Page 56 - EU_ASEN Relations: Perspectives From Malaysia

The Newton Fund

This is a UK-government initiative that was launched in 2014, and will last
until 2021, with elements of co-funding with several ASEAN partner funders

from Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand (British
Council, n.d.). The aims of this programme is to develop science and

innovation partnerships to promote the economic development and welfare of
collaborating countries, which is also part of the UK’s official development

assistance (ODA) goals. Through this branding of support programmes, many

types of funding are available to the partner funders including research and
innovation grants (Institutional Links), workshop grants for networking

(Researchers Links), capacity building grants for scholars and researchers
(Mobility Grants), and talent-building activities through training and reciprocal

visits between UK and funding partners’ countries (Advanced Fellowship).

The ASEAN-QA Project

Significant progress to harmonize higher education in the ASEAN region have
been made since the establishment of a joint initiative known as the ‘ASEAN-

QA Project’ by AUN, AQAN, SEAMEO-RIHED, DAAD, ENQA and the
German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) in 2011 (ASEAN-QA Secretariat, n.d.).

This project is currently in Phase 3 (2016–2018) and continues to strengthen

the capacity for internal and external quality assurance (QA) through dialogue
and training events for ASEAN-QA professionals based on regional standards.

European partners have contributed their expertise and experience by sharing
the best practices of QA in Europe for the Southeast Asian higher education.

Through a series of hands-on training for relevant stakeholders involved in
internal and external QAs, European and ASEAN universities are able to

promote harmonisation of QA policies and mutual recognition of degrees as

well as QA standards. This project has built relevant foundations to support the

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