21 September 2021

Virtual Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM1)

Virtual Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM1)

On 14 and 15 September 2021, ASEM Education Senior Officials’ met virtually for the first time since the last ASEM Education Ministers’ Meeting held in Bucharest in 2019.

Click here to enlarge the graphic report

Click here to watch the drawing process (video)

Below you will find an overview of the speakers and their presentation topics. Speakers’ presentations can be downloaded by clicking on the speaker’s name. Click here to download the meeting minutes.

DAY 1 – 14 September

Keynote Speech by Stefania Gianini (UNESCO) 

  • Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education (UNESCO): ‘Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education, an opportunity to reshape higher education systems for a sustainable future

In her keynote, Stefania Giannini addresses both the setbacks caused by the pandemic and also the pandemic-induced changes for higher education. Touching upon various issues and challenges within (higher) education, her speech is setting the scene for the meeting and the AEP’s joint Strategy 2030 that is to be adopted at the next Ministerial Meeting.

The topics that Ms Giannini specifically highlighted are:

    • Inclusiveness and equitable access to education (SDG4, equal access to affordable education)
    • Quality Assurance capacities
    • Importance of balanced mobility
    • Openness and the nexus of research and societies
    • Lifelong learning, not least to increase individual employment perspectives
    • The ethical dimension of the use of technologies, esp. AI
    • Sustainable financing for (higher) education

Presentation and Discussion of Strategy and Action Plan

ASEM Education 2030 Strategy

ASEM Education 2030 Action Plan

Next ASEM Education Secretariat – Presentation video

Pitches – an Insight into ASEM Education Projects and Initiatives

ASEM Lifelong Learning Hub: Updates on Research Network 4 and 6

Expert Group Interregional Credit Transfer Mechanisms and Learning Outcome Systems

  • Magalie Soenen, Higher Education Policy Advisor, Ministry of Education and Training Belgium/Flemish Community

Expert Group Digitalisation

  • Nina Knops, Desk Officer, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

ASEM-DUO Fellowship Programme

Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF)

Asia-Europe Institute – ASEM Summer School

DAY 2 – 15 September

Stocktaking Report

  • Presentation on the Stocktaking Report

Outlook – New ASEM Education Initiatives

ETF Network for Excellence in VET and the Skills Lab Project

BILT Project: Bridging Innovation and Learning in TVET

  • Sarah Elson-Rogers, UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training

Higher Education for Sustainable Development Portal and Global Survey on Internationalisation in Higher Education

Towards a Programme on SEA-EU Mobility for Sustainable Development

ASEM COIL – A Pilot Project Initiative to foster student online collaboration across cultures

Global Lifelong Learning Summit (GLLS)

  • Dr. Renée Tan, Director Research Division, Institute for Adult Learning Singapore (IAL)

ARISE 2.0 – Opportunities of establishing an Asian counterpart to ESN

  • Olivia Parczyk, Liasion Officer towards Asia, Erasmus Student Network (ESN)

Chair’s Conclusions

ARC8 Outlook Report on Inclusive & Diverse Higher Education

National Equity Policy in Higher Education Study

ASEM Lifelong Learning Hub

  • Dr. Séamus Ó Tuama, Director of ACE (Adult Continuing Education) at University College Cork, Chair of the ASEM Lifelong Learning Hub

Closing Remarks

 

Graphic recording of the meeting: