More than 150 researchers and educators from Asia and Europe participated in the 1st International Conference of European and Asian Researchers and Educators on Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development (I-CEARE 2017) with the theme, “Universities and Communities in Asia and Europe: Creating Meaning for Sustainable Development” on 12–14 May 2017, in Boracay, Philippines.
I-CEARE 2017 provided a platform for Asian and European researchers and educators to converse, share perspectives and create cross-cutting partnerships on non-formal lifelong education. Responding to Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals, “ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all”, as well as the priorities of the ASEM Education Process, participants explored:
- Universities’ roles in using teaching and learning, research, and service programs to improve the quality of life of the poorer sectors of society
- Sustaining university-community partnerships with a philosophy of equity and equality
- Contributions of universities to knowledge creation and co-creation with communities, and best practices in university-community engagement
- Lifelong learning programs for marginalised sectors of society
The ASEM Education and Research Hub for Lifelong Learning (ASEM LLL Hub) organised the conference in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the Danish School of Education at Aarhus University in Denmark, and in partnership with the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), National Association of UNESCO Clubs in the Philippines (NAUCP), UNESCO Philippines, and Philippine Normal University (PNU).
I-CEARE 2017 is part of ASEF’s Education Policy Conference Series 2017, and the policy recommendations from the conference will be submitted to the 6th ASEM Education Ministers’ Meeting (ASEM ME6) in 2017 in Korea.