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The 2nd Edition of the Young Academic and Digital Academic Leadership Program Continued in Zagreb

  • Writer: LEADnetwork
    LEADnetwork
  • May 16
  • 6 min read

On 16 May 2025, the second part of the Young Academic and Digital Academic Leadership Development Program was successfully held at the University of Zagreb, Croatia. Jointly organized by the EU-China Higher Education Research Center at VUB, LEAD Academic Network and the University of Zagreb, this program brought together a delegation of faculty members from Shanghai University and academic representatives from University of Zagreb to engage in in-depth discussions on digital transformation and academic leadership in higher education.


In the opening session, Prof. Dr. Jurica Pavičić, Vice-Rector of the University of Zagreb, noted that several delegations from Chinese universities were visiting Zagreb this week, reflecting the increasingly close cooperation between Chinese universities and University of Zagreb in the fields of education and scientific research. He particularly emphasized that universities worldwide are jointly facing the major challenge of digital transformation, and that this training program serves as a timely and effective example of promoting EU-China cooperation and capacity building in higher education.


Prof. Dr. YU Xuemei, Vice President of Shanghai University, expressed her sincere appreciation to the University of Zagreb, ECHE at VUB, and the LEAD Academic Network for their thoughtful organization of the program. She noted that this training builds upon the successful first edition held in Brussels and Lisbon in 2024, and provides a valuable opportunity for young scholars to strengthen their leadership in a time of rapid change. She encouraged participants to engage actively, communicate openly, and apply what they have learned to their teaching and research practices, contributing to the advancement of their institutions and international cooperation.


During the morning session, the 2024 Annual Review Video of the LEAD Academic Network highlighted the recent achievements in international collaboration, training programs, and the development of young academic leadership. In addition, bilateral meetings were held between Shanghai University and the University of Zagreb to explore future cooperation opportunities.


Three keynote speeches and workshops were delivered during the program. Prof. Sandra Kucina Softic, Assistant Director of SRCE (The University Computing Centre), introduced how SRCE of UoZ supports Croatia’s digital transformation in higher education. She described artificial intelligence as “the tip of the iceberg,” emphasizing that beneath the visible technological surface lie numerous ethical, pedagogical, and institutional challenges. She called on leaders to adopt strategic foresight and a strong sense of responsibility when navigating digital change.


Prof. Markus Schatten highlighted that AI is a neutral tool whose impact depends on its usage. He raised concerns about hallucinations, plagiarism, and teacher anxiety, calling for ethical guidelines and institutional support. He also showcased open-source AI tools developed in his lab and urged academic leaders to take a proactive role in guiding responsible AI integration.


Prof. Mirjana Pejic Bach focused on how digital tools like VosViewer can support systematic literature reviews and visual data analysis. She offered a detailed explanation of methods such as keyword clustering. Through hands-on demonstrations, she encouraged young researchers to integrate digital tools into topic selection, research planning, and academic leadership.


After the keynote speeches, Prof. MOU Chengbo and Prof. LYU Yingchun from Shanghai University delivered their reflections on the one-week program they have attended. Drawing on their research experience, they shared reflections on digital governance, AI applications, and international cooperation. They emphasized that the program had broadened their strategic thinking and enhanced their intercultural communication skills.


The event concluded with closing speeches by Prof. Melita Kovačević, former Vice-Rector of the University of Zagreb, and Prof. YU Xuemei. Prof. Kovačević encouraged young scholars to continue strengthening their intercultural understanding and digital leadership skills, and to face the uncertainties of the time. Prof. YU expressed her sincere gratitude to the organizers, noting that the program not only offered valuable knowledge but also served as a catalyst for leadership development and academic responsibility. She expressed her hope for deeper collaboration with the LEAD Academic Network in the future.


At the closing ceremony, Prof. Melita Kovačević, Prof. YU Xuemei, and Prof. Dr. Chang Zhu (director of the EU-China Higher Education Research Center at VUB and coordinator of the LEAD Academic Network), jointly presented the certificates to all participants. This marked a successful conclusion to the cross-cultural academic leadership training event, injecting fresh vitality into higher education cooperation and underscoring the ECHE of VUB and LEAD Network’s commitment to advancing digital leadership in a global academic context.





