​14 September 2013

The second APEC conference on higher education cooperation in Vladivostok, Russia, from 28-29 June 2013 focused on cross-border education and enabled Australia to make a case for enhancing the mobility of students, education providers, and researchers across the Asia-Pacific.

 With APEC economies the world’s largest exporters and consumers of education services, collaboration on cross-border initiatives aims to further boost education trade for Australia and the region.

Australia highlighted the importance of transparency in qualifications frameworks, national standards, regulatory arrangements and qualifications recognition in supporting mobility. Indonesia, Thailand and Russia also presented strong examples of regulatory and institutional support for mobility.

Conference outcomes included proposals to map quality assurance and other regulatory arrangements, small working groups to progress mutual recognition, credit transfer, and promoting flexibility in academic calendars to encourage student mobility.

Countries were encouraged by Australia to progress issues as projects under APEC’s cross border education work plan.

Australia was represented by the University of Adelaide (Pro Vice-Chancellor Kent Anderson), the department (Karen Sandercock, Counsellor Education and Science, Japan), Macquarie University (Kate Roth, International Special Projects Manager) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

 

Delegates to the second APEC conference on higher education cooperation in Vladivostok.