NEAT Working Group on
Enhancing People to People Connectivity-Education, Tourism and Cultural Exchange-Final ReportTokyo31 July 2013

1. Introduction
Through the institutionalization of ASEAN+3 (APT) in 1997 and the East Asia
Summit (EAS) in 2005, regional cooperation and integration in the East Asia region has
been promoted. Especially ASEAN, which has enforced its ASEAN Charter in December
2008 and aimed at community building within ASEAN by 2015, has rapidly increased
integration efforts. For ASEAN Community Building, enhancing “connectivity” is the mostimportant task, with ASEAN having adopted “ASEAN Leaders' Statement on ASEAN
Connectivity” in 2009, “Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity” in 2010. Efforts tointegration are made based on three pillars: “Physical Connectivity,” which includes
transportation, telecommunications and energy networks, “Institutional Connectivity,”
which includes trade, investment the liberalization and facilitation of the service sector and“People to People Connectivity,” which includes education, tourism and cultural exchange.
Additionally, APT as well as EAS have adopted the “Declaration of the 6th East Asia
Summit on ASEAN Connectivity” in 6th EAS in 2011 and the “Leaders’ Statement on
ASEAN Plus Three Partnership on Connectivity” in 15th APT in 2012, with both
frameworks strongly supporting the enhancing of connectivity within ASEAN. The movetowards enhancing connectivity within the East Asia region as a whole is gaining
momentum and enhancing people to people connectivity is increasing in importance as afoundation of the improvement of physical and institutional connectivity.
Many efforts have been accomplished on governmental level to improve people topeople connectivity. In the education field, the G8 Education Ministers’ Meeting and Forumin 2000 already pointed out the importance of promoting international exchange ofstudents, teachers, researchers and administrators and the role of education toward an ageof living together and knowledge-based society. The APT framework has made efforts tochange the current ASEAN University Network (AUN), which operated to improvestudents exchange within the ASEAN region, to AUN+3. The Japan, China and Korea
framework has established Collective Action for Mobility Program of University Students(CAMPUS ASIA) with universities from the three countries accepting credits, as well as
setting a common grading system to promote exchange of students between these countries.
In 2012, the ASEAN+3 Education Minister Meeting was held officially for the first time,
which led to the adoption of “ASEAN Plus Three Plan of Action on Education: 2010-2017”
and showed promising signs of increasing governmental support in the education field.
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Detailed plans for the guarantee of a better higher education will be fully progressed at alater time. With the tourism field, the ASEAN+3 Tourism Ministers meeting took place lastyear, which adopted the “APT Tourism Cooperation Work Plan,” a plan calling forcooperation for the next five years, and established the ASEAN+3 Tourism Working Group.
In the cultural exchange field, Japan, China and Korea established the “Japan-China-Korea
Ministerial Conference on Culture” framework and the “Meeting of the ASEAN+3
Ministers Responsible for Cultural and the Arts” framework. These frameworks planned tostrengthen culture and art exchange between governments in the region. For example
Japan, China and Korea have already agreed to launch the “East Asian Cultural City”
program which is a program that first selects a city that aims for the development ofculture and arts and then hosts Asian art exhibitions, cultural events and other events
within the city.
Based on the background information and problem consciousness parts
mentioned above, what exactly is “the challenge of enhancing people to people
connectivity” that the East Asia region needs to focus heavily on? Taking account of therapidly advancing economic, cultural, and social integration in the 21 st century, it isnecessary for countries to discuss the issues that they must tackle and share tasks in orderfor further integration of the region. In addition, to strengthen “people to people
connectivity” which is mentioned in the “ASEAN+3 Leaders’ Statement on Connectivity
Partnership” policies should be implemented efficiently. Furthermore, as reality changes
over time, it is necessary to take into consideration whether or not an emphasis should be
put on new matters to accommodate the ever-changing environment and to make asustainable development in the region.

