SEAMEO and Canada Confer 2012 SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) and the Government of Canada awarded the winning research of the 2012 SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award in a ceremony held during the 47th SEAMEO Council Conference on 19 March 2013 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The award was bestowed to the research of Mr Nantha Kumar Subramaniam of the Open University Malaysia called “Web-based Instruction for Adult Learners: An Asynchronous-based Delivery Model for Formal Lifelong Learning”. Twenty research entries contended for the 2012 award cycle which was themed “Lifelong Learning in Southeast Asia”.

During the awarding ceremony, the plaque of recognition was awarded to Mr Nantha Kumar Subramaniam by His Excellency Pham Vu Luan, President of SEAMEO Council and Minister of Education and Training, Vietnam. The winner would also receive a travel fellowship to Canada to disseminate results of the wining research to relevant research institutions in Canada.

Her Excellency Deborah Chatsis, Ambassador of Canada to Vietnam presented a speech on the SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award, and announced the winner.

SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award is a yearly SEAMEO award that aims to encourage young scholars to conduct researches on a theme on social development in Southeast Asia.  It also facilitates continued interaction and knowledge-sharing among Southeast Asian and Canadian researchers.


His Excellency Pham Vu Luan, President of SEAMEO Council and Minister of Education and Training, Vietnam; Her Excellency Deborah Chatsis, Ambassador of Canada to Vietnam; and Dr Witaya Jeradechakul, Director, SEAMEO Secretariat applaud as the winner of the 2012 SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award receives the plaque of recognition.


Her Excellency Deborah Chatsis, Ambassador of Canada to Vietnam announces the winner of the 2012 SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNER

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) and the government of Canada are pleased to announce the winning research for the 2012 SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award with the theme Lifelong Learning in Southeast Asia:

Web-based Instruction for Adult Learners:
An Asynchronous-based Delivery Model for Formal Lifelong Learning

The author of the winning research is Mr Nantha Kumar Subramaniam of the Open University Malaysia (OUM), Malaysia.

The winner of the SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award 2012 will receive the Plaque of Recognition at the Awarding Ceremony scheduled on 20 March 2013 during the 47th SEAMEO Council Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, 19-21 March 2013.

High appreciation is extended to all researchers who participated in the 2012 SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award.

Appreciation is also extended to the Ministries of Education of Southeast Asian countries, SEAMEO Regional Centres and SEAMEO partners for their assistance in the promotion and information dissemination of the 2012 SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award.

Click here for the Abstract and Summary of the winning research
.

I. Background

The SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award was established in 1990 with the support of the Government of Canada as a way of recognizing exemplary research conducted by Southeast Asian nationals in the region. The yearly award aims to encourage young scholars to conduct researches on a relevant theme on social development in Southeast Asia and to facilitate continued interaction and knowledge-sharing among Southeast Asian and Canadian researchers.

II. The 2012 Research Award

The Theme for the 2012 SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award is Lifelong Learning in Southeast Asia. This year's theme is in response to the growing significance of and demand for lifelong learning in Southeast Asia region and beyond. The theme aims to explore the variety of perspectives and practices of Southeast Asian countries in promoting, supporting and improving lifelong learning given the diversity of their economic, political and socio-cultural settings.

The idea of lifelong learning has aroused great interest among educators and has triggered numerous discourses and academic studies. Out of the many investigations, it is clear though that lifelong learning is increasingly becoming more than a mere tool for self-development. It is now being advocated as a means to achieve socio-economic development; promoted as a framework for educational reforms at the national and regional levels; and affirmed as critical key in addressing global educational issues and development challenges. Lifelong learning is one of the priority areas of SEAMEO and is in fact the focus of its newest centre, the SEAMEO Regional Center for Lifelong Learning (SEAMEO CELL) in Vietnam.

Lifelong learning encompasses learning at all ages and subsumes formal, non-formal and informal learning (UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning). Lifelong learning is affected by a whole spectrum of factors and whole range of influences people encounter in the course of living their lives. Lifelong learning at different contexts then would entail varied challenges that would require differing, multiple strategies.

The 2012 SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award recognizes the research that explores concepts, models and practical experiences on providing and improving lifelong learning opportunities in an individual Southeast Asian country or in the region.

Researches may cover one or more of the following thematic strands:

  • Promoting culturally-sensitive lifelong learning opportunities for the marginalized groups in formal and non-formal setting;
  • Adult education and continuing education;
  • Integrating lifelong learning into technical vocational education;
  • Lifelong learning in the preservation of culture and arts;
  • Integrating social care into adult education for the aged;
  • Accrediting informal, non-formal and community-based learning;

The researches may include traditional and innovative models, approaches and best practices in lifelong learning provision, innovative delivery modalities, materials, assessment methods as well as documented practices and cases of effective interventions in the formal, non-formal and informal education streams.

III. The Benefits for 2012 Research Awardee

The winner of the 2012 SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award will be invited to the 47th SEAMEO Council Conference in March 2013 in Vietnam to receive the Plaque of Recognition.

The winner will receive a travel fellowship to Canada to disseminate results of the winning research in relevant Canadian training and research institutions. The fellowship includes 8-day all expense paid travel to Canada (inclusive of travel time). The fellowship will include assistance by the SEAMEO Secretariat in travel and meeting arrangements.

It is expected that the award winner will take on the fellowship visit within 12 months from the date the 2012 winning research is announced.

IV. Eligible Applicants
  1. A national of a SEAMEO Member Country*;
  2. Holder of a master's or doctorate degree;
  3. Not more than 55 years of age at the time of application;
  4. Physically fit to travel to Canada; certification by a competent physician may be requested before travelling;
  5. For studies/projects conducted by a team of researchers, only one author will be eligible for nomination. The submission should include a written note from the co-author(s) waiving any claim to the award, in case the research is selected; and a statement indicating the nominee's level of responsibility (in percentage) for the research work.
V. Guidelines for Research Entry
  1. The research must be a completed research study/project conducted in Southeast Asia (covering one country or more in the Southeast Asian region) relating to the Theme;
  2. The research must have been completed within the past three years;
  3. If the research paper has already been published, the revised paper must incorporate some new aspects/dimensions and/or updated information, analysis and findings; and the original published research paper must also be submitted.
  4. All submissions, including photo captions and other materials, must be in English;
  5. Researches conducted for graduate/post-graduate theses or doctoral dissertations will not be accepted.
VI. Selection Process

A Selection Committee composed of representatives of relevant international organizations, experts in the field covered by the theme, previous SEAMEO-Jasper Award winners and officials of SEAMEO will convene to review the submitted entries. Selection will be based on the quality of the research, its relevance to the theme, to improving education in Southeast Asia and its potentials for promoting better understanding between Canada and Southeast Asia.

* SEAMEO Member Countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, and Vietnam.

VII. Submission of Research Entry

Candidates are expected to submit one set of hard copy and one set of electronic file of the following:

  1. Completed application form (Download the form here)
  2. A 20-page summary of the research paper, including statement of problems, rationale, objectives, methodology, findings, conclusions, recommendations and references/ bibliography;
  3. A one-page abstract of the research paper;
  4. Complete research paper.

Hard copy and electronic submissions must reach the SEAMEO Secretariat on or before 30 November 2012.

The submissions should be clearly marked and addressed to:

2012 SEAMEO-Jasper Research Award
SEAMEO Secretariat
Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary Building
920 Sukhumvit Road
Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2391-0144
Fax: +66 (0) 2381-2587
E-mail: seameojasper-research@seameo.org


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