APEC Self-Funded Project Proposal Coversheet

Please submit through APEC Secretariat Program Director.

Project Title: Sustainable Implementation of Cross-Border Internships
Modules in the APEC Region (1) Facilitating policy research
and best regulatory practices for cross-border internship in
higher education and vocational education/training in the APEC
region
Project Number
(Assigned by Secretariat):
Committee /
WG / Sub-fora / Taskforce:
Proposing APEC
economy:
Co-sponsoring
economies:
Date approved by fora:
Expected start date:
Expected completion
date:
Project summary:
Briefly describe the
project.
Your summary should
include the project topic,
planned activities,
timing and location:

Total cost of project (USD):

HRD 01 2014S
Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG)
Education Network (EDNET)
Chinese Taipei
China; Malaysia; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; The Philippines
Thailand, Viet Nam
20 February 2014
1 March 2014
28 February 2015

The first stage of this project would be a research study to examine

regulatory practices and policies on cross-border internships within
higher education to identify what can and what cant be done to
promote high quality, cross-border internships in the APEC region. By
reviewing existing best practices, participants in this study will consider
possible education/non-education regulations and measures that could
be adopted to support cross-border internships and to enhance mobility
of educational officials, students, researchers and education providers in
the region. The aim of the proposed work is to enhance the capacity of
educational/non-educational policy officials, regulators, international
educators, and universities/colleges in APEC economies to:
(1) understand the barriers, policies and regulations that restrain crossborder internships, which limits building of human capital, regional
economic growth and productivity; and
(2) identify and recommend the best existing policies and regulatory
practices for cross-border internships which can benefit further
transparency in higher education and vocational education/training in
the APEC region.
To achieve the goal of economic integration via accessible resources
and transparent education policies , the second stage of the project is to
extend the policy research and integrate other possible practices for
cross-border internship information sharing among APEC member
economies. All APEC member economies will be invited to
establish/utilize such a research platform in their own economies, and
participate in an APEC portal data-bank information system to integrate
relevant data.
USD $75,000

Project Overseer Information and Declaration:

Names: Dr. Max K.W. Liu and Dr. Henry Chen
Titles: Dean, International College, MCU; and Director, International Education, NPUST
Organizations: Ming Chuan University (MCU) and National Pingtung University of Science and
Technology (NPUST), Chinese Taipei
Postal address: 250 Zhong-Shan N. Road, Section 5, Taipei
Tel:+886-2-2882-4564 ext.2606 Fax:+886-2-8861-3491 E-mail:kwliu@mail.mcu.edu.tw,
hhchen@mail.npust.edu.tw
As Project Overseer and on behalf of the above said Organization, I will ensure that all Project outputs (Project
reports, proceedings, slides, presentations, CDs, etc.), will comply with the APEC Publications, APEC Logo
and Copyrights Guidelines before being published. The guidelines are at:
http://www.apec.org/About-Us/About-APEC/Policies-and-Procedures.aspx

Dr. Max K.-W. Liu and Dr. Henry Chen

Name of Project Overseer
Name of Fora Chair/Lead Sheppard

Date: 30

November 2013
Project Synopsis

1. Relevance: Why should APEC undertake this project? What problem or opportunity will
the project address and why is it important?

APECs top funding criterion is furthering the goal of economic integration via free and
open trade and investment. This project promotes reduction of regional barriers in the flow of
cross-border education in the APEC region by constructing a research study to examine the
existing regulatory practices and policies on cross-border internships to identify what can and
what cant be done to promote high quality, cross-border internships in the APEC region.
Through the involvement of APEC scholars in the area of cross-border education and
internships, the transparency of educational policies and common practices for cross-border
education and internship can be realized. As such, this project paves a road for ease of doing
business, builds increased linkages in the digital economy, engages other fora and the private
sector, and advances regulatory convergence through increased transparency. In todays
economy, a mechanism designed to articulate academic performance and professional
competence will support leaders in all APEC member economies who wish to promote student
and workforce mobility so that the full range of economic and social benefits may be extended
to those educated in the CTE sector.
SCE has set a priority on developing human capital, particularly that which contributes
to long-term inclusive growth. Governmental and commercial employers recognize that the
workforce of the future must include cross-border education, cross-border internship, wellequipped, globally validated professionals with domestic as well international experience, who
can resolve issues, concerns, and problems financially, socially, and politically. Access to and
comprehension of one anothers internship standards and assessments in all working fields
promotes adaptation to rapidly changing economic, educational and societal demands. In
recognition of the importance of cross-border internship, Chinese Taipei has committed
significant governmental budget to review the possible education/non-education regulations and
measures that could be adopted to support cross-border internships and to enhance mobility of
educational officials, students, researchers and education providers in the region.
2. Objectives: Describe the 2-3 key objectives of the project. (e.g. to... create a framework...;
ensure participants will be able to...; share experiences...; enhance understanding...;
develop recommendations...; build interest...; revise strategies... etc.)

-Conduct a comprehensive research study to understand the barriers, policies and

regulations that promote or restrain cross-border internships, which may enhance or limit the
building of human capital, regional economic growth and productivity;

-Enhance awareness of the importance of cross-border internships to shared prosperity

among the business community, potential public/private employers, joint venture investors,
students, administrators, and the general public
- Increase transparency and reduce regional barriers for cross-border education as well
as cross-border internship services in the APEC region.

3. Alignment: Describe how the project will help achieve APECs key priorities and meet your
forums work-plan or medium-term plan.

In the 5th APEC Education Ministerial Meeting Joint Statement, the Ministers
recognized the importance of preparing a qualified workforce with 21st century skills and the
need for continued quality improvement in CTE/TVET. One way of accomplishing this is
through reciprocal transparency on CTE licensing standards and supporting education across
borders.
According to 20th APEC ECONOMIC LEADERS' Declaration, all APEC economies stand
to gain from enhancing collaboration on cross-border education. Many developing economies in
the Asia-Pacific region are rapidly moving into higher value-added manufacturing and knowledge
intensive industries driven by innovation. Access to a wide range of quality higher education
services is critical for sustainable growth on this development pathway.
Participants further noted the statement of the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade
(MRT) meeting in June 2012, which recognized the importance of cross-border trade in
education services and deeper educational cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. Ministers asked
officials to examine ways to better facilitate mobility of students, researchers and providers in the
region, while taking into consideration the circumstances of individual economies
In 2012, APEC Leaders highlighted the importance of enhanced educational mobility
in their joint statement:

Increasing cross-border student flows will strengthen regional ties, build people-topeople exchanges, and promote economic development through knowledge and
skills transfer. High quality cross-border education equips students with the 21st
century competencies they need for their full participation in a globalized and
knowledge based society.
4. Methodology: How do you plan to implement the project?
Timeline: This project is projected over two years to analyze the current status, propose and

pilot a model, implement the use of the model and refine as needed. Based on past project
experience, this will allow the project to be assessed and benefit from feedback for greater
buy-in by member economies.
This years proposal focuses on data collection and basic portal organization.
Phase 1 Self-Funding: A research study will be conducted to understand the barriers,
policies and regulations that promote or restrain cross-border internships, which may enhance
or limit the building of human capital, regional economic growth and productivity. Researchers
will identify and recommend the best existing policies and regulatory practices for crossborder internships which can benefit further transparency in higher education and vocational
education/training in the APEC region.

Phase 2 Self-funding + APEC funding: Researchers from APEC member economies

will be invited to jointly share their best practices for cross-border internship as well as a
literature review of related research within their economy. A APEC Cross-Border
Internship Conference will be held to draft durable models and suggestions on crossborder internships among APEC member economies.