From 18 to 20 December 2017, Indonesia organised its first national policy forum on open online learning for adult learning and education.
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This sizable meeting gathered nearly 150 participants from the education sector and education policy making from in and outside the country.
 
The meeting listened to 15 insightful presentations on open online learning and experience sharing in conducting online courses.  The birth of Web 2.0 and subsequently Web 3.0 has brought online learning to a higher level where direct two-way communication course providers and learner-learner interaction are possible on the webpage. Cloud-based contents and online assessment have made it possible for courses to be available anytime, anywhere.
 
SEAMEO CELLL representatives addressed the meeting in the opening session and delivered a presentation in the plenary session on the role of open online learning as a key promoter of lifelong learning in this digital age.  The presentation emphasised that online learning is the trend of education as it opened up multiple opportunities for learners to access resources, including video lectures, and to form learning groups where newly-learnt knowledge is shared and discussed.
 
Besides, as part of its role in the regional project Towards a Lifelong Learning Agenda in Southeast Asian Countries, which the centre initiated, and in fulfilling its commitment towards UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) in the project, SEAMEO CELLL carried out monitoring task during the meeting.
 
The three-day policy forum concluded with a concrete set of recommendations to be submitted to Indonesia Ministry of Education and Culture for policy making in the following year. They will also be sent to UNESCO Jakarta for support. The meeting also agreed that once the recommendations are reflected in the national education policies, provincial and district policy makers will adapt them to local contexts in ways that comply with the national guidelines while best facilitating the specific learning and education context in each area.
 
The policy forum also witnessed the inspiring inauguration ceremony of 3,000 non-formal education teachers who successfully completed online courses offered by the Centre for Development of Early Childhood Education and Community Education, West Java Province (Jayagiri Centre).
 
Indonesia policy forum was one in a chain of fora of the kind in Southeast Asian countries conducted within the framework of the said regional project. Previously, two others had been conducted in Lao PDR (August 2017) and Cambodia (November 2017). UIL and SEAMEO CELLL are expecting four others to take place in Vietnam, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and the Philippines early next year. 

On 13th December 2017, Vietnam Learning Promotion Association and Ministry of Education and Training co-organised the consultation workshop on draft key features of “Learning Cities” and “Learning Citizens” of Vietnam with the participation of representatives from People’s committees, Department of Education and Training and Learning Promotion Association at provincial level.

During the workshop, various ideas have been put forward to build on the reality of operations in cities, in order to concretise and help bring the next version of key features closer to localities and people.
 
In Vietnam, by 2016, the Party and People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City decided to build the city as a learning city and wanted to join UNESCO Global Network of Learning cities. However, over one year, the researchers have not yet identified the basic and effective features of the most populous city in the country in terms of “learning”.

At the workshop, Ms Vu Lan Chi, Deputy Director of the Centre, represented the Centre to present both general and details comments for each draft feature of learning cities and learning citizens in Vietnam.

In this Gazette, an article about the foundation and development of SEAMEO CELLL, written by Dr Que Anh Dang, GIGA - German Institute of Global and Area Studies, was published. The full gazette can be accessed here. ​

​The  40th SEAMEO High Officials Meeting was convened on 29-30 November 2017  at the Montien Riverside Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.  A total of 131 participants representing 11 SEAMEO Member Countries, 02 Associate Members, 24 SEAMEO Regional Centres/ Network, Partners and Observers participated in the meeting.  Apart from 15 working papers which were adopted by concensus ad referendum, 14 other working papers were presented and adopted through plenary presentations by the SEAMEO Secretariat and relevant SEAMEO Centres.
HE Dr Sophon Napathorn, Vice Minister of Education of Thailand, presided over the Opening Ceremony,  and Dr Didik Suharti, Secretary General of Ministry of Education and Culture Indonesia, chaired the meeting. 

