Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam speaks at the conference.
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The conference attracted the participation of 180 local and foreign delegates from 53 ASEM members.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister (PM) Vu Duc Dam stressed that education plays an important role in promoting innovation and creativity.
The Deputy PM noted that many countries pay special attention to developing human resources for sustainable development, particularly in the context of the fourth industrial revolutionary and the strengthened trend of globalization.
The education is becoming more and more critical as the fourth Industrial Revolution is taking place at a much faster pace, leading to many manufacturing industries, production methods, and personnel that will have to change, be eliminated or replaced by new occupations, new ways and new human resources, he said.
According to the Deputy PM, education and training reform is now more important, not only for developing countries, but also for the most developed economies.
At the opening session of the ASEM Conference on Innovative Education and Human Resource Building for Sustainable Development.
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The sector should focus on building a qualified global generation of citizens with a sense of responsibility to their communities, their countries, and even in regards to global issues and the future of human civilisation against challenges of terrorism, transnational crime, climate change and the emergence of new diseases, he noted.
Regarding ASEM development over the last two decades, Deputy PM Dam said that the intergovernmental process has played an important role in connecting nations, businesses and people in the two continents of Asia and Europe for peace, cooperation and sustainable development, including activities to promote education and human resource development.
Many initiatives and projects on education, training and human resource development have been initiated and promoted by ASEM member countries, such as ASEM lifelong learning centre, Asia-Europe projects on educational innovation in the digital age, creative capacity and start-ups, bringing about new dynamics in cooperation and in education and training.
Particularly, at the 11th ASEM Summit in 2016, ASEM leaders pledged to increase cooperation to strengthen education and investment in human resource development and enhancing skills for the workforce, especially young people, to start a business and ensure stable employment.
These strategic commitments not only guarantee the future of ASEM cooperation in a more sustainable and effective way, but also act as ASEM's contributions to the international community in promoting achievement towards the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
These collaborative efforts and outcomes should be further promoted and replicated to meet the development requirements of the forthcoming Fourth Industrial Revolution.
For that reason, Deputy PM Dam urged the conference to focus on discussions to develop a common understanding on interdisciplinary approach towards education and training reform to adapt and take advantage of the fourth Industrial Revolution’s opportunities, while still ensuring consideration, fairness and equality for the disadvantaged.
After the opening session, the conference will focus on four plenary sessions discussing the role of education and resources in the 21st century for sustainable development; opportunities, challenges and roles of stakeholders; practices and lessons learned in Asia and Europe; and strengthening Eurasian cooperation in the field of creative education and human resource building for sustainable development.
An event in the framework of the ASEM Forum, the conference is hoped to promote the Asia-Europe cooperation in dealing with issues related to education, labour, and jobs. It also aims to seek proposals on ASEM’s visions on education and developing human resources.
The role of education and human resources in sustainable development in the 21st century; new skills and new requirements in the digital era are also on the agenda.
