The Center for Quality Assurance in International Education, The Hong Kong Universities through their Hong Kong America Center, The Asia Pacific Quality Network, and The Federation for Continuing Education in Tertiary Institutions
Federation of Continuing Education Society
The Education Directorate, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
to:

THE WTO AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN
EDUCATION SERVICES:
THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF
TRANSNATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION

An International Forum Held in Conjunction with the WTO Ministerial

Hong Kong Baptist University
Lam Woo Conference Centre
18-19 December 2005 

 Preliminary Program

Sunday, 18 December 2005

8:00            Registration Begins

9:00            Welcoming and Introductory Remarks
                   Sponsoring Organizations

                   General Address (on the Forum theme and its issues)

10:00           The Free Trade Agreements and Education Services:
Theory and Practice

A Panel of Trade Negotiators and Official Advocates (a total of 3-4 from such countries as Australia, UK, US, Norway, Hong Kong, etc.) with potential introduction from CERI/OECD on its extensive research

11:30           Regional Initiatives in Assuring Quality and Promoting Mobility
                  
Panel composed of spokespeople from: Iberoamerican Quality Network and MERCOSUR (Market of the South) – Latin America, APEC (APEC Architect and APEC Engineer); APQN (Asia Pacific Quality Network); others

12:30           Luncheon

14:00           The Role of Quality Assurance Bodies and Transnational
Education

Panel of Quality Assurance Agencies (Australia Universities Quality Agency, Quality Assurance Agency- UK, Regional Accrediting Body – US, others)

15:30           Discussion Groups and Plenary Feedback

17:30           Conference  Reception  Followed by Dinner

Monday, 19 December 2005

8:00             Registration

9:00             Trade Liberalization and Transnational Education

A General Address on Trade Barriers and National Policy
Liberalization

9:45             Hong Kong as a Regional Hub for Higher Education
Policy framework; university perspective; continuing education and corporate training

11:00           WTO and Transnational Education in China
MOE, CSC; provincial higher education perspective; university perspective; international representative of joint higher education venture

12:30           Luncheon

14:00           Opportunities and Challenges of Transnational Education
                  
Panel of Sending and Receiving Countries: Australia [AEI or IDP], UK [British Council], Indonesian BAN-PT, Chilean National Program Council

15:15           The OECD/UNESCO Guidelines for Cross-Border Education

Spokesperson to provide an overview of the 2005 Guidelines                                    
15:45           Discussion Groups
                            
16:45           Transnational Education: A Way Forward

Panel composed of key speakers from the Forum to reflect on the future

17:30           Forum Concludes

Attachments:
Site and Lodging Information  
Registration Form