5.

Programmes and Activities of SEAMEO

There are six major categories of programmes and activities conducted at the SEAMEO
Regional Centres. These are:

5.1 Training

All Centres conduct non-degree short-term and long-term training programmes which
aim to develop or upgrade the competencies of the human resources of the region in
their areas of specialization. At present only six (6) Centres, i.e. RELC, SEARCA and
the four (4) TROPMED Centres, are offering training programmes leading to
postgraduate degrees. In addition, all Centres offer customized programmes on specific
request.
5.2 Conferences, Seminars and Workshop

Professional seminars, conferences and workshops are held to assist Member

Countries to have a better understanding of problems and issues of the region, promote
exchange of knowledge and skills, and help widen the network of communication and
cooperation among educators, scholars, professionals and researchers in the region as
well as those from other parts of the world.

5.3 Research and Development

Research and development programmes conducted by the various SEAMEO Regional

Centres and participated by the Member Countries are aimed to help solve crucial
problems of the region. Their findings are disseminated through training programmes,
conferences, seminars, workshops and academic publications of the Centres.

5.4 Personnel Exchange

The personnel exchange programme is designed especially to meet the needs of

institutions, agencies or projects within the region. Request for a personnel exchange
grant will normally be initiated by such institutions or agencies. Exchange of personnel is
limited to teaching, research or consultancy assignments and to nationals of the
SEAMEO Member Countries. The attachments are usually for relatively short periods.

5.5 Information Technology and Clearinghouse Services

The information dissemination and clearinghouse functions of SEAMEO Units are

implemented to encourage information sharing and exchange as well as professional
cooperation. Activities under this category include publication of academic journals,
newsletters and proceedings of meetings, update of regional information resource base
or library resources and development of databases on specific areas of regional interest,
e.g., aromatic and medicinal plants, weed, and training programmes on English for
business and technology, INNOTECH Learning Resource Centre.

5.6 Consultancy Services

SEAMEO Centres also avail themselves of the services of consultants and experts from
other countries to enrich inputs into their training, research and information activities.
Consultancy services are available from SEAMEO Centres to other agencies or
interested parties.
 In addition, some SEAMEO Centres have excellent and conference facilities,
international house facilities with various amenities for interested parties, transient
visitors and businessmen such as RECSAM's Residence Halls in Penang, Malaysia.,
RELC's International House in Singapore, INNOTECH's guest house in Quezon City,
Philippines and SEARCA's guest house in Los Banos, Philippines, VOCTECH
International House in Gadong, Brunei Darussalam.
To ensure maximum effectiveness, all regional programmes and activities of the Centres
are formulated through a unique process of careful preparation and collaboration
starting with each individual Member Country assessing its own needs. Blueprints of
programmes and activities are prepared by the Regional Centres with the assistance of
country representatives and regional experts and incorporated in their draft Five-Year
Development Plans. The draft Development Plans are first submitted to the Governing
Boards for scrutiny and endorsement and then forwarded to the High Officials Meeting
for further examination before they are finally submitted to the Conference of the
Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Council (SEAMEC) for adoption. The Governing
Boards may review the programmes and activities again before their implementation at
the annual meetings of the Boards.
The thrusts or areas of emphasis of SEAMEO programmes and activities depend mainly
on the strengths of the centres and priority needs of the Member Countries.
Attachment III shows the thrusts of the eleven (11) SEAMEO Centres for their current
development plans.
In addition to the regular activities that are specified in their Five-Year Development
Plans, the Centres also conduct special training courses or research and development
projects at the request of specific Member Countries tailored to meet their individual
needs. Special regional projects developed by SEAMES in cooperation with Associate
Member Countries or donor agencies/countries are often implemented in collaboration
with the Centres.

