Background

In a rapidly changing world and in light of the emerging post-2015 development agenda, skills
development needs a fundamental rethink and transformation to respond to the needs for a more
inclusive, equitable and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific. The actions for such
transformation were globally debated at the Third International Congress on TVET (Shanghai,
China, 2012). The Shanghai Consensus, key outcome of the Congress, suggests
recommendations to support the transformation of technical and vocational education and
training (TVET) policies and practices in UNESCOs Member States. Following up on the
Consensus, countries in the Asia-Pacific engaged in numerous policy initiatives, which in many
cases have been observed as not transformative enough to respond to the changing socioeconomic landscape, to the aspirations for knowledge societies and to the need for inclusive and
sustainable economic growth. With its enormous diversity, there are experiences and lessons to
be learned from within and outside the Asia-Pacific region which can benefit countries in
transforming their TVET policies and strategies in response to emerging socio-economic trends.
In response to emerging challenges such as globalisation, regional integration, demographic
shifts, technological advances, environmental concerns, as well as persistent inequalities and
youth unemployment, many governments in the Asia-Pacific strive towards green and
sustainable development: this requires new skills, which are expected to replace or expand
existing skills in the future and create jobs opportunities in particular for youth. Building
inclusive knowledge-based economies requires appropriate curricula, pedagogical approaches
and learning environments, especially through ICT-integrated TVET. For that purpose, current
and future skills requirements, including transversal and entrepreneurial skills (although there are
existing differences in understandings and conceptualizations of transversal skills across
countries, the general idea refers to obtaining competencies such as communication,
entrepreneurship, problem-solving, innovation, collaboration skills, etc. to better progress across
employment sectors) will need to be assessed, debated and reflected in education and training
policies and strategies. In addition, growing globalisation, regional economic integration and
labour mobility in the Asia-Pacific, which make education and training a matter of transnational
agenda, require a strengthening of cross-country partnerships for improved TVET governance at
all levels.
In light of these developments, UNESCO with the support of the Malaysian Government and in
collaboration with its development partners is organising the Asia-Pacific Conference on

Education and Training (ACET) entitled Making Skills Development Work for the Future from
3-5 August 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Objectives

Promote policy debates and dialogues through sharing of:

a. National, regional and international approaches in four thematic areas:

in TVET, skills for economic development, partnerships, and greening TVET;

ICT

b. Findings from relevant research in the four thematic areas;

Strengthen collaboration among TVET partners, including the UNEVOC Network in

the Asia-Pacific;

Indicative Proceedings
As a platform of dialogue on TVET transformation, ACET will challenge participants to rethink
skills development by reflecting on experiences in reforming education and training systems and
learning from selected promising approaches to developing TVET policies and practices from
the region and beyond.
The Conference will comprise two major components:

(i) a stakeholder dialogue (3-4 August), including a closed ministerial discussion to

reflect on key issues in TVET and agree on the Conference statement (afternoon of 4
August); and

(ii) an open-door ministerial segment (morning of 5 August) where ministers and

high-level officials in charge of TVET will report on and share achievements, issues
and future directions of skills development in their education and training systems in
light of the Shanghai Consensus. More>>

Participants
The Conference will bring together a range of TVET and skills development stakeholders,
including ministers/ high-level government officials from UNESCO Member States in the Asia-

Pacific, as well as representatives of multilateral organizations, private sector, unions and youth
organisations. It will serve as a platform for exchanging experience and perspectives on skills
development policy and practice, identifying bottlenecks and defining direction in the four
thematic areas (ICT in TVET, skills for economic development, partnerships, and greening
TVET).
The participation in the Asia-Pacific Conference on Education and Training is by invitation only,
including the categories of participants as follows:

Ministers and high-level officials of UNESCO Member States in the Asia-Pacific

region. Each Member State is invited to send a delegation of around three-four
persons. As the conference will focus on TVET and skills development, the
composition of the delegation should include relevant ministries and institutions;

Representatives of United Nations agencies, development banks and other multilateral

organizations working in the area of TVET and skills development;

Representatives of institutions, foundations and bilateral development partners active

in the areas of TVET and skills development in the Asia-Pacific;

UNEVOC Network members from the Asia-Pacific;

Representatives of the private and corporate sector, non-governmental organizations,

civil society organizations, youth organizations, unions and networks active in the
areas of TVET and skills development in the Asia-Pacific;

Individual experts from universities and research institutions involved in research on

TVET and/or skills development.