In an encouraging continuation of regional higher education conferences, India is currently hosting the Sub-Regional Conference for South, Southeast, and Central Asia February 25-26 at the Vigyan Bhawan Conference Centre in New Delhi. The meeting brings together officials from 14 countries throughout the region. It is also seen as another important regional step in preparing for the World Conference on Higher Education (WCHE) that will be held in July 2009 in Paris.
This Sub-Regional Conference is sponsored by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, and the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) in coordination with UNESCO. Entitled"Facing Global and Local Challenges: The New Dynamics of Higher Education," the meeting seeks to promote greater understanding of trends and issues in higher education on regional, national, and global levels. Conference participants will also create a set of recommendations for WCHE.
Source: UNESCO website
The conference will have three main plenaries outlined on the agenda. The first plenary's theme is higher education goals in national development and centers on understanding higher education in the changing context of globalization. The second plenary regarding evolving new agendas in higher education focuses on reforms and new challenges in knowledge management. The last plenary, a panel discussion on higher education in global contexts--approaches and strategies, will touch on many topics related to expansion, reform, and inclusion in furthering the development of higher education. Reports on participating countries will also be given.
More notes on the conference can be found here.