From 27 to 30 November 2017 SEAMEO CELLL attended the study exchange Asia-
Pacific Study Exchange on Realising Lifelong Learning in Public Education Systems
co-organised by the Office of the Non-formal and Informal Education (ONIE),
Ministry of Education of Thailand and the Asia South Pacific Association for Basic
and Adult Education (ASPBAE) in Bangkok. With a focus on youth and adult learning
and education, the workshop gathered 35 representatives working in this field from
Asia Pacific.
The workshop featured indoors presentations and discussion, and filed trips to non-
formal and informal education centres (NIE centres) in Thailand. As a saying goes,
"Seeing is believing," the participants were taken to three NIE centres to witness community-based learning activities, listened to introductions by the management and were convinced of the communal benefits of these centres. The centres were the community digital centre (1) in Chonburi province, the community learning centre of the New Theory Farming (2) in Chachoengsao province, and the vocational skills trainning centre for women in Phra Nakhon Si, Ayutthaya province. Due to the long distances to these places, the delegation returned very late in the evening but were so motivated by what they had seen that they started the reflection session
immediately to review facts about the centres and draw lessons.
During the indoors presentation and discussion, a wealth of inspiring presentations
on Adult Learning and Education, and non-formal education were made. SEAMEO
CELLL introduced the compendium Lifelong Learning in Transformation: Promising
Practices in Southeast Asian Countries, which is one outcome of the regional project
Towards a Lifelong Learning Agenda in Southeast Asian Countries which the centre
has been conducting for two years, and delivered a summary of good and promising
LLL practices in these countries. SEAMEO CELLL also shared their thoughts on the
concept of LLL and adult learning and education. The sharing was well received by
the workshop participants. 
On the last day of the workshop, ONIE representatives gave a detailed description of
Thai non-formal education curriculum, an inspiring presentation packed with
interesting facts about this system which was highly appreciated by the participants.
The case of Thailand promises to be a good source of lessons to learn from and to
properly apply in other countries.
The workshop concluded after four tightly-packed workdays. The participants parted
with a renewed zest to contribute to non-formal adult learning and education in their
countries in ways they had learned from each other. A new network of non-formal
adult learning and education had been established.

​(1) A community digital centre is where local people can come and learn about
application of informatic technology, especially the Internet. For example, they learn
how to use the Internet to market their products, instead of using brick-and- mortar
shops.

(2) The New Theory Farming was introduced by the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. It
proposes the division of any area of land into four portions: 30% is reserved for
ponds which store water for use in the dry season, 30% for rice cultivation, 30% for
gardening, and the reset 10% for housing.

On 16 October 2017, SEAMEO CELLL was honoured to welcome Dr Nguyen Van Phuc, Deputy Minister of Education and Training, Vietnam to visit SEAMEO CELLL’s premises and work with the Centre.

Commencing the welcoming ceremony, Mr Le Huy Lam, Centre Director, briefed the Deputy Minister on SEAMEO in general as well as SEAMEO CELLL’s profile and its main achievements during the previous years of operation. Mr Lam subsequently presented the Centre’s merits and difficulties since its official establishment and officially requested for the Deputy Minister’s kind counselling and guidance in this regard.  

The SEAMEO CELLL’s third Governing Board Meeting and the back-to-back Expert Meeting on Phase 2 of the Project Towards a lifelong learning agenda in Southeast Asian countries were convened on 4-6 October 2017, at SEAMEO CELLL premises, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as a global commitment, need to be used as a strategic and holistic development approach by regional, national, provincial, and local governmental level. In order to explore the strategic roles of non-formal education in supporting SDGs achievement, Indonesia National Community Learning Centre Communication Forum (FK PKBM Indonesia) in collaboration with International
Institute for Community Learning Centre and Education Development (InCLuDe) and West Sulawesi Province Government organized the "International Seminar On Strategic Roles of non-formal Education for Supporting Sustainable Development Goals Achievement". 

The seminar took place on 17 September, 2017 in the province of West Sulawesi, Indonesia. Along with more than 250 CLC managers, facilitators and users from all over Indonesia, the event also saw the participation of two resource persons: Mr Nattawut Tammakunmongkhon from SICED (Sirindhorn Institute for Continuing Education and Development - Thailand) and Mr Mai Hong Quan from SEAMEO CELLL.

In the presentations, the resource persons shared their countries' experience and achievements of implementing non-formal education in improving human quality and supporting SDGs, thus highlighting its strategic roles in the development of the countries as well as the region of Southeast Asia.

With the purpose of utilising ICT technology to increase intellectual capacity of Southeast Asian citizens, SEAMEO Secretariat, in cooperation with SEAMEO centres, took the initiative in operating the programme entitled “SEAMEO Online Lecture Series and Training Programmes”, expected to offer various online training courses and lectures in diverse academic topics.

