Stella Stefany

Stella, a former Chair of the Department of Online Learning Communication Science at Universitas Pelita Harapan, Indonesia, has been a pioneering figure in the realm of online education in the country. Her significant contributions led to her recognition as an "Asia Global Innovator" at the Turnitin Awards in 2019, and she served as a key panellist at the Times Higher Education Live Asia in 2020. Stella was instrumental in leading the first accreditation team for her school in 2019, substantially enhancing the quality of online courses in Indonesian higher education.

She has successfully secured grants from prestigious bodies such as The World Bank and the Ministry of Education Indonesia. These grants have supported her development of innovative web-based applications for online course quality assurance, gamified design thinking courses, and micro-credential programs for game developers.

Stella's teaching philosophy emphasizes a personalized education experience that caters to the diverse needs, interests, and learning styles of each student. She excels in creating an engaging learning environment where she acts as both a facilitator and coach, encouraging active learning and critical thinking. Her dedication to education is driven by a passion for empowering students to become self-motivated, lifelong learners.

Her current PhD project focuses on developing students' innovative problem-solving skills through a serious game called "Blackout," which teaches Design Thinking to university students. This game has been selected for the final round of the European Conference on Game-Based Learning to be held in Denmark in October 2024.

Additionally, Stella is a co-founder of Gamified RMIT, a community for educators enthusiastic about gamification, further showcasing her commitment to innovative teaching methods.