Summary Sheet
1

Outline of the ProjectCountry: 10 ASEAN countries
Thematic Area：Higher Education
Division in Charge：Technical and Higher Education
Team, Higher Education and Social Security
Group, Human Development Department
Project Period：（R/D）December 14, 2012
March 2013 – March 2018 (five years)

Project Title： ASEAN University Network/Southeast Asia
Engineering
Education
Development
Network(AUN/SEED-Net) Project Phase 3
Cooperation Scheme：Technical Cooperation Project
Total Cost： 3.95 billion JPY
Counterpart Agency：26 Member Institutions (MIs) and 10
ministries in charge of higher exudation in 10 ASEAN
countries.
Supporting Organization in Japan：14 Supporting Japanese
Universities (Hokkaido University, Keio University, Kyoto
University, Kyushu University, Nagoya University, National
Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Osaka University,
Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tohoku University, Tokai
University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Toyohashi
University of Technology, The University of Tokyo and Waseda
University)
Other related cooperation:
Technical Cooperation Projects: ASEAN University
Network/Southeast Asia Engineering Education Development
Network (AUN/SEED-Net) Project Phase 1 (March 2003 –March 2008) and Phase 2 (March 2008 – March 2013), The
Project for Educational Capacity Development of Institute ofTechnology of Cambodia (October 2011 – October 2015),
The Project for Enhancement of Engineering Higher
Education in Myanmar (October 2013 – October 2018)
Grant Aid: The Project for the Improvement of Educational
Equipment of the Department of Geo-Resources andGeotechnical Engineering of the Institute of Technology ofCambodia (August 2011 – June 2014), The Project forEnhancing Technological Universities in Myanmar (August
2014 – June 2017).
Yen Loan: The Development Project of the Institute ofTechnology in Bandung (January 2009 – September 2015)

1-1 Background of the Project
The concept of AUN/SEED-Net evolved from a 1997 initiative proposed by then-Prime Minister of Japan Ryutaro
Hashimoto. This initiative aimed at tackling the financial crisis in ASEAN through human resources development inhigher education. Prior to the financial crisis, Japan actively supported the strengthening of engineering education in
ASEAN. In this connection, it was recognized that the transfer of Japan’s experience and know-how in research andeducation to higher education institutions in ASEAN in the field of engineering would be effective in developing humanresources in response to globalization within ASEAN. To put this concept into action, AUN/SEED-Net was established
as a sub-network of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) and the inception project was implemented for two years(2001 – 2003). Phase I of the Project was then officially launched in March 2003 for a five-year period (2003 – 2008).
Phase I was implemented to build the foundation for networks among MIs and improve the qualifications of academic
staff. Phase II was implemented in March 2008 for a five-year period (2008 – 2013) to further strengthen the foundationof the Project and expand the scope of project activities, as well as continue scholarship programs to upgrade thequalifications of academic staff. Throughout both phases, nineteen (19) universities in ASEAN and eleven universities(11) in Japan participated in the Project.
The AUN/SEED-Net Project phase 3 began in March 2013 after the phase 2 project, in which twenty-six (26)
universities in ASEAN and fourteen (14) universities in Japan participated in the Project. The phase 3 project has been
implemented with the aims of developing advanced human resources necessary for ASEAN’s sustainable development
and pursuing activities that will enhance the education and research capacity of the engineering universities in ASEAN
and strengthen the academic network among ASEAN and Japanese universities.
iIn July 2017, before the end of the cooperation period, a Terminal Evaluation of the Project was carried out in order toexamine the project performance, assess the Project from the viewpoints of five evaluation criteria, makerecommendations and draw lessons learned from the results of assessment.
1-2 Project Overview(1) Overall Goal
The advanced and globalization of industry and academic activities, addressing common reginal issues, 1 arepromoted in Southeast Asia.
(2) Project Purpose
A region-wide system for advanced research and education is established by Member Institutions （MIs）,2 incollaboration with Japanese Supporting Universities.
(3) Outputs
Output 1:
Output 2:
Output 3:
Output 4:

Linkage among MIs, industry and communities,3 is strengthened.
System to conduct research activities addressing regional common issues is established.
Research and educational capacity of academic staff at MIs is improved.
Academic network among MIs and JSUs is strengthened.

