Leaders sanction Asia Pacific forum for research

Government and university representatives from across 바카라사이트 Asia Pacific region have agreed to establish an education research network that will link universities, governments and industries.

It is designed to meet an urgent need for a multilateral forum to promote and facilitate research collaboration. The forum, to be called 바카라사이트 Asia Pacific Higher Education Research Network (APHERN), will build on 바카라사이트 existing Asia Pacific Higher Education Network (APHEN).

The meeting to establish APHERN was attended by delegates from Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, 바카라사이트 Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and Cambodia as well as from 바카라사이트 Association of Universities in Asia and 바카라사이트 Pacific, and from Unesco. They met at Srinikharanwirot University in Bangkok with Di Yerbury, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of Macquarie University in Sydney, acting as chair and representing 바카라사이트 Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee.

It will build on APHEN, which was initiated five years ago and includes universities in 12 countries. Academics are encouraged to make contact with colleagues via 바카라사이트 internet, increase staff and student exchanges, convene conferences to discuss research findings, and establish postgraduate programmes. APHEN works in areas identified by Unesco as priorities related to sustainable development.

As part of its commitment to Unesco, 바카라사이트 Australian government in 1993 appointed 바카라사이트 AVCC to implement 바카라사이트 development of a broad, multilateral network of higher education institutions. Following an initial meeting that year, universities and ministries of education from 15 countries sent representatives to a second APHEN regional conference in Sydney in 1996 when several networks were set up and an APHEN webpage launched.

Thailand's minister for university affairs, Prachuab Chaiyasan, has welcomed 바카라사이트 decision to establish 바카라사이트 new research forum. He referred to a "growing sense of a regional perspective" and 바카라사이트 importance of collaboration in research in promoting an "Asia Pacific dimension".

"Partnerships and research collaboration are fundamental in 바카라사이트 development of universities in 바카라사이트 region," Mr Chaiyasan said. "Universities, in turn, play a critical role in 바카라사이트 region's social and economic development."

A workshop will be held at 바카라사이트 end of 1999 to finalise arrangements and to plan for a major launch of 바카라사이트 forum in conjunction with Unesco in 2000.

The AVCC and 바카라사이트 Asia Pacific Research Institute at Macquarie were asked to implement 바카라사이트 APHERN work plan.