EDUCATION
Asia-Pacific Sub-regional Preparatory Conference
for the 2009 World Conference on Higher Education
“Facing Global and Local Challenges: the New Dynamics for Higher Education”
25-26 September 2008
Macao, PR China
Co-organized and co-sponsored by
- APEID, UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau of Education, Bangkok
- Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China
Resources:
- Download the Conference Report (pdf, 230kb)
- Papers and presentations are now available for download
- Pictures of the event have been posted to the Picture Gallery
- The final programme is available for download, revised 22 September 2008 (MS word, 143kb)
Table of contents:
• Introduction
• Proposed themes
• Objectives of the Sub-regional Preparatory Conference
• Programme
• Participation
• Call for papers
• Conference venue
• Travel information and accommodation
• Contact persons
The 1998 World Conference on Higher Education (WCHE) was held by UNESCO to lay down the fundamental principles for the in-depth reform of higher education systems throughout the world. The objectives were to ensure that the future orientations of the higher education sector would be based on the equity of advanced educational opportunity for all citizens, modernized systems and institutions, and enhanced social relevance and links to the world of work. At the end of the conference, the “World Declaration on Higher Education for the Twenty-first Century: Vision and Action” and the “Framework for Priority Action for Change and Development of Higher Education” represent an agreement among all stakeholders concerning the principal and key actions needed for the renewal of higher education in the twenty-first century. Since then, many initiatives have been taken in order to follow up the reflection on higher education and to take concrete action in line with the decision of the WCHE.
In 2003, the Meeting of Higher Education Partners (WCHE + 5) assessed the progress achieved in the implementation of the WCHE Framework for Priority Action. The meeting identified a number of trends in the development of higher education and suggested lines for possible action in response to these global trends. The issues and challenges facing higher education that were discussed in this meeting included the impact of globalization on higher education; the new roles of higher education and research in the knowledge society; the relationship between higher education, the state and the market; the impact of ICTs on higher education; and shifts in world demographic trends.
At the 34th Session of UNESCO's General Conference in 2007, a resolution was adopted to convene a World Conference on Higher Education + 10 event in 2009 to take stock of developments since 1998 and to re-visit the Framework for Priority Action. The 2009 WCHE will provide a global forum for discourse and debate on the rapidly changing higher education and research spaces and propose lines of action to ensure that higher education can meet both national development goals and individual aspiration by contributing to equity, inclusion, life-long learning and sustainable development. It is proposed that the 2009 WCHE will be held at UNESCO Paris on 6-8 July 2009.
Proposed themes
The International WCHE Follow-up Committee proposed a number of themes that could guide the discourse of the 2009 WCHE:
1. Societal commitment and social responsibility of higher education
- Higher Education (HE)’s role to induce change and progress in society
- HE’s role in promoting education for sustainable and participatory development
- HE's mission to educate responsible citizens and to transmit the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development in order to encourage changes in behaviour
- contribution of higher education to the education system as a whole
- actors and stakeholders
- social inclusion through access and opportunity
2. Research and innovation in higher education
- as a fundamental mission of higher education
- as a key factor for building knowledge-based societies
- institutional diversification and mission differentiation
- cost and financing of research
- interdisciplinarity
- academic freedom and institutional autonomy
- actors and stakeholders
3. Trends and issues re-shaping higher education
- quantitative trends
- diversification of providers, including ICT-enhanced provision
- public and private higher education
- financing HE
- university governance and management
- quality assurance and recognition of qualifications
- vocational education and employability
- lifelong learning with and through higher education
- actors and stakeholders
4. Towards a new agenda in higher education
- academic mobility (faculty, students, programmes)
- brain drain/brain circulation
- cross-border higher education
- global quality issues (ranking, assessment of learning outcomes)
- regional harmonization initiatives
- competition, commercialization and marketization of higher education
- actors and stakeholders
Objectives of the Sub-regional Preparatory Conference
Since the 1998 WCHE, the Regional Follow-up Committee for the Asia and Pacific region has been formed and met regularly. The Third Session of the Regional Follow-up Committee was held in Seoul, RO Korea on 5-6 July 2005 and the theme was “Massification of Higher Education in Asia-Pacific: Policy Reforms, Institutional Restructuring, and Innovative Practices”. In 2007, the Fourth Session was held in Macao, PR China on 17-19 July and the theme was “Internationalization of Higher Education in Asia-Pacific: Linkages, Cooperation and Trade”. The Fifth Session will be held again in Macao to prepare for the 2009 WCHE.
The aim of the Sub-regional Preparatory Conference is to take stock of major developments and trends on higher education in the Asia-Pacific region. The outcomes of this conference will serve as one of the inputs to the 2009 WCHE. More specifically, the objectives of the conference are to:
- prepare a series of thematic debates on important issues on higher education in the region;
- collect inputs from governments, intergovernmental organizations, non-government organizations, higher education networks and other partners in the WCHE follow-up; and
- report on what is happening to member states in the field of higher education.
