Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivers pre-recorded remarks at the Manila Times Economic Forum, underscoring the importance of strengthening ASEAN partnerships and advancing regional cooperation as the Philippines assumes the role as ASEAN Chair in 2026.

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MANILA, 12 February 2026 – The European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are convening a two-day peer learning workshop in Manila on 12–13 February 2026 to strengthen cooperation on qualifications frameworks, support learner and worker mobility, and enhance trust and transparency in qualifications recognition across both regions.

The EU–ASEAN Peer Learning Workshop: Aligning Frameworks in a Changing World is organised by the EU–ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package for Higher Education (SCOPE-HE), in cooperation with the Philippines Qualifications Framework (PQF) Secretariat and the Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines (CHED). The event brings together representatives from the European Commission, the EQF Advisory Group, ASEAN and national qualifications authorities, relevant ministries, the ASEAN Secretariat, and technical experts from both regions.

As global labour markets and skills need to continue to evolve, qualifications frameworks must adapt to remain relevant and effective. Responding to emerging challenges, recognising new forms of formal and non-formal learning, and supporting increased mobility are central to maintaining transparent and trusted qualification recognition systems.

The workshop aims to make qualifications clearer and more useful by improving referencing practices. It will enhance the visibility of qualification levels and support their continued relevance. Additionally, it will serve as a platform for the EU and ASEAN to work together on comparing qualifications, developing common methods and principles for comparison.

“Higher education is a priority of the strategic partnership between ASEAN and the European Union,” said Ambassador Sujiro Seam, Ambassador of the European Union to ASEAN. “For the European Union, education is also a priority under its flagship Global Gateway initiative, which promotes trusted and sustainable connectivity, including in education and research. In a changing international landscape, the European Union remains a reliable and predictable partner for ASEAN.”

“The EU–ASEAN Peer Learning Workshop aligns closely with CHED’s priorities under the CHED Achieve Agenda, which advances higher education reform grounded in quality, relevance, and international comparability, while remaining inclusive and responsive to national and regional development goals,” said Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis of the Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines. “Trust in qualifications systems is strengthened through dialogue, peer review, and shared principles. The workshop’s focus on comparability between the AQRF and the EQF is both timely and strategically aligned with ASEAN 2045 aspirations.”

Organised back-to-back with the 16th ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework Committee (AQRFC) Meeting, convened by the PQF Secretariat on 10–11 February 2026, the workshop will also identify areas of alignment and cooperation with ongoing AQRF processes.

Expected outcomes include practical recommendations to strengthen post-referencing implementation, identification of key areas for further development of AQRF–EQF in addressing emerging trends, improved mutual understanding of qualifications framework systems, and agreement on follow-up actions to guide continued EU–ASEAN cooperation.

In addition to the Peer Learning Workshop, a Technical Dialogue will be held on 14 February 2026. This session will provide an opportunity for ASEAN Member States from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Viet Nam (CLMV), and Timor-Leste to engage with EU experts in support of their AQRF referencing and implementation processes. The Technical Dialogue will focus on progress updates, key challenges, and the identification of priority areas for support in both the referencing process and post-referencing implementation.

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About ASEAN

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on 8 August 1967 and constitutes eleven Member States: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Timor-Leste. On 31 December 2015, the ASEAN Community was formally established, encompassing the political-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars. The ASEAN Headquarters is based in Jakarta, Indonesia. For more information, visit https://asean.org/

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1. H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, undertook a working visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, from 11 to 17 February 2026, in conjunction with his participation in the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2026. The visit coincided with the 10th anniversary of the ASEAN–Germany Development Partnership and was supported by the German Federal Foreign Office and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The visit highlighted a decade of sustained and positive engagement between ASEAN and Germany, and provided an opportunity for both sides to reaffirm their shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation in the years ahead.

2. At MSC 2026, the Secretary-General delivered keynote remarks at the MSC Spotlight on Maritime Security, where he underscored that maritime security is a shared and interconnected responsibility that directly affects trade, energy, and food security, as well as the livelihoods of communities across ASEAN and Europe. He further participated in a high-level GIZ–MSC side event on maritime security titled All Hands on Deck: Upholding Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific. He emphasised ASEAN’s role in fostering maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, including through collaborative activities under the ambit of ASEAN-led multilateral mechanisms and the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) with external partners. The Secretary-General also participated in a high-level MSC Roundtable titled Power Couples: Trade and Green Energy Cooperation between Europe and the Global South, which discussed trade and climate agreements and explored avenues for mutually beneficial cooperation that advances both economic and climate goals, as well as a MSC Breakfast Session titled Bridges or Battlegrounds? Science Diplomacy between Hard Power and Big Tech, which gathered international experts from science and politics to discuss the evolving understanding of science diplomacy in light of the pressing security issues in the world.

3. On the sidelines of MSC 2026, the Secretary-General held a number of bilateral meetings with, among others, the Deputy Foreign Minister and Minister of State of Germany, H.E. Florian Hahn; the Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy of Germany, H.E. Stefan Rouenhoff; the Managing Director of GIZ, Ms. Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, H.E. Andrii Sybiha; and the Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, H.E. Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo.

4. Following MSC 2026, he visited Berlin and met government officials, including the Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, H.E. Reem Alabali Radovan; the Director of the Asia-Pacific Department of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, H.E. Frank Hartmann; and the Director of the German Bundestag, Mr. Paul Göttke. The Secretary-General also held discussions with the Director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs and Executive Chairman of the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), Dr. Stefan Mair.

5. The Secretary-General delivered remarks at a Dialogue Forum with leading German think tanks on strategic trends focusing on Europe-Asia relations. Further, he engaged with academic communities through a student dialogue at the Hertie School of Governance, where he held a fireside conversation at the Freie University of Berlin on regional stability amid global disorder, following his visit to the university.

6. The visit to Berlin also featured outreach to the private sector, including his participation at the ASEAN–Germany Business Roundtable at the Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft on ASEAN’s evolving role in a changing world, which was also attended by the Ambassadors of the ASEAN Member States. The Roundtable was hosted by the German Asia-Pacific Business Association (OAV) and the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA), and was followed by a networking session with German businesses.

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Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 16 February 2026, participated in a Dialogue Forum with leading German think tanks hosted by Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) in Berlin, Germany, during his working visit to Germany. Under the topic “Strategic Trends in Europe-Asia Relations,” SG Dr. Kao highlighted how the ASEAN-EU Dialogue Partnership, through both Track 1 and Track 2 could provide a strong foundation for broader Asia-Europe relations amid the evolving global environment.

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