6. Funding of the Organization

Funding support for SEAMEO programmes and activities comes from various sources.
6.1 Operating Costs of SEAMES
The annual budget requirements of the SEAMEO Secretariat are fully met by the
Member Countries. Each Member Country's share is determined in accordance with the
Contribution Index adopted by the Council.
6.2 Operating and Capital Costs of Regional Centres
The Member Country hosting a particular Regional Centre contributes funds towards the
capital and operating costs of the Centre.
6.3 Operating Costs of TROPMED Network Central
Member Countries participating in the TROPMED Network, namely Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines and Thailand share t
Research and development programmes conducted by the various SEAMEO Regional Centres
and participated by the Member Countries are aimed to help solve crucial problems of the
region. Their findings are disseminated through training programmes, conferences, seminars,
workshops and academic publications of the Centres.
5.4 Per
son
nel
Exc
han
ge
The
per
son
nel
exc
han
ge
pro
gra
mm
e is
des
ign
ed
esp
eci
ally
to
me
et
the
nee
ds
of
insti
tuti
ons
,
age
nci
es
or
proj
ect
s
with
in
the
regi
on.
Re
que
st
for
a
per
son
nel
exc
han
ge
gra
nt
will
nor
mal
ly
be
initi
ate
d
by
suc
h
insti
tuti
ons
or
age
nci
es.
Exc
han
ge
of
per
son
nel
is
limit
ed
to
tea
chi
ng,
res
ear
ch
or
con
sult
anc
y
assi
 gn
me
nts
and
to
nati
ona
ls
of
the
SE
AM
EO
Me
mb
er
Co
untr
ies.
The
atta
ch
me
nts
are
usu
ally
for
rela
tivel
y
sho
rt
peri
ods
.
5.5 Inf
or
mat
ion
Tec
hn
olo
gy
and
Cle
ari
ng
ho
use
Ser
vic
es
The
info
rma
tion
diss
emi
nati
on
and
cle
arin
gho
use
fun
ctio
ns
of
SE
AM
EO
Unit
s
are
imp
lem
ent
ed
to
enc
our
age
info
rma
tion
sha
ring
and
exc
han
ge
as
well
as
prof
essi
ona
l
coo
per
atio
n.
Acti
vitie
s
und
er
this
cat
ego
ry
incl
ude
pub
licat
ion
of
aca
de
mic
jour
nal
s,
ne
wsl
ette
rs
and
pro
cee
din
gs
of
me
etin
gs,
upd
ate
of
regi
ona
l
info
rma
tion
res
our
ce
bas
e or
libr
ary
res
our
ces
and
dev
elo
pm
ent
of
dat
aba
ses
on
spe
cific
are
as
of
regi
ona
l
inte
rest
,
e.g.
,
aro
mat
ic
and
me
dici
nal
pla
nts,
we
ed,
and
trai
nin
g
pro
gra
mm
es
on
Eng
lish
for
bus
ine
ss
and
tec
hno
log
y,
INN
OT
EC
H
Lea
rnin
g
 Res
our
ce
Ce
ntre
.

5.6 Co
nsu
ltan
cy
Ser
vic
es
SE
AM
EO
Ce
ntre
s
als
o
ava
il
the
ms
elv
es
of
the
ser
vice
s of
con
sult
ant
s
and
exp
erts
fro
m
oth
er
cou
ntri
es
to
enri
ch
inp
uts
into
thei
r
trai
nin
g,
res
ear
ch
and
info
rma
tion
acti
vitie
s.
Co
nsu
ltan
cy
ser
vice
s
are
ava
ilabl
e
fro
m
SE
AM
EO
Ce
ntre
s to
oth
er
age
nci
es
or
inte
rest
ed
part
ies.
In
add
itio
n,
so
me
SE
AM
EO
Ce
ntre
s
hav
e
exc
elle
nt
and
con
fere
nce
facil
ities
,
inte
rnat
ion
al
hou
se
facil
ities
with
vari
ous
am
enit
ies
for
inte
rest
ed
part
ies,
tran
sie
nt
visit
ors
and
bus
ine
ss
me
n
suc
h
as
RE
CS
AM'
s
Res
ide
nce
Hall
s in
Pen
ang
,
Mal
aysi
a.,
RE
LC'
s
Inte
rnat
ion
al
Ho
use
in
Sin
gap
ore,
INN
OT
EC
H's
gue
st
hou
se
in
Qu
ezo
n
City
,
Phil
ippi
nes
and
SE
AR
CA'
s
gue
st
hou
se
in
Los
Ban
os,
Phil
ippi
nes
,
VO
CT
EC
H
Inte
rnat
ion
al
Ho
use
in
Ga
don
g,
Bru
nei
Dar
uss
ala
m.
To
ens
ure
ma
xim
um
effe
ctiv
ene
ss,
all
regi
ona
l
pro
gra
mm
es
and
acti
vitie
s of
the
Ce
ntre
s
are
for
mul
ate
d
thro
ugh
a
uni
que
pro
ces
s of
car
eful
pre
par
atio
n
and
coll
abo
rati
on
star
ting
with
eac
h
indi
vid
ual
Me
mb
er
Co
untr
y
ass
essi
ng
its
ow
n
nee
ds.
Blu
epri
nts
of
pro
gra
mm
es
and
acti
vitie
s
are
pre
par
ed
by
the
Re
gio
nal
Ce
ntre
s
with
the
assi
sta
nce
of
cou
ntry
repr
ese
ntat
ives
and
regi
ona
l
exp
erts
and
inc
orp
orat
ed
in
thei
r
draf
t
Fiv
e-
Yea
r
Dev
elo
pm
ent
Pla
ns.
The
draf
t
Dev
elo
pm
ent
Pla
ns
are
first
sub
mitt
ed
to
the
Go
ver
nin
g
Boa
rd