ASEAN
Education
September 1, 2007
ASEAN decides to improve education standards
Asean education ministers have agreed to facilitate more academic collaborations by identifying top
universities or other institutions of higher learning as regional centres for academic excellence.

Indonesia's National Education Minister Prof Dr Bambang Sudibyo said the details would be worked
out in November during the Asean senior education officials meeting in Bangkok. "This will facilitate
academic collaborations among member countries in various fields like sciences, engineering or
information technology.

"It will also make exchanges of students or staff more meaningful and beneficial in line with the Vientiane
action programme and resolutions adopted during Asean, Asean 1 and Asean 3 conferences which all
aim towards a dynamic, united and caring Asean community," he said.

"Next year in March, we will meet in Kuala Lumpur and we will give our assessment on this move and other
programmes outlined under the Vientiane action programme," he told reporters after chairing the three-day
Asean education ministers informal meeting here which ended today.

Malaysia was represented by Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Higher Education
Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed.

Bambang also said the ministers had agreed to help each other in promoting the languages of member countries. Bermana Reports