Activities of UNESCO Bangkok and some suggestions on collaboration between UNEVOC network and UNESCO offices Youngsup Choi UNESCO Bangkok

I. Activities of UNESCO Bangkok 1. Study on StW information base To examine the current situation of StW information base and to identify the areas of intervention from UNESCO Mainly focusing on developing countries but including some middle income countries of different sub regions Progress so far and next steps Oct 2010 - Jan 2011: Preparation of study plan Feb-Jul 2011: country studies Aug 2011: synthesis workshop Sep-Oct 2011: drafting synthesis report Nov-Dec 2011: Publication of booklet

2. TVET policy review in Lao PDR and Cambodia Part of strategic upstream policy advice of UNESCO offices (HQ+RB+FO) Identification of the challenges and, areas of policy dialogue incl. capacity development through meetings w/ gov’t & civil stakeholders 2010-Mar 2011: Preparatory stage incl. missions and desk research Cambodia: Field mission (Jun), Review report (Jul-Sep), nat’l W/S (Oct 2011) Lao PDR: Field mission (Jul, Sep), Review report (Oct-Nov) Issues identified: Lack of coordination b/w key Min’s, dep’ts, centr’l-provn’ gov’t. Limited demands for semi-skilled: limited job opportunity of TVET (esp., sec. level TVET)  low enrol. of sec. TVET + large drop-outs Limited alignment w/ socio-economic strategy: Not even gov’t driven, but supply-driven (TVET programs being congested to the areas which are easy to attract (miss- or little informed) students)

3. Vocationalization of Secondary education As part of secondary education regular program and CapEFA Laos Diversification of TVET supply: Introduction of integrated school (gen ed + voc ed), or inclusion of voc subjects to gen curriculum Supports to Lao PDR: policy W/S + study visit (Jul 2011) Review on the experiences of Thai, Aus, Mal and South Korea (W/S) Examine actual situation in Thai and Mal (study visit) Planned policy dialogue: Sep-Dec 2011 Publication on vocationalization of Sec. Ed. In association w/ UNEVOC Bonn Incl. Thai, Aus, Mal, China, and UZB (TBD) Review on the experiences and implications for ASP countries Country study (~Oct), draft report (~Dec), publication (Feb 2012)

4. Some more… 3rd World TVET Congress: Shanghai, China, May 2012 (2nd Congress: Seoul, Korea, 1999) Preparation of Global TVET report: regional report by BKK Regional consultation: TBD UNESCO-APEID conference on Creativity and Entrepreneurship: Jakarta, Dec 2011 Suggestion on ‘career guidance for C & E’: not only the reform of education programs but need for concern about the ways of identifying the talents and supporting the sustained development On the way of negotiation w/ Korean gov’t Skills development for Creative Economy in Thailand Development of UN wide action plan for the next 5 yrs to support the skills development for CE in Thai.

II. Suggestions on cooperation Key challenges for TVET in ASP Limited/scattered region-specific knowledge base compared to the extremely diverse policy requests from the member states, especially reflecting the specific/unique socio-economic-cultural situation Limited number of experts with understanding on the regional contexts and with the expertise on specific issues Limited within-country capacity on specific policy issues and over-dependence on external expertise which are altogether hindering the endogenous policy development and implementation

How to overcome this situation? Never by UNESCO or Int’l Orgs alone Continued and concerted efforts of external and internal expertise towards the development of internal capacity More radically, ‘led’ by internal expertise? : e. g. ‘Joint’ study/research ‘led’ by internal expertise and ‘supported’ by external expertise Role of UNEVOC centers: Leading agency of internal capacity development while mobilizing external resources Role of Int’l Orgs: Raising the issues and providing technical resources However, dilemma for Int’l Orgs? Pressure for showing results?