Policy dialogue in Southeast Asia

Last year, I co‑designed and contributed to a regional policy workshop on lifelong learning that brought together practitioners and policymakers from Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand, courtesy of DVV International. The event provided a space for peer exchange on emerging national strategies, common challenges and promising practices in integrating lifelong learning into broader education agendas.

In complementarity with the workshop, we produced a publication capturing insights, case studies and recommendations on lifelong learning in Southeast Asia. The aim was to create a resource that policymakers can use in their own discussions and planning. Engaging with colleagues across countries revealed how similar dynamics — such as demographic change, labour market shifts and digital transformation — play out differently depending on policy landscape, governance structures and historical legacies.