MFU Vice President Joins ASEAN High-Level Policy Dialogue on Access to Quality Higher Education

Asst. Prof. Dr. Romyen Kosaikanont, Vice President of Mae Fah Luang University, attended the ASEAN High-Level Policy Dialogue on Access to Quality Higher Education: Digital Transformation and Sustainability, alongside the Ministers' Roundtable on Access and Sustainable Development in Higher Education. The virtual forum was held via Cisco Webex on 25-26 June 2026, hosted by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), in coordination with the ASEAN Secretariat and relevant ASEAN education sectoral bodies.

The forum convened under the theme "Advancing Equitable Access to Quality Higher Education through Digital Transformation, Sustainability, and Regional Harmonisation," drawing approximately 200 participants from all 11 ASEAN Member States, including senior education officials, representatives from SEAMEO RIHED, the ASEAN University Network, and UNESCO, as well as industry leaders and higher education experts.

The dialogue served as a high-level platform for policy exchange and strategic alignment on key issues affecting higher education across ASEAN, including access, quality, digital transformation, and regional harmonisation. It also supports the implementation of the ASEAN Higher Education Common Space and contributes to ASEAN's broader goals of connectivity, innovation, and inclusive, sustainable development.

During the event, Asst. Prof. Dr. Romyen served as a panelist in Panel 4, focusing on “Regional Harmonisation and the ASEAN Higher Education Common Space.” The discussion examined key mechanisms that supports academic mobility, mutual recognition of qualifications, quality assurance, cooperation, credit transfer system, and strengthen cross-border higher education collaboration across ASEAN member states.

Having previously served as the Centre Director of SEAMEO RIHED where she worked with regional partners to strengthen higher education cooperation across Southeast Asia, Asst. Prof. Dr. Romyen played a vital role in facilitating the Joint Declaration on the Common Space in Southeast Asian Higher Education. This declaration was developed collaboratively by 11 member states, the ASEAN Secretariat, and SEAMEO RIHED. The Common Space is envisioned as an inclusive space of collective intelligence in higher education for sustainable and living in Southeast Asia built upon the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). 

To further advance regional higher education cooperation, Asst. Prof. Dr. Romyen offered three strategic recommendations: 

1. Placing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at the centre of regional higher education cooperation. Regional cooperation should not create a new device; rather, it should expand opportunities and participation for all.

2. Strengthening policy coherence across sectors. The challenges facing ASEAN do not exist in silos. The education agenda should work closely with other ASEAN bodies responsible for labour, the digital economy, science and technology, and sociocultural development. This coordination will help ensure that learning, research, innovation, and talent development contribute to regional priorities while supporting national development goals.

3. Building agile and future-ready system that support mobility. Success should be measured by the value it created, including developing talent, strengthen regional cooperation, addressing shared challenges, and improving the lives of the people. Institutions should also embrace flexible mobility modes, whether physical mobility, virtual exchange, collaborative digital learning, and other innovative approaches that expand access and create meaningful learning across ASEAN.  

She further emphasised the importance of global engagement, stating: “ASEAN should continue expanding partnership beyond the region. Region-to-region cooperation can help us strengthen our systems. We can learn from international and other regional experiences by exchanging with them and positioning ASEAN as a globally connected higher education community. At the same time, it allows us to showcase an ASEAN model that builds on cooperation, mutual respect, diversity, inclusion, and shared prosperity.”

Key recommendations from the High-Level Policy Dialogue were subsequently presented to the Ministers' Roundtable on 26 June to help shape shared policy directions and regional higher education cooperation.

Mae Fah Luang University continues to play an active role in regional platforms, reflecting its strong commitment to regional engagement, internationalisation, and the advancement of quality higher education. Through these efforts, MFU contributes to strengthening the human capital and fostering capacity for sustainable development across Southeast Asia and beyond.