The 1st International Conference on Digital Application and Innovation Management (ICDAMI) 2024 successfully left an indelible mark in the global research and academia landscape, addressing pertinent issues related to digital technologies, the economy, and management innovation in the 21st century.
It was conceptualised as a strategic initiative to strengthen institutional collaboration between WOU and China’s renowned research and academic institutions, in addition to connecting distinguished scholars and researchers who are committed to the exchange of knowledge and sharing of novel perspectives in research and innovation.
The conference, aptly themed, “The Effects of Digital Technologies on Society and their Impact on Sustainability, particularly in relation to Sustainable Development” attracted participation from distinguished experts and leading researchers in diverse fields including healthcare, open distance learning, educational technology, e-commerce, heritage, biology and business.
Organised by WOU with the support of partners, Sunflare Industrial Supply Corporation and the Association of Graduates from Universities and Colleges of China (Penang), the one-day conference was held at the WOU City Campus (Bangunan Wawasan) on 21 January 2024.
In her welcome address, WOU Chief Executive and Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Lily Chan underscored the significance of digital transformation in making communities and cities more liveable and sustainable.
She noted that the organisation of ICDAMI “aligns with the global shift towards a future increasingly marked by digitalisation, automation and innovation”, emphasising WOU’s commitment in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of providing quality education by fully embracing a technology-based approach.
A total of 31 research abstracts were accepted for submission to ICDAMI, with 16 selected research topics discussed during the conference. Four abstracts, including two submitted by WOU’s faculty members, were presented with the Best Abstract Award by Prof Chan and Prof Li Qi from China’s Xi’An Jiaotong University.
Sean Ooi Li Hsien from the School of Education, Humanities, and Social Sciences is the co-author of the paper “The Effects of Open Distance Education on the Professional Development of In-Service ESL Teachers” with Juliana Othman from Universiti Malaya’s Faculty of Education.
The School of Digital Technology team comprising Dr Ramona Ramli, Dr Andrew Tan and Dr Lee Heng Wei submitted their winning abstract on “Enhancing Errand Management for Individuals with Cognitive Impairments: A User-Centric Evaluation”.
The conference kicked off with keynote presentations delivered by experts from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Southeast University China (SEU), and Minjiang University China (MJU).
Prof Dr Putra Sumari from USM delivered a keynote address on “Quantum Neural Network in Computer Vision: Concepts, Applications and Challenges”, where he discussed the capabilities of quantum computing and provided a comparison between quantum and classical computing.
In the second keynote presentation, Assoc Prof Qiu Shanhu of SEU spoke on “Digital Technology for Physical Activity Promotion in Type 2 Diabetes”. He shared key findings from his research on the use of wearable devices such as step counters and continuous blood glucose monitors to improve physical activity compliance in patients with Type 2 Diabetes.
Dr Chi Han from MJU presented an interesting concept of integrating virtual reality (VR) technologies to bring tangible heritage assets to life in his keynote presentation, “Digital Presentation of Cultural Heritage using Virtual Reality: A Case Study of Three Lanes and Seven Alleys in Fuzhou”.
Over 60 local and international delegates representing institutions from Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, India, and United Kingdom participated in ICDAMI 2024. Proceedings of the conference, which was also streamed live, can be viewed on WOU’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@WawasanOpenUniversityLive.
