The Ministry of Education and Training, the Foreign Ministry and the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) held the Asia-Europe conference on “Life-long learning and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development” until 2030 in Hanoi on December 13.The conference is part of the 2018 cooperation program on education and training adopted by the 13th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM13) and the 37th Asia-Europe Meeting of Governors (ASEF) in Vietnam in 2017. Accordingly, they agreed to hold four conferences on "Life-long learning and sustainable development" in four different countries, including Vietnam.
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In 2005, the Vietnamese Prime Minister approved a project on building a learning society for the 2005-2010 period, which have so far produced encouraging results. On January 9, 2013, the PM issued Decision No.89/QD-TTg approving the project for the 2012-2020 period.
Minister Nha hoped that this conference would be an opportunity for Vietnam to learn and share its experience with ASEM member states and access the latest research results about adult education and life-long learning strategy, as well as access to the latest research on adult education, life-long learning, and the development of a learning society.
Nha also hoped to acquire foreign experts’ consultations on organizing life-long learning activities in different forms, supported by information and communications technology and open education resources.
The scientific reports and opinions of the experts and scientists presented at the conference will contribute to creating the necessary facilities to perfect the flexible and open education system, promote universities that offer flexible learning programs for all, promote cooperation in ASEM to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4).
For his part, Vice President of the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education Phil Hanil Ulf-Daniel Ehlers said that the 2030 agenda for sustainable development targets prosperity in the two global economic and social dimensions, depending on the opportunities that individuals are learning and developing in their lives.
He stressed that this is not a simple thing as life-long learning is not a clear concept that comes in many forms, shapes and entities. Universities must further promote the change of values, habits and beliefs of managers and lecturers, make efforts to build schools into vibrant centers for life-long learning, Phil Hanil added.
Other participants shared experience in recognizing study results under regular and irregular models to encourage long-life learning, and policy making towards a life-long learning culture that aims to achieve higher education literacy for all.
