1965

The establishment of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) as a result of a meeting in Bangkok among the Ministers of Education of Lao PDR, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the then Republic of (South) Vietnam; the Chairperson of UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines; and the Special Adviser to the President of the United States of America.

1966

The establishment of the first two SEAMEO Regional Centres:

1. SEAMEO Regional Centre for Education in Science and Mathematics (SEAMEO RECSAM) in Malaysia
2. SEAMEO Regional Language Centre (SEAMEO RELC) in Singapore

1967

The establishment of :

1. SEAMEO Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEAMEO SEARCA)
2. Four Centres of the SEAMEO Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health Network (SEAMEO TROPMED), with a coordinating unit, the TROPMED Central Office in Thailand:
   • SEAMEO Regional Centre for Microbiology, Parasitology and Entomology (Malaysia)
   • SEAMEO Regional Centre for Community Nutrition (Indonesia)
   • SEAMEO Regional Centre for Public Health (Philippines)
   • SEAMEO Regional Centre for Tropical Medicine (Thailand)

The establishment of:

1. SEAMEO Regional Centre for Tropical Biology (SEAMEO BIOTROP) in Indonesia

2. SEAMEO Regional Centre for Educational Innovation and Technology (SEAMEO INNOTECH) in Vietnam.

The signing of the SEAMEO Charter by the Ministers of Education of Indonesia (Soemantri Hardjoprakoso), Lao (Leuam Insissienmay), Malaysia (Mohamed Khir Johari), the Philippines (Carlos P. Romulo), Singapore (Ong Pang Boon) and Thailand (ML Pin Malakul) on 7 February 1968, and later by Vietnam (Nguyen Van Tho), on 28 June 1968.

1971

Cambodia, (then Khmer Republic), was accepted as a SEAMEO Member Country.

1973

The provision for Associate Membership in the SEAMEO Charter was established.

France became the first SEAMEO Associate Member Country.

The 8^th SEAMEO Council Conference approved in principle by the creation of the Applied Research Centre for Archeology and Fine Arts (ARCAFA) in Pnom Penh. Subsequently, SEAMEO transferred ARCAFA to Thailand during the Civil War in Cambodia.

1973

Australia and New Zealand joined SEAMEO as the second and third Associate Member Countries.

1978

The SEAMEO Regional Project for Archeology and Fine Arts (SEAMEO SPAFA) was founded in Thailand.

1983

The 18^th SEAMEO Council Conference in Penang, Malaysia approved the revision of the SEAMEO Charter to cover Affiliate Membership.

1984

Brunei Darussalam became the ninth Member Country.

The Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) joined SEAMEO as the Affiliate Member.

1988

Canada was accepted as an Associate Member Country.

ACCC withdrew its Affiliate Membership status in favour of Canada's Associate Membership.

The SEAMEO SPAFA was reconstituted into a SEAMEO Regional Centre to be hosted by the Government of Thailand, maintaining SPAFA as the acronym.

1990

The SEAMEO Regional Centre for Vocational and Technical Education (SEAMEO VOCTECH) was set up in Brunei Darussalam.

Germany became the fifth SEAMEO Associate Member Country.

1992

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam joined SEAMEO.

1993

The SEAMEO Regional Centre for Higher Education (SEAMEO RIHED) was established in Thailand.

The Netherlands became the sixth SEAMEO Associate Member Country.

1996

The SEAMEO Regional Training Centre (SEAMEO RETRAC) was founded in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

1997

The SEAMEO Regional Open Learning Centre (SEAMEO SEAMOLEC) was set up in Indonesia.

1998

Myanmar became the 10th SEAMEO Member Country.

1999

The International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) joined SEAMEO as an Affiliate Member.

2000

The SEAMEO Regional Centre for History and Tradition (SEAMEO CHAT) was inaugurated in Myanmar.

2005

Norway became the seventh SEAMEO Associate Member Country.

2006

The 41st SEAMEO Council Conference recognised the accession of Timor-Leste as the 11th SEAMEO Member Country.

2010

The British Council joined SEAMEO as an Affiliate Member.