quality university alliance for mutual benefit. The alliance is currently composed of 38 universities in Jiangsu, Hong Kong, and Macao.