EDUCATION
Education is the foundation on which an individual develops and a society advances. With countries closely tied to the progress of national education programmes, the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) has set in motion a series of programmes to reinforce collaborations among academic institutions, education networks, and the society at large across Asia and Europe. ASEF's array of conferences, seminars and workshops continues in promoting academic discourse and intercultural exchanges. This resulted in the implementation of policy recommendations and best practices at participating institutions and beyond.
ASEM Senior (Education)
Officials' Meeting
28-29 January 2013
Malaysia
The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) Malaysia hosted an ASEM Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) in preparation for the 4th Asia-Europe Meeting of Ministers for Education (ASEMME4), which was held in May 2013.
ASEF presented its contributions to the ASEM Education Process since the 3rd Asia-Europe Meeting of Ministers for Education (ASEMME3) which took place in 2011 in Denmark. The Senior Officials discussed trends and developments in the 4 priority areas concluded at ASEMME3:
- Quality assurance and recognition;
- University-business cooperation;
- Mobility; and
- Lifelong learning and technical vocational education and training (TVET).
the 4th ASEM Meeting of Ministers for Education
4th Asia-Europe Meeting of Ministers for Education (ASEMME4)
12-14 May 2013
Malaysia
ASEF's contributions to the ASEM Education Process were reflected in the Chair's Conclusions of the 4th Asia-Europe Meeting of Ministers for Education (ASEMME4) in May 2013 in Malaysia.
During this meeting, the Ministers supported ASEF's role in the ASEM Education Process to further dialogue and cooperation in the field of education between Asia and Europe. The Ministers acknowledged the recommendations from the 3rd ASEM Rectors' Conference (ARC3) and contributions from the 1st
Asia-Europe Students' Forum, which were held back-to-back in 2012 in the Netherlands. ASEF's efforts to involve students in the ASEM Education Process were
also recognised.
ASEF's Executive Director, Ambassador ZHANG Yan, presented
ASEF's work on Higher Education at ASEMME4
the 4 priority areas identified by the ASEM Education Ministers.
On the topic of Engaging Business and Industry in Education, the Ministers encouraged ASEF to "continue the stakeholders' dialogue on this issue and report on the progress made in the next Ministerial Meeting".
The achievements of other
ASEF projects under the ASEF Higher Education Programme (AHEP) were also presented to the 140 ministers, senior officials, and other delegates. These included the ASEF Education Workshops and the Database on Education Exchange Programmes (DEEP). ASEF illustrated how each of ASEF's education projects responds to
Workshop sessions: Sharing Best Practices on
Food Security, Safety, and Sustainability
food risk governance in Ireland; and fusion cuisine: understanding 'the other' through Asian and European cuisines.
During the Annual General Meeting, the ASEFUAN Executive Committee (ExCo) reported on the activities of the past year and a new ExCo for 2013-2014 was elected.
Graduates of the ASEF University (AU) programme founded ASEFUAN in 2002 in Bali, Indonesia. Its members represent more than 600 alumni from 44 ASEM countries who hold positions in their respective governments, business sectors, academia, and civil society. In line with ASEF's mission, ASEFUAN organises projects that promote intercultural dialogue between Asia and Europe, particularly among the younger generation.
Partners:
12th ASEFUAN Academic Conference and Annual General Meeting
7-9 August 2013
Ireland
The ASEF University Alumni Network (ASEFUAN) held their 12th Academic Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) in August 2013 at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. It explored the theme of Feeding Asia and Europe in the 21st Century: Cooperation and Challenges in Food Safety, Security, and Sustainability. The conference was supported by ASEF in cooperation with the Institute for International Integration Studies (IIIS) of the Trinity College.
The conference programme included panel discussions on food sustainability and public health and a workshop on best practices in Asia and Europe. Multi-stakeholder partnerships were reinforced with the participation of representatives from governments, academia, international organisations, businesses and non-profit organisations. There were presentations on food prices, growing population, water resources, food vs. fuel; food safety in China and the WTO framework;
Culture Capsule (ASEFUAN)
Throughout 2013
India, Philippines, Spain
Students from India, Spain and the Philippines took part in Culture Capsule in 2013. This initiative of the ASEF University Alumni Network (ASEFUAN) encourages the exchange of local items, cultural symbols, letters, and photographs between elementary and high school students from Asia and Europe. It enhances appreciation of different cultures and forges intercultural friendships among participating students.
