The Islamic University of Maldives (IUM) successfully conducted the “Education 5.0 – Digital Transformation of Higher Education” Training Programme under the DIGITAsia Project initiative, bringing together academic staff from across the university to strengthen future-ready teaching competencies and digital education practices.

The programme was attended by 60 academic staff members, reflecting IUM’s institution-wide commitment to advancing digital transformation and innovation in higher education.

Building Future-Ready Academic Competencies

The professional development programme featured a series of highly interactive sessions focusing on emerging trends and innovative practices in higher education. Key session themes included:

• Introduction to Education 5.0
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Digital Education
• Leveraging LMS and Learning Analytics for Data-Driven Teaching
• Course Quality Enhancement

These sessions emphasized inclusive, technology-enhanced, and evidence-based teaching approaches designed to support modern higher education delivery and improve student learning experiences.

Training Delivered by Certified DIGITAsia Experts

The training was facilitated by a team of certified DIGITAsia trainers dedicated to strengthening institutional capacity in digital pedagogy and online curriculum development. The trainers included:

• Dr. Aminath Shafiya Adam
• Dr. Mariyam Shareefa
• Dr. Suneena Rasheed
• Aishath Sinau
• Mohamed Shaheen

Their expertise and practical guidance played a significant role in enhancing participants’ understanding of digital teaching methodologies and online learning design.

Capstone Workshop Focused on Online Curriculum Design

A major highlight of the programme was the Capstone Workshop on Online Curriculum Design, where participants engaged in practical, hands-on activities centered on designing learner-centred and outcome-based online courses.

The workshop showcased best practices in:

• Curriculum innovation
• Digital assessment alignment
• Quality assurance in online learning
• Effective blended learning environments

Participants also received practical orientation on the DIGITAsia Learning Management System (LMS) and the Balanced Design Planning (BDP) Tool, a digital learning design platform that will guide systematic course redesign and development throughout the Capstone implementation phase.

International Recognition Under Erasmus+

Upon successful completion of the programme, participants were awarded a Certificate of Completion under the DIGITAsia initiative within the Erasmus+ framework. These certificates recognized participants’ professional development achievements at both institutional and international levels.

Supporting IUM 2030 Vision

The successful implementation of the DIGITAsia training programme further demonstrates the growing role of the Islamic University of Maldives in advancing digital pedagogy and educational innovation within the region.

The initiative directly contributes to the aspirations of IUM 2030 by strengthening institutional capacity in digital teaching, learning innovation, and technology-enhanced higher education practices, while preparing academic staff to lead the future of higher education in the Maldives and beyond.