Background on the ARC Series
The ASEF Regional Conference on Higher Education (ARC) is the “Official Dialogue Partner of the ASEM Education Ministers Meeting (ASEMME)” and the only bi-regional multi-stakeholder dialogue platform for university and student leaders, policy makers and ministers to discuss higher education issues and shape the education landscape in Asia and Europe.
For the past 10 years, ARC has continuously evolved and contributed with various outputs (policy recommendations, research, and events) to the ASEM Education process, and created opportunities for key Asian and European stakeholders to connect. ARC’s role as a valuable dialogue partner has been reiterated at all ASEMMEs, and its outcomes and outputs helped to sustain a dynamic ASEM Education Process. Take a look at the past editions here.
The ARC programme cycle covers two years and is aligned with the timeline of the ASEMMEs. Its results, including research, policy recommendations, feed into the preparations of ASEM Education Senior Officials’ Meetings (SOMs) and the ASEM Education Ministers Meetings (MEs), which ARC experts are invited to attend.
Upcoming Activity
ARC9 STUDY LAUNCH | ASIA-EUROPE HIGHER EDUCATION MAPPING: WORKING TOWARDS THE SDGS
Date: Friday, 10 March 2023
Time: 16.00 – 18.00 GMT+8 (Singapore Time)
To translate this to your time zone use a time zone converter such as this one.
Where: This Launch will take place online (Zoom Webinar). Register here.
Objective of ARC9
- Facilitate exchange of good practices and networking among policymakers, universities and student organisations in Asia and Europe
- Inform policies by collecting evidence and conduct policy dialogues with stakeholders of the 51 ASEM Partner Countries, the EU and ASEAN
Topic of ARC9
The project is titled “ASEM Higher Education Mapping: Working Towards the SDGs” and will start with research collecting evidence from ASEM countries on:
- HEIs contribution to the SDGs in ASEM countries
- HE policies contribution to the SDGs in ASEM countries
The findings will be published and followed by policy dialogues and consultations with policymakers, university and student leaders, international organisations across the 53 ASEM Partners to get a better understanding of the findings. The results will feed into the ASEM Education Process Strategic Priority on Enhancing Connectivity between Asia and Europe and benefit a wider community of stakeholders by exchanges and peer learning.
Project Elements of ARC9
ARC9 Research Reports | May – December 2022
The first year of the biennial project will focus on gathering evidence and mapping out policies in the 51 ASEM Partner countries. Two reports are envisioned in this phase:
1 | Asia-Europe Higher Education Policies: Working Towards the SDGs
This study maps higher education policies advancing sustainable development across Asia and Europe. Covering 31 national contexts in Asia and Europe, the study combines data from a survey, focus group discussions, and a review of secondary sources to glean patterns in how governments are encouraging HEIs to contribute to the SDGs, provide concrete examples of enabling measures, and identify opportunities that may be leveraged to strengthen the HE policy-practice interface towards the SDGs.
Core questions that this report will seek answers to:
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- To what extent are the ASEM national higher education policies oriented towards the SDGs?
- Which mission of the universities are the most often targeted (education, research or the third mission)?
- What kind of policy tools are most often used to promote sustainable development in higher education?
- What are the most common barriers and where are the opportunities to leverage in ASEM Partner countries?
2 | Asia-Europe Higher Education Institutional Practice: Working Towards the SDGs
This report is prepared in collaboration with the International Association of Universities (IAU) as an Asia-Europe breakout report of their 3rd Global Report on Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development (HESD). This report will help showcase developments regarding SD in the higher education sector, and help universities implement good practices in sustainability.
Core questions that this report will seek to:
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- Better understanding of how HEIs engage with sustainable development (SD)
- How HEIs work towards the SDGs;
- Who is driving these efforts within the institution and who are they partnering outside of the institution?
- Which SDGs are mainly in the focus?
Both reports will serve two main purposes:
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- Serve as a basis for policy exchange and collaboration in ASEM countries
- Initiate policy dialogues with ASEM education policy makers, university and student leaders across ASEM countries
ARC9 Policy Dialogues | April – Nov 2023
During the second year, ASEF will organise policy dialogues based on the findings and recommendations of the research reports prepared in 2022.
The policy dialogues will invite representatives of key stakeholders (students, universities, university associations) and senior officials of the ASEM Ministries of Education. The results of each dialogue event will be disseminated in a webinar. A comprehensive report will be presented at the 9th ASEM Education Ministers Meeting, as ARC is the Official Dialogue Partner of the ASEM Education Ministers’ Meeting (ASEMME),
Outcomes of ARC9
Tangible outcomes
- Two research-based reports to map higher education policies and practices to advance sustainable development in ASEM Partner countries
- A series of policy dialogues with stakeholders of the ASEM Education Process, e.g., Senior Officials for education of the 51 ASEM Partner countries, the EU and ASEAN, university and student leaders, representatives of regional and professional organisations in higher education
- A series of webinars to disseminate findings and facilitate exchanges, mutual learning and collaboration
- Expected outreach to at least 1 million online users via different virtual platforms of ASEF
Intangible outcomes
- Increased understanding and knowledge of the higher education policies oriented towards the SDGs in the ASEM countries
- Increased knowledge on university practices contributing to the achievement of the SDGs in the ASEM countries
- New networking opportunities and possible partnerships among participants and their respective institutions
- Increased capacity of ASEM policymakers to contribute to the SDGs and engage with higher education institutions in this mission
- Enhanced knowledge among the participants of the ASEM Process and ASEF
