On 7 February 2022, the Vice President of Mae Fah Luang University, Assoc. Prof. Dr.Nantana Gajaseni participated in the “Project Launch and Leadership Forum: Pathway towards Leadership with Gender Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity in Higher Education” organised virtually by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Higher Education and Development (SEAMEO RIHED) and the British Council.
This project welcomed 14 senior government officials from 11 SEAMEO Member Countries and over 70 leaders and designated representatives of universities from the GMS (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam), Timor-Leste and Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines as well as two Project Consultants from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex and five UK partner universities.
The Centre Director of SEAMEO RIHED, Asst. Prof. Dr.Romyen Kosaikanont shared that the Project brought together the concerted efforts of governments and a total of 35 government nominated Higher Education Institutions to work together through collective learning to co-create a more gender equitable, diverse, and inclusive higher education sector relevant to the region’s institutional and cultural contexts. The Project also benefited from the strong partnership and technical support of the British Council and UK Consultants to ensure opportunities for leaders to exchange experiences, take back tools as well as good practices and policy options to lead change and contribute to re-defining a common space in higher education for the region of Southeast Asia.
On behalf of the British Council, the Director, Education and English for East Asia, British Council, Mr. Leighton Ernsberger welcomed the participants, and related the project’s objectives of providing common space to share and reflect on gender equity, diversity, and inclusivity, igniting new ideas between Southeast Asian and UK universities, and empowering university leaders with innovative and unique leadership tools to embrace gender equity, diversity, and inclusivity in policymaking and institutional operations, as well as building a sustainable higher education community.
The remarks were followed by Keynote Addresses from the Co-President of the Asian Association of Women’s Studies, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chalidaporn Songsamphan, and the Director of Teaching and Learning, Institute of Development Studies, Sussex University, Dr. Linda Waldman and a Panel Discussion on “Leadership for Gender EDI: Challenges, Needs and Ways Forward”. During the discussion, invited senior government officials and leaders of higher education from three SEAMEO Member Countries, including Cambodia, Malaysia and the Philipines, discussed current challenges about gender equity, diversity, and inclusivity in higher education leadership, and opportunities for positive change and regional collaboration.
Moreover, Mae Fah Luang University and all participants reaffirmed commitment to the Project and in working towards more equitable, diverse, and inclusive leadership in higher education by performing the symbol for the verb ‘to commit’ in sign language.
On the whole, participation in this project shows the MFU’s efforts to constructively engage in the regional cooperation in order to promote equity, diversity, and inclusiveness in the region.
For more information, please visit https://rihed.seameo.org/
