The Hanns Seidel Foundation in Asia

Asia is one of the main regions in which our activities concentrate. Together with some of our partner countries, we shall be confronted with major political challenges in the field of development policy for a long time to come.

The reasons for this are, for example, the concentration of economic development on just a few conurbations with the simultaneous adverse effect this has on the rural regions, as well as an inadequate infrastructure in large areas of the countries in question.

The financial crises of the last few years have shown that many nations in the region still have considerable transformation problems in political, social and economic terms.

To solve these, the following instruments - suitably adapted to the conditions of the respective partner country - are used:

• Political dialogue and socio-political adult education
• Sponsorship and support of administrations in the creation of constitutional structures at national, regional and municipal levels
• Management training and the formation of institutions in the government and non-government sectors
• Dual vocational training as a socio-political task.

With the aid of these instruments, the HSS, together with local partners, is tackling problem areas such as combating poverty, population growth, the destruction of the environment, conflicts and disputes, migration and international organized crime.

Our partners may come from governmental, regional or municipal levels, or from the non-government sector, such as industry or non-government organizations (NGO).

Currently, the HSS cooperates with Singapore, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea and with China and Mongolia.

Most projects - a total of twelve, mainly vocational training schemes - are located in China. Here our activity has just entered a new phase. After setting up vocational training institutes in various provinces of the country and for a range of vocational fields, the IBZ is now helping the Chinese government to introduce the dual vocational training system on a nationwide scale. So we are moving from pure training to system consultancy.

We are also successfully committed in other project countries. For example, we are providing Indonesia with consultancy and information services in setting up an education and management system for environmental protection.

In Mongolia we are active in the sphere of legal counseling and in setting up an efficient administration.

In 1994 the Philippines drafted a vocational education bill with our support, which is based on the dual system which is used in our vocational education centers. At the same time we are helping to promote rural development by providing training and advanced training schemes for management.

In South Korea, too, the promotion of rural development is a focal point of our activities; an additional aim is to develop and strengthen municipal self-government.

Singapore also has a regional leadership and management education program, which is the basis for socio-economic development measures in the ASEAN region, as well as Indochina, that will promote the rule-of-law principle, a market economy and regional cooperation.

After more than 20 years' cooperation with countries in Asia, the Hanns Seidel Foundation will continue to remain a reliable partner when it comes to tackling future tasks.

		Christian J. Hegemer
		Director of the Institute for International Contact and Cooperation (IBZ)