Partner:
Indian students open their Culture Capsule from their counterparts in Spain
Presentation by the participants of their working group discussions
3rd Asia-Europe Education Workshop
25-26 September 2013
Thailand
Themed Beyond the Academic Yardstick: the Societal Excellence of Education, the 3rd Asia-Europe Education Workshop took place in September 2013 in Chiang Mai, Thailand in partnership with Siam University.
It gathered around 30 experts, practitioners, and university leaders from 13 Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) countries who discussed how universities are engaged in creating sustainable societies.
11th ASEF Classroom Network Conference
28 October -
1 November 2013
Indonesia
The objective of the 11th ASEF Classroom Network Conference Creative Classrooms Go 4G:
Teach Green, Learn Green, Act Green, Live Green, was to encourage the integration of ICT, art and local culture in environmental education. 87 participants including 6 student representatives from 31 countries attended the conference.
In this edition, the ASEF Green Action was part of the programme. 21 schools from 18 countries participated in environmental awareness initiatives including an art exhibition and bag exchange activity conducted alongside in Denpasar, Indonesia.
At the end of the conference, the following project groups received 3
ASEF Green Action Exhibition showcasing
creative school activities to raise environmental awareness
Gold Awards: Dream Tours, iMagz – Making Myself Heard, and International Village – Thumbs Up for SketchUp! Merit Awards were conferred to Chain Stories 2013, Let's Eat! and The Time Machine.
38 ASEF ClassNet projects that cover ASEF's themes have been submitted for 2014. The teachers and students will start implementing these projects after the conference.
Introduction of the Strategy of the Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) to the
participants by Assoc. Prof. Dr Giedrius VILIŪNAS, Vice-Rector for Education
2013 ASEF Higher Education Programme (AHEP) Advisory Committee (AC) Meeting
28-29 November 2013 Lithuania
The Advisory Committee (AC)
plays a pivotal role in the structure of the ASEF Higher Education Programme (AHEP – formerly the ASEM Education Hub (AEH)) as an observatory and guiding body. It ensures the relevance and effective delivery of AHEP's
projects to support the ASEM Education Process.
Co-organised with Mykolas Romeris University (MRU), the 2013 AHEP Advisory Committee (AC) Meeting was held in Vilnius, Lithuania. The AC reviewed the various initiatives of AHEP in 2013 and provided practical recommendations for the Programme's development towards the upcoming 1st Education Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) and the 4th ASEF Rectors' Conference and Students' Forum (ARC4).
ASEM Education and Research Hub for Lifelong Learning (ASEM LLL Hub)
Throughout 2013
With the support of ASEF the
ASEM LLL Hub organised a series of meetings in 2013 together with its research networks:
-
Conference on Vocational
Training and Education - Professionalism as Inclusive Policy: Status and Challenges, February 2013,
Tirupati, India - Network Meeting on National
LLL Policies – Comparative
Analysis, April 2013,
Hamburg, Germany - Seminar on Core
Competences,
June 2013,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Seminar on Workplace
Learning Research,
August 2013,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
In addition, the ASEM LLL Hub launched a comprehensive database of National Strategies for Lifelong Learning in 2013. It provides information on polices, practices and successful lifelong learning initiatives in Asia and Europe. Work is in progress with periodical reviews and updates as contributions from various Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) member countries are received.
Partners:
- Conference on International Perspectives of Professionalisation
in Adult Education,
November 2013,
Bonn, Germany - Network Meeting on
Workplace Learning,
November 2013,
Paris, France - Seminar/Network Meeting
on National LLL Policies in
Asia and Europe,
December 2013,
Bangkok, Thailand - Network Meeting on
Development of ICT skills,
e-learning and the culture of
e-learning in Lifelong Learning,
December 2013,
Bangkok, Thailand