APEC CCHE 2017

Description 

APEC Conference on Cooperation in Higher Education is an international forum organized annually by Russia Federation since 2012 under the auspices of the APEC Human Resources Development Working Group. This Conference was designed with the aim of promoting socio-humanitarian cooperation in APEC region and establishing a regular mechanism for networking and coordination of policies and activities among higher education agencies. Annually, CCHE gathers representatives of APEC member economies, including ministers, high-level diplomats, university presidents, experts and scholars in order to exchange opinions on the most important issues related to cooperation in the sphere of education. The APEC CCHE’17 was devoted to the discussion of prospects of creating of a common educational space, harmonization of educational policies and standards with the aim of fostering international exchanges and mobility across the Asia-Pacific and implementation of the decisions made on the governmental level.

Results:

As modern universities in APEC face certain challenges in the sphere of credit transfer and recognition while accepting regulations of each other, experts agreed that gradual implementation of the following recommendations would help APEC education process to develop in a more effective way:

1) Harmonize National Qualification Frameworks as the first step to the establishment of Regional Qualification Framework in APEC among member economies which will form common educational space;

2) Increase current efforts in promoting bilateral cooperation and regional frameworks on quality assurance and recognition; Speaking of academic mobility, experts presented their cases and expressed their ideas on promoting bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the sphere of education among Asia-Pacific countries. Chancellor of the Tokai University Mr. Kiyoshi Yamada introduced the program that meets the purpose of strengthening Russia-Japan bilateral cooperation and economic development of the Russian Far East as well (Fostering Bridge Personnel between Russia and Japan on Life Care for Economic Development in Russian Far East).

Following this topic, Mr. Christopher Tremewan and Mr. Takashi Sekiyama shared best ideas and practices on mobility implemented by APRU and UMAP respectfully.

As a result of the session, the participants came to the conclusion that despite the high dynamics of economic interaction, the level of cooperation in the field of education between the APEC member countries remains rather modest. The development of education is the key to sustainable and long-term economic development, as well as an effective solution to existing global problems, therefore, educational interaction is of general interest for the countries of the region.