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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 10, No. 7
Publication Date: July 25, 2023
DOI:10.14738/assrj.107.15188
Garito, M. A. (2023). Alliances for Knowledge: A Strategy for Building the Future of University in the Digital Society. Advances in
Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(7). 412-419.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Alliances for Knowledge: A Strategy for Building the Future of
University in the Digital Society
Maria Amata Garito
International Telematic University UNINETTUNO
ABSTRACT
This paper investigates the transformative potential of the Internet in redefining
the structure and purpose of traditional universities. It underscores the challenges
posed by technology, globalization, socio-economic development, and evolving
training needs, and highlights the importance of reinvention for universities to
remain relevant. It argues that universities must transition from a conventional
pedagogical model to one that fosters collaborative learning, enabled by digital
technologies, and provides a platform for the exchange of knowledge that
transcends geographical boundaries. Through the case study of UNINETTUNO, the
paper elucidates the implementation of an open, inclusive, and flexible educational
model offering courses in multiple languages, fostering international relations and
mutual understanding. Further, it advocates the establishment of a global network
of public and private universities, emphasizing shared knowledge, resources, and
mobility of faculty and students. The paper concludes with a compelling call to
democratize access to knowledge, promoting the use of the internet to create a
worldwide, open system of teaching and learning. This vision challenges the status
quo and paves the way for an educational future where learning truly knows no
bounds.
Keywords: Distance Education, Globalization of Higher Education, Online Learning,
Internationalization of Universities, Democratization of Knowledge.
INTRODUCTION
The 21st century is defined by new communication technologies that have accelerated the
processes of globalization in our society and created a new interconnected world that functions
locally but operates globally. [1]
The "psycho-digital" journey on the Internet, where the global and the local intertwine, allows
us to externalize consciousness at a planetary level. Even in our past, in the depths of time, we
formed a collective, but we were not aware of it. Today, we have the opportunity to rediscover
and experience, with all its complexity and challenges, the fundamental unity of all humankind,
and, most importantly, to instil this awareness in the minds of those who will inherit the fate of
this planet.
On a global scale, the political choices and strategies of governments to materialize a new model
of society and development that fosters synergy between technological innovations and human
values are not yet visible. Significant organizational changes in the structures that characterize
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Garito, M. A. (2023). Alliances for Knowledge: A Strategy for Building the Future of University in the Digital Society. Advances in Social Sciences
Research Journal, 10(7). 412-419.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.107.15188
governments and societies have yet to be seen, as well as the emergence of institutions capable
of generating productivity, flexibility, solidarity, security, participation, and responsibility.
Enriching humanity with knowledge is the true resource of the globalized and interconnected
world. Unfortunately, it is evident that politics has not fully grasped the value of building new
organizational models for schools and universities.
TRANSFORMATION IMPERATIVES FOR UNIVERSITIES
In this context, the very concept of education and training is undergoing a transformation,
necessitating targeted interventions by public authorities. It is crucial that, alongside a new
model of social ethics, new systems and public policies emerge to facilitate the development of
innovative organizational models for schools, training centers, and universities at the local,
national, and international levels. These models should integrate both physical and virtual
presence, enabling them to effectively address the complex training needs of individuals in the
21st century.[2]
Curricula should encompass knowledge from different countries and languages, equipping
individuals with the tools to respect cultural, religious, and political differences, as well as to
effectively utilize new technologies and languages. The integration of professional skills with
general cultural competencies is essential, enabling individuals to navigate complexity.
The recognition that an individual's knowledge, know-how, and skills are the source of all other
wealth is widely acknowledged. Today, the intelligent use of new information and educational
technologies provides easy access to training. Therefore, training becomes the means by which
citizens actively participate in constructive change.
Today, more than ever, we require individuals capable of envisioning a new societal model,
contributing to the advancement of knowledge, and finding solutions to the complex challenges
facing humanity. The evolution and progress of society also rely on the new possibilities offered
by the Internet to communicate with others, share our knowledge, acquire new insights for an
interconnected society, and collaborate in shaping the future.
