According to the SEAMEO Charter, SEAMEO has three categories of membership: Member Country, Associate Member, and Affiliate Member.

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) was established in November 1965 as a chartered international organization whose purpose is to promote cooperation in education, science and culture in the Southeast Asian region.  The name was chosen to reflect the need for a regional grouping, the purpose of which is to share and maximize use of resources, with collective leadership to be provided by the Ministers of Education of the Member Countries. 

At present SEAMEO consists of eleven (11) Member Countries, six (6) Associate Members and six (6) Affiliate Members.

The original Member States whose signatures were affixed in the SEAMEO Charter are Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the Republic of Vietnam.  The then Khmer Republic (Cambodia) was accepted as Member Country during the Sixth SEAMEO Council Conference held in Saigon, 1971 with immediate effect.   

Brunei Darussalam became member in 1984. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in consequence of the termination of the existence of the Republic of Vietnam as a sovereign state, joined SEAMEO in 1992. Union of Myanmar followed in 1998. The latest member is Timor Leste, 2006.

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Indonesia

Lao PDR

Malaysia

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Union of Myanmar

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

 

 

Terms and Conditions of Associate Membership was revised and adopted at the 8th SEAMEC Conference, Phnom Penh, January 1973. 

Guidelines for Approaching Non-Member to Join SEAMEO as Associate Members

  1. 7th SEAMEO Council Conference in Vientiane in January 1972, the SEAMEO Council instructed the Secretariat to make formal approaches to a number of countries. (MC-7/IC/)
  2. A list of countries to be approached was approved by the 17th SEAMEC Conference, Denparsar, Bali, Indonesia, 24 February 1982.  (MC-17/IC/WP/3)
  3. Guidelines on the Application for SEAMEO Associate Membership, was approved by Ad Referendum, Non-SEAMEC 2014, 10 October 2014
The six (6) Associate Member Countries are Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Spain and the Kingdom of Morocco.

Affiliate Membership (MC-18/IC/WP/1) was established 18th SEAMEC Conference, Penang, Malaysia, 26 January 1983. 

Standard Guidelines for Processing Applications of Institutions/Agencies for SEAMEO Affiliate Membership (MC-20/IC/WP/2) was adopted 20th SEAMEC Conference, In-Camera Session, Manila, Philippines, 6 February 1985.

Revised Guidelines on Application of SEAMEO Affiliate Membership was approved by the 46th SEAMEO Council Conference, In-Camera Session, 26 January 2011, Brunei Darussalam (MC-46/IC/WP/10)

The six (6) Affiliate Members are
1. ICDE (International Council for Open and Distance Education)
2. University of Tsukuba
3. British Council
4. CEAIE (China Education Association for International Exchange)
5. APCEIU (Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding)
6. BCCIE (British Columbia Council for International Education)

The Association of Canadian Community Colleges was an Affiliate Member from 1984 to 1988. Mr Yves Sanssouci, President of ACCC, made his statement at the 23rd SEAMEO Council Conference, Bali, Indonesia 4-5 February 1988 as follows:

We are honoured that our nation will now join proudly with yours and it is our heartfelt conviction that this new relationship will encourage greater opportunities for our nations and our people. Therefore, we officially withdraw our Affiliate Membership status in favour of Canada's Associate Membership status.

Proclamation and Certificate of Membership

In addition to the above-mentioned original Members, the following joined SEAMEO and  accepted the Proclamation or Certificate signed by the SEAMEO Council Presidents. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in consequence of the termination of the existence of the Republic of Vietnam as a sovereign state, joined SEAMEO in 1992.

The original Member Countries whose signatures were affixed on the SEAMEO Charter and Cambodia [then the Khmer Republic, joined later 6th MC 1971], do not have Proclamation

SEAMEO Member Proclamation

Venue

Date

Australia

9th MC, Bangkok, Thailand

28 January 1974; Admission date: 1 November 1973 by referendum*

Brunei Darussalam

19th MC, Pattaya, Thailand
16 February 1984

Canada

23rd MC, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
4 February 1988

France

2nd Extraordinary MC, Bangkok, Thailand
25 July 1973

Germany

25th MC, Chiang Mai, Thailand
5 February 1990

Netherlands

28th MC, Singapore
16 February 1993

New Zealand

9th MC, Bangkok, Thailand
28 January 1974; Admission date:12 November 1973*
40th MC, Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam
15 March 2005 ; wihdrew 22 July 2009
Socialist Republic of Vietnam 27th MC, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam 10 February 1992
Kingdom of Spain 42nd MC, Bali, Indonesia 14 March 2007
Timor-Leste 41st MC, Singapore 22 March 2006

Union of Myanmar

33rd MC, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
16 February 1998
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 47th MC,Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam 20 March 2013
The Kingdom of Morocco 51st MC (Virtual), Singapore 17 June 2021
Affiliate Member Certificate
Venue
Date
19th MC/IC, Pattaya, Thailand
15 February 1984; Withdrew 1988
34th MC, Singapore
8 February 1999
44th MC, Phuket, Thailand 5 April 2009
45th MC, Cebu, Philippines 27 January 2010
48th MC, Chonburi, Thailand 7 May 2015
50th MC, Malaysia 23 July 2019
51st MC (Virtual), Singapore 17 June 2021
* Director's annual report 1973, pp 4-5 . Remarks: Announcement of change of Flag of Myanmar 22 October 2010 confirmed by SEAMEO CHAT 28 October 2010.