ASEMME5 welcomed 196 participants from 46 member countries and 11 stakeholder organisations in Riga, Latvia. The Ministers agreed on the need to increase tangible, result-oriented cooperation activities within the framework of the existing ASEM priority areas: quality assurance and recognition; engaging business and industry in education; balanced mobility; and lifelong learning in technical and vocational education and training.
"When a solid government-level dialogue is in place, binding agreements are a natural step forward. A dialogue at government level paves the way for scholarships, diploma recognition, credit transfers and joint projects among universities," said the Latvian Minister for Education and Science, Ms Mārīte Seile.
During ASEMME5, over 20 bilateral meetings took place and new bilateral agreements between Asian and European countries were signed on both days of the ministerial meeting, including agreements on the mutual recognition of higher education qualifications between China and Estonia, and China and Lithuania. On 29 April, Latvia will sign a Memorandum of Cooperation with Japan.
With ASEM Education Collaboration for Results as the overarching theme, the meeting considered current global developments and their impact on education policies in ASEM countries. The plenary sessions addressed issues such as the contribution of ASEM education cooperation to the development of skills for better employability, and the current rapid technological developments that promote the emergence of new learning technologies in education. Their impact on the strengthening of ASEM education cooperation was also discussed.
During their meeting, the Ministers reconfirmed the strategic role of education in promoting sustainable and inclusive development and innovation. They also highlighted the importance of tangible cooperation activities and measures aimed at achieving results.
The participants also stressed the importance of improving transparency and understanding as regards the different education systems, by making them more comparable, facilitating mobility and enhancing collaboration. They supported the ambition of building a cross-border and cross-regional area for cooperation at policy and institutional level, and emphasised the need for an area where the mobility of students, teachers, researchers, ideas and knowledge would be the core common goal.
Next year ASEM will celebrate its 20th anniversary. The number of its members has grown from 28 to 53 partners (51 states in Asia and Europe and two international organisations) and it has proven to be the key platform for informal dialogue and collaboration between Asia and Europe.
Although ASEMME5 concludes today, the ASEM week in Riga continues. On 29 April, the Erasmus+ Information Day will take place at the University of Latvia, while the 3rd ASEM Transport Ministers' Meeting (ASEMTM3) organised by the Latvian Ministry of Transport will take place on 29-30 April.