(4) Inputs<Japanese side> The number of experts:
Chief Advisor (2), Deputy Chief Advisor (3) and Project Coordinator (8) Japanese Professor Dispatched (Japanese Professor Dispatch Program: JPDP):
A total of 372 persons (actual from until August 2017)
A total of 413 persons (including a plan until October 2017)
 Short-term Research Program in Japan (SRJP):
A total of 156 academic staff of MIs (actual until August 2017)
 Short-term Visit Program in ASEAN (SVAS):
A total of 177 academic staff of MIs (actual from JFY 2013 to JFY 2017)
 Total project cost:3.93 billion yen (including Local Operation Cost and Third Country
Trainings of 674.03 million Thai bahts (approximately 2.23 billion yen)4 (actual from
JFY 2013 to JFY 2016 and plan for JFY 2017).
<Member Countries and Institutions> Assignment of necessary administrative and academic staff at each MI
 Partial financial support for the degree programs (mainly tuition fees), amounting to 304.4
million JPY (JFY 2014 – JFY 2016)
 Provision of the AUN/SEED-Net Secretariat office space with costs of utilities,
communications and water supply. (Chulalongkorn University)
 Allocation of Assistant Director (1) and the secretaries (2) for AUN/SEED-Net Secretariat(providing 15 million THB from PHEC for personnel cost of the secretaries (until August2017).
 Other external resources of collaborative research funds supported by the partner
institutions for CRI as counter budget, amounting to 63,459 USD.

2

Evaluation Team

1

Main regional common issues addressed by the Project are natural disaster, environment, energy, material and natural resources.
Member Institutions (MIs) refer to the leading universities in the engineering field in ASEAN which are nominated by the ASEAN
Member Countries.
3
Communities include national and local governments and agencies.
4
The exchange rate was 1 JPY = 3.1402 THB (as of March 2014), 1 JPY= 3.6779 THB (as of March 2015), 1 JPY = 3.1960 THB (as ofMarch 2016), 1 JPY = 3.2314 THB (as of March 2017) according to JICA exchange rate. For the estimation of the JFY 2017’s budget,the exchange rate of 1 JPY = 3.27663 THB (as of February 2017) was applied.
2ii

Member of the
Evaluation Team

Task
LeaderName
Mr. Masato
KUMAGAI

Higher Education

Mr. Naoki
UMEMIYA

Cooperation
Planning

Ms. Yoshiko
MIURA

Evaluation
Analysis 1
Evaluation
Analysis 2
Evaluation
Analysis 3

Mr. Kaneyasu
IDA
Ms. Ayako
NAMURA
Ms. AiISHITOBI

Title
Deputy Director General and Group Director forHigher Education and Social Security, Human
Development Department, JICA
Director, Technical and Higher Education Team,
Higher Education and Social Security Group,
Human Development Department, JICA
Deputy Director, Technical and Higher Education
Team, Higher Education and Social Security
Group, Human Development Department, JICA
Senior Consultant, Tekizaitekisho LLC

Group

A

C

B

C

Consultant, Tekizaitekisho LLCAConsultant, Tekizaitekisho LLC

B

Group A: Indonesia, Singapore and Myanmar
Group B: Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines
Group C: Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.
Period3

July 16 to 28, 2017

Type of Evaluation：Terminal Evaluation

Results of Evaluation

3-1 Achievements confirmed through evaluation(1) Output 1: Linkage among MIs, industry and communities, is strengthened.
According to the responses of the questionnaire that the Team conducted (15 responses), MIs felt that UIL has beenstrengthened to some extent through the project activities (the average score was 2.9 on a four-point scale). From JFY2013 to JFY 2016, the Project received 80 applications of CRI from MIs, out of which 35 research projects, around ten
researches per year, were awarded over the four years. The amount of research funds received from the partner
institutions of CRI is around 63,459 USD.
Table 1: Number of CRI and other collaborative researches conducted between MIs andIndustries/communities (2013 -2016)
CRI
Entire number ofApproximate counter
Total budget
collaborative research
Number applied
Number Adopted
budget by company/
with
（USD）
community (USD)
industry/community
80
35
317,298
63,4603,638
Source: Data provided by AUN/SEED-Net Secretariat and Annual Report of AUN/SEED-Net Project (JFY2013-2015). In regard to “the entire number of collaborative research with industry/community”, the data wasbased on the questionnaire given to MIs.
CRI, providing research funds, increased an opportunity for MIs to conduct joint research withindustries/communities. In addition to CRI, other various activities such as UIL seminars or MOT have promoted UIL
activities. HCMUT and a Japanese foundation-related construction company discussed joint activities at a UIL seminar
and also initiated the exchange program for academic staff and the company’s engineers, and also organized the firstinternational workshop of the Japanese Geotechnical Society with the support of the company, in addition to acceptinginterns.
Although the Project contributed to strengthening the UIL, some MIs felt that it was difficult to find a co-investigatorfrom a JSU or a partner institution, since it is not easy to find common interests among stakeholders.
(2) Output 2: Systems to conduct research activities addressing regional common issues is established.
The research activities addressing regional common issues have been promoted through the project activities. FromJFY 2013 to JFY 2016, the Project received 138 application for Collaborative Research for Regional Common Issues(CRC) and a total of 41 CRC have been adopted and carried out. A total of 60 research papers were issued and a total ofiii

