Promoting Investments in Education in ASEAN: Inclusive Education, Cross-Border Education Programs, and ICT Capabilities

The ASEAN Work Plan on Education 2016–2020 (henceforth “the Work Plan”) was developed by the ASEAN Secretariat in 2016 to coordinate ASEAN Member States’ cooperation in improving the state of education across the region. The Work Plan lists a total of 70 proposed education projects and activities grouped into 19 priority areas under eight sub-goals. Given the number of projects and activities, this initiative undoubtedly requires a considerable amount of investment. However, further analysis is needed of how the Work Plan sets incentives to promote investment in the education sector. This paper analyzes whether and how the Work Plan promotes investment in education in the ASEAN Member States, focusing on three main areas: inclusive education, cross-border education programs, and ICT capacity building