7th ASEF Rectors’ Conference and Students’ Forum (ARC7)

WHAT IS ARC?

The ASEF Rectors’ Conference and Students’ Forum (ARC) is the only bi-regional multi-stakeholder dialogue platform for university and student leaders, policy makers, and business representatives to discuss higher education challenges of mutual concern in Asia and Europe.

ARC is recognised as the Official Dialogue Partner of the ASEM Education Ministers Meeting (ASEM ME). Its results, including policy recommendations and research, feed into the preparation of ASEM MEs. Moreover, ARC is contributing to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and it is one of the initial commitments to the Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

ARC takes place on a biennial basis alternating between Asia and Europe. Over 299 universities from 51 Asian and European countries have been represented at the ARC conferences since 2008.

WHAT WAS ARC7?

The 7^th ASEF Rectors’ Conference and Student’s Forum (ARC7) was co-organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), between 11-15 May 2018 in Bucharest, Romania. ARC7 was held in conjunction with the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting of Ministers for Education (15-16 May 2019, Bucharest, Romania) and participants had the chance to meet senior officials and education ministers of 51 Asian and European ASEM partner countries.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are a universal call for action to shape a better future for all. Universities have a key responsibility to tackle the complex societal challenges of our times, manifested in these Goals. We invited Asian and European higher education leaders to share how their organisations contribute to policy development and take action towards the Agenda 2030 and to get inspiration from their peers’ strategies. The conference also explored how university and student leaders from Asia and Europe can work together towards a “future we want”.

Participants of ARC7 explored the theme “Higher Education Taking Action Towards the Sustainable Development Goals: Perspectives from Asia and Europe” from 3 different angles:

Taking Action at Home – SDGs as Core Pillars of University Governance
Participants were discussing the visions and missions of universities within the framework of the sustainable development agenda, and the ability of institutions to link knowledge, research, and education to contribute to the SDGs. The importance of cherishing values (like academic freedom, autonomy, and participation) and ways of balancing it with the more “technical” or “utilitarian” tasks and demands (like employability, and skills for the labour market) were also discussed in the sessions.
Taking Action at Community Level – SDGs as Drivers of University Social Impact
Participants reviewed the different approaches how higher education actors (universities, students, regional networks) can play together to realise the SDGs, engage local communities and civil society in providing sustainable research and teaching, how can they translate the global goals into local actions, and what the added value that SDGs can provide in these partnerships.
Taking Action at International Level – SDGs as a Catalyst to Reorient Internationalisation
Participants explored what kind of international partnerships do universities engage in, what is the shared purpose of these, and how do they contribute to the SDGs? Participants have also discussed how persons and ideas flow across borders, and how to generate dynamics among different systems and silos of research and education for the sake of the SDGs.

We are proud that ARC7 was co-designed and intellectually supported by major university and student associations of Asia and Europe: ASEAN University Network (AUN); European University Association (EUA); International Association of Universities (IAU); Erasmus Student Network (ESN), European Students’ Union (ESU) and the Erasmus Mundus Students and Alumni Association (EMA).

PROJECT ELEMENTS

The ARC7 Students’ Forum | 11-15 May 2019

The 7th ASEF Rectors’ Conference and Students’ Forum (ARC7) was co-organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), the  National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), and the Romanian Ministry of Education, and took place between 11-15 May 2019 in Bucharest, Romania.

The 51 student leaders from the 51 ASEM partner countries discussed, debated and shaped the ARC7 Students’ Policy Recommendations. According to the reflections of participants (watch the first overARCing Idea video), it was challenging to find a shared point of view of challenges and find expressions and language which was acceptable for all representatives from 51 counties across Asia and Europe. Their discussions were comprehensive and inclusive, and their final Policy Recommendations emerged from deliberate and thoughtful conversations. The students stressed the urgency of “university governance adopting a lens of efficiency and action” and called upon the ASEM Governments to take action on 3 major fields. They have concluded that “It is of the utmost importance that SDGs are present in governance conversations, lecture halls, and student gatherings”.

ARC7 Student’s Forum Participants’ Booklet
51 ASEM countries were represented in the Students’ Forum. To learn more about the student participants and resource persons, read the ARC7 Students’ Forum Participant Booklet here.

ARC7 Students Forum Programme
The ARC7 Students’ Forum included an 8-week Online Preparatory Phase with webinars and individual and team tasks which led up to the 4-day Students’ Forum and joint sessions with the Rectors’ Conference. Plenaries and working group sessions, skills training, and networking sessions were also included in the programme. Learn more about the ARC7 Students’ Forum Program here.

ARC7 Students’ Forum Policy Recommendations
The Students’ Forum participants developed a set of Policy Recommendations during the preparatory and on-site phases. These were delivered to the ASEM Education Ministers, who welcomed and debated them. They became the annexe of the ASEMME7 Chairs’Conclusions. Read the ARC7 Students’ Policy Recommendations here.