2. Objective
The objective of this Working Group, based on these backgrounds and issues,
taking a wide viewpoint from the “track2” position and placing its much emphasis on theimportance of the current regional cooperation in East Asia, is to propose a detailed policy
recommendations on “the enhancing of people to people connectivity” and to submit it tothe ASEAN Plus Three Summit Meeting. In particular, this WG focuses on thepeople-to-people connectivity through education, tourism and cultural exchange, thereby
developing concrete and feasible policy recommendations to be submitted to the APT2Summit Meeting. ASEAN will provide an increasing number of visitors to the region withauthentic products, enhanced connectivity, and a safe and secure environment, increased
quality of services, while at the same time ensuring an increased quality of life andopportunities for residents through responsible and sustainable people’s mobility byworking effectively with a wide range of stakeholders. This movement seems to beaccelerated with the aim of ASEAN community by 2015.
This Working Group could confirm that education, tourism and cultural exchange
are very important clues for formation of ASEAN community as they are strongly relatedwith the people’s mobility and connectivity. 22 experts from ASEAN＋3 member countries,
the ASEAN Secretariat and the sponsoring organization, the Japan Forum on International
Relations (JFIR), participate in the WG meeting. The working group was held in Tokyo,
Japan on 31 July 2013 to promote mutual understanding on the current situation and thefuture challenges of regional cooperation

3. Discussions on People-to-People Connectivity- Education, Tourismand Cultural Exchange
Starting discussion of this meeting, we clarified the three key concepts to consider
the Asian community’s characteristics. First, we confirmed that the Asian region includes
various culture and social systems and it seems to be not a melting pot model but a mosaicmodel. Considering this point, this Working Group focused on a principle of “harmonizeddiversity” for connectivity. Secondly, we would like to attach an importance of cooperation
for well-qualified sustainable development and inclusive growth. Thirdly, we should focus
on the youth’s activities and exchanges which can create the people’s mutual
understanding and human development. These three pillars can consist of fundamental
and common points of considering the functions of education, cultural exchange andtourism.
The meeting had the following three sessions.
In Session 1, “East Asia’s Education Cooperation”, we discussed and re-examined
the on-going cooperation in the field of higher education conducted under thegovernmental framework in APT, which is stated in the “Leaders’ Statement on ASEAN
Plus Three Partnership on Connectivity”. We also examined ASEAN Curriculum
Sourcebook as an example of possible project for ASEAN + 3 framework, however the main3

focus of discussion was higher education because the higher education can be a common
and cooperative education mission beyond country borders while primary and secondary
education are often reflected as each nation’s agenda and interests as national education
system. We tried to find an alternative concrete method for the mutual cooperation ofeducation, especially, policies to promote the students mobility by increasing the number ofexchange students and the networking systems between universities were discussed while
assuring the quality of cross-border educational programs.
In Session 2, “East Asia’s Cultural Exchange Cooperation”, we reviewed thepresent categories of cultural exchange that is conducted by governments, and also tried tofind alternative policies in order to increase exchange in the future. We focused on East
Asia’s current popular culture and the exchange among the youth, so that we understood
how to use that to promote the spread of cultural exchange. At the same time, we discussed
not only popular culture, but also traditional culture as well and how we may preserve
cultural artifacts. We also discussed both benefits and risks of cultural policy dynamics andunequal cultural consumption, and how the region as a whole can contribute to preserving
these artifacts and what kinds of policies should be implemented to realize an equal
partnership and sustainable development. For example, "East Asian Cultural City" will be agood way for not only China-Japan-South Korea but ASEAN countries to be encouraged tostrengthen exchanges and cooperation in cultural heritage protection and cultural industry
development.
In Session 3, “East Asia’s Tourism Cooperation”, we reviewed the activities
concerning the field of tourism conducted by governments of each country and discussed
alternative policies in order to promote cooperation. Focusing on the “ASEAN＋3 Tourism
Cooperation Plan and ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2011-2015(ATSP), we discussed themethods that can promote mutual understandings in culture and society across the region.
We also discussed how rural-urban connectivity, especially in relation to community
development, can be promoted by tourism.

Addressing the challenge related tosustainability that tourism faces in many countries, we explored how tourism could engage
with local communities, traditions and relevant industries in promoting for instance “greentourism” and in safeguarding tourism artifacts and infrastructure.