37 presentations were made on regional common issues through 17 CRC, that enabled the Team to collect detailed
information from MIs. This means that three (3) research papers were issued and two (2) presentations were made per
research project. Judging from this result, a higher number of research papers and presentations 5 would be
issued/presented for 41 CRC conducted from JFY 2013 to JFY 2016. On the other hand, the PDM did not specify thetarget values for these indicators; therefore, the Team could not assess if these indicators were satisfied. Regional
conferences on the five regional common issues (i.e. natural disasters, environmental issues, energy, materials andnatural resources) were held 20 times from JFY 2013 to JFY 2016.
Providing specific research funds and organizing the regional conferences on the regional common issues as the
project activities encouraged MIs to pursue research activities on regional common issues. The Project also helped MIs
and JSUs to find other competitive research funds such as the Science and Technology Research Partnership for
Sustainable Development (SATREPS) provided by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). In 2015, the
SATREPS research fund was awarded to ITC, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yamagata University, Institute for Global
Environmental Strategies (IGES) on “Establishment of Environmental Conservation Platform of Tonle Sap Lake”. In
sum, the Project has successfully promoted research activities addressing regional common issues.
(3) Output 3: Research and educational capacity of academic staff at MIs are improved.
Since most of the AUN/SEED-Net scholarship recipients in Phase 3 are still studying, only 53 scholarship grantees
obtained the degrees (master’s degree), as of December 2016, among a total of 392 to whom the scholarships were
granted. Considering the completion rate of AUN/SEED-Net scholars from JFY 2001 to JFY 20136, it is estimated thatapproximately 350 recipients would obtain degrees in the future. The number of recipients for master’s degrees, doctoral
degrees in Japan (PhD Japan) and the Doctoral Degree Sandwich (PhD Sandwich) mostly met the annual plan. On theother hand, the number of recipients for Doctoral Degree in Singapore (PhD Singapore) and the Integrated Graduate
Degree Program (Integrated) were lower than the quota. PhD Singapore has not had many applicants since therequirement for PhD students is very high7. In regard to the Integrated Program, it turned out that continuous study
through master’s and PhD programs was very difficult for many students since they wanted to change their research
topics or their supervisors were changed for some reason8.
Table 2: Number of scholarship students who received scholarship and obtained degree
Quota
per year

2013

2014

2015

2016

Total

Master’s

50

59

49

42

49

199

No of
scholars
obtaineddegree53

PhD Japan

20

18

19

19

34

90

0

PhD Sandwich

20

20

14

18

23

75

0

PhD Singapore

10

5

6

6

0

17

0

Integrated

10

0

6

3

2

11

0

Total

110

102

94

88

108

392

53

Source: AUN/SEED-Net Secretariat
Looking at the time between the start of studies and graduation, the recipients of the AUN/SEED-Net scholarship in
the master’s degree program (master’s) completed their study in two years as required. The recipients of the PhD
Sandwich tend to take more time to graduate than required, mostly 3.2 to 3.5 years, since the grantees have to adjust to
two different environments of studying, which sometimes takes time.
According to the questionnaire given to MIs (15 respondents), most of responded the MIs acknowledged that the
research and educational capacity of academic staff at MIs was improved greatly or to some extent (the average was 3.4
5