Dates: 24-26 September 2008
Venue:
Tourism Activities Centre
Address: No.431 Rua Luis Gonzaga Gomes
Macau, China
Tel: (853) 2870 1989
Fax: (853) 2870 3820
e-mail: cat[at]macautourism.gov.mo
Website: http://www.macautourism.gov.mo
Programme
- The programme is available for download, revised 22 September 2008 (MS word, 143kb)
Participation
The participants of the meeting will comprise national policy makers, institutional leaders, the professoriate and researchers, students, the economic and professional sectors, intergovernmental organizations, higher education networks, UN agencies as well as civil society groups. It is expected that about 100 participants from the higher education community in the region will attend the meeting.
There will be no registration fee for participation, however participants should pay for airfair and accommodation fee by themselves. All participants are requested to fill the online registration form until 15 September 2008 (deadline).
For registered participants an online information system has been launched
top
Call for papers
Submission of abstracts has been closed. Thank you very much for your contributions.
In case your abstract has been accepted, kindly upload the final paper using our online submission system.
If you do not know your user account details, click on "Forgotten your password" and type in your e-mail address. Click on "Author" and then on "Edit". Follow the steps as outlined in the submission system. Don't forget to confirm your submission by clicking on "Finish".
If you need any assistance in uploading your paper don't hesitate to contact us at apeid[at]unescobkk.org
Please don't forget to register for participation using the online registration form.
Important Dates:
- Submission of abstracts 23 June 2008
- Announcement of accepted papers 1 July 2008
- Submission of full papers 1 September 2008
- Registration for participation 15 September 2008
Conference venue:
Tourism Activities Centre
Address: No.431 Rua Luis Gonzaga Gomes
Macau, China
Tel: (853) 2870 1989
Fax: (853) 2870 3820
e-mail: cat[at]macautourism.gov.mo
Website: http://www.macautourism.gov.mo
Travel information and accommodation
Please download this document for general information about travelling to Macao (pdf, 80kb)
Recommended hotels:
MANDARIN HOTEL - 5 stars http://www.mandarinoriental.com/
4 minutes walking slowly to Conference Venue
Deluxe Resort View Room Single, welcome beverage, fruit basket, daily newspaper, free use of swimming pool and gymnasium, 1 breakfast buffet
23/09 to 26/09 MOP 1437.5 (includes Gov taxes) +/- 182 USD
Deadline: 2 September. After only according with hotel availability
Contact Ms Kristy for reservation: kristyl[at]mohg.com
LANDMARK HOTEL - 5 stars http://www.landmarkhotel.com.mo/
9 minutes walking slowly to Conference Venue
Superior and Deluxe Rooms, 2 breakfast buffets
23/09 to 25/09 HKD 1000 (includes Gov taxes) +/- 127 USD
26/09 HKD 1250 +/- 154 USD
Deadline: 2 September
Contact for reservation: sales[at]landmarkhotel.com.mo or by fax to +853 2878 1619
Telephone: +853 8795 6030 or +853 8795 6036
RIO HOTEL - 4 stars http://www.riomacau.com/
3 minutes walking slowly to Conference Venue
2 breakfast buffets
23/09 and 24/09 HKD 700 (includes Gov taxes) +/- 89 USD
25/09 HKD 900 +/- 114 USD
26/09 HKD 1150 +/- 146 USD
Deadline: 30 August
Contact Ms Kathy Choi for reservation: kathychoi_sm[at]riomacau.com
HOLIDAY INN HOTEL - 4 stars http://www.macau.holiday-inn.com/
12 minutes walking slowly to Conference Venue
To check the special price, email to inquiry Ms. Sundae Che: himevent[at]macau.ctm.net
Deadline: 15 August
HOTEL EMPEROR - 3 stars http://www.emperorhotel.com.mo/
9 minutes walking slowly to Conference Venue
23/09 to 26/09 MOP 560 (includes Gov taxes) +/- 71 USD
Breakfast MOP 35 per person +/- 4.5 USD
Deadline: 30 August
Contact Ms. Cami He for reservation: sales_2333[at]emperorhotel.com.mo or by Telephone + 853 8798 2333.
HOTEL FORTUNA - 3 stars http://www.hotelfortuna.com.mo/
12 minutes walking slowly to Conference Venue
23/09 to 25/09 HKD 630 (includes Gov taxes) +/- 78 USD
26/09 HKD 850 +/- 105 USD
Breakfast HKD 30 per person +/- 3.7 USD
Deadline: 15 August
Contact for reservation the sales department: fortuna[at]hotelfortuna.com.mo
You did not find a suitable hotel?
Please download this document (Excel, 70kb) for more information on hotel room reservations and hotel rates.
Contact persons
The meeting will be co-organized and co-sponsored by APEID, UNESCO Bangkok, and Government of Macao Special Administrative Region of PR China. For further information, participants are requested to contact any one of the following persons:
Ms Hye-Rim Kim
UNESCO Bangkok
Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education
920 Sukhumvit Road
Prakanong
Bangkok 10110
Thailand
Tel: +(66-2) 391 0577 ext. 204
Fax: +(66-2) 391 0866
Email: hr.kim[at]unescobkk.org
Mr. Rafael Gama
Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture
Government of Macao Special Administrative Region of the
People Republic’s of China
Tel: +(853) 9895 653
Mobile: +(853) 6613 11 50
Fax: +(853) 2872 8354
Email: rgama.sasc[at]raem.gov.mo