From November 19 to 20, the 48th Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) High Officials Meeting was successfully held in Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Qi Xinjian, Assistant Director of the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED), attended the meeting.

With 2025 marking the 60th anniversary of SEAMEO, this year’s meeting was themed “Leading Through Learning: Empowering Schools and Communities in Southeast Asia”. The event brought together over 100 representatives from member states and partner organizations to discuss key issues, including teacher development, AI in education, and STEM education.

Dr. Qi attended key sessions and the launch of the Empowering Teachers Initiative (ETI) Regional Report on Teacher Professional Development, emphasizing the importance of rural teacher support. In meetings with the SEAMEO Secretariat and regional centres, INRULED reached a preliminary agreement on 2025–2026 cooperation regarding teacher training and digital transformation in rural schooling.

This participation has further consolidated the educational partnership between INRULED and the Southeast Asian region, fostering new opportunities for the development of regional rural education.