Calculating from the average number, a total of 123 research papers and 82 presentations might be issued/made for 41 CRC.
Since most of the students who received the scholarship in JFY 2014 are still studying, the completion rate is calculated from JFY2001 to JFY 2013.
7
According to the universities in Singapore, they require TOEFL 600 and GRE score. The six scholarships were awarded in JFY 2015,
while 28 applicants applied for the program.
8Interview with MIs and the AUN/SEED-Net Secretariat. The number of applications tends to decrease: 36 for JFY 2014, 16 for FJY
2015 and 6 for JFY 2016.
6iv

on a four-point scale) through the project activities. In particular, SIs in CLMV countries admitted that the long-term
support of AUN/SEED-Net scholarship contributed to upgrades in academic staff’s qualification in their master’s and
PhD programs. On the other hand, it was observed that the needs of SIs have been changed: some SIs now put morepriorities on PhD programs or other programs among the project activities since most of the academic staff alreadyacquired higher degrees. HIs9, which send academic staff to other HIs or JSUs in PhD program, also recognized that
their academic staff enhanced their qualifications and improved PhD programs at the respective MIs.
(4) Output 4: Academic network among MIs and JSUs is strengthened.
The ASEAN Engineering Journal has played an important role in the promotion of research and education in theregion. Also, the Reginal Conference has contributed to stronger linkages and collaboration among MIs and JSUs. In
Phase 3, many MIs were able to host the Regional Conference in various fields. Other activities, such as JapaneseProfessors Dispatch Program, Short-term Research Program in Japan and Short-term Visit Program in ASEAN, havealso helped to enhance networking among MIs to JSUs, providing opportunities to exchange opinions or ideas about the
research activities, receiving technical advice and jointly supervising AUN/SEED-Net students. In short, the academic
network among MIs and JSUs have been strengthened through these project activities.
(5) Project Purpose: A region-wide system for advanced research and education is established by Member
Institutions, in collaboration with Japanese Supporting Universities.
In Phase 3 project, HIs increased the numbers of departments to accept AUN/SEED-Net students and operated theinternational graduate degree programs. It should be noted that HIs in Malaysia and the Philippines have implemented
degree programs in English for a long time. Furthermore, these MIs recognized that the scholarship students of
AUN/SEED-Net have helped to invigorate international graduate degree programs at their MIs. The Team could not
identify any salient project achievements toward the development of joint international graduate programs (i.e. joint
degree or double degree programs), the mobility programs such as student exchange programs, academic staff exchange
programs or short-term courses have been implemented jointly by MIs and JSUs during the Phase 3 period. These can bea good and important step toward development of joint or double degree programs in the future. Although the issue ofdeveloping regional academic network is actually for the verification of the project impact, MIs reported that one MI
recommended another MIs to join in an existing academic network as a new member, and an academic forum on energy
engineering10 was initiated by the MIs, as a result of discussion at the Regional Conference on energy field. Since theProject has been establishing a region-wide system for advanced research and education through scholarship program,joint research programs such as CRA, CRC and CRI, strengthening of regional academic network and promotion of
UIL, it can be concluded that the Project Purpose is achieved to some extent.
(6) Overall Goal: The advanced and globalization of industry and academic activities, addressing common
regional issues, are promoted in Southeast Asia.
At the terminal evaluation, not many MIs have acquired patents as a result of the CRA, CRC, or CRI and UPM is the
only MI that acquired a patent based on CRI and also obtained 37 patents at the Faculty of the Engineering in total from2013 to 2016. ITB-INA and UPM are successful in producing prototypes as a result of CRI. HCMUT is also active andsuccessful in producing prototypes, commercializing and acquiring licensing as results of CRA, CRC and CRI. Many
MIs now emphasize the university policy of becoming research-oriented universities and conduct research useful forsocial or economic development. In this term, the involvement of Technology Licensing Organization (TLO) Offices or
Incubation Center of MIs would help to promote more acquisition of patents as well as further encourage CRC and CRI.
Table 3: Results of CRA/CRC/CRI and number of patents jointly obtained by private companies(2013 – 2016)
Obtained as a result of CRA/CRC/CRI
No. of Patents
obtained withMIs
industry
Prototyp Commercializ
Patents
Licensing(Engineeringeed
Faculty)
9
10

Except some MIs in Thailand because their academics staff has good qualification already.
Sustainable Energy and Environment (SEE) Forum formed in 2012 (according to the interview with ITB-INA).

v

ITB-INA
UM
UPM
UTM
BUU
CU
TU
KMITL
HUST

1
1
-

HCMUT

-

Total

2

1
1
1
3
in process
1

-

-

na
2
37
3
4
7
1
1
2

In process 3

In process 2

0

7

3

2

57

NTU
Source: Questionnaire survey to MIs.

-

-

295

According to the report on Research Assessment issued in December 2016 by AUN/SEED-Net Secretariat, 56% (outof 103 researchers in total) rated the research results as highly beneficial to society and industry and 40% of them rated
them as “beneficial to some extent”. At the time of the Terminal Evaluation, the salient contribution addressing regionalcommon issues have not been identified yet, but this may be realized in the future.
3-2. Summary of Evaluation Results(1) Relevance
The Project is in line with development and education policies of ASEAN, which aims at supporting higher education
through increased affiliations between universities, and policies of member countries which plans to improve the quality
and the global competitiveness of universities, and Japan’s ODA policy which prioritizes the support to human industrial
development for (sustainable) economic development. The Project also matches well with needs and priorities of MIs
which aim to enhance their educational capacity, internationalization and the promotion of UIL activities. The approachto achieve the Project Purpose is appropriate. Therefore, the relevance of the Project is high.
(2) Effectiveness
The Project has been establishing a region-wide system for advanced research and education through scholarshipprograms, joint research programs such as CRA, CRC and CRI, strengthening of regional academic network and thepromotion of UIL. On the other hand, since the development of international graduate degree programs and joint
international graduate programs, which were the indicators of the Project Purpose have not been fully progressed, inevaluating the Project with indicators of the current PDM, the prospect of achieving the Project Purpose is moderate. It
should be noted, however, that the Project does not have any specific activities to achieve these indictors and hence these
indicators are not appropriate to measure the achievement of the Project Purpose. Since all the necessary components toachieve the Project Purpose are included in the Outputs, the linkage between Outputs and the Project Purpose is logicaland appropriate.
(3) Efficiency
Inputs contributed to the achievements of Outputs, and there have been no major issues observed in terms of thequality, quantity and timing of the inputs. Besides, there were cases observed where the inputs were effectively utilized
and contributed to producing Outputs due to the synergistic effects with other JICA projects provided for MIs.
Therefore, the efficiency of the Project is high.
(4) Impact
While social implementation of research results has not fully progressed at the time of the terminal evaluation, since
the advancement and globalization of academic activities addressing regional common issues have progressed to someextent, if support for social implementation of research results is strengthened, the prospect of achieving the goal in 3 tovi

5 years after the Project is relatively high. Besides, by the time of the terminal evaluation, various positive impacts werecaused by the Project such as “contribution by MIs to non-member universities in their own countries”, “contribution tointernational development projects”, “contribution to JSUs” and “retention of graduate students in ASEAN”. There wasno negative impact observed by the Project. Therefore the Impact of the Project is high.
(5) Sustainability
While policy, organizational and technical sustainability is high and institutional sustainability is relatively high,financial sustainability is low. Since the Project is unlikely to be sustained without JICA’s support, the sustainability of
the Project is judged as moderate.


Policy and institutional perspective
Sustainability is high from a policy standpoint while sustainability from an institutional standpoint is relatively high.
The Project is aligned well with the policies of ASEAN and member countries and the needs of MIs. Significant changes
to the policies and needs in the near future are not expected at the time of the terminal evaluation. On the other hand,
while the overall direction of the policies and needs remains the same, the focuses of each country and MI havediversified. Therefore assistance especially for the promotion of UIL needs to be tailored according to the needs andcircumstances of individual member countries and MIs after Phase 3.
Regarding institutional sustainability, mobility programs such as student exchange programs were developed andtherefore the establishment of institutions to conduct sustainable activities between MIs and JSUs was moved forward tosome extent. Also, loose academic networks were established based on personal connections. It is essential to develop
institutional arrangements to sustain and expand such networks.
Financial/organizational perspective
While the financial sustainability of the Project is low, organizational sustainability is high. Out of the total expensesof the Project, the percentage of member countries and MIs is small. It is impossible to sustain the Project activities
without financial support from JICA. Therefore financial sustainability of the Project is low.
Although the post of Executive Director had been vacant at the time of the terminal evaluation and there was turnoverof some experienced local staff members during Phase 3, the Project has been implemented without major hiccups.
There have been no major issues observed in terms of organizational sustainability. In addition, many coordinators of
MIs and JSUs have been involved in the Project since previous phases and knowledge and experience about the Project
has been accumulated in them.
Technical perspective
The technical sustainability of the Project is high. At the time of the ex-post evaluation (October 2015), about half ofthe scholarship graduates (49.3%) of junior ASEAN countries and Indonesia went back to SIs and worked as teachers.
According to the AUN/SEED-Net database, other many graduates work at universities, in the private sector and ingovernments. Since it is likely that they work in their countries, educational and research capacities enhanced throughthe Project have been sustained and strengthened within the ASEAN region. Moreover, through the Project, networks
between MIs and between MIs and JSU have been strengthened, and it is expected that interaction among them will besustained through the networks after the Project ends. Therefore the technical sustainability of the Project is considered
to be high.
3-3. Factors Promoting Project Effects(1) Factors concerning to Planning
Since there are multiple schemes to develop and strengthen networks between researchers, researchers wereable to develop networks by utilizing one scheme, promote collaboration between them by utilizing the otherone, and enhance their educational and research capacity.
Long term support for researchers, which is one of the characteristics of the AUN/SEED-Net scholarship, isconducive to not only the continuous capacity building of teachers, but also the promotion to attract excellent
applicants as a merit that other scholarships do not have.
(2) Factors concerning to Implementation
vii




Many coordinators of MIs have been involved in the Project since previous phases. Their accumulated
knowledge and experience contributed to the efficient implementation of the Project.
The trust built between JSUs and MIs since Phases 1 and 2 resulted in strengthening institutional relationships
between them in terms of development of mobility programs and signing of new MOUs.

3-4. Factors Inhibiting Project Effects(1) Factors concerning to Planning
Although joint international graduate programs such as Joint Degree Programs and Double Degree Programs,
and the accreditation of joint program between JSUs, MIs and the Secretariat by issuing a joint certificate
were expected as effects of the Project at the time of the detailed planning survey, they were not largely
realized due to various reasons including different educational contents and differences between the education
systems of various countries.
In the current PDM, there are activities not implemented or indicators not directly related to activities.
Moreover, since the data for some indicators was not collected by the time of the terminal evaluation, it wasdifficult to collect them from all MIs within the limited time allowed for the evaluation. Also, no targets wereset for each indicator. These issues made it difficult to evaluate some quantitative indicators.
(2) Factors concerning to Implementation
Nothing in particular.
3-5. Conclusion
The Project is in line with the development and education policies of ASEAN and member countries, Japan’s ODA
policy, and the needs and priorities of MIs, and the approach to achieve the project purpose is appropriate. Therefore therelevance of the Project is high. While the Project has been establishing a region-wide system for advanced research andeducation through scholarship programs, since the development of joint international graduate programs has not fully
progressed, the effectiveness of the Project is considered to be moderate. Since the inputs of the Project contributed tothe achievements of the expected outputs, and there have been no major issues observed in terms of the quality, quantity
and timing of the inputs, the efficiency of the Project is high. If support for the social implementation of research results
is strengthened, the prospect of achieving the Overall Goal is relatively high and various positive impacts of the Project
were observed. Therefore the Impact of the Project is high. Regarding sustainability, while policy, organizational andtechnical sustainability is high and institutional sustainability is relatively high, financial sustainability is low. Since theProject is unlikely to be sustained without JICA’s support, the sustainability of the Project is judged as moderate.
While the Project achieved a certain result in establishing a region-wide advanced research and education system by
MIs with the outcomes since Phase 1, further activities are required in order to sustain, strengthen and expand thesystem from the viewpoint of project sustainability. Therefore, it is important to continue the Project for another phase,and assist in the maintenance, advancement and internationalization of the system.
3-6. Recommendations(1) Explore a new strategy to promote joint graduate programs between JSUs and MIs
At Phase 3, although organizational joint graduate programs such as Joint Degree programs or Double Degree
programs were not significantly developed, mobility programs such as student exchange programs and academic staff
exchange programs were newly developed. It is essential to sustain and strengthen the networks developed during Phase
3 and turn them into more organizational initiatives. As discussed above, the needs of MIs on the scholarship programs
have diversified and some MIs need the collaborative research programs more than the scholarship programs. In order tosustain and expand the networks built during Phase 3 and respond to the diversified needs on education and research ofMIs, it is imperative to explore a new strategy to promote joint graduate programs that JSUs and MIs can develop moreeasily during the next phase.
(2) Promote UIL according to the needs of each country and MI
Activities to promote UIL vary by MI, and therefore activities the Secretariat is expected to assist also vary. It is also
expected that effective UIL activities would be different according to the scale of industries in each member country.
viii

