Human-Centred Learning in the Age of AI: Regional Leaders Gather to Shape the Future of Higher Education

More than 60 educators, academic leaders and policymakers from across the ASEAN+3 region convened in Brunei on 3 and 4 June 2026 to examine one of higher education's most pressing challenges: how to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to personalise learning without compromising ethics, fairness and academic integrity. Themed "Ethics in Personalised Learning", the 6th ASEAN University Network Thematic Network on Technology-Enhanced Personalised Learning (AUN-TEPL) Symposium was hosted by Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and chaired by Singapore Management University (SMU).

Discussions focused on the opportunities and risks presented by AI and emerging technologies, and how universities can deploy them responsibly to build more inclusive, responsive and learner-centred learning environments. The symposium was jointly organised by UBD together with AUN-TEPL co-lead institutions Mahidol University (MU), Universiti Malaya (UM) and the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD).

Throughout the two-day symposium, participants exchanged ideas and best practices on the opportunities and challenges of AI-enabled education. The conversations highlighted the importance of balancing technological innovation with ethical considerations to ensure that learning remains equitable, human-centred and aligned with educational goals.

"As AI continues to reshape teaching, learning and student engagement, it is important to ensure that technological advancement is guided by ethics, inclusivity and human values, while strengthening regional partnerships to support responsible innovation in education," said Professor Noor Azam, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam in his welcome address. He was highlighting AUN-TEPL's evolution into a strong regional platform for collaboration, innovation and knowledge exchange, and its role in bringing institutions together to address emerging opportunities and challenges in higher education.

Underscoring the importance for human-centred AI learning and design, Associate Professor Tamas Makany, Chairman of the AUN-TEPL Thematic Network urged institutions to adopt ethical, learner-focused approaches to AI integration.

Speaking on the importance of regional collaboration in strengthening educator capabilities, sharing standards and resources, and advancing collaborative research on AI in education across ASEAN, Associate Professor Makany announced the network's plans to evolve into the ASEAN University Network for Artificial Intelligence in Education (AUN-AIE) in the coming months. This initiative reflected the network's growing regional focus on AI-enabled teaching, learning and research, and a commitment towards supporting higher education institutions in navigating the opportunities and challenges presented by rapidly evolving AI technologies.

Associate Professor Dr Thanapan Laiprakobsup, Executive Director of the ASEAN University Network (AUN), highlighted the transformative role of technology in creating more inclusive and flexible learning environments. Reflecting on the rapid advancement of AI, he emphasised the importance of ensuring that innovation remains grounded in ethical principles.

Dr Jeremy Van Hof, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation at Michigan State University, delivered the keynote address, "AI Ethics in Personalised Learning: A Case for Experiential Learning as the Ethical Response to Generative AI". He emphasised the deliberate and intentional use of AI to make learning processes more visible, enabling educators to gain deeper insights into how students learn, think and develop over time.

"While AI may increasingly support learning through content generation and personalised scaffolding, educators remain essential in guiding students, responding to their needs and designing meaningful experiential learning opportunities that foster critical thinking, growth and engagement," commented Dr Van Hof, underscoring the indispensable role of educators in an AI-enabled future.

Building on the keynote themes, a panel from AUN-TEPL co-lead universities, including Associate Professor Ouh Eng Lieh from Singapore Management University's School of Computing and Information Systems, examined how higher education institutions can navigate ethical challenges while advancing AI-enabled education. The discussion focused on governance, AI literacy and responsible implementation, underscoring the importance of frameworks that enable innovation while upholding academic integrity and educational values.

The symposium featured a series of hands-on workshops that explored practical applications of technology-enhanced learning. Participants explored topics such as integrating Canva and AI into digital pedagogy, creating interactive digital learning resources with AI, developing higher education AI policies that balance innovation with academic integrity, ethics and security, and best practices in credit transfer for standalone online courses across ASEAN.

Representing SMU's Centre for Teaching Excellence, Isaac Koh, Lead for Pedagogical Innovations, and Shamie Jegan, AI for Learning Innovation Specialist, shared practical strategies on how educators can design tailored learning tools and experiences using AI. Through demonstrations and case studies, they elaborated on practical approaches to leveraging AI to create interactive and engaging learning experiences while supporting pedagogical goals and learner outcomes.

A fireside chat on the second day of the symposium examined how universities might harness AI to enhance learning while fostering creativity, critical thinking and responsible technology use. Titled "Ethical AI and Transformative Learning: Empowering Educators, Inspiring Student Innovation", the session highlighted the potential of ethical generative AI, Challenge-Based Project Learning and innovative digital pedagogies to empower educators and cultivate future-ready graduates. The symposium reaffirmed AUN-TEPL's commitment to advancing innovative, ethical and learner-centred approaches to higher education across ASEAN+3.

View segments from the 6th AUN-TEPL Symposium here.