44. Policy Recommendations
Based on the discussions above, this Working Group on “Enhancing People toPeople Connectivity -Education, Tourism and Cultural Exchange- summarized thefollowing policy recommendations;(1)To expand and support the current higher education network system among ASEAN＋3countries; i.e. Enlargement of Campus Asia Project by Japan, China and South Korea to
ASEAN Countries, and partnership enlargement of ASEAN University Network(AUN) to
the East Asian countries under ASEAN+3 University Network (ASEAN+3 UNet) with acharacteristic of multi-layered system. To transform the existing ASEAN＋1 international
exchange and cooperation programs into the ASEAN＋3 framework.

(2) To promote systematization of regional quality assurance and credit transfer systems ofhigher education in ASEAN＋3 with cooperation of current systems, i.e. ASEAN University
Network – Quality Assurance (AUN-QA), ASEAN Quality Assurance Network (AQAN),
Asia Pacific Quality Network (APQN), ASEAN Credit Transfer System (ACTS), andCollective Action for Mobility Program of University Students (Campus Asia) and so on.

(3) To promote the cultural exchanges for mutual understanding through a regionalcommon project, i.e. to establish the “East Asian Cultural City” which was alreadylaunched by China, South Korea and Japan, and to expand this system to ASEAN countries
to attractive people’s concern to the Asian culture including popular culture.

(4) To develop cultural exchanges among youth to act together for fostering a sustainable
development regional society. The exchanges should include “study tours”, “greentourism” or “rural tourism” which will provide the participants with the opportunities tointeract with local community, to be exposed to rich traditions, as well as to enjoy diverse
natural environments.

(5) To enhance institutional building and people skills for cultural exchange and tourism,
i.e. to establish a regional language training framework and to create knowledge sharing
system on culture and tourism of ASEAN + 3 countries.

5(6) To develop academic collaborative research on historical artifacts and to promotepreservation and protection of cultural assets and cultural heritage, and cultural industry
development by making visible systems and capacity building of human resource.

(7) To establish a trans-national collaborative higher education and research institution in
East Asia on regional and global issues like "APT Cyber University" that was originallyproposed by the NEAT Working Group on the Enhancement of Cultural Exchange in East
Asia 2007-2012 to foster understanding of different cultures and diversity.

(8) To establish a regional financial support system to encourage people’s connectivity
through educational and cultural exchanges including tourism

[END]

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List of Participants
Cambodia
SOK Phea
Deputy Director-General
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia
China
WU LinResearch Fellow
East Asian Studies Center, China Foreign Affairs University

Indonesia
Andrew Wiguna MANTONG
Researcher of the UI ASEAN Study Center
Secretary of Undergraduate Program on International Relations, University of Indonesia

Japan[WG Members]*Director of the WG
SATO Teiichi*
Honorary Executive Director, Tokyo National Museum
Professor, International University of Health and Welfare
SUGIMURA Miki
Professor
Sophia University
KURODA Kazuo
Professor
Waseda University
TOYOTA Mika
Associate Professor
Rikkyo University[The Japan Forum on International Relations]
HIRABAYASHI Hiroshi
Vice President, JFIR

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ISHIKAWA Kaoru
Senior Executive Director, JFIRWATANABE Mayu
Executive Director, JFIRKIKUCHI Yona
Senior Research Fellow, JFIRITO Masanori
Research Fellow, JFIR
TAKAHATA Yohei
Research Fellow, JFIR

Korea
SHIM Doobo
Professor
Department of Media & Communication, Sungshin Women's UniversityLaos
Siviengphet PHETVORASACK,Deputy Director General
Institute of Foreign Affairs Laos

Malaysia
Natalie Shobana AMBROSE
AnalystEconomics Department, Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia

MyanmarDenzil ABEL
MemberMyanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies

Philippines
Marife BALLESTEROS
Senior Research Fellow
8Philippine Institute for Development Studies

Singapore
Terence CHONG
Senior Fellow
The Institute of Southeast Asian Studies

ThailandSuppakorn DISATAPUNDHUAssociate Professor
Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Chualongkorn University

Vietnam
VU Thi Thanh Tu
ResearcherInstitute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies, The Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
In Alphabetical Order of Country NameASEAN Secretariat
LIM Chze Cheen

Head of ASEAN Connectivity Division9