Jakarta, 30 July 2021 – The 12th SHARE Policy Dialogue Webinar Series took place between 27 and 29 July, organised in partnership with the ASEAN Secretariat’s Education Youth and Sports Division (EYSD).
The theme of the three days was ‘Creating a Resilient and Sustainable ASEAN Higher Education Space’ and it was officially opened by the European Union Ambassador to ASEAN, H.E. Igor Driesmans and the Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN for the ASEAN socio-cultural community, H.E. Kung Phoak.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Driesmans stated “Education has always been at the heart of the EU-ASEAN partnership. The SHARE Programme, our higher education flagship programme, contributes to people-to-people connectivity between our two diverse regions and to student mobility within ASEAN.” Deputy Secretary General Kung Phoak asserted that “promoting internationalised and quality higher education is vital, particularly amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, to support ASEAN community building and economic recovery in the long term.”
The SHARE Programme Team Leader Mr. Darren McDermott, the Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation Dr Yang Mee Eng, and the Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education Philippines Dr Aldrin A. Darilag, also opened this second SHARE Policy Dialogue held wholly online due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The key highlight of the event was the successful launch of the ASEAN Working Group on Higher Education Mobility (AWGHEM) 2025. This Working Group will support efforts to strengthen ASEAN’s higher education system and to realise ASEAN’s Higher Education Space for greater people-to-people connectivity and knowledge transfer across the region, in direct line with the new ASEAN Work Plan on Education 2021 - 2025. The SHARE Programme will serve as the technical and operational advisor to the Working Group.
At the heart of the three days’ policy dialogue was the central matter on how to best further ASEAN’s higher education cooperation and internationalisation, including the transfer of ownership of SHARE’s programme outcomes to ASEAN entities.
The first session focused on “Engaging Regional Partners for a Harmonised ASEAN Higher Education Space.” In the panel discussion, Director of the ASEAN Secretariat’s Human Development Directorate, Rodora T. Babaran, along with the ASEAN University Network’s Executive Director, Dr Choltis Dhirathiti, Director of SEAMEO RIHED Centre Dr Romyen Kosaikanont, and the Senior Director for Policy and Expertise Development Subsector of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency, Mohamad Dzafir Mustafa, shared their organisations’ vision, strategies, and cooperation initiatives to support the harmonisation of the regional higher education.
The second session, themed “Future Proofing International Higher Education Student Mobility”, discussed emerging developments and innovations facilitating the internationalisation of ASEAN higher education and the eventual development of an ASEAN Branded Scholarship. In his keynote speech, Dr Parag Khanna, Future Map’s Managing Partner and author of ‘The Future is Asian,’ highlighted the future for mobility and people-to-people connectivity between Asia and Europe.
The panel discussion involved the Senior Partner of Knowledge Innovation Centre, Mr. Anthony Camilleri, the CEO & Co-founder of Accredify, Mr. Zheng Wei Quah, the Vice-Director of Institute for Innovative Global Education at Kansai University, Dr. Keiko Ikeda, and the Director of the International Relations Centre at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Global, Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad.
On the final day, the Executive Director of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), Ambassador Morikawa Toru, opened the session on “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in ASEAN’s Internationalisation.” Director of the ASEAN Secretariat’s Human Development Directorate, Rodora T. Babaran, Senior Consultant of the Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education of UNESCO Bangkok, Dr. Wesley Teter, CEO & Founder of Accelerate Global, Ms. Raudhah Nazran, and the Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation, Dr. Yang Mee Eng came together to discuss key issues, opportunities and initiatives in increasing equity, diversity and inclusion in international education in ASEAN.
The series of SHARE Policy Dialogue provide a valuable opportunity to learn from and engage with key stakeholders from the ASEAN higher education sector.
The full recordings of the sessions and speakers’ presentation materials are available as below:
Session 1: Engaging Regional Partners for a Harmonised ASEAN Higher Education Space
- Click to watch the full recording of the session
- Click to download the panel speakers' presentations
Session 2: Future Proofing International Higher Education Student Mobility
- Click to watch the full recording of the session
- Click to download the keynote speaker's presentation
- Click to download the panel speakers' presentations
Session 3: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in ASEAN's Internationalisation