To expand the beneficial impact of the programme and engage a higher volume of regional participants, from 4-15 September 2017, SEAMEO Secretariat organised a Capacity Building Workshop on the theme of SEAMEO Education Agenda and Virtual Programmes for SEAMEO centres to enhance the capabilities of educational staffs in delivering courses via online platform. Two staffs from SEAMEO CELLL were sent to the workshop.

During the two-week capacity building workshop, the participants were introduced to the whole process of conducting online classes through the online video conference platform (WebEx) and gained hands-on experience of hosting and moderating online sessions. The participants also practiced promoting courses via the Internet and generating e-certifcates. Especially, this event opened up opportunities for future inter-centre collaboration by encouraging SEAMEO centres to co-organise online programmes within the expertise of each centre. 

SEAMEO CELLL delegation was invited to the High-level Workshop on “Towards a lifelong learning policy in Lao PDR” organised by the Department of Non-formal Education, Ministry of Education and Sports, Lao PDR on 9 August 2017 in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR. 

On 31 July, 2017, SEAMEO CELLL had the pleasure to welcome Ms Padmini Iyer and Mr Caine Rolleston, education researchers from the University of Oxford. During the visit, both parties exchanged information concerning SEAMEO, SEAMEO CELLL and the ongoing study of Young Lives.

Young Lives is a University of Oxford-based longitudinal study of child poverty that has been following 12,000 children in Ethiopia, India (in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana), Peru and Vietnam for the past 17 years. The study aims to shed light on the drivers and impacts of child poverty, and generate evidence to help policymakers design programmes that make a real difference to poor children and their families. More information on the study can be found at http://younglives.org.uk/

After the presentations, SEAMEO CELLL appreciated the meaningfulness of the study and expressed willingness to provide necessary information assistance. The centre also suggested that the researchers seek additional support from other SEAMEO centres to further benefit the study.

To concretise the MOUs signed among the three centres, SEAMEO BIOTROP, SEAMEO CELLL and SEAMEO SEN agreed to collaborate on Urban Agriculture Training for Community Learning Centre Educators and Special Education Teachers in Vietnam, in cooperation with Nong Lam University, HCMC Vietnam as a partner institution. On 9 June 2017, SEAMEO CELLL, Dr Jesus Fernandez, SEAMEO BIOTROP’s Deputy Director  and Dr Nguyen Ngoc Thuy, Head, Office of International Cooperation from Nong Lam University held a discussion meeting at SEAMEO CELLL office about initial preparation for the training. In the meeting, the three parties agreed on responsibilities each should shoulder in terms of the training’s agenda and relevant logistics arrangements. This training is tentatively organised in mid-September this year at Nong Lam University. 

Community learning centre (CLCs) are local educational institutions, established with the purpose of promoting individual empowerment and enhancing sustainable development of the whole community by offering lifelong learning opportunities for all. With that sense of purpose, CLCs have a pivotal role to play and attract special attention from the whole society. Being aware of the significance as well as enormous potential of CLCs on educational and social development, SEAMEO CELLL, with technical and financial support from DVV-International, organised a workshop entitled “CLC Development: Mutual Exchange of Good Practices of CLCs in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Japan” on 7-8 June 2017 at SEAMEO CELLL office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

​The workshop brought together 25 specialists and officials involved in CLC development from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam, and Afghanistan to share successful models and practices of CLC management and operation within their own countries. The presentations and case examples from the participating countries aroused keen interest among the participants, offering substantial input for ensuing discussions about the applicability of those good practices from one country to another.

Click here for the workshop's presentations and photos.

On 8th June 2017, as a side meeting of the CLCs workshop, Board of Directors of SEAMEO CELLL had a meeting with key strategic partners in the region to discuss planning details of the second phase of the Project Towards a lifelong learning agenda for Southeast Asian Countries funded by UIL with SEAMEO CELLL being the implementation agency.

​​Participating the meeting were Mr. Uwe Gartenschaelager, Regional Director of DVV International Regional Office (based in Lao PDR), Mr Ichiro Miyazawa, Programme Specialist, UNESCO Bangkok, Dr. Jesus Fernandez, Deputy Director of SEAMEO BIOTROP and Dr. Nguyen Hong Son, Deputy General Director, Department of Non-Formal Education, Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training cum Governing Board Member of SEAMEO CELLL.

SEAMEO CELLL, with technical and financial support from DVV-International,  carries out a project on designing an Instructional Resource Package: Using Soft Skills in Non-formal Education for facilitators at CLCs.

