President Doo-Hee Lee Addresses to the EAIE Conference Participants
President Doo-Hee Lee Addresses to the EAIE Conference Participants
Prof. Doo-Hee Lee, the President of the Association and Vice President for Development and External Affairs of Korea University, addressed to 2,300 audience participated in the 18th Annual Conference and Exhibition of EAIE in Basel, Switzerland on September 14, 2006. He was invited to speak at the Opening Ceremony of EAIE Conference representing EAIE's strong commitment for international alliance. In his speech, Prof. Lee congratulated the successful history of EAIE, reported and encouraged the future collaboration between APAIE and EAIE, and supported the foundation of the Council for International Education Associations (CIEA). The speech, in fact, signified APAIE as one of the prominent higher education associations along with EAIE.
The two organization started working together back in March with the signing of the Declaration of Intent for Collaboration between APAIE and EAIE. We have been helping each other administratively, and will further the collaboration by offering sessions at each other's conference. In Basel, an update on Asia-Pacific higher education was presented by APAIE and this practice will stand in the future conference as well. A strong kinship will be continued to be developed between EAIE and APAIE.
Below is the full text of Prof. Lee's speech:
President Antoinette Charone Wauters,
Rector Ulrich Gabler,
and dear colleagues.
On behalf of the Asia Pacific Association for International Education, APAIE, I would like to thank EAIE inviting and giving me this great opportunity to speak to colleagues from Europe and around the world.
I must confess that this 18th Annual conference is the most perfectly organized in detail. And I admire that even the lovely weather in this charming city is well reserved by the president and organizing committee. In Asian culture, cooperating weather at an important event is not considered to be a random but by the virtue of the leadership.
As a sister organization that hosted the first conference this past March, it is with a great respect to see the EAIE continues to grow and represents international educators and professionals of Europe for almost two decades. I also would like to report how honored I was to have moments working with president Antoinette Charon Wauters who has a soft and strong leadership and great achievement for EAIE.
As all of you here would agree, associations for international educators like EAIE are crucial for professionals and educators today. They offer opportunities to network and exchange information among colleagues in different institutions. They provide venues to develop professionalism and advocate the role of professionals in the field.
With the growing importance, we see a number of associations being established nationally and regionally. APAIE could be mentioned as one of the most important associations, because it is the unique association that emphasizes Asia and Pacific region. APAIE will serve all professionals not only in the region but also from all over the world.
Many borderless associations are collaborating in various ways. Our associations, EAIE and APAIE, had set their feet for collaboration already. The two associations signed a Declaration of Intent for Collaboration last March at the APAIE Conference in Seoul. I think that it is a wonderful marriage between the two family circles. And who cares who the bride or the groom is, as long as we try to create a beautiful kinship. Since then, we had been helping each other administratively and will discuss further cooperation to benefit to both of memberships. The two regions have quite a lot in common and are highly interested in each other. Therefore, APAIE and EAIE will be there to promote the very interest and further enhance the relationship and friendship between the two regions. We will pursue the maximizing benefits to both memberships.
The kinship between us will be the initiative for future macro Euro-Asia Pacific higher education region. I believe this kind of commitment is essential in the new paradigm of international higher education in the world.
In the same context, the idea of establishing the Council for International Education Associations is appreciated. In today's global environment, understanding of trends, changes, goals and directions of each nation and region is becoming more important. And the roles of the proposed Council, as an association of associations - such as sharing information, advocating the profession, researching the trends and advancing the field - will, at the end, produce more fruits to each association members. Therefore, as the president of APAIE and as an administrator in the field of international education, I welcome and support the initiation of the Council and glad to be a part of the initiative.
To finish, I would like to say my deepest congratulations on the successful 18th EAIE conference. Moreover, I am extremely pleased and honored to be a partner in this exciting journey for internationalization of higher learning.
I love you all, colleagues. Let's go together.
Thank you very much indeed.
ASIA - PACIFIC ASSOCIATION
FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
On behalf of the Asia Pacific Association for International Education, APAIE, I would like to thank EAIE inviting and giving me this great opportunity to speak to colleagues from Europe and around the world. 