“青年学者与数字学术领导力发展项目”第二期在萨格勒布举行第二阶段培训活动

2025年5月16日,第二期“青年学者与数字学术领导力发展项目”的第二阶段培训在克罗地亚萨格勒布大学顺利举行。该项目由VUB中欧高等教育研究中心、LEAD学术联盟和萨格勒布大学联合举办,来自上海大学的教师代表团和萨格勒布大学的学术代表齐聚一堂,就高等教育的数字化转型和学术领导力进行了深入探讨。


在开幕致辞中,萨格勒布大学副校长Jurica Pavičić教授指出,本周有多个中国高校代表团访问萨格勒布,反映出中国高校与萨格勒布大学在教育和科研领域的合作日益密切。他特别强调,全球高校正共同面临数字化转型的重大挑战,而此次培训正是推动中欧高等教育合作与能力建设的及时且富有成效的实践案例。


上海大学副校长于雪梅教授在致辞中对萨格勒布大学、VUB中欧高等教育研究中心与LEAD学术联盟的精心筹备表示感谢。她指出,此次培训是在2024年布鲁塞尔与里斯本成功举办的首期培训项目基础上的延续升级,为青年教师在快速变革的时代中提供了培养领导力的宝贵机会。她鼓励学员积极参与、开放交流,并将所学应用到教学和研究实践中,助力高校发展与国际合作。


在上午的活动中播放了LEAD学术联盟2024年度回顾视频,重点介绍了近期在国际合作、培训项目和青年学术领导力培养方面取得的成果。此外,上海大学和萨格勒布大学还举行了双边会谈,探讨未来的合作机会。


本阶段培训共设三场主旨报告和研讨会。萨格勒布大学计算中心(SRCE)副主任Sandra Kucina Softic副教授介绍了SRCE在支持克罗地亚高等教育数字化转型方面的经验。她将人工智能描述为“冰山一角”,强调其背后隐藏着伦理、教学和制度等复杂挑战,呼吁高校领导者以战略眼光和责任感引领数字化变革。


Markus Schatten教授指出,人工智能是一种中性工具,其影响取决于使用方式。他提到AI幻觉、学术不端与教师焦虑等问题,呼吁建立伦理准则与制度支持。他还展示了实验室开发的多个开源AI工具,并呼吁学术领导者积极引导AI在教学中的合理使用。


Mirjana Pejic Bach 教授重点介绍了 VosViewer 这一数字工具如何支持系统文献综述和可视化数据分析。她详细讲解了关键词聚类等方法,并通过实际案例操作进行演示,鼓励年轻研究人员将数字工具融入选题、研究规划和学术领导中。


主旨演讲结束后,来自上海大学的牟成博教授与吕迎春教授分别发表了对为期一周的课程的感想,他们结合自身科研经验分享了对数字治理、AI应用与国际合作的思考。他们表示,该培训项目进一步拓展了战略视野,提升了跨文化交流能力。


活动最后,萨格勒布大学前副校长Melita Kovačević教授与上海大学副校长于雪梅教授分别发表闭幕致辞。Melita教授鼓励青年学者持续提升跨文化理解与数字领导力,在不确定时代中积极应对挑战。于雪梅教授对主办方表示感谢,认为本次培训不仅讲授了宝贵知识,更激发了学术责任感与领导力意识,并期待未来与LEAD学术联盟深化合作。


在结业仪式上,Melita Kovačević教授、于雪梅教授与朱畅教授(VUB中欧高等教育研究中心主任、LEAD学术联盟协调人)共同为全体学员颁发了结业证书,为本次高水平、跨文化的学术领导力培训画上圆满句号。该项目为高等教育合作注入了新的活力,也彰显了 VUB 中欧高等教育研究中心和 LEAD 联盟在全球学术背景下推进数字化领导力的承诺。

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