| A. Background |
In October 2014, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education through the SEAMEO Council issued seven priority areas for SEAMEO to work together to improve the quality of education in Southeast Asia. “Revitalizing Teacher Education” is one of the priority areas in achieving quality education in the region. To fulfill this mandate, the SEAMEO Secretariat has embarked on a project titled “Pre-Service Student Teacher Exchange in Southeast Asia (SEA-Teacher Project).”
The objectives of the SEA-Teacher Project are:
- To enable pre-service student teachers to develop their teaching skills and pedagogy;
- To encourage pre-service student teachers to practice their English skills;
- To allow the pre-service student teachers to gain a broader regional and world view; and
- To expose future teachers to diverse teaching and learning situations and opportunities and the value of flexibility.
The project is designed mainly for the 3rd or 4th year of pre-service student teachers whose major are in Mathematics, Science, English, and Pre-school to have the opportunity to conduct their practicum within Southeast Asian countries. The practicum period is for one month. The students’ roles and responsibilities are assigned weekly during the one month (observation, assisting in teaching, creating a lesson plan, teaching and reflection). The host universities will select the schools for the pre-service student teachers and provide mentors to supervise and monitor the students throughout the practicum period. The project is based on a cost-sharing basis.
Since its inception in 2016, the SEA-Teacher Student Exchange Programme had been conducted for 8 batches with the participation of 2,318 pre-service student teachers from 136 teacher colleges and universities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the 9th batch of the SEA-Teacher Student Exchange has been postponed for implementation in 2020 until 2023.
To pursue the SEAMEO commitments in revitalising teacher education, the SEAMEO Secretariat will convene the 9th batch of the SEA-Teacher Student Exchange Project in the middle of 2023 and organise the SEA-Teacher Student Exchange Summit on 21-22 March 2023 at the Avani Hotel, Bangkok.
| B. Objectives |
The purpose of the SEA-Teacher Student Exchange Summit are:
- To share and learn the initiatives and innovative approaches of the pre-service student-teacher exchange, implemented by institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic;
- To discuss and plan for the 9th batch of pre-service student exchange;
- To seek commitments from participating institutions in the implementation of the 9th batch of the SEA-Teacher Project in the middle of 2023; and
- To establish and strengthen partnerships among participating institutions.
| C. Date and Venue |
Date: 21-22 March 2023
- 20 March 2023 (Arrival of Participants)
- 21 March 2023 (Meeting: 09.00-17.15 hrs)
- 22 March 2023 (Study Visit/ Departure of Participants)
- 23 March 2023 (Departure of Participants)
Meeting Venue: Avani Hotel-Sukhumvit Bangkok
| D. Expected Outcomes |
- Experiences and lessons learned from the institutions;
- Agreed mechanism for the implementation of the 9th batch of SEA-Teacher Project in 2023;
- Letter of Agreement of the 9th batch of the SEA-Teacher Project will be signed among the participating institutions; and
- Bilateral agreements are signed between institutions.
| E. Participants |
Since several decisions will be made during the summit, participants should be from the management level, such as Dean, Director of International Relations or Head of Academic Affairs.
The meeting will be attended by approximately 120-150 participants from 48-65 institutions/universities/teacher colleges under the SEA-Teacher Network.
| F. Limited Number of Participants |
- The SEAMEO Secretariat is able to accept participants from approximately 48-65 Institutions under the SEA-Teacher Network. With a maximum of 3 participants from each institution, the expected number of overall participants is around 120-150 participants in the meeting.
Criteria for institutions to Participate in the SEA-Teacher Summit:- Have participated in the SEA-Teacher Student Exchange programme at least 1 batch in the past;
- Commit in joining the 9th batch of the SEA-Teacher Student Exchange Programme which will be tentatively implemented in June-July 2023;
- Recruit the 3rd-4th Year of Pre-Service Student Teachers from the School/Faculty of Education or Teacher College to join the programme;
- Demonstrate good cooperation with the institutional partners and actively coordinated with the SEAMEO Secretariat in the previous SEA-Teacher programmes;
- Find their own partner for the student exchange; and
- Find schools for the practicum experience of the receiving students.
- The acceptance of registration will be based on a first come, first serve basis, experience in the SEA-Teacher Exchange programme, and coordination merit in the previous batches.
| G. Funding Support |
- The SEAMEO Secretariat will support the meeting package (lunch and coffee break) on 21 March 2023 for only ONE participant from each institution.
- An additional participant (2nd and 3rd person) from the same institution will be charged the meeting package of 50 USD per person for lunch and coffee break on 21 March 2023. The payment can be provided at the on-site registration desk.
- The travel expenses of international and local participants, such as return airfare ticket, hotel, and airport transfers should be supported by the participant’s institution.
| H. How to Participate in the Summit |
- Step 1:
The representatives from SEA-Teacher Network are invited to join the Briefing Session of the SEA-Teacher Student Exchange Summit on Monday, 6 February 2023 at 14.00-15.00 hrs (GMT+7/BKK Time).
- Step 2:
The institutions express an interest and request to have the invitation letter.
Please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for the Registration Link by 20 February 2023.
- Step 3:
The SEAMEO Secretariat will notify the registrants if they are accepted or not, and send the official invitation letter to the registrants.
- Step 4:
The registrants must confirm their participation by completing the “Participant’s Confirmation Form” and provide the following required information to the form by 5 March 2023. The link for the “Participant’s Confirmation Form” will be sent with the invitation letter.- Your photo (This is for the Directory)
- Approved travel letter/note from their institution
- Flight itinerary or receipt of flight or hotel payment
- Approximately number of sending and receiving student and the major of their study.
- Step 5:
Participants shall prepare the travel arrangement and hotel by their own arrangement. Please refer to the Administrative Note from the SEAMEO Secretariat.
- Step 6:
The confirmed participants join the Pre-Departure Briefing Session on 15 March 2023 at 14.00-15.00 hrs (BKK/GMT+7). The meeting link will be shared to all confirmed participants.
| I. Notice of Cancellation or Change of Participants |
- Should the participant be unable to attend the Summit on the mentioned date or wish to nominate another person to attend on your behalf, please notify us via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 10 working days in advance before the event date.
- In the case of an unnotified absence, the additional meeting package cost (50 USD or 1,700 THB) will be charged to other participants from the same institution.
- Please be informed that if the additional meeting package cost is not entirely covered, participants’ institutions will be blacklisted and suspended to join the SEA-Teacher Student Exchange for a minimum period of 2 years.
| J. Tentative Programme |
| K. Focal Persson |
- Ms Pitchayawadi Arreenich
Knowledge Management Officer and SEA-Teacher Project Coordinator
Tel: +66982364535
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
| L. Other References |
