GG18_d3_8_1_chantavit_sujatamond version 2

1. Student Mobility Experience: Showcasing AIMS Programme – the regional
effort to enhance academic mobility in Southeast Asia
Harmonizatio
n
Higher
Education
Dr. Chantavit Sujatanond
Centre Director, SEAMEO RIHED
Going Global 2018, Breakfast Session: Student Mobility Experience – Malaysia Truly International
4 May 2018, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Harmonisation

2. +
SEAMEO RIHED and Harmonisation of Higher
Education in SEA
The SEAMEO Regional Centre for Higher Education and Development
Your Partner in Higher Education
Originally founded as the Regional Institute of Higher Education and
Development in Singapore in 1959. (58 years)
RIHED was reorganised and established in Thailand in 1993, as a
regional centre of SEAMEO. (24 years)

3. +
Governments’
Commitments and Supports
From 11 Southeast Asian
Nations
Networking and Active
Participations
from HEIs
Facilitating, Coordinating & Working
toward mutual agreements
Autonomy + Authority
= Governmental
Agencies
working to support HEIs
Multilateral
Collaborations
& Partnerships
Alignment is the key

4. +
SEAMEO RIHED’s Organisational Scope
SEAMEO RIHED Fifth Five-Year Development Plan (2018-2022)
defines following four pillars as its organisational scope:
Alignment and
Development
Cooperation
and Synergy
Research Information
Portal
21 3 4

5. +
A. Inbound mobility rate B. Outbound mobility rate
Brunei Darussalam 4.2% 49.9%
Cambodia n/a 1.9%
Indonesia 0.1% 0.6%
Lao PDR 0.6% 3.3%
Malaysia 6.1% 5.3%
Myanmar 0.0% 1.0%
Philippines 0.1% 0.4%
Singapore 21.7% 8.9%
Thailand 0.8% 1.0%
Timor-Leste n/a 20.0%
Vietnam 0.2% 2.4%
Mobility in Southeast Asia
 Mobility landscape of Internationally degree-seeking mobile students by
country (2011)
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2014) ’Higher Education in Asia: Expanding Out, Expanding Up’.

6. +
Balanced Mobility
Self-Sufficiency and Solidarity
Supporting Mechanisms
whereby each Member Country supports their
own participation in the Programme, and moves
forward together based on the academic
readiness of each Country
promoting both balanced mobility and
reciprocity, the agreed number of exchange
students is based on mutual agreement among
participating higher education institutions,
nominated by their respective governments
The annual Review Meeting and the Steering
Committee Meeting are mechanisms which provide
governments, institutions, and students with the
opportunity to update progress, address existing
challenges, and propose further improvements to
the Programme.
 ASEAN International Mobility for Students
(AIMS) Programme was launched in 2010 among
Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand (M-I-T)
 Three core principles of AIMS Programme:
Academic Mobility: AIMS in Focus

7. +
AIMS
at a Glance
Countries
8+
Study Fields
10
Universities
68+
Students
3374
Multi-lateral students exchange
programme, involving both Governments
and HEIs
Self sufficiency and sustainability, and
balanced mobility
AIMS at a Glance

8. +
10 study fields:
1. Agriculture
2. Biodiversity
3. Economics
4. Engineering
5. Environmental Management and
Science
6. Food Science and Technology
7. Hospitality and Tourism
8. International Business
9. Language and Culture
10. Marine Science
 SEAMEO RIHED takes student mobility as the starting point for further
academic mobility in the region branching out to faculty, researcher and staff
mobility in the future.
AIMS Programme as a stepping stone for bigger
mobility
Consortium
in respective study
fields
To strengthen
faculty, researcher
and staff mobility in
the future

9. +
 Promote greater cultural understanding
 Strengthen cross-cultural communication skills
Nurturing cross-cultural mindset
 Enhance analytical and problem solving skills through
international experience
 Confidence as global citizens
 Awareness of global issues
Preparing students with global competencies
 Towards internationalisaton and harmonisation of
higher education
Strengthening multilateral collaboration among HEIs
 Through promoting active interaction among institutions
Sharing good practices in the region among HEIs
What key opportunities does academic mobility
bring to students and HEIs?

10. +
The future endeavour of AIMS Programme includes:
 Expansion of the programme
 In-depth discussion with Cambodia
 Joining of Singapore
 Aspiration to include all ASEAN countries
 Evaluation instrument for Measuring the Experience of AIMS Students
Future of student mobility under AIMS framework
SEAMEO RIHED believes that the mobility of students, researchers,
faculties and administrative staff will support the region’s overarching
goal of establishing a common space in higher education in the region.

11. +
 Question: How can cross-cultural mindset be developed in other forms in the
increasingly inter-connected world?
 Recognition of new forms of learning?
Future of Mobility: Increasing Connectivity
MOOCs, Online
research, e-Learning
Academic Connectivity
Diversified ways of learning