From APEC HRDWG Wiki

Introduction

The planning and preparation of the 2008 4th APEC Education Ministers Meeting (AEMM) began over a year before the meeting took place. The preparatory activities shaped the agenda of the meeting based on expert research from around the region. These activities received praise from the Education Ministers in their joint statement: "We applaud the initiative of sponsoring a pre-ministerial research and policy forum that sets a recommended agenda prior to the Ministerial Meeting, especially promoting recommendations for project directions that can be realistically and feasibly implemented."

The Ministers also recommended this approach for other ministerial meetings calling it, "a model approach” and then elaborated with, “we believe in basing recommendations on policy and research for other Ministerial Meetings.”

Key Planning Steps

The key steps leading up to the meeting included:
1. The drafting of an APEC project proposal for pre-ministerial activities by 3 economies
2. The discussion of the proposal at the 2007annual network meeting
3. A project planning meeting of project sponsors
4. Development of policy surveys and papers
5. A research symposium held in China in January of 2008
6. Discussion at the 2008 network meeting
7. A one day seminar one day prior to the Ministers meeting
8. Adoption of strategic action plans forming the basis of the EDNET agenda

1. Project proposal (February 2007): In preparation for the 2008 APEC project funding cycle, three economies (China -- Peru -- United States) jointly drafted a proposal for pre-ministerial activities. The key objectives of this proposal were to propose an overall theme for pre-ministerial activities, a three day research symposium, and a one day seminar to be held one day in advance of the Ministers meeting.

2. Project approval (April 2007): The members of the education network discussed the project proposal in their annual business meeting in April 2007 in Brisbane, Australia. This was an opportunity for all members to comment on the overall theme of the pre-ministerial activities as well as provide feedback on the quality of the project based on QAF review. The overall theme of Education to Achieve 21st Century Skills for All was established for the pre-ministerial project. The project received the highest ranking by HRDWG members.

3. Planning meeting (July 2007): the joint sponsors, China -- Peru -- United States, met with the HRD program director from the Secretariat to plan the implementation of the approved pre-ministerial project. Based on discussions during the earlier EDNET annual business meeting, this team identified four priority areas to support the overall theme. The team then circulated a questionnaire proposing these priority areas and solicited economy leads for each area and overall theme. The result of this questionnaire was the establishment of four priority areas (Mathematics & Science, Language Learning, TVET, and ICT and Systemic Reform) and the identification of two economy co-leads for each priority area and two economy co-leads for the overall theme.

4. Policy Surveys and papers (September - December 2007): The economy co-leads developed policy surveys for their respective priority areas. The surveys were then circulated to all members for expert response. Based on the survey results, the economy co-leads prepared research papers and presentations for the upcoming symposium.

5. Three-day research symposium in China (January of 2008): In Xi’an, China researchers, government officials and members of the private sector from 18 APEC Member Economies met to share research, best practices and innovative ideas to establish a substantive agenda for the Education Ministers. Presentations and break out discussions were organized by the overall theme and the four supporting priority areas. Economy co-leads took leadership roles in their respective areas by providing presentations and chairing separate break out group discussions. These discussions led to the eventual crafting of strategic action plans, which aimed to set the agenda for the EDNET’s future work over the next 2 to 4 years for each priority area.

6. Discussion at the 2008 Network meeting (April 2008): During the annual Education Network meeting in the Philippines, the economy co-leads presented draft strategic action plans for their respective priority areas and the overall theme.

7. A one day seminar one day prior to the Ministers meeting (June 2008): The one day seminar was held in Lima, Peru and aimed to distill the research and strategic planning from the prior pre-ministerial activities for the Education Ministers.

8. Adoption of the strategic action plans (June 2008): The strategic action plans were presented and eventually adopted during the AEMM. The strategic action plans set the agenda for the Education Network's future work over the next 2 to 4 years for each priority area.