iMOVE Round Table with the ASEAN TVET Council

The delegation from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was led by Joseph Palaniappan, Chairman of the ASEAN Future Workforce Council (AFWC). The delegation included division heads of member institutions from Brunei, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Other delegation participants represented the Asean Trade Union Council (ATUC), the SEAMEO VOCTECH Regional Centre, the ASEAN Secretariat and the RECOTVET project of the German Agency for International Cooperation/Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

Discussion with the ASEAN TVET Council

After welcoming the delegation from the ASEAN countries and the German education industry representatives, Andreas Werner, Head of iMOVE, and Christian Bock from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), guided iMOVE and GIZ through the Round Table.

The guests from ASEAN presented their needs and concerns to the German education industry representatives. Various representatives from the Asian countries spoke about their experiences of cooperating with German training providers and the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB).

In a short round of introductions, the 16 German training company leaders addressed the concerns of the ASEAN guests and had the opportunity to point out initial approaches for potential ASEAN-German cooperation.

This mutual sounding out of needs, offers, and approaches to cooperation continued as a large group discussion and then in smaller groups during a coffee break. For some German education providers, the iMOVE Round Table was a welcome opportunity to meet up again in person with ASEAN partners already known to them and to strengthen these relationships.

Visit to LD Didactic and GFW Academy for Logistics

Following the Round Table, the group visited two companies in the region.

At LD Didactic in Hürth, guests learned about the portfolio of this internationally operating company. During a tour through the large showroom, LD Didactic introduced the guests to the latest teaching aids in the area of science and technology. LD Didactic is a member of the iMOVE Provider pool.

LD Didactic

The group then moved onto the GFW Academy for Logistics (GFW Akademie für Logistik). The so-called "Fahrlehrerfachschule", a trade and technical school for driving instructors, regularly hosts international trainees at the training centre in Cologne. Whether it was talking to trainees themselves or visiting the logistics halls and vehicles, the ASEAN guests were clearly very interested.

For some of the German and Asian guests, the highlight of the visit was certainly the opportunity to climb into the cab of an articulated truck at the end of the tour.

GFW Academy for Logistics - GFW Akademie für Logistik (German only)

The ASEAN TVET Council - ATC

The ATC is made up of representatives of ministries responsible for vocational education and training, regional employers' associations (ASEAN Confederation of Employers – ACE) and private sector associations (ASEAN Future Workforce Council - AFWC), the regional trade union council (ASEAN Trade Union Council - ATUC), and the Southeast Asian Education Ministers Organisation (SEAMEO).

The Council is supported in its cross-sector activities by the division responsible for training, employment, and business as well as the Stakeholder Engagement division of the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC).

Representatives from all institutions were part of the delegation on the visit to Germany

"RECOTVET" project

With the "RECOTVET" project, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is promoting regional cooperation by ASEAN member states to improve training and continuing education of vocational education and training personnel.

GIZ has been tasked with the implementation and, as part of the project, organised this study visit to Germany for ATC representatives.