The 17 REAL Programme Teams, accompanied by EU partner experts, had the second three-day working meeting on 26-28 August 2025. Hosted by NUOL, REAL Second General Meeting focused on:
(1) Sharing and discussing the findings of the Line 1 Consultations about the Desired Graduate Profiles conducted by the 17 programmes between May and July 2025, and sharing the meta-lessons learned about ways to engage alumni and employers in a dialogue about ways to increase the relevance of higher education studies – for Line 1;
(2) Peer-review of Course Learning Outcomes and a training session on Programme Learning Outcomes – for Line 2,
(3) Line 3 Topic 1: “How to engage students in learning & help them deal with failure?” (discussing pedagogical improvements experimented with and brainstorming how other REAL programme team members can be encouraged to introduce similar enhancements in their teaching practice and what kind of professional development workshops might best meet the needs of fellow academics) and Line 3 Topic 2: “How to incorporate principles of active learning in your course design and delivery?” (sharing and discussing the ASK Students findings, putting together what research says, and planning for the next steps, including experimenting with active learning techniques most suitable for participants’ teaching contexts).
The National REAL Task Force representatives from MOES, including
- Deputy Director General HE, MOES, Dr Ammany Norrinl;
- Acting Director General, Department of Education Quality Assurance, Mr. Panya CHANTHAVONG;
- Head of Academic Affairs Division, DHE, Mrs. Nilinthone Sacklokham;
- Head of Inspection, Monitoring and Evaluation, DHE, Mr. Phoutthasone Phommalath, and
- Officer of Academic Affairs Division, DHE, & Erasmus+ National Focal Point for Lao PDR, Dr. Viengdavong Luangsithideth,
as well as the highest educational authorities of the four Lao public universities – NUOL, CU, SKU and SU (see below) – had their own of working sessions on Day 2 (full day) and Day 3 (morning), and joined the REAL Programme Teams during the Closing Plenary to hear about the progress achieved in the three project working lines: Ensuring Relevance of Higher Education Studies (Line 1), Ensuring Feasibility of Higher Education Programmes (Line 2) and Ensuring Effectiveness of Teaching (Line 3).
The REAL General Meeting 2 was opened by the NUOL President, Prof. Dr. Dexanourath Seneduangdeth, Director General of the Department of Higher Education, MOES, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lavanh Vongkhamsane, and the EU Ambassador to Lao PDR H.E. Mr. Mark Gallagher. The Delegation of the European Union to Lao PDR was also represented by Mrs Saymano Sanoubane.
The Closing Plenary counted with presence and interventions from the NUOL Vice President for Academic Affairs, Asst. Prof. Thongsouk Keomany; CU President, Dr. Phonesavanh Thepphasoulithone; SKU President, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Khoune Sackbouavong; Dr. Nouphone Manivanh on behalf of the SU President, and Deputy Director General HE, MOES, Dr Ammany Norrinl.
REAL Institutional Coordinators – Dr. Soubin Sisavath (NUOL), Ms. Phetsavanh Somsivilay (SKU), Mr. Thavone Panmanivong (SU), and Mrs. Nongkhane Phanthanalay (CU) presented overview of the work established at each Lao partner university during the first semester of the project, while Dr. Viengdavong Luangsithideth presented an overview of MOES work on the project.
General Meeting 2 working sessions of REAL Programme Teams were co-facilitated jointly by Lao and EU experts.
