Roles and impacts of ASEAN University Network on youth development towards ASEAN integration

Abstract

Focusing on regionalization in Southeast Asia, the scope of this thesis is on the role and impacts of academic cooperation which supports ASEAN integration. Taking the ASEAN University Network (AUN) as a case study, its role and progress after over a decade of its operation was explored through the acquisition of related documents regarding its planning phase up to present. An adaptation of its role as well as its planning and implementation to be in accordance with ASEAN aspirations can be perceived through the course of the AUN’s development. In term of the impacts of its implementation, they were investigated through observation, questionnaires, and interