Education Research and Foresight
Towards EFA 2015 and Beyond - Shaping a New Vision for Education (9-11 May 2012)
Background and objectives
UNESCO’s Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, in co-operation with the Korean National Commission for UNESCO and UNICEF Regional Offices, held a high level regional expert meeting on the post-2015 education agenda for the region (Bangkok, 9-11 May 2011). The meeting brought together renowned regional experts and professionals in education policy and research.
The overall aim of the meeting was to initiate discussions on developing a new vision for education in the region and beyond and create partnerships and networks which will work jointly with UNESCO in pursuit of this goal. It also identified research and analytical work to be undertaken and developed recommendations on the way forward for a regional post-2015 education agenda.
Specifically, the objectives of the meeting were to:
- share information on the region’s progress under the EFA agenda and identify areas for future focus;
- take stock of global and regional processes of consultation, dialogue and research initiated to support the development of a post-2015 education agenda;
- discuss emerging regional development trends and identify their implications for education and learning within Asia and the Pacific;
- examine the relevance of the four pillars of learning[1] as a means of conceptualizing education in light of the changes underway; and
- formulate recommendations on the way forward towards the identification of the regional education priorities, including on areas of analytical work and forward-looking research and the role and contribution of regional research and development partners in this process.
In meeting identified several key messages. Some are presented below, with further finalised recommendations forthcoming:
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Summary outcomes of the meeting can be found here. As a follow up to the meeting, further reflections, debates and work will be undertaken, in association with a wide array of partners to ensure that the development of the post-2015 education agenda is enriched by a range of experience, knowledge and ideas.
Key documents
Meeting brochure (including biographies and key background documents)
Background note for the meeting
Panel 1 - Economic trends and challenges - Background paper
Panel 2 - Demographic trends and challenges - Background paper
Panel 3 - Socio-cultural trends and challenges - Background paper
Panel 4 - Policy trends and challenges - Background paper
Interview with Mr Gwang-Jo Kim, Director of UNESCO Bangkok
Presentations
DAY 1 | ||
Introduction | ||
Mr Gwang-Jo Kim | ||
Mr Utak Chung | ||
Session I - EFA: Overview of the present situation | ||
Mr Gwang-Jo Kim | ||
Mr Festo Kavishe | ||
Mr Abdul Hakeem | ||
Ms Lieke van de Wiel | ||
Session II - Overview of global and regional initiatives to define a new vision for education | ||
Ms Mae Chu Chang | ||
Mr Jouko Sarvi | ADB's initiatives and strategies for a new vision of education development and cooperation | |
Mr Tae-Wan Kim | ||
Mr Nipon Poapongsakorn | Quality of the Thai workforce: evidence and linkages between schools and the labour market | |
Mr R. Govinda | Education for all beyond 2015: Towards a new education policy agenda | |
Ms Marion Meiers | Australian Council for Educational Research in the international context | |
Mr Biplove Choudhary | Reflections on the MDGs: Path to 2015 and the evolving development agenda beyond 2015 | |
Mr Sobhi Tawil | Rethinking educational paradigms | |
DAY 2 | ||
Session III - Emerging development trends in the Asia-Pacific region and implications for education policy | ||
Panel I - Economic trends and opportunities | ||
Mr Gwang-Jo Kim | ||
Mr Kai-ming Cheng | ||
Mr Yoshiyuki Nagata | Challenges of ESD: Holistic approaches towards a sustainable future | |
Mr Jose Guevara | ||
Panel II - Demographic trends and opportunities | ||
Mr Soonghee Han | ||
Mr Kamol Jiyankhodjaev | Migration and the response of education systems in Asian and Pacific countries | |
Mr Kazuo Kuroda | ||
Ms Maria Khan | ||
Panel III - Socio-cultural trends and challenges | ||
Mr Lopen Lungtaen Gyatso | ||
Ms Konai Thaman | Socio-cultural contexts of education in Pacific Islands countries | |
Mr Seunghwan Lee | ||
Panel IV - Emerging trends of education systems and policies | ||
Mr Barry McGaw | ||
Mr Xiaojin Zhang | Key stakeholders, partnerships and shifting policy in EFA: Comparative case studies in China | |
Mr Mark Bray | Financing education: Role of government and household expenditure | |
DAY 3 | ||
Session IV - Towards a regional programme for the development of the post-2015 education agenda | ||
A document outlining the discussions of the meeting will be uploaded shortly. | ||
[1] Delors, J. 1996. Learning: The Treasure Within. Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century. UNESCO. Paris.