Governments worldwide need to allocate sufficient economic resources to reform the education
system, fostering collaboration between national and local authorities as well as between
governments and international institutions [3] [4]. Additionally, the development of a global
science and technology network is imperative; a network that allows to collect and share
knowledge, but also to guarantee users regarding the scientific validity of the contents they
access, even those contents generated by the latest generation AI thus trained on reliable
knowledge bases because they are scientifically guaranteed by the network of universities and
research centres itself.
Across the globe, there is ongoing consideration of how universities should adapt to meet the
educational needs of a new societal model. Society itself is still grappling with the profound
contradictions brought about by globalization, as it seeks to define its true identity [5]. In this
historical period, individuals from around the world connect in the global marketplaces of the
Internet, yet few nations have homogeneous populations in terms of ethnicity and culture, and
few universities serve as models of diversity. Universities still largely operate as products of
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their respective nations, organized according to legislative frameworks tied to local and
national educational requirements, while the world of business, work, and communication
thrives in a global arena.
Universities should occupy a central position in the interconnected knowledge society,
emerging as strong drivers of economic development and the globalized world. Knowledge and
skills have always been the strategic resources upon which to build the progress of humanity.
DISTANCE EDUCATION AS A CATALYST FOR INNOVATION
There is a global need to establish a new model of intangible capital for development, one based
on knowledge and expertise that transcends national boundaries. The widespread reach of the
Internet has effectively imposed an international dimension on education. In the 21st century,
citizens must possess the ability to interact and cooperate in a reality where cultural, political,
and religious diversities significantly influence various aspects of their lives. [6]
When constructing new university models that align with historical realities, it is important to
recognize that technology is not a divisive factor but a crucial connector. The notion of a "digital
divide" between technologically affluent and technologically disadvantaged countries no longer
holds true. Opportunities for mutually beneficial international partnerships exist between
developed and developing nations. The collaborative nature of technology promotes
understanding between nations, and the benefits extend far beyond the mere accumulation of
knowledge.
Through the utilization of new technologies, universities can directly reach students in different
countries, provide remote training for global labor markets, and act locally, nationally, and
internationally [7]. By doing so, universities not only assume a vital role but also facilitate the
internationalization of businesses.
Technology, globalization, internationalization, cooperation, competition, socio-economic
development, flexibility, and the evolving training needs pose significant challenges for higher
education institutions. In today's world, globalization, interdependence, and communication
technologies now go hand in hand and can provide universities with tools that allow for the
development of new models of collaboration in research, teaching, the creation of joint
programs, the exchange of faculty and students, even in a virtual manner, and above all, in the
creation of scientific content related to various disciplines and digitized on the Internet. The
mission of universities has always been the advancement and development of humanity. Now,
with Internet technology, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, color, or gender, everyone has the
potential to access education and contribute to the development of a global economy.
Traditional universities must embrace reinvention and break free from stagnation.
Transformation is no longer an optional path but an unavoidable imperative. "In a world
characterized by unparalleled connectivity, particularly among today's youth, universities
continue to operate as isolated entities focused on erudition and learning, failing to fully
leverage the Internet's potential to break down the barriers separating institutions, faculty, and
students." Moreover, "The convergence of the new web, the new generation of students, the
demands of the global knowledge economy, and the aftermath of the economic crisis is creating
a 'perfect storm' for universities, with signs of imminent change becoming increasingly evident.
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Garito, M. A. (2023). Alliances for Knowledge: A Strategy for Building the Future of University in the Digital Society. Advances in Social Sciences
Research Journal, 10(7). 412-419.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.107.15188
If traditional universities are to withstand the rise of the Internet university, they must embrace
change”. [8]
If traditional universities are to survive the development of Internet-based education, and
above all the rise and diffusion of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT1 , which uses the
knowledge available on the Web as a basis for its training, and for information processing and
elaboration without distinguishing between reliable sources and fake news or fake knowledge,
they must undergo substantial changes. What will characterize the value and success of a
traditional university, in my opinion, will be a new pedagogical model to implement the
development of collaborative learning where the student becomes an active participant in
knowledge construction. The true value of traditional universities today lies in the new forms
of knowledge communication through new technologies and in the human interaction that can
be established through direct face-to-face contact between teachers and students. The
university will have to operate in virtual spaces of interaction and cooperation, but at the same
time, it will have to enrich the physical spaces of real encounters between two generations, the
youth and the mature. Worldwide, there is a discussion about new models of universities, new
teaching-learning methodologies, and new languages related to communication and knowledge
transmission through new technologies.
