On behalf of the AUN Board of Trustees, Executive Director Choltis Dhirathiti presented the AUN Development Strategy Plan for the 2017-2021 period.

Founded in 1995, the AUN has grown into a prestigious organization with the participation of 30 universities from 10 countries in the region. The AUN Executive Director said that the strength of the Network was the solidarity and co-operation, which created joint training and research products for the benefit of its members and the development of the region. Although the diversity among the AUN universities can create constraints and gaps, the AUN is increasingly asserting its role and position in promoting, developing higher education cooperation through various and practical activities, thus contributing to the building of a high quality education community in Southeast Asia.

The Meeting participants thoroughly discussed the AUN’s key collaborative areas for the 2017 – 2021 period, including: Curriculum development and innovative learning approaches; the AUN Quality Assurance (AUN-QA); students’ skills enhancement (every student activity must be built with explicit learning objectives and academic benefits); research collaboration, especially in the niche or regional interest areas; promoting inter-institutional exchanges for sharing experience, knowledge and opening up new cooperation opportunities.

At the Meeting, VNU Vice President Nguyễn Hữu Đức expressed his agreement with the AUN’s five key tasks for the 2017-2021 period and suggested that the AUN should promote cooperation in scientific research among its members. Specifically, according to the VNU Vice President, training should be closely linked with research through doctoral training programs to improve the quality of science and technology activities as well as the training of high quality human resources. He also suggested that the AUN should offer more summer courses and organize more competitions for students.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, VNU President Nguyễn Kim Sơn expressed his deep thanks to the AUN Board of Trustees and AUN Secretariat for their continuous support for VNU in organizing the 33^rd AUN Board of Trustees Meeting and the 9^th AUN Rectors’ Meeting.

Summarizing the Meeting’s activities, VNU President Nguyễn Kim Sơn highlighted the adoption of the AUN new Charter’s updates in line with the future directions of ASEAN before submitting it to the ASEAN Education Ministers for approval; the plan to expand the Network, expand ASEAN + 3 membership; the forum on “Economic growth and graduate employability: the challenges in meeting the regional quality standards of AUN”; the AUN Development Strategy Plan for the 2017-2021 period…

VNU President Nguyễn Kim Sơn also affirmed that VNU would continue to promote its role and actively participate in the AUN’s strategic building, planning and other activities to contribute to the promotion of the Network’s sustainable development.