Study in Hungary delegation members were the representatives of 11 Embassies of Hungary, representatives of 15 Hungarian higher education institutions, representative of the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference, and colleagues of the delegation-leader Tempus Public Foundation.
The Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) was established in Seoul, South Korea in 2004 by a Founding Committee consisting of thirteen university representatives from across the Asia Pacific region, and has since expanded to become a thriving association. APAIE aims to encourage greater cooperation between institutions, to enrich and support international programmes, activities and exchanges, and to promote the value of international education across the region and beyond.
APAIE Conference and Exhibition brings together international education policy-makers, practitioners and experts from across the globe to the Asia-Pacific region to network, improve professional skills and learn about new developments in international education.
The APAIE Conference and Exhibition that had debuted in 2006 with 400 delegates, brought together more than 2500 international educators from more than 50 countries in 2019 to review the role of higher education in promoting diversity and inclusivity, expanding capacity to address current and future challenges. It also provided an excellent networking opportunity and set the stage for further cooperation among higher education institutions around the globe. It was the fifth Conference that Study in Hungary initiative has attended.
At the opening ceremony, in her opening speech APAIE president Professor Sarah Todd highlighted among others the significance of acknowledging inclusivity and celebrating diversity to provide the key answer for a better and more peaceful world; eliminating suppression, oppression and depression of any forms.
Apart from Professor Todd, the audience has also been graced by the presence of Her Majesty The Queen of Johor and Deputy Minister of Education, Malaysia. The messages delivered were of one firm tone-acknowledging diversity and valuing inclusivity regardless.
Strolling around the exhibition area visitors could take a look on the national and university booths, among them the Study in Hungary stall, which had attracted many participants to come and have a conversation with us. Streams of visitors began to pour in as early as 8 in the morning until the end of the 3 exhibition days.
Calendars of the representatives of the Hungarian higher education institutions (HEIs) were fully booked; professional discussions, long-awaited personal encounters after emailing, searching for common roads had been made it clear: there is a wide range of possibilities for international cooperation for the Hungarian higher education.
We offered not only meeting opportunities and brochures, but small gifts, and Hungarian embroidery-pattern colouring sheets, so this or that way every visitor had a chance to meet a piece of our culture and values.
This year we had the privilege to welcome the representatives of the diplomatic missions serving in the Asia region, contributing with their knowledge to the professional meetings and discussions.
A Hungarian reception complemented our presence at APAIE, which aim was to open the door to deepen the cooperation with our partner organisations and to support inter-institutional partnership-building in an informal and relaxed setting.
The conference offered enlightening interactive parallel sessions that were great opportunity to exchange experiences and to get to know topics from several perspectives and aspects. Networking lunches were also great events to expand networking.
Study in Hungary team-members participated in several sessions, moreover, TPF had been involved in two sessions and a poster presentation introducing the Hungarian internationalisation methods, learned new information about the changing face of international education.