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The Asia-Pacific region has been spearheading global, social, and economic development for the last several decades. Millions of people have been lifted out of poverty and basic education (primary and lower secondary) has become near universal in many countries in the region. Upper secondary and higher education enrollment rates have also increased significantly. However, while these are tremendous achievements, education quality remains a major concern among emerging economies and industrialized nations alike. While some countries in the region excel in international assessments, such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), other countries still attain low scores. National assessment results of countries that have not participated in international assessments reveal large knowledge and skills disparities among students of the same country. In some cases the results also indicate a very low attainment level of basic skills, even after years of schooling.

At the same time, the debate surrounding what actually constitutes quality education and learning in the 21st century is ongoing. There is a growing concern that education systems are focusing too much on the accumulation of academic “cognitive” skills at the expense of the more elusive and hard-to-measure “nonacademic” skills and competencies. The accumulation of these skills and competencies, which include skills and competencies in efficient communication with others, innovative thinking, respect for diversity and the environment, conflict resolution, team work, problem solving, and so on, is not only important for students to be adequately prepared for the world of work, but is also paramount in ensuring future generations are equipped to live meaningful, sustainable, and responsible lives in a rapidly changing and interconnected world.1 The effects of the limited attention paid to such skills and competencies in education can be felt in a number of domains and include, for example: poor respect for diversity (including socio-economic, ethnic, and gender equality), neglect of environmental issues, and a lack of innovation and social entrepreneurship among students.

To counter these challenges, many countries and economies in the Asia-Pacific region have introduced, or are in the process of introducing, policy and curriculum changes aimed at enhancing the cultivation of such “non-academic” skills and competencies in learners. To date, these important reforms in the Asia-Pacific region have not been widely documented, and hence, in 2013 members of the Asia-Pacific Education Research Institutes Network (ERI-Net), hosted by UNESCO Bangkok since 2009, agreed to make this their next topic of investigation. The research aims to document and consolidate reform initiatives for knowledge dissemination and policy consideration to the benefit of countries and economies in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. In phase I, the 2013 ERI-Net research examined how different countries and economies in the region define and apply “non-academic” skills (often termed “non-cognitive skills”) in their education policies, practices, and curriculum frameworks, and identified emerging trends and challenges. This report synthesizes ten case studies and includes important information and insights gained from the discussions held during the ERI-Net annual meeting 2013.

The objectives of the report are: (i) to capture the movements in the realm of “non-academic” learning in ten education systems in the Asia-Pacific region; (ii) to identify possible policy recommendations for promoting and enhancing well-rounded and holistic learning; and, (iii) to suggest further stages of investigation.