Expanding international cooperation: Representatives of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City attend the workshop on developing MOOC on ASEAN for teachers in the Philippines
On July 16–17, 2026, at Lime Resort Manila (Philippines), the ASEAN Teacher Education Network (AsTEN) successfully organized the Workshop on Developing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) themed “ASEAN Studies for Teachers”.
The event brought together educational experts and representatives from prestigious member training institutions across Southeast Asia. Representing Vietnam at this workshop were:
Dr. Le Thi Sinh Hien – Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City.
Dr. Tran Thanh Huong – Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City.
Strategic Objectives of the Workshop
The workshop aimed to collaborate on building a shared regional learning platform to enhance awareness, identity, and professional capacity regarding ASEAN for the teaching workforce. The program focused on 3 core objectives:
1. Designing macro- and microlearning frameworks for the MOOC course.
2. Identifying key topics and practical teaching content.
3. Consolidating the project implementation roadmap and expected outputs.
In his opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. John Carlo M. Ramos – Executive Director of AsTEN – emphasized the importance of creating a shared educational resource that reflects the collective aspirations of ASEAN in educational integration and teacher training.
Key Activities of the Program
Within the framework of 2 productive working days, Dr. Le Thi Sinh Hien and Dr. Tran Thanh Huong, along with the delegations from other countries, actively participated in discussions and practical sessions:
Practical Data Analysis: Delegates reviewed reports from focus group discussions (FGDs) in each country. The results highlighted the urgent need for teachers to build a common knowledge base on ASEAN, improve cross-cultural communication skills, access reliable digital/AI resources, and strengthen professional cooperation in the region.
Curriculum Framework Development: Discussing and defining learning outcomes, core competencies, and lesson content by distilling the best from existing ASEAN research programs.
Detailed Implementation: Finalizing lesson structures, dividing editing responsibilities among member universities, and beginning to build detailed content for each learning module through small group discussions.
List of Academic Institutions and Universities participating in the project
The project involves the collaboration of leading educational organizations in the region:
- Kolej Universiti Perguruan Ugama Seri Begawan (Brunei)
- Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (Indonesia)
- Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (Malaysia)
- Yangon University of Education (Myanmar)
- Philippine Normal University (Philippines)
- National Institute of Education – NTU (Singapore)
- Kasetsart University (Thailand)
- University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
The workshop closed with a strong commitment from all AsTEN member units to make the MOOC course a sustainable educational initiative. Once operational, the course promises to provide high-quality, easily accessible learning opportunities for teachers, thereby deepening understanding of ASEAN, promoting regional identity, and fostering educational cooperation among Southeast Asian countries. The MOOC course “ASEAN Studies for Teachers” is expected to be officially launched in November 2026.
