1. Concepcion V. Pijano Member, AQAN Technical Advisory Committee

2. Defining the Region: Geographical Coverage All Pacific island nations and territories, New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, all island and mainland nations and territories in Asia, including Russia, Afghanistan and Iran, but excluding the other central ‘stans (which are covered by another network), and excluding the Gulf states (which are covered by another network).

3. Russia Kazakhstan Bhutan Macau . Taiwan . Brunei . Maldives Membership: 166 members from 38 countries

4. ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS

5. Understanding ASEAN • It is home to more than 600 million people. • Together, ASEAN’s ten member states form an economic powerhouse with a large potential market. • If ASEAN were a single country, it would be the seventh-largest economy in the world. • Next to the People's Republic of China and India, ASEAN has the world's third largest labor force that remains relatively young. • A total of 7,908 Higher Education Institutions exist in the region

6. The Challenge • There is a need to bridge the perceived "development divide" between the older and economically more advanced members - Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, known as the ASEAN-6, and the four newer members – Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar and Viet Nam, also known as CLMV countries.

7. Matrix of External Quality Assurance Agencies in ASEAN

8. Matrix of External Quality Assurance Agencies in ASEAN (cont.) Matrix of External Quality Assurance Agencies in ASEAN (cont.) Source: Niedermeier, F. and Pohlenz, P. (2016) “Development Needs: Higher Education Quality Assurance in the ASEAN Region”, University of Potsdam.

13. ASEAN QUALITY ASSURANCE FRAMEWORK (AQAF) 2. External Quality Assurance Processes Processes 1. External Quality Assurance Agency 3. Internal Quality Assurance 4. National Qualification Framework

14. PURPOSES of the AQAF • Serves as a common reference point to align quality assurance systems, higher education institutions and qualifications. • Encourages national QA systems to benchmark against the Framework. • Improves consistency of QA practices and builds a zone of trust to facilitate recognition of qualifications and promote regional harmonization.

15. Key Players in Regional Collaboration ASEAN QA Network (AQAN) ASEAN University Network (AUN) South East Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Higher Education (SEAMEO-RIHED) Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific Asia and Europe Meeting ASEAN+3 CAMPUS Asia University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific International Alliance of Research Universities Association of Pacific Rim Universities Association of East Asian Research Universities Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning

16. EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORT TOHIGHER EDUCATION IN THE ASEAN REGION

17. International Cooperation • An umbrella term covering a number of activities including but not limited to: 1. international student and academic faculty exchanges (both ways) 2. international university partnership agreements (both bi-lateral and consortia and networks) 3. international research projects 4. development of joint degree programs with partner universities 5. branch campuses of foreign institutions 6. sandwich programs, twinning, and many others

18. Challenges • Lack of resources to support quality assurance initiatives including insufficient funding • Lack of quality experts (for example to conduct external reviews) • Limited tools and knowledge and also a lack of awareness of quality assurance implementation • Restrictions at a policy level • Quality assurance responsibilities sometimes falling within several government departments. • Lack of leadership for respective countries to strengthen their national quality systems.

19. Challenges • Resistance from some academics who view QA as an external process imposed on them. • The risk of over-bureaucratization of the quality assurance processes. A situation when QA becomes a formal procedure (sometimes purely administrative and not academic) rather than an opportunity for genuine reflection and improvement. • The risk of insufficient academic buy-in in the academic ownership of the quality assurance process, which prevents the QA from having an impact on the quality of the everyday operations and teaching and learning.

20. The Way Forward • Review AQAF and guidelines upon completion of Project • Develop new generic tools, instruments and common standards • Build capacity with ASEAN and External experts • Strengthen collaboration with international partners • Provide full support and services towards alignment and harmonization in Higher Education and TVET