Therefore it is necessary to respond to the needs of each country and MI regarding the activities to promote UIL during
the next phase.
Since it is expected that assistance will be required in supporting start-ups and entrepreneurs and utilization of patents
as research capacity of MIs is further improved, it has become more important to collaborate with incubation centers and
TLOs of MIs, as well as to facilitate matching between researchers and companies utilizing the database of researchers.
With the specialization of assistance in promoting UIL activities, it is necessary for the Secretariat to establish a system
to obtain advice from an experienced expert on UIL.
(3) Implement internal monitoring according to PDM
There are activities that were not implemented and indicators irrelevant to activities in PDM. In addition, since thedata for some indicators was not collected and the targets of indicators were not set by the time of the evaluation, theTeam found it difficult to conduct quantitative assessments of them. Therefore, during the next phase, it is paramount to
set the targets for indicators, and check the progress of the Project and achievement status of indicators at a regularmeeting such as SCM and/or WGM.
(4) Establish a support system inside MIs and strengthen information sharing by the Secretariat
A limited number of staff members are assigned to the Project at MIs and it is sometimes difficult for them to fully
respond to the Project. This would become more difficult if more departments were to join the Project during the next
phase. Therefore there is a need for discussion among stakeholders about a system to support the Project (e.g. theassignment of a full-time employee) inside MIs, and develop as well as strengthen it. It is also indispensable for the
Secretariat to examine the ways to quickly and flexibly respond to inquiries and requests from MIs, such as uploading
the information on to the FAQs and posting common misunderstandings on the AUN/SEED-Net website, or having ameeting with coordinators of MIs taking the opportunities such as Regional Conferences or FMM, in addition to annual
monitoring visits to MIs.
(5) Facilitate matching between researchers
During the terminal evaluation survey, some MIs expected that the Secretariat would facilitate matching between
researchers of other MIs and JSUs. In order to further strengthen networks of researchers within the region and between
Japan and ASEAN, it is desirable to facilitate the matching between researchers, for example by uploading theinformation for matching on the website, or establishing opportunities to match them at venues such as Regional
Conferences.
(6) Establish an alumni association
One of the purposes of the Project is to enhance the research capacity of researchers by strengthening their academic
networks. Researchers who have been involved in the Project through scholarship programs and/or joint research
projects maintain networks through social media such as Facebook and utilize it for joint researches and UIL activities.
In order to maintain, strengthen and expand these networks, it is effective for MIs to establish an organization for
current scholarship students and alumni to gather regularly.
(7) Organize and examine quantitative information of inputs and outputs of each program
The Project has been implemented over the past 16 years including the preparatory period, and the priorities of MIs
have been changed, and the importance of other programs (except for scholarship programs) such as joint research
programs, mobility and networking programs, and UIL and other activities has increased even more. In order tounderstand these points well, assessing the effectiveness of each program is required. Therefore it is important toregularly organize and examine the information of the inputs and outputs of each program.
(8) Secure external resources
While some costs of the Project are already shared by MIs, at the terminal evaluation survey, many MIs pointed outthat it was difficult to increase the costs. In order to enhance the sustainability of the Project, it is desirable to actively
approach to ASEAN-related organizations, MOEs and the private sector and secure external resources.
(9) Promote collaboration with local JICA officesixFurther collaboration with local JICA offices for the Project such as regular meetings would be helpful in order toenhance the synergistic effects of other JICA projects and improve project effects through the assistance to MIs andcollaboration with MOEs.
3-7. Lessons Learned
Selection of excellent applicants through new screening methods
While securing excellent students is a critical issue for the Project, the interview survey with the supervisors of HIs
shows that they sometimes found it difficult to supervise scholarship students due to their limited English proficiency
and/or a lack of basic academic knowledge of engineering on the part of students. On the other hand, some MIs utilize
Skype or YouTube to screen applicants in addition to paper screening, which turned out to be effective to select excellent
students. Devising screening methods is useful in improving the quality of scholarship students.

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