The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) is a regional intergovernmental organization established in 1965 among governments of Southeast Asian countries to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture in the region. At present, SEAMEO consists of the following 11 member countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.

BCCIE is now formally a SEAMEO Affiliate Member organization. As an Affiliate Member, BCCIE acts as an intermediary between SEAMEO’s 26 regional centres and BC’s institutions and school districts in support of activities and partnerships relating to SEAMEO’s seven educational priorities:

  • Early childhood care and education;
  • Addressing barriers to inclusion;
  • Resiliency in the face of emergencies;
  • Promoting technical and vocational education and training;
  • Revitalizing teacher education;
  • Promoting harmonization in higher education and research; and,
  • Adopting a 21st century curriculum.

Partnership and training opportunities exist with individual SEAMEO centres, depending upon their individual focus and needs and the expertise and interests of the prospective BC partner. Activities to be considered might include student internships, co-op placements or locum, in-service training, teacher and administrator training, staff development, hands-on faculty or student field research, and project implementation. Proposals will need to be made through BCCIE and to the individual centre. BCCIE is unable to provide funding in support of projects, activities or relationships; we are merely providing a platform for BC institutions to advance interests and partnerships in the Southeast Asia arena. It is expected that prospective BC partners will have the wherewithal to pursue and administer the projects on their own or to seek funding from third parties.

Examples of current project activities available include the following:

  • Fruit tree orchard establishment program for Agriculture vocational high schools with SEAMEO BIOTROP, Indonesia
  • Kindergarten education in British Columbia with SEAMEO CECCEP, Indonesia
  • Training SEAQIM staff or training mathematics teachers in Southeast Asia with SEAMEO QITEP in Mathematics, Indonesia
  • Research and mentorship program with SEAMEO RECSAM, Malaysia

Please contact BCCIE should you have interest in pursuing any of these existing project activities or for a more specific expression of interest in pursuing activities with any of the SEAMEO centres.

Please fill out the expression of interest form in full. BCCIE will be in contact with you after our partnerships team has reviewed your submission. 

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