SEAMEO Co-Organizes 6th China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week




This year ™s theme of the Education Cooperation Week between China and ASEAN was œPragmatic Cooperation, Harmonious Development and Mutual Prosperity . It highlighted the importance of establishing mutually-beneficial collaborations for the development and growth of Southeast Asia and China. Activities during the week included seminars, exhibits and various special sessions that provided opportunity for experts, scholars, scientists and educators from universities, scientific research institutes, and other organizations in Southeast Asia and China to share and learn from each other.

Ten SEAMEO Centres including SEAMEO INNOTECH, SEAMEO QITEP in Science, SEAMEO RIHED, SEAMEO SPAFA, SEAMEO VOCTECH, SEAMEO SEN, SEAMEO TROPMED Network, SEAMEO TROPMED Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines, and the SEAMEO Secretariat showcased SEAMEO ™s work and innovation in education, science and culture in Southeast Asia through parallel seminars and related sessions during the weeklong event. In a special session dubbed as œChina-ASEAN Education Cooperation and Information Exchange Session , the SEAMEO delegation which was composed of 20 officials from the SEAMEO Centres and the Secretariat introduced the vast and diverse expertise of SEAMEO Centres to educators from China and ASEAN countries.

Moreover, the event saw the formalization of the tripartite cooperation among SEAMEO, ASEAN-China Centre, and the Guizhou Provincial Department of Education in organizing succeeding China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Weeks. The three parties signed a Letter of Agreement which outlines the mechanism in the organization of future education cooperation weeks. The agreement also affirms the Education Cooperation Week between China and ASEAN as platform for SEAMEO Centres to establish collaboration with education institutions in the People ™s Republic of China.

Cooperation between SEAMEO and ASEAN-China Centre started two years ago. ASEAN-China Centre officials have participated in regular SEAMEO meetings last year. Recently, SEAMEO and ASEAN-China Centre signed a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of a general framework for cooperation on the development and promotion of education and culture in Southeast Asia and the People ™s Republic of China. The signing ceremony was held on 13 August 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. The joint organization of the 6th China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week has been included in the newly-established framework of cooperation between SEAMEO and ASEAN-China Centre.

ASEAN-China Centre is an inter-governmental, international organization established by leaders of ASEAN and People ™s Republic China through an agreement made during the 14th ASEAN-China Summit in November 2011 in Bali, Indonesia. ACC was established to promote cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, education and culture between ASEAN countries and the People ™s Republic of China.

 

SEAMEO delegation to the 6th China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week includes officials and officers from SEAMEO INNOTECH,
SEAMEO QITEP in Science, SEAMEO RIHED, SEAMEO SPAFA, SEAMEO VOCTECH, SEAMEO SEN, SEAMEO TROPMED Network,
SEAMEO TROPMED Thailand, SEAMEO TROPMED Malaysia, SEAMEO TROPMED Philippines, and the SEAMEO Secretariat

 

Dr Witaya Jeradechakul, Director, SEAMEO Secretariat introduces SEAMEO in a special session during the 6th China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week

 

SEAMEO exhibition during the 6th China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week