RECSAM News_Sept-Dec 2021

2 RECSAM News Vol. 52 - No. 3 52 nd Governing Board Meeting (GBM) Virtual Hoang (Vietnam) and Dr. Kritsachai Somsaman representing the Director of SEAMEO Secretariat. Dr. Shah Jahan Bin Assanarkutty, Centre Director of SEAMEO RECSAM thanked the Governing Board members, representatives of the Director of SEAMEO Secretariat and observers from the Ministry of Education Malaysia for attending the Meeting despite their busy schedules and expressed his hope to have a successful virtual meeting that could drive the Centre to greater heights. The representative of Chairman of the Governing Board for F.Y. 2020/2021, Ms. Dayang Hjh Adimah Binti Hj Md Said welcomed all the honourary Board Members, the representative of the Director of SEAMEO Secretariat as ex-officio member and observers from the Strategic Planning and International Relations Division, Ministry of Education Malaysia and all that were present in the meeting. She expressed hope that the participation and contributions of everyone present together with other existing members will strengthen the Centre’s programmes and activities in the coming years. Dr. Kritsachai Somsaman, representing the Director of SEAMEO Secretariat extended his warmest greeting to all who were present in the meeting and acknowledged the commendable initiative of SEAMEO RECSAM to conduct the virtual Governing Board Meeting during this challenging pandemic period. He praised the Centre’s commitment to serve the region despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and acknowledged the role of SEAMEO RECSAM in supporting SEAMEO Secretariat’s activities, especially in shouldering the responsibility as the Secretariat of the SEAMEO Centres Policy Research Network (CPRN). He also shared another milestone achieved by the SEAMEO Secretariat which was the launching of the SEAMEO Strategic Plan 2021 – 2030 by the SEAMEO Council and thanked the Centre and the Board for their input during the development of SEAMEO Strategic Plan. He further updated the meeting on the accomplishments of the Secretariat which include the SEAMEO Webinar Series and SEAMEO CARES and stressed that the projects and programmes launched had reached over 30,000 participants across the globe. The 52 nd GBM this year also witnessed the election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Governing Board for F.Y. 2021/2022 – F.Y. 2022/2023. The meeting unanimously agreed to elect Mr. Haji Azman Bin Adnan, the Board Member from Malaysia as the Chairman of RECSAM’s Governing Board while Dr. Phuriwat Khamaikawin, the Board member from Thailand was elected as the Vice-Chairman. The Vice-Chairman, Dr. Phuriwat Khamaikawin who chaired the Meeting due to the absence of the newly elected Chairman moved that the Provisional Agenda and Programme of the Meeting be adopted. The motion was carried and the Centre informed the Board that eight (8) working papers and six (6) information papers will be tabled in this Meeting. The Centre Director presented the summary of the Board Members’ decisions on the 6 working papers and 6 information papers submitted by SEAMEO RECSAM via Ad Referendum. He reported that nine Board Members’ responded to the papers sent via Ad Referendum and 3 working papers and 3 information papers would be further discussed in the Meeting. The Governing Board Members took note of the report on the decisions made. ON 28 & 29 SEPTEMBER 2021 , SEAMEO RECSAM successfully convened its 52 nd Governing Board Meeting (GBM) via virtual means, due to COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions. The 52 nd GBM (virtual) was live streamed from SEAMEO RECSAM in Penang and was attended by Governing Board members from the SEAMEO member countries, representatives from SEAMEO Secretariat and observers from the Ministry of Education Malaysia. The Governing Board Members, and ex-officio member in attendance were Ms. Dayang Hjh Adimah binti Hj Md Said (Brunei Darussalam), Mr. Thai Heng (Cambodia), Mr. Houmphanh Khonesavath (Lao PDR), Mr. Samuel R. Soliven (Philippines), Madam Lee Lin Yee (Singapore), Dr. Phuriwat Khamaikawin (Thailand), Mr. Luis Nivio de Fatima Soares (Timor Leste), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Huy see page 3 Governing Board Members & Delegates during the virtual RECSAM 52 nd GBM Presentations by Dr. Shah, Centre Director (left) & Ms. Rashihah, Accountant (right) during the Meeting