THE SEAMEO SECRETARIAT

 

The SEAMEO Secretariat in Bangkok, Thailand is the Headquarters of the Organization. The Secretariat is headed by a Director who is the legal and administrative representative of the organization. The Director is supported by a team of professional staff recruited from Member Countries and a group of general staff from the host country.

 

The SEAMEO Secretariat coordinates activities of the SEAMEO Regional Centres and liaises with the SEAMEO Member Countries. It also performs other functions, among others, including implementation of policies and execution of programmes adopted by the SEAMEO Council, plan and study the feasibility of regional education project proposals, aid in securing financial support for SEAMEO, and conduct conferences and seminars.

 

SEAMEO and ASEAN

 

SEAMEO works closely with ASEAN. The two organizations share similar concerns in improving education, science and culture in the Southeast Asian region.

 

As early as 1977, the SEAMEO Council had authorized the SEAMEO Secretariat to discuss working relations with ASEAN. Exchanges of information between SEAMEO and ASEAN had been initiated through publications and attendance of ASEAN to SEAMEO meetings as observer.

 

Since 2006, the SEAMEO Secretariat and the ASEAN Secretariat have convened the SEAMEO High Officials Meeting and the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Education (SOM-ED) back-to-back; as well as the SEAMEO Council Conference and the ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting (ASED). SEAMEO Secretariat was involved in the development of the ASEAN Five-Year Work Plan on Education (2011-2015).

 

In 2011, SEAMEO and ASEAN Secretariats agreed to establish a mechanism for regular discussion to achieve better coordination and cooperation.

 

Note: This profile was provided to the ASEAN-China Centre by SEAMEO Secretariat in March 2012.