The CEO of UK NARIC, Dr Cloud Bai-Yun, will deliver the keynote address on Tuesday 25 August in Chiang Mai, Thailand, at the High Officials Meeting on Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Southeast Asia.

Dr Bai-Yun will discuss how UK and EU experience in TVET, skills and harmonisation could be drawn upon to support integration and internationalisation of TVET in the ASEAN region (the Association of South East Asian Nations).

2015 marks the beginning of full implementation of ASEAN integration initiatives, designed to promote movement of trade and investment, and mobility of people across the region.

TVET is an important issue as the economic growth and industrialisation of the region has dramatically increased the demand for skilled labour.

Harmonisation of TVET is seen as not only supporting regional integration objectives, but also as a step towards quality improvement in vocational education and training.

The High Officials' Meeting has the theme 'Working together towards harmonisation and internationalisation' and is organised by the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC), part of the Ministry of Education in Thailand; by SEAMEO (the South East Asian Ministers of Education Organisation); and by the British Council.

The Meeting has a 3-day programme from 24-26 August and participants include over 100 agencies in TVET and 50 director generals from the 10 ASEAN countries, as well as representatives from China, Japan and South Korea.