The Internet has evolved into a global platform that is increasingly rich in content, many of
which are not scientifically reliable, effectively becoming the predominant infrastructure for
knowledge exchange among people. It is increasingly revealing itself as an immense space for
storing knowledge and information, which does not always guarantee the user their veracity.
There are many fake news circulating in the vast expanse of the internet. Distance learning in
the new context is not an alternative to traditional universities, but it also represents a new
opportunity and a new way of carrying out teaching and research functions for these
universities. Online universities today can help traditional universities develop innovations in
products, processes, and systems.
Universities, being the exclusive domains where knowledge production and transfer processes
coexist, play an essential and indispensable role in creating content for the Internet, thereby
guaranteeing the validity of sources for all users. However, realizing this vision necessitates a
transformation in the role and structure of universities. It calls for the establishment of new
international alliances, the creation of both physical and virtual spaces to foster shared
knowledge networks among different universities worldwide, and to support institutional
convergence. Moreover, these changes will lay the groundwork for creating scientific
knowledge bases that can be used to train artificial intelligences.
The shared spaces of knowledge should not be homogenous or uniform [9]. The goal is not to
come together to replicate ourselves or, worse, to "McDonaldize" educational systems. Rather,
the aim is to strike a new balance between unity and diversity, embracing the unity of values
and traditions passed down through memory, while celebrating the diversity of cultures and
languages [10]. New communication technologies empower traditional universities to create
virtual spaces for interaction and cooperation, while still maintaining physical spaces for
meetings and face-to-face communication, fostering dialogue between different generations.
1 https://chat.openai.com/
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In this context, the creation of new international alliances will increasingly become important
in order to establish a global network of public and private universities that bring together their
knowledge, share resources and facilities, curricula, laboratories, internal mobility of faculty
and students, while maintaining the specificity of individual universities as a value and
enrichment of the network. The aim is to build a network of universities on the Internet that is
composed not only of technologies but, above all, of individuals and intellects capable of
connecting their knowledge while respecting cultural, political, religious, and economic
differences. Such a network of universities, empowered by the Internet, expands and amplifies
the possibilities of acquiring information, knowledge, and establishing interactions and
exchanges between people. [11]
INTERNATIONAL TELEMATIC UNIVERSITY UNINETTUNO INTERNATIONALIZATION
MODEL
This model has been realized by the International Telematic University UNINETTUNO, which
has developed a unique educational platform worldwide, offering courses in five languages
(Italian, English, French, Arabic, Greek), with plans to expand its content to additional
languages. Instead of relying solely on translations of content from faculty members of
traditional Italian universities, UNINETTUNO has engaged the expertise of top faculty members
from various universities around the world. Each faculty member has the opportunity to deliver
their teachings in their own language, fostering internationalization. Students and faculty
members hail from different countries worldwide, not only from Europe and the United States
but also from Arab countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey
[12, 13], to the 167 countries of origin of the students currently enrolled in UNINETTUNO
higher education programs. Prominent professors from these countries, selected based on the
international quality of their publications, have taught and continue to teach on the
UNINETTUNO platform in their own languages. Courses in certain faculties, like Engineering,
are offered in Arabic, French, English, and Italian, while other faculties are also developing
content in English. Master's courses are already exclusively delivered in English, with some
even offered in Greek.
This choice was made to embrace linguistic diversity as a source of cultural strength and to
respect the diverse backgrounds of the students. Moreover, this linguistic richness enables
students to access and share information, to construct their knowledge in a global rather than
local context, and to realize that working collaboratively with people from different cultures
can lead to better solutions for certain problems.
Observing from the UNINETTUNO observatory, it becomes evident that the interest in
cooperation among learning communities extends beyond education and encompasses broader
social and cultural interests. Through collaboration, forms of learning that involve group work,
research activities, sharing of experiences, and cultural exchange are fostered.
The UNINETTUNO University is dedicated to establishing a Euro-Mediterranean space for
education and research using this approach. The creation of such a space, which involves
collaboration among distance universities, traditional universities, and training institutions
from various European and Mediterranean countries, holds significant strategic, cultural,
political, and economic importance.
