City University of Macau translates its interdisciplinary research into practical strategies that guide the digital transformation of Macao’s tertiary education
Eliminating the equity gap in digital learning and improving accessibility for all students is a crucial conversation in the 21st century. However, the public health implications of the digital revolution do not often receive the same level of attention. Researchers at City University of Macau (CityU Macau) believe that true accessibility must encompass physical well-being.
Digital environments can lead to or exacerbate health issues. Prolonged exposure to electronic screens at close range, increased academic burden and insufficient outdoor activity have compounded the risk of myopia among young people. Macao has seen over 70 per cent of its residents aged 15 and above affected by myopia, with a marked trend towards earlier onset and greater severity.
The School of Education at CityU Macau hopes to address this through its “learning as protection” education model, which brings together digital learning and smart healthcare. The core principle of this framework is the integration of health equity into digitalisation. The project focuses on guiding digitalisation efforts within Macao’s schools while focusing on healthcare initiatives such as myopia prevention. The research was supported by grants from the Macao Science and Technology Development Fund.
Yi Dai, associate professor in the School of Education at CityU Macau, argues that academic research serves as a vital “digital brake pad” that ensures technological shifts do not derail human development. “Institutions must mandate hardware-software co-design frameworks, such as integrating optical far-imaging display technology with automated screen time modulation, to ensure that socioeconomically vulnerable students do not trade their physical health for digital literacy,” he says.
“Improving digital education requires moving away from purely technical and theoretical research towards empirical, cross-disciplinary paradigms.”
The researchers’ goal is to address rising myopia rates among young students while supporting primary and secondary schools in their digital transformation journey. The learning device has already attracted attention at events such as the Macao International Trade and Investment Fair and the Global Artificial Intelligence Machines and Electronics Expo. “Grounded in the spirit of addressing practical, real-world problems within the Macao community, CityU Macau has empowered the research team to confront the pressing public health challenge of rising youth myopia rates by merging smart medical technology with digital education,” says Dai.
CityU Macau established the Macao Global Education Research and Innovation Centre to bring together advanced engineering and educational theory. It offers postgraduate and doctoral courses in education technology, educational psychology and educational assessment and evaluation. The programmes empower students to embed theoretical learning into active research tracks to address the local educational and public health needs of Macao and the Greater Bay Area.
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By Times Higher Education
