SEAMEO

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) is a regional intergovernmental organization established in 1965 among governments of Southeast Asian countries to promote regional cooperation in education, science and culture in the region.
As an organization that has continued to nurture human capacities and explored the peoples’ fullest potential, the SEAMEO maintains its work and aspirations for development with peoples of the region to make lives better in quality and equity in education, preventive health education, culture and tradition, information and communication technology, languages, poverty alleviation and agriculture and natural resources.
The organization's highest policy-making body is the SEAMEO Council, which comprises the 11 Southeast Asian education ministers. The SEAMEO Secretariat is located in Bangkok, Thailand.

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SEAMEO RETRAC

Vietnam, re-admitted as a SEAMEO Member State on February 10, 1992, by the SEAMEO Council, hosts the SEAMEO Regional Training Center (SEAMEO RETRAC) in Ho Chi Minh City. The Center started its very first operations in October, 1996.

Vision

Through the pursuit of excellence and the development of expertise, SEAMEO RETRAC aims to become a leading regional center in the field of educational leadership and management, serving all SEAMEO Member Countries and enhancing international cooperation and partnership.

Mission

To assist SEAMEO Member Countries to identify and address issues of educational leadership and management by providing such services as research, training, consultancy, information dissemination, community service, networking and partnership

Functions

In cooperation with local, foreign and international organizations, SEAMEO RETRAC conducts:

• Training courses, workshops and conferences;
• Research, consultancy, project development and information dissemination; and,
• Study tours, personnel and student recruitment and exchange for educational, scientific and cultural purposes.

Operations

SEAMEO RETRAC assists SEAMEO Member Countries, especially Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam, to identify and tackle problems of leadership and management in education at all levels. SEAMEO RETRAC directs its efforts on educational issues by undertaking innovative, relevant programs through research, training, consultancy, and staff exchanges and by fostering  regional and international partnerships and by engaging in other related activities within and outside the region. In addition, SEAMEO RETRAC offers language training, teacher training, information communication and technology (ICT) and other training programs customized to the learners’ needs.

Training approaches

• Critical thinking and creative problem solving;
• Interactive, informal and based on experience sharing and practical learning;
• Innovative learner-centered; and,
• Flexible and cost-effective.

Future activities

SEAMEO RETRAC focuses on upgrading its educational programs and services to a high-level standard in connection with local and foreign institutions, and on expanding the participation of learners and practitioners within and outside the region. To this end, activities will include: 

1. Disseminating the use and management of ICT and new approaches to teaching and learning in education, particularly basic education;
2. Evaluating educational management needs of the region through fact-finding from needs and analysis surveys;
3. Designing creative and adaptable training programs, courses and conferences to bring to wider visibility identified issues in current education management theories, practices and policies, on a regional and international scale; and,
4. Assisting educational administrators, researchers and practitioners in the development and implementation of improved educational management policies and practices.

Furthermore, SEAMEO RETRAC will continue to assist in human resource development of the region and foster mutual cooperation and partnership with the wider world by:

• Researching and surveying educational management issues;
• Conducting seminars, workshops and conferences on regionally specific issues related to SEAMEO RETRAC core thrust in educational leadership and management;
• Networking with related organizations/agencies and establishing linkages to serve the aforementioned goals and objectives; and,
• Developing a series of customized training courses for human resource development in various sectors.  

Facilities

Located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, SEAMEO RETRAC is the ideal venue for local and international events for all the educational activities. It is well-equipped with over 40 spacious, air-conditioned lecture and meeting rooms. In addition, it is also furnished with language labs, an advanced computer lab, an audio visual room, a library and an international conference hall which houses up to 150 people. Recently, SEAMEO RETRAC has installed and put in use a video teleconferencing network  to develop e-Learning activities. Accommodations are provided upon request.

Organizational structure

The SEAMEO RETRAC Governing Board is the main policy-making body of the Center. The Governing Board consists of one representative from each of the 11 SEAMEO Member Countries. The Center is headed by a Director who is nominated by the Minister of Education and Training of Vietnam, approved by the Governing Board, and officially appointed by the SEAMEO Council President.

The Center is staffed by qualified professional, administrative and service personnel working in the following departments:

• Division of Education;
• Division of Technology;
• Division of Foreign Studies;
• Department of Administration;
• Department of Accounting and Finance;
• Department of Personnel and Legal Affairs;
• Department of Planning and Facility Management;
• Department of International Development; and,
• Library and Information Center.
  

In addition, experts from donor governments, international organizations and exchange programs from affiliated countries complement the permanent faculty and staff under partnership agreements. 

SEAMEO RETRAC Governing Board Members

1)    Ms. Hajah Siti Aisah binti Haji Mohd Ali
Acting Director of Human Resource Department
Ministry of Education
Brunei

2)    Dr. Muhammad Hatta
Head of Center for Education and Training
Ministry of Education and Culture
Indonesia

3)    Mr. Khounmy Phommanimith
Deputy Director General, Department of Personnel & Organization
Ministry of Education
Lao PDR

4)    Dr. Amin bin Senin
Director
Institute of Aminuddin Baki
Malaysia

5)    Dr. Erico Memije Habijan
OIC Director
National Educators Academy of the Philippines
Department of Education
The Philippines

6)    Mr. Manogaran Suppiah
Executive Director
Academy of Singapore Teachers
Ministry of Education
Singapore

7)    Mdme. Ton Sa Im
Director
Pedagogical Research Depatment
Ministry of Education, Youth & Sports
Kingdom of Cambodia

8)    Dr. Maung Thynn
Rector
Meiktila University
Myanmar

9)    Mr. Apichart Jeerawuth
Secretariat General
The Office of Higher Education Commission
Ministry of Education
Thailand

10)    Mr. Tran Ba Viet Dzung
Director General
International Cooperation Department
Ministry of Education and Training
Vietnam

SEAMEO RETRAC Board of Advisors

1)    Prof. Dr. Tran Van Nhung
General Secretary of Council of the Country’s Professorship
Vietnam

2)    Mr. Tran Ba Viet Dzung
Director General
International Cooperation Department
Ministry of Education and Training
Vietnam

3)    Prof. Dr. David Wood
Deputy Vice Chancellor, International
Curtin University
Australia

4)    Prof. Dr. Dennis Berg
Professor Emeritus
California State University, Fullerton
USA

5)    Prof. Nguyen Cong Thanh
Director
THT-International Center for Education Development
Da Lat City

6)    Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Quang Minh
Deputy Director
National University - HCMC
Vietnam

7)    Mr. Pham Ngoc Thanh
Deputy Director
Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training
Vietnam

SEAMEO RETRAC Leadership

1)    Dr. Ho Thanh My Phuong
Director

2)    Dr. Dang Van Hung
Deputy Director

3)    Mr. Doan Xuan Bang
Head
Department of Administration

4)    Ms. Le Thi Thuy Duong
Head
Department of Personnel and Legal Affairs

5)    Mr. Nguyen Tan Hung
Head of Bursar

6)    Ms. Trinh Thi Hoa My
Dean
Division of Foreign Studies

7)    Mr. Than Trong Minh
Dean
Campus 2