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Garito, M. A. (2023). Alliances for Knowledge: A Strategy for Building the Future of University in the Digital Society. Advances in Social Sciences
Research Journal, 10(7). 412-419.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.107.15188
The International Telematic University UNINETTUNO has consistently strived to develop a
university model where teachers and students collaborate in both physical and virtual spaces
of the Internet. Together, they build networks of shared knowledge that enrich curricula by
incorporating the cultural, religious, and political specificities of different countries' histories
and cultures. This model fosters the interconnection of intellects and the collective creation of
new knowledge [10]. Students can pursue their university education without being limited by
space and time constraints.
Our experience demonstrates that it is indeed possible to share curricula and engage in joint
reflection and thinking with universities from countries that have different policies and
cultures. It serves as a multicultural laboratory fostering the development of a new virtual space
where original content for study curricula is created and innovative teaching and learning
models are devised, empowering younger generations to become agents of change, and
allowing the creation of a new model of internet-based university that, as observed, has the
potential to bring academic knowledge to people's homes worldwide, removing the constraints
of space, time, and location. This accessibility allows individuals to pursue education, acquire
new skills, and develop a common value system. This reality cannot be ignored; rather, it should
inspire political and academic choices to promote increased cooperation between universities
in the global North and South. [12]
TOWARD GLOBAL ALLIANCES FOR KNOWLEDGE
Academic alliances not only facilitate the joint creation of educational content, but more
importantly, they foster dialogue and exchange among diverse cultures. The younger
generation of students can collaboratively build the knowledge and skills necessary to confront
the challenges of a globalized world of work, while also learning to interact with and appreciate
each other's differences. Therefore, I believe that strengthening cooperation in academia and
research is crucial in the present historical moment.
Dialogue between intellectuals and academics, the harmonization of higher education and
scientific research programs, and the mobility of students and faculty are essential for
integrating intercultural dialogue into everyday life. Universities need to support all citizens in
considering cultural, religious, and political differences as assets of humanity rather than
instruments of conflict and war. Global conflicts can no longer be ignored, as they increasingly
impact our freedoms in a globalized world. If universities remain isolated, a significant gap
emerges between the needs of our society and academia's response to those needs. On one
hand, we have educational institutions with localized paths, while on the other hand,
individuals are globally connected in real-time, engaging socially and professionally with the
realities of the internet. The interconnected world of the internet brings together people who
often lack the cultural tools to engage with subjects from vastly different backgrounds; on the
other side, Universities and schools are currently not able to develop in the citizens critical
thinking capacities, especially when facing knowledge provided automatically and with no
supervision by digital tools such as the generative AIs engines.
The construction of a global society necessitates a new approach to the internationalization of
educational systems. This internationalization should be based on the sharing of curricula and
the formation of consortia among universities from countries with diverse policies and cultures
[14].
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When the interconnected intelligences of faculty and students from different regions of the
world, with no imposition of a cultural model over another one, harness the power of new social
network systems and virtual interactions offered by the online world to create new knowledge,
then they can establish a true laboratory for intercultural and interlingual cooperation to make
the new generations able to develop a critical sense of knowledge and make them protagonists
of change.
CONCLUSION
Democratizing access to knowledge is crucial for nurturing minds, providing equal
opportunities for all, and eliminating the shackles of ignorance. It is therefore essential for all
countries to support innovative initiatives that can restore confidence in certain populations,
leading them towards democratic paths and economic development, while also fostering
respect for ideological, cultural, and religious differences.
Today the construction and transfer of knowledge transcend borders, and boundaries become
spaces of continuity rather than conflict. With the Internet, every citizen of the world,
unrestricted by space or time, can engage in educational pursuits, acquiring literacy, new skills,
and reinforcing shared values such as justice and peace, which are theoretically accepted by all
but often unheeded.
These aspirations are not mere utopian dreams. I am truly convinced that the university - the
gymnasium where the minds of young people from all over the world are trained - can now rely
on the Internet to create an open system of teaching and learning capable of updating itself,
integrating all the knowledge available online, and materializing the exchange of knowledge
globally, thanks to the Alliances for Knowledge.
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URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.107.15188
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