PASAY CITY — Higher education ministers from ASEAN Member States on 26 June unanimously adopted three landmark regional outcome documents that will guide cooperation on digital transformation, teacher development, research collaboration, and academic mobility under the ASEAN Work Plan on Education 2026–2030, marking a major milestone in advancing the future of higher education across Southeast Asia.
The outcome documents were adopted during the Ministers' Roundtable on Access and Sustainable Development in Higher Education, convened by the Philippines through the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as part of its 2026 ASEAN Chairship. The meeting translated the recommendations of the ASEAN High-Level Policy Dialogue held the previous day into concrete regional actions, reflecting ASEAN's shared commitment to building a more inclusive, resilient, and future-ready higher education community.
The Ministerial Roundtable was guided by the vision of His Excellency President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who has consistently emphasized the transformative role of innovation and digital technologies in strengthening ASEAN. As part of the Philippine ASEAN Chairship, the President has championed the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence to accelerate the region's digital future, support the silver economy, and foster a more connected, resilient, and age-inclusive ASEAN Community.
Reflecting the President’s vision, the first outcome document—the ASEAN Ministerial Statement on Access to Quality Higher Education through Digital Transformation and Sustainability—establishes a shared regional policy framework that promotes equitable access to higher education through AI-enabled learning, ethical AI governance, lifelong learning opportunities, faculty development, and stronger collaboration among higher education institutions. The statement will be elevated for notation at the 49th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit, underscoring the strategic role of higher education in advancing the ASEAN Community.
The second outcome document, the Terms of Reference for the ASEAN Centre of Excellence for Teacher Education and Development (ACTED), will serve as ASEAN's premier platform for advancing teacher professional development, policy research, quality assurance, educator mobility, innovation in pedagogy, and institutional capacity-building—ensuring that ASEAN educators remain equipped to prepare learners for an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving future.The third initiative, ASEAN GEMS Plus, expands the existing ASEAN Global Exchange for Mobility and Scholarship (ASEAN GEMS) platform beyond scholarships and student mobility to include regional research grants, researcher mobility, innovation partnerships, and collaborative projects anchored on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
These documents are the culmination of months of technical discussions, rigorous consultations, and consensus-building among ASEAN Member States through the Senior Officials Meeting on Education (SOM-ED), reflecting the Philippines' commitment to inclusive and consultative regional leadership.
Together, these three initiatives—anchored in Digital Transformation, Teacher Excellence, and Regional Research and Mobility—form a comprehensive roadmap for advancing access, innovation, and sustainable development in ASEAN higher education. They reinforce CHED's commitment to internationalization under its ACHIEVE Agenda while advancing a stronger, more connected, and globally competitive ASEAN Higher Education Community.
With their adoption by the Ministers, the three outcome documents are now poised for implementation as part of the ASEAN Work Plan on Education 2026–2030, translating ASEAN's collective vision into concrete actions that will shape the future of higher education and deliver lasting benefits for learners, educators, and institutions across the region.
During the roundtable, ministers also shared national experiences, reforms, and best practices in expanding access to higher education, advancing sustainability, and preparing institutions for rapid technological change. In the Philippines' country statement, CHED Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis highlighted the Commission's ACHIEVE Agenda as the country's strategic roadmap for transforming higher education through expanded access, lifelong learning, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, research excellence, and sustainability.
"While we have made significant progress, the challenges of equitable access, digital transformation, research, and preparing learners for the future are challenges that no country can address alone. That is why stronger ASEAN cooperation is essential—to deepen collaboration in mobility, innovation, teacher development, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence as we build a more connected and future-ready higher education community," Chairperson Agrupis said.
This milestone reflects the coordinated efforts of the Commission on Higher Education, the ASEAN National Organizing Committee, the Presidential Communications Office through the Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM), ASEAN Member States, dialogue partners, and the various technical working groups whose collaboration and commitment made the successful conduct of the Ministerial Roundtable possible.
As the 2026 ASEAN Chair, the Philippines remains steadfast in working closely with all ASEAN Member States to build a more inclusive, resilient, and future-ready ASEAN Higher Education Community. These three outcome documents embody the Philippines' commitment to advancing the priorities of its ASEAN Chairship while strengthening regional cooperation through innovation, responsible digital transformation, quality teacher education, research collaboration, and expanded educational opportunities for all.
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