The project aims to mobilise expertise in the development of a package of training materials to accompany the Training Manual for Facilitators: Using Soft Skills in Non-formal Education published by PRIA.

For this project, SEAMEO CELLL is seeking consultant(s) to assist SEAMEO CELLL in developing the package. 

Details are given below. A downloadable version is also available here.

Seven distinguished personalities have been conferred Honorary Fellowships by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) in recognition of their extraordinary contribution to international lifelong learning. All seven have, over long careers, made a substantial impact in relation to UIL’s mandate in research, capacity building, networking and publication in lifelong learning, with a focus on adult and continuing education, literacy and non-formal basic education. The fellowships were conferred at an award ceremony at UIL on 16 May 2017.

UIL congratulates the 2017 fellows: Professor Ms Catherine Odora Hoppers, South Africa; Dean Ms Veronica McKay, South Africa; Director Mr Le Huy Lam, Viet Nam; Director Mr S.Y Shah, India; Professor Mr Ekkehard Nuissl, Germany; Professor Ms Katarina Popović, Serbia; Director-General Ms Sylvia Schmelkes, Mexico.
They join the seven UIL Honorary Fellows who received the distinction in 2016. We look forward to their continued contribution in supporting and shaping UIL’s work in the years to come.

The award ceremony took place during a two-day consultative meeting at the UIL in Hamburg this week to guide preparations for the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI).
The MTR will bring key players from the adult learning and education community together in the city of Suwon in the Republic of Korea in October 2017. The conference will take stock of achievements and challenges since 2009 and set directions towards CONFINTEA VII, which is planned for 2021.
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For further information, go to:
CONFINTEA VI Final Report
Belém Framework for Action

"Within the scope of the regional project "Towards a Lifelong learning agenda in Southeast Asian countries", from 26 to 29 April, SEAMEO CELLL Deputy Manager of Research & Training Mr Mai Hong Quan had a business trip to Yangon, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. The main purpose of this monitoring trip is for the project coordinators and stakeholders to understand the situation of Myanmar's national report and hence providing the national focal point necessary support.

​​On 06 March 2017, HE Dr Teerakiat Jareonsettasin, Minister of Education, Thailand visited SEAMEO Regional Centre for Lifelong Learning (SEAMEO CELLL) in his capacity as SEAMEO Council President. Accompanying the Minister were high officials from the Ministry of Education, Thailand, Dr Gatot Hari Priowirjanto, SEAMEO Secretariat Director, and SEAMEO Secretariat officials.
                                                            
During the presidential visit to SEAMEO CELLL, the Centre Director briefed the incumbent SEAMEO Council President on the Centre’s activities during the past few years as well as its strategic directions for development in the upcoming period. HE Dr Teerakiat Jareonsettasin subsequently delivered his remarks and offered the Centre valuable counsel on its operation. The President accented that the element that counts for SEAMEO CELLL’s sustainable development should be self-reliance. He encouraged the Centre to have entrepreneurial spirit and inspired the Centre to prosper in the field of lifelong learning and in turn contribute to the development of the whole world, not small groups of the society alone.  
 
This occasion also marked the momentous event when the Minister of Education, Thailand and concurrently SEAMEO Council President participated in the Launching Ceremony of the regional Lifelong Learning Online Portal held at SEAMEO CELLL. The President officially pressed the button to launch the portal at the address www.SEA-LLLportal.org.  
 
The online portal www.SEA-LLLportal.org is one of the main components of the project: “Towards a Lifelong Learning Agenda in Southest Asian Countries” which is implemented by SEAMEO CELLL and UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) with the purpose of supporting SEAMEO countries in developing and implementing holistic and comprehensive lifelong learning approaches that link different sectors and forms of learning. The project was funded 100,000 Euros by UIL for two-year implementation in 2016-2017 with strong participation of 11 Ministries of Education in Southeast Asian countries and concurrently SEAMEO Member Countries.
 
To promote education for all while ensuring both equity and quality, SEAMEO countries should define their vision of lifelong learning and learn from one another with regard to policies and good practices.  In this connection, it is regarded essential to establish a channel of information wherein articles, studies, reports and statistics concerning the field of lifelong learning are collected and disseminated among SEAMEO countries.  This online portal will serve as a hub for exchanging information, policies and good practices in lifelong learning in the region. It also functions as a forum which policy-makers, researchers, scholars, experts and teachers can join for discussion of theories and practices in the context of lifelong learning in Southeast Asia.