Proposals - Workshop to sharing experiences and best...

Project Title	Workshop to sharing experiences and best practices on how APEC economies’ Qualifications Frameworks are coping with the disruptive impact of emerging AI technologies	Project Year	2023
Project Number	CN_HRDWG_207_2023	Project Session	Session 2
Project Type	Standard	Project Status	Project in Implementation

Project No.

HRDWG_204_2023A

Project Title

Workshop to sharing experiences and best practices on how APEC economies’ Qualifications Frameworks are coping with the disruptive impact of emerging AI technologies

Project Status

Project in Implementation

Publication (if any)

Fund Account

APEC Support Fund

Sub-fund

ASF: General Fund

Project Year

2023

Project Session

Session 2

APEC Funding

132,092

Co-funding Amount

9,905

Total Project Value

141,997

Other Fora Involved

Other Non-APEC Stakeholders Involved

Proposing Economy(ies)

Peru

Co-Sponsoring Economies

Australia; Chile; China; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Thailand; Chinese Taipei

Expected Start Date

01/12/2023

Expected Completion Date

01/11/2024

Project Proponent Name 1

Merlita Melina Burgos Quinones

Job Title 1

General Director of Technical, Productive, Higher Technical, and Artistic Education

Organization 1

Ministry of Education

Postal Address 1

Not Applicable

Telephone 1

+51 945 093 332

Fax 1

Not Applicable

Email 1

mburgosq@minedu.gob.pe

Project Proponent Name 2

Not Applicable

Job Title 2

Not Applicable

Organization 2

Not Applicable

Postal Address 2

Not Applicable

Telephone 2

+51 997 249 096

Fax 2

Not Applicable

Email 2

serafael@minedu.gob.pe

Declaration

Merlita Melina Burgos Quinones

Project Summary

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the way we work, live, communicate and learn, so its impact on education is bringing opportunities as well as numerous threats. Intermediate skill jobs as we know them, are fast disappearing as their tasks are systematically automated. Thus, this project seeks to examine how APEC economies’ Qualifications Frameworks (QF) adapt to new technologies (e.g. AI), providing an updated educational and training offer, so that professionals have the necessary qualifications to quickly respond to changes. It proposes to: (1) Prepare a compendium of best practices to systematize and compare regional and domestic experiences oriented to lifelong learning, promotion of quality productive insertion and equal opportunities for women (2) Hold a 1-day Workshop in Peru in May 2024, to enhance APEC members’ capacity by analyzing experiences, best practices, lessons learned and challenges in the adaptation of their QF (3) Deliver a Summary Report that contribute to enrich policymakers, HRDWG, and other APEC fora.

List of all project outputs

1. Compendium of best practices

2. 2-Day Workshop in Peru

3. Summary Report

Relevance

Benefits to Region: Technological development is advancing at a dizzying pace, contributing to the competitivity and productivity of the different economies across the globe. Such is the case of AI, which can, for example, drastically and efficiently improve production levels in manufacturing industry when implemented in combination with automation. However, this carries the latent risk that certain operational jobs will no longer be needed as they will be replaced by AI: e.g., ChatGPT that has prompted IBM’s CEO to pause the hiring of about 7800 back-office related positions and gradually replace them with AI over 5 years. This is the case in much of the formal labour market, raising serious concerns about the impact on MSMEs, but also in the informal market; and not only that, women are also experiencing segregation in some areas of knowledge, such as ICT or STEM, where they are under-represented with a low participation rates, putting them at a disadvantage in benefiting from new job opportunities. It is important to highlight the growing role of skills associated with non-automatable tasks and the need for an AI-symbiotic workforce to mitigate the negative impacts of technology and how a QF can help by improving the processes of re- skilling and upskilling. According to APEC Economic Policy Report 2021 on Structural Reform and the Future of Work “(…)Government can support the development of skills by developing better skills forecasting systems, expanding reskilling and upskilling programmes, promoting lifelong learning and increasing targeted investment in educational to better align school curricula and labour market skills needs”. In this context seven (7) APEC economies (Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines) have implemented QF that incorporates the qualifications from each education and training sector into a single comprehensive domestic framework. Similarly, other APEC economies, within the Pacific Alliance, Chile, Mexico and Peru (including non-member Colombia) have moved towards their Regional Qualifications Framework (RQF) to enable mutual recognition of qualifications across the region. In this sense, this project proposes to analyze the implementation of APEC economies’ QF to identify the skills, knowledge and competencies needed by professionals to cope with the disruptions of new AI technologies in different fields of the productive sector, and how they can reduce the negative impact on the workforce by rapidly adapting academic offerings for the well-being of people and society in an increasingly digitalized economy.

Eligibility and Fund Priorities: This project meets the eligibility criteria for the APEC Support Fund (ASF) General Fund, as it supports the capacity building needs for APEC developing economies to obtain, share, strengthen, maintain and develop knowledge, abilities, skills in the implementation of APEC economies’ QF to cope with the disruptions of new technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence) to prepare their workforce for the labour market. Specifically, this project falls under the following priority area of the Framework for Strengthening Economic Cooperation and Development: Develop Human Capital, the region’s main asset in economic development, to broaden the benefits of economic growth, deepen the basis for sustainable growth, and strengthen social cohesion domestically and regionally.

Capacity Building: This project will be an important capacity-building opportunity, especially for developing economies with and without a QF, as they will increase their knowledge and skills on how the QF can rapidly adapt academic tertiary education provision to promote reskilling and upskilling in the new digital era. It is directly aligned with APEC’s objectives for capacity building goals to attain sustainable growth and equitable development in the Asia-Pacific region, reduce economic disparities among APEC economies and to improve the economic and social well-being of people.

Objectives

The objective of this project is to improve the capacity of APEC economies to identify the skills, knowledge and competencies needed by professionals to cope with the disruptions of new technologies (AI) in different fields of the productive sector, through analyzing the experiences, best practices, lessons learned and challenges in adapting their respective QF, and how they can reduce the negative impact on the workforce by rapidly adapting academic offerings to promote inclusive human resource development, as well as economic and technical cooperation to better equip our people for the future.

Alignment

APEC: This project is consistent with the third economic driver of the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 and the Aotearoa Plan of Action on Strong, Balanced, Secure, Sustainable, and Inclusive Growth, in terms of intensifying inclusive human resource development as well as economic and technical cooperation to better equip our people with the skills and knowledge for the future, as this project pretends to share knowledge, experiences and best practices to strengthen the role of education through QF that respond to labor market needs, due to the disruption caused by the adoption of new technologies. It is also aligned with the following collective action: Innovate and exchange expertise on skills and human resource development, and cooperate on sharing lessons and best practice in these areas, as the project aims to identify what professional skills are required by the productive sector and share experiences on how economies with a QF have adapted. In addition, this project contributes to advance La Serena Roadmap on Women and Inclusive Growth key area D. Support women's education, training and skills development and access in a changing world of work, as it will provide APEC economies with specific training standards and qualifications that are aligned to industry requirements.

Forum: This project is in line with the HRDWG’s objective related to “Develop 21st Century Knowledge and Skills for All” as it will provide insights to enhance the resilience of tertiary education system when new technologies are adopted. This project also supports the “APEC Framework on Human Resources Development in the Digital Age”, and the “APEC Framework for Youth Education, Employment and Entrepreneurship”, as well as the APEC HRDWG Strategic Plan 2021-2025 mission to share knowledge, experience, and skills to strengthen human resource development and promote sustainable economic growth in the Asia-Pacific Region.

TILF/ASF Justification

Beneficiaries and Outputs

Outputs:

1. Compendium of Best Practices

- Purpose: Compile a comprehensive compendium of best practices related to the adaptation of QF to address the challenges posed by AI and emerging technologies in the workforce.
- Duration: 4 months.
- Location: Collaborative effort among APEC member economies.
- Expected Scope and Scale: A comprehensive document featuring insights, case studies, and best practices from various APEC economies
(Australia, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam will be surveyed as they all have a national qualifications framework ranging from first to third generation of QF with different maturity or implementation levels, as well as including developed and developing economies), highlighting successful approaches to QF adaptation of digital skills.
- Methodology: To identify best practices, at least the following criteria must be assessed: wheter the practice had any impacts on informal economies, wether the practice had the potential for replication in other contexts, wether the practice improved the time needed to adapt educational and traning programs in order to respond to the abilities requirements. To gather the information and data required, at least the following means must be employed: consultation with officers from QF agencies or government officers from labour and/or education ministries in charge of their QF, follow-up interviews with people implementing the practices in order to understand the underlying elements of the best practice and review its impact, as well as its accuracy. Where interviews were not possible reports, legislation and policies, and other written materials must be consulted to document the practice. Also, each best practice should describe the following points: a summary of the approach, key reults achieved, lessons learned and replication.
- Document structure: The compendium must have, at least, 50 pages addressing the following contents: Introduction, background, methodology, best practices supporting education and/or training programs, best practices supporting formal and/or informal economies, conclusions. The present document will be appended to the end of the project's Summary report.
- Timelines: January 2024 (contractor hiring), February-March 2024
(collection of APEC members economies’ best practices), April 2024
(completion).

2. 2-Days Workshop in Peru

- Purpose: Organize a workshop to enhance the capacity of APEC member economies in addressing AI-related workforce challenges by sharing best practices, lessons learned, and challenges in adapting their QF.
- Duration: 2 days.
- Location:Arequipa, Peru.
- Expected Scope and Scale: The workshop will gather experts and policymakers from APEC member economies to exchange knowledge and experiences related to QF adaptation in the context of AI, delivered in fully in-person format.
- Timelines: March 2024 (drafted agenda and topics), March 2024
(participants’ invitations/confirmations), May 2024 (workshop).

- Rough agenda:

First day:
- Welcome words from the foreign ministry’s representative
- Ex-ante evaluation of participants' knowledge about the impact of technologies on educational and training systems
- Presentation from Expert #1 (Topic: Present and future of disruptive technologies and their impacts on jobs and society)
- Presentation from Expert #2 (Topic: How Australia’s NFQ deals with new technologies’ adoption)
- Presentation from Expert #3 (Topic: How Singapore’s NFQ deals with new technologies’ adoption)
- Intermediate (lunch)
- Presentation from Expert #4 (Topic: How Chile’s NFQ deals with new technologies’ adoption)
- Presentation from Expert #5 (Topic: Ensuring gender equality and equal opportunities for women in new technologies’ adoption)
- Panel Discussion with all experts
- Summary and/or conclusions of the day

Second Day:
- Welcome words from the foreign ministry’s representative
- Implementing the Six Thinking Hats methodology in order to draft a common strategy among APEC economies to address proper upskilling and reskilling (Part I: productive discussions and idea generation)
- Intermediate (lunch)
- Implementing the Six Thinking Hats methodology in order to draft a common strategy among APEC economies to address proper upskilling and reskilling (Part II: Strategy draft).
- Summary and/or conclusions of the day
- Ex-post evaluation of participants' knowledge about the impact of technologies on educational and training systems
- Closing words by the foreign ministry’s representative

Note: The experts will be part of the Blue Hat (Facilitation and Organization) group on day 2.

3. Summary Report

- Purpose: Develop a comprehensive summary report that captures the key insights, recommendations, and outcomes of the project, contributing to enriching policymakers, the APEC’s HRDWG, and other APEC fora.
- Duration: 1 month, to be completed after the workshop.
- Location: Peru (preparation and compilation by the project team).
- Expected Scope and Scale: A detailed report summarizing the findings, discussions, and recommendations from the project, as well as the conclusion of the compendium, serving as a valuable resource for APEC member economies.
- Document structure: Introduction which provides context and background information about the workshop, such as the title, date, location, duration, facilitator, and number of participants; main section that summarize the main topics, insights, and outcomes of the workshop, emphasizing the takeaways that participants will get it in an action-oriented way; a section to describe a call to action and/or recommendations, perhaps a question for further discussion in the conclusion; a conclusive section.
- Lenght: 20 pages (not including the aforementioned compendium)
- Timelines: June 2024 (completion).

Outcomes:

1. Enhanced adaptation of QF to digital skills:
- APEC member economies demonstrate an improved capacity to adapt their QFs to address the challenges posed by AI and emerging technologies in the workforce.
- Participating institutions and policymakers adopt strategies and approaches highlighted in the Compendium of Best Practices to align their QFs with the demands of the digital era.
- Enhanced gender equality and equal opportunities for women in AI-related fields of work.

2. Knowledge sharing and collaboration across APEC economies:

- A culture of knowledge-sharing and collaboration is fostered among APEC member economies, leading to the exchange of best practices and lessons learned in QF adaptation.
- Institutions and policymakers actively engage in collaborative efforts, such as the 2-day Workshop in Peru, to share their experiences and challenges.
- Strengthened regional cooperation and synergy in addressing workforce challenges posed by AI in successful strategies and approaches to QF adaptation among APEC economies.

3. Informed policy and decision-making with actionable recommendations:

- Policymakers and institutions across APEC economies possess valuable insights and a set of actionable recommendations derived from the Summary Report related to workforce development in the digital age.
- Policymakers and institutions utilize the findings and specific recommendations outlined in the Summary Report to shape their workforce development policies, strategies, and action plans.
- Evidence-based policies and actionable recommendations that address the impact of AI and digital technologies on workforce development, lifelong learning, and equal opportunities for women.

4. Increased knowledge of the participants about the impact of technologies on education and training systems:

- Knowledge about how technology impacts professional development for educators and trainers
- Understand the need to develop policies that support the integration of technology in education and training at local, national, and international levels

Beneficiaries:

The project's direct participants and users primarily include officials from Ministries of Education, Labour, Industry, Production, and Commerce, decision and policy makers, curricular design experts (TVET and Higher Education), and instructional design experts from APEC member economies. These participants, with diverse qualifications and roles, will use the project's outputs to inform policy decisions, shape educational curricula, and develop strategies for workforce development that align with the demands of the digital era. They will benefit by gaining insights, best practices, and recommendations for fostering inclusive, digital-ready labor markets, ultimately contributing to sustainable economic growth and equitable development. Indirect beneficiaries encompass a broader audience, including workers, businesspeople and students of all APEC economies. Workers, representing diverse skill levels and industries, will indirectly benefit from the project as they enter the workforce equipped with skills that align with the demands of AI and emerging technologies, enhancing their employability and career prospects. Businesspeople, including entrepreneurs and industry leaders, will also indirectly benefit from a more skilled and adaptable workforce, enhancing their ability to compete in the global digital marketplace. Finally, students, ranging from TVET programs to higher education institutions and lifelong learners, stand to gain valuable skills and knowledge that prepare them for the digital economy, fostering lifelong learning and enhancing their future career opportunities. In this way, the project's impact extends beyond its direct participants to empower a wider community of individuals across APEC member economies.

Dissemination

The project places a strong emphasis on effective dissemination to ensure that valuable insights and recommendations reach a wide and relevant audience. All key outputs will be published electronically on the APEC Publication website (Summary report which includes the Compendium of Best Practices and the documents generated at the workshop). Following the workshop, all meeting documents will be uploaded to the Meeting Document Database (MDDB). Digital formats will ensure easy accessibility for stakeholders, and dissemination will occur through various channels, including the APEC website, the Peruvian Ministry of Education website and. Target audience for these publications encompasses officials from Ministries of Education, Labour, Industry, Production, and Commerce, decision and policy makers, educational experts, businesspeople, workers, and students from diverse APEC member economies. The documents will be prepared by an appointed contractor, and all publications in this report will feature the APEC Intellectual Property and Logo. It is important to note that the PO has no intention to sell any outputs arising from this project., as their primary goal is to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration among APEC economies.

Gender

To ensure the active participation and engagement of both men and women in project activities and to maximize the benefits for women, the project will implement several strategic steps. Firstly, it will actively encourage and promote equality in all project activities. This includes maintaining gender balance among participants, speakers, and experts involved. Secondly, the project outputs, such as the Compendium of Best Practices, workshop materials, and the Summary Report, will incorporate a gender-responsive approach This means addressing gender disparities and challenges while also highlighting opportunities and strategies. Thirdly, the project will seek to collect and analyze gender-disaggregated data to assess the impact of AI-related workforce challenges on both men and women. Additionally, it will ensure diversity among speakers and experts, including women leaders in technology. Lastly, the project's Summary Report will include gender-responsive policy recommendations, developed based on specific challenges and opportunities identified during the project.

Furthermore, the project places a significant focus on gender equality, addressing gender disparities in AI-related fields, where women are often underrepresented, by providing strategies and best practices to ensure equal opportunities for women in the digital workforce. This commitment ensures that women across APEC member economies have equitable access to and can fully benefit from the opportunities presented by the digital economy.

It should be noted that PO is committed to collecting sex disaggregated data for all speakers and participants (not only those funded by APEC) at the project event. This data will be included when submitting a Completion Report to the Secretariat upon completion of the project, as well as providing guidance to future POs on their own gender parity targets.

Gender Participation Target Goals
As participants: Male (50%) Female (50%)
As speakers: Male (50%) Female (50%)

Five Pillars of the Gender Criteria

Skills, Capacity Building, and Health
Innovation and Technology