Korea National Open University (hereinafter KNOU) hosted the '2025 UNESCO UNITWIN Invitation Training Program: Empowering Digital Literacy Skills' as a key part of the 2025 UNESCO UNITWIN Project, from August 4th to August 8th at the HQ of KNOU.

The training welcomed 6 faculty members from 6 universities across 4 countries: Hanoi Open University and Ho Chi Minh City Open University in Vietnam, Tribhuvan University and Nepal Open University in Nepal, Mongolian University of Science and Technology in Mongolia, and Open University Malaysia in Malaysia.

Now in its 4th year since its launch in 2022, the training focused on the theme of "Empowering Digital Literacy Skills" and included theoretical sessions and hands-on workshops covering topics such as Scratch and AI modeling, Micro:bit (basic/advanced), App Inventor (basic/advanced), Dash Robot, and Python programming.

Prof. Kim Jae-Hyung, Dean of the Office of International Affairs (OIA), stated at the closing ceremony, "We hope that participants will return to their institutions and, together with researchers who have participated in training over the past three years, successfully conduct on-site education for students and faculty, achieving visible outcomes in strengthening digital education capabilities."

Prof. Kim also expressed his hope that "the knowledge acquired through this training will lead to digital education innovation at each institution, and that UNITWIN partner institutions will share educational challenges and experiences to further expand opportunities for collaboration."

The University Twinning and Networking (UNITWIN) programme was launched in 1992 at the 26th session of UNESCO General Conference with the aim of promoting international inter-university cooperation and networking to enhance institutional capacities through knowledge sharing and collaborative work. In 2017, KNOU was appointed to the host institution. The network aims at sharing knowledge and experiences of distance education in higher education.