Following the inaugural meeting of Asian and European ministers responsible for education, hosted by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research in May 2008, Peking University, the Danish School of Education, Aarhus University and the ASEM Education and Research Hub for Lifelong Learning are organising the Fourth ASEM Lifelong Learning Conference on the theme, "Frameworks for Supporting Lifelong Learning" from 24-27 November 2008. The event will be hosted by Peking University, and is supported by the Asia-Europe Foundation, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Danish Ministry of Education, Peking University and the Danish School of Education, Aarhus University.

The conference is an important step towards establishing a sustainable dialogue platform between Asia and Europe on lifelong learning issues, in view of enhancing research and education cooperation among ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) countries. The high-level meeting will bring together around one hundred and fifty researchers, managers and policy-makers from ASEM countries to discuss and present new research results in lifelong learning and new education reforms. The conference will host 5 workshops, that present research results by the five research networks of the ASEM Education and Research Hub for Lifelong Learning, on
1. Development of ICT skills, e-learning and the culture of e-learning in Lifelong Learning.
2. Competence development as Workplace Learning.
3. Professionalisation of Lifelong Learning with a special emphasis on teacher training.
4. National strategies of Lifelong Learning with regard to citizens' motivation and barriers against continuing education and training.
5. ASEM Core Competences.

The day after the conference the annual meeting of the ASEM Education and Research Hub for Lifelong Learning will be a platform for dialogue between research and policy between the two regions. University representatives will adopt recommendations on lifelong learning issues and concerns to be forwarded to the 2nd ASEM Education Ministers' Meeting in Hanoi in May 2009.

The conference will be opened by Professor DING Xiaohao, Peking University, Professor. MIN Weifang, Chairman of PKU Council, Peking University, Deputy Executive Director Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Khanh, Asia-Europe Foundation, and by two leaders from the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance of China. Key-note presentations will be made by Chairman of the ASEM Education and Research Hub for Lifelong Learning Arne Carlsen, Danish School of Education, Aarhus University, by Madame HAO Keming, President of the Chinese Society of Educational Development Strategy, China, by Professor Lynne Chisholm, Innsbruck University, and by Professor HAN Soonghee, Seoul National University.

Media contacts:

Mr Arne Carlsen, Danish School of Education, Aarhus University

Mobile: +45 21 25 70 57, E-mail: carlsen@dpu.dk

Ms Helen Sophia Chua Balderama, Asia-Europe Foundation

Mobile: +65 93 90 98 72, E-mail: helen.chuabalderama@asef.org