EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package – Higher Education Programme (SCOPE-HE)

The EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package – Higher Education Programme (SCOPE-HE) is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by Nuffic, the Netherlands’ organisation for internationalisation in education as lead organisation, in partnership with the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). Running from February 2024 to January 2028, SCOPE-HE aims to support a more connected and dynamic higher education landscape within Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and between ASEAN and the EU.

Key Activities

SCOPE-HE focuses on three main pillars of key activities designed to strengthen higher education collaboration between the EU and ASEAN regions. Each pillar addresses specific areas to promote student and academic mobility, research connectivity, and improvements Vocational Education and Training (VET ). As an implementing partner of the SCOPE-HE Programme, DAAD implements initiatives under multiple pillars of the programme.

1. Enhancing Student and Academic Mobility

This pillar aims to enhance student and academic mobility by promoting the mutual recognition of qualifications, while fostering a more integrated and robust educational environment across regions. Core activities include facilitating policy dialogues for consensus building among higher education stakeholders, conducting comparability studies between ASEAN and EU frameworks and providing technical assistance and capacity-building support to ASEAN institutions.

2. Strengthening Research Connectivity

This pillar aims to strengthen research connectivity between ASEAN and EU Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) through the Academic Connectivity Grant. The grant supports the joint design and implementation of cross-regional academic initiatives, including joint research in areas such as the Green Transition, Digital Transformation, and the Blue Economy, as well as academic staff and PhD student mobility, curriculum development, and thematic research symposia.

3. Strengthening ASEAN VET Institutions

This pillar focuses on enhancing graduate employability by aligning vocational education with labour market needs. Key activities include developing an ASEAN-wide Labour Market Insight website and organising multi-stakeholder workshops and capacity-building initiatives centred on Green Transition and Digital Transformation.

For the latest updates, publications, and media resources can be seen here

22 September 2025	Comparability Study of ASEAN Quality Assurance Framework (AQAF) and European Standards and Guidelines (ESG)
6 August 2025	Comparability Study of the ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework (AQRF) and the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (EQF)
16 June 2025	CALL FOR TENDERS: Study on the Ratification and Implementation of the Tokyo and Global Conventions on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education in ASEAN
15 May 2025	European Union strengthens EU-ASEAN Research Collaboration with SCOPE-HE Academic Connectivity Grants: Three University Clusters Selected to Drive Research and Innovation across Both Regions

Following a rigorous selection process, three HEI research Clusters have been selected to lead joint research and capacity-building initiatives. Together, they will advance research, strengthen teaching, and foster cross-regional knowledge exchange. Further info about each cluster’s programme can be found below.

Green Transition

GreenTrans-EDU: Towards Green Transformation in Higher Education
Led by Ilmenau University of Technology, this project unites six universities from France, Germany, Indonesia and the Philippines to advance sustainability through research and education. Focusing on renewable energy and biodiversity conservation, through interdisciplinary collaboration, the project will develop a teaching module, “Climate Action: Pathways to a Sustainable Future,” combining cutting-edge research with local contexts to equip students with practical skills. The project also promotes collaborative research, engages non-HEI stakeholders, and aims to strengthen EU-ASEAN academic partnerships for a sustainable future.

Digital Transformation

DIGIHAZ: Enhancing Research Capacity for Natural Hazards.
Led by University of Alicante, the DIGIHAZ project seeks to strengthen research capacities in higher education institutions in Spain, Greece, Malaysia, and the Philippines to address the growing risks of natural hazards. The project will establish a PhD programme centred on digital transformation for natural hazards, promoting the application of big data, machine learning, and IoT to support disaster risk reduction.

Blue Economy

STABLE: The Higher Education Partnership for a Sustainable Blue Economy
Led by IPB University the STABLE project aims to modernise marine science education and advance the Blue Economy through collaboration between institutions from Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Netherlands. Key activities will include curriculum enhancements, research collaborations, international symposiums, and field-based learning focused on marine conservation, blue carbon, and aquaculture.