Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Phanompatt Smitananda, Acting President of STOU, accompanied by Mrs. Rattip Phukkeson, Acting Director of Department of International Affairs and 5 Researchers consisted of Asst. Prof. Dr. Poom Juasiripukdee, Dean of School of Science and Technology, Assoc. Prof Dr. Sungworn Ngudgratoke, Director of Institute for Research and Development and Faculty Member of School of Education Studies, Asst. Prof. Dr. Adirek Vajrapatkul, Faculty Member of School of Economics, Dr. Worrawit Nakpan, Faculty Member of School of Health Science and Dr. Choneratt Suriyarangsun, Faculty Member of School of Liberal Arts, traveled to Yogyakarta, Indonesia to join the OU5 meeting which was organized from 24 – 26 April 2024 by Universitas Terbuka (UT). The Open Universities 5 (OU5) Meeting opens an opportunity of bringing together representatives from 5 leading open and distance learning institutions in Southeast Asia:
- Universitas Terbuka (UT), Indonesia
- Open University Malaysia (OUM), Malaysia
- Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU), Thailand
- University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), Philippines
- Hanoi Open University (HOU), Vietnam
Shared Commitment to Excellence
The OU5 network strengthens the collaboration and knowledge sharing among its members, promoting institutional development and research in ASEAN studies. This year’s meeting focused on strategic discussions and initiatives aimed at advancing open and distance higher education in the region.
Key Discussion Points
- Progress on 2024 Research Projects: Participants reviewed the progress of ongoing research projects and identified areas for further collaboration.
- Nominations for project leaders for 2025 research projects were discussed and the schedule for the first online meeting was finalized.
- Establishment of a Shared Repository for OU5 Outputs and Documents: A shared repository to store OU5 outputs and documents was established to facilitate access and collaboration.
- The development of an AAOU Quality Assurance Framework was discussed to promote shared standards and best practices.
- The status of testing for the benchmarking instrument was reviewed to ensure its effectiveness in measuring performance.
- The ICDE Global Advocacy Campaign Asia was discussed to explore ways to promote open and distance education in the region.
- The potential of micro-credentials in open and distance education was explored to recognize and certify skills and competencies.
- Invitation to join the ICDBSE 2024 Conference and ICDE Global Advocacy Campaign Asia Working Groups Meeting at STOU, Thailand scheduled from 13-14 November 2024.
Research Agenda 2024
OU5 researchers identified several key research themes for 2024:
- Inclusive Education: Providing Quality Education for All
- Artificial intelligence (AI) in digital education
- Promoting Sustainable Industrialisation (SDG 9) in ASEAN Region (smart manufacturing, employability & decent work, green grown (SDG9) as the selected agenda)
- Counseling Services at OU5 to Promote Good Mental Health in ASEAN
- Preserving ASEAN Culture in Digital Age
International Community Service and Collaboration
The OU5 meeting reaffirmed the commitment of participating institutions to engage in international community service initiatives, aiming to make a positive impact on global communities and promote cross-cultural understanding. The OU5 meeting also served as a valuable opportunity for sharing knowledge, fostering innovation, and strengthening collaboration among open and distance learning institutions in Southeast Asia including sharing the commitment to excellence and the focus on strategic initiatives that will undoubtedly contribute to the advancement of open and distance higher education in the region.
The next OU5 Meeting was scheduled to be held in the Philippines but the date would be finalized later.