The ARC7 Rectors’ Conference | 12-14 May 2019

Over 150 university leaders, experts and policy makers discussed the ARC7 Rectors’ Policy Recommendations. The Conference resulted in Commitments by higher education institutions (HEIs) from both regions and also proposed Policy Recommendations to feed into the deliberations and outcomes of the 7th ASEM Education Ministers Meeting (ASEM ME7). The policy recommendations were proposed and reviewed by the ARC7 organising partners – European University Association (EUA), International Association of Universities (IAU), ASEAN University Network (AUN) – discussed and finalised by the ARC7 Rectors’ Conference participants.

ARC7 Rectors’ Conference Participants’ Booklet
To learn more about the participants and speakers, read the Participant Booklet for the ARC7 Rectors’ Conference here.

ARC7 Rectors’ Conference Programme
Learn more about the ARC7 Rectors’ Conference Programme here.

ARC7 Rectors’ Conference Policy Recommendations
The participants recommended the ASEM Ministers of Education to “include the SDGs into the goals, priorities and activities of the ASEM Education Process (AEP).” “Using the framework of the SDGs provides an opportunity to relate national priorities and interests to the wider context of a global environment and a global realm of knowledge and research. It enables Asian and European governments and higher education institutions to develop stronger education and research partnerships to generate a better future for all.”

Other recommendations were concerned with support for higher education institutions to engage with the Agenda 2030; Incentives and support for education and research collaboration among universities and with other societal actors, at national and international levels; Developing research and knowledge-based policy agendas and informed decision-making in democratic societies; Acknowledging and supporting the role of higher education in contributing to equity, inclusion and lifelong learning; Supporting higher education internationalisation in line with the goals of the Agenda 2030.

The recommendations became the annexe of the ASEMME7 Chairs’Conclusions. Read the Rectors’ Policy Recommendations here.

The 7th ASEM Ministers’ of Education Meeting | 15-16 May 2019

ARC7 was held in conjunction with the 7th ASEM Ministers’ of Education Meeting (ASEMME7) titled “Connecting Education: Inclusion, Mobility & Excellence in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals”. The ministers have welcomed the representatives of the students and university organisations, debated the policy recommendations, and included them as annexes to the Chairs’ Conclusions.

ARC7 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE ASEM EDUCATION MINISTERS

ARC7 STUDENTS’ FORUM POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

The 51 student leaders from the 51 ASEM partner countries were discussing, debating and shaping the ARC7 Students’ Policy Recommendations (PRs) for 3 days. According to their reflections (watch the first overARCing Idea video), it was challenging to find a shared point of view of challenges and find expressions and language which was acceptable for all representatives from 51 counties across Asia and Europe. Their discussions were comprehensive and inclusive, and their final PRs emerged from deliberate and thoughtful conversations. The students stressed the urgency of “university governance adopting a lens of efficiency and action” and called upon the ASEM Governments to take action on 3 major fields. They have concluded that “It is of the utmost importance that SDGs are present in governance conversations, lecture halls, and student gatherings”.

Read the ARC7 Students’ Policy Recommendations here.

ARC7 RECTORS’ CONFERENCE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

The participants recommended the ASEM Ministers of Education to “include the SDGs into the goals, priorities and activities of the ASEM Education Process (AEP).” “Using the framework of the SDGs provides an opportunity to relate national priorities and interests to the wider context of a global environment and a global realm of knowledge and research. It enables Asian and European governments and higher education institutions to develop stronger education and research partnerships to generate a better future for all.”

Read the ARC7 Rectors’ Policy Recommendations here.
Read the ARC7 Rectors’ Conference Background Paper here.

ARC7 CONFERENCE ORGANISING COMMITTEE

We are proud that ARC7 is co-designed and intellectually supported by major university and student associations of Asia and Europe: ASEAN University Network (AUN); European University Association (EUA); International Association of Universities (IAU); Erasmus Student Network (ESN), European Students’ Union (ESU) and the Erasmus Mundus Students and Alumni Association (EMA).

Co-chaired by:

Ms Leonie NAGARAJAN, Director, Education Department, Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF)
Prof Remus PRICOPIE, Rector, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA)

Members

Dr Choltis DHIRATHITI, Executive Director, ASEAN University Network (AUN);
Prof Pam FREDMAN, President, International Association of Universities (IAU);
Mr Michael GAEBEL, Director, Higher Education Policy Unit, European University Association (EUA);
Ms Katrina KOPPEL, Vice-President, European Students’ Union (ESU);
Mr Joao PINTO, President, Erasmus Student Network (ESN);
Ms Hilligje VAN’T LAND, Secretary General, International Association of Universities (IAU);
Ms Lucia LOPOSOVA; Vice-President, Erasmus Mundus Students and Alumni Association (EMA);
Ms Thérèse ZHANG PULKOWSKI, Deputy Director, Higher Education Policy Unit, European University Association (EUA).