INNOTECH convenes 62nd Governing Board Meeting in Timor-Leste
From 01 to 04 October 2018, SEAMEO INNOTECH convened its annual Governing Board Meeting in Dili, Timor-Leste. The Center’s Governing Board members, the SEAMEO Secretariat representative, and selected officers and staff of SEAMEO INNOTECH discussed the accomplishments of the past fiscal year and the future direction the Center.
Dr. Ramon C. Bacani, SEAMEO INNOTECH Director, led the discussion on the Center’s accomplishments. He reported on the success of the 15th International Conference, pilot run of the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) on passion for teaching, two regional capacity building programs on Stakeholder Engagement, translation of knowledge products into selected Southeast Asian languages, and research projects on emerging concerns in the region like the ASEAN Integration. Detailed updates on the research projects and training programs of the Center were further discussed by respective office managers of SEAMEO INNOTECH. The Board Members commended the Center for its efforts in the past year, as well as its committed and forthcoming programs in support of the educational needs and concerns of the region.
Furthermore and in aid of the development of its 10th Five-Year Development Plan, the Board also gave guidance to the Center, shared some suggestions and recommendations on the aspect of education that INNOTECH can work on. Assoc. Prof. Trung Hung Vo, the Chair of the SEAMEO INNOTECH Governing Board, suggested to explore on the implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He said that with the changing education landscape, it is important to make sure that the teaching and learning processes are still aligned and kept relevant.
Along with the Governing Board Meeting, INNOTECH also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with two institutions in Timor-Leste such as the National Institute for Training of Teachers and Education Professionals, or INFORDEPE (Instituto Nacional de Formação de Docentes e Professionais da Educação), and the National University of Timor-Leste, or UNTL (Universidade Nacional de Timor Lorosa’e). Through partnerships with these institutions, INNOTECH hoped to organize collaborative activities and programs in the country. The partnership aimed to foster collaboration on research, capacity building, and knowledge management in the field of education and technology.
The Governing Board Meeting served as a platform for each of the SEAMEO member countries to give guidance and recommendations for the future direction of the Center. Important decisions and agreements were made through this meeting with the guidance of the Board.
