People-to-People Exchange
Overview
Our People-to-People Exchange department aims to facilitate the development and exchanges of educational (formal and non-formal) policies and practices in ASEM countries for the benefit of the next generation of leaders.
Our Goals
(1) Create and foster sustainable networks between and among policy and decision-makers and civil society representatives to:
- enable the active participation of young people in society and to promote the values of citizenship
- facilitate the dialogue between the formal and/or non-formal educational stakeholders.
(2) Provide capacity-building opportunities for actors of civil society, with a particular focus on young people and educational agents,
in order to:
- support the exchange of knowledge and experiences on subjects of common interest through dialogue and collaborative learning
- empower participants to actively engage in the decision-making processes of issues affecting them.
(3) Contribute to the development and enhancement of ASEM policies by submitting timely recommendations and proactive
feedback from formal and non-formal education stakeholders.
Our Work
Our programmes include:
(1) Formal Education
- ASEM Education Hub (AEH): A programme that facilitates and promotes co-operation among higher education stakeholders in Asia and Europe.
- ASEM Education Hub (AEH): Advisory Committee: An observatory and guiding body for the initiatives of the AEH. It is composed of major higher education organisations and networks as well as individuals with proven interest, expertise and experience from ASEM countries.
- ASEM Rectors’ Conference (ASEM RC): A biennial dialogue that brings together university leaders and higher education experts from ASEM countries to discuss topical higher education policy issues between the two regions.
- Asia-Europe Education Workshops: A venue for focused discussions on the changing context that affects or influences the education sector.
- ASEM Education and Research Hub for Lifelong Learning (ASEM LLL Hub): A network of Asian and European universities engaged in comparative studies and joint researches on lifelong learning. They provide evidence-based policy recommendations for educational reforms in ASEM countries.
- Database on Education Exchange Programmes (DEEP): A comprehensive online portal on universities, student exchanges and scholarships in Asia and Europe that aims to promote better awareness of the study opportunities among students and encourage mobility of ASEM’s academic community.
- Asia-Europe Classroom Network (AEC-NET): A programme that connects secondary and high school educators and students in ASEM countries.
(2) Non-Formal Education
- ASEF University: A 2-week programme that promotes academic discourse and intercultural exchanges among outstanding university students and young professionals from Asia and Europe.
- ASEF University Alumni Network (ASEFUAN): A grouping of young leaders who share a strong interest in the promotion of inter-cultural relations between Asia and Europe.
- Asia-Europe Youth Trainings: A venue for young people from Asia and Europe to acquire knowledge, develop skills and form attitudes that will empower them to be more active in their respective communities and grow as global citizens.
- Asia-Europe Youth Dialogue: A platform for exchange of ideas and best practices between young leaders from Asia and Europe on issues that affect political, social and economic developments in ASEM countries.
- Asia-Europe Co-operation in Voluntary Service (VolunAEt): A programme that promotes active participation of young volunteers in Asian and European societies.
People-to-People Exchange Team
- Mr Zhang HongtieDirector
- Ms Edwige RozierAssistant Director
- Ms Angie TohExecutive Assistant to Director
- Ms Helen Chua BalderamaProject Executive
- Mr Joel BassigProject Executive
- Mr Rob Van LeeuwenProject Officer
- Ms Agnes DelmasIntern
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Mr Zhang Hongtie
Director
Zhang Hongtie is the Director of People-to-People Exchange at the Asia-Europe Foundation, seconded by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Hongtie has held different positions in the Chinese diplomatic service both home and abroad prior to his secondment to ASEF. He was Counsellor of the Information Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China before he joined ASEF.
Hongtie attained his BA degree in English Literature at China's Tianjin Foreign Languages Institute. Other than his mother tongue (Mandarin), he speaks English and some very basic French. His personal hobby includes history, ancient Chinese philosophy, music, literature, short-distance jogging, and Taiji. -
Ms Edwige Rozier
Assistant Director
Edwige Rozier supervises the activities of the People-to-People Exchange department (P2P), which consist of formal and non-formal education projects targeted at young people.
She joined ASEF in January 2008 as Project Officer for P2P in charge of the Database on Education Exchange Programmes (DEEP). Prior to becoming Project Manager, Edwige was Project Executive responsible for ASEF’s higher education cooperation initiatives within the framework of the ASEM Education Hub (AEH).
Before joining ASEF, Edwige worked in finance, sales, marketing, and public relations. She also trained at the Academic Cooperation Association in Brussels, a think tank in the area of international cooperation in higher education.
Edwige’s educational background includes the study of the English language, literature, and civilisation with a specialisation in American civilisation.
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Ms Angie Toh
Executive Assistant to Director
Angie Toh joined ASEF in February 1998. She reports directly to the Director and provides administrative and secretariat support.
In her time at ASEF, Angie has been responsible for the organisation of various projects, such as the 1st Young Parliamentarians Meeting; the 2nd, 3rd, and 10th edition of the ASEF University Programme; Meeting on the formation of ASEM Education Hub; the 2nd Asia-Europe Young Entrepreneurs Forum and most editions of the Asia-Europe Classroom Network Conferences.
Currently, Angie is overseeing the Asia-Europe Classroom Network (AEC-NET), which provides opportunities for collaborative learning and intercultural exchanges among secondary and high school educators and students in Asia and Europe through online projects and annual conferences.
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Ms Helen Chua Balderama
Project Executive
Helen Chua Balderama is the Coordinator of ASEF’s higher education cooperation initiatives within the framework of the ASEM Education Hub (AEH).
She joined ASEF in August 2008. Prior to this, Helen was Development Management Officer at the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines (UNACOM). In-charge of education and youth programmes, she worked closely with UNESCO Offices (Bangkok, Jakarta, and Paris) and national education agencies in the implementation of UNESCO’s education projects in the Philippines. From 2005-2006, she was part of the team tasked to conduct a National Survey of Lifelong Learning Programmes – a project supported by the Commission on Higher Education.
Helen studied Philosophy at the University of the Philippines and earned a postgraduate degree on Cultural Projects for Development from the International Labour Organization Training Centre (ITCILO) in Turin. In 2008, Helen completed her Master's degree in Public Administration from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) at the National University of Singapore.
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Mr Joel Bassig
Project Executive
Joel Bassig joined ASEF in January 2010, and is primarily in charge of the Non-Formal Education activities of the Foundation.
He is a certified mediator and has previously worked with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Taipei. He has also been involved in youth work in the Philippines, through the Office of the President and the National Youth Commission.
Joel holds an undergraduate degree in Development Studies from the University of the Philippines in Manila and a Master's degree in International Affairs from Ming Chuan University in Taiwan. His main areas of interest are Education, Global Governance, Urban Development, Human Rights, International Political Economy, Conflict Transformation, Foreign Relations and Project Management.
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Mr Rob Van Leeuwen
Project Officer
Rob van Leeuwen joined ASEF in June 2010 and is primarily in charge of the Non-Formal activities of the Foundation.
Prior to joining ASEF, Rob participated in several international volunteer projects in South Africa and Indonesia and served as a trainer/coordinator in several non-formal education projects. He was also Project Manager for SIW International Volunteer Projects in the Netherlands.
Rob holds an undergraduate degree in Cultural Anthropology from the Radboud University Nijmegen and a Master's degree in Southeast Asian Studies from the Leiden University. His research took place in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, where he studied the 2004 tsunamiʼs influence on urban symbolism.
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Ms Agnes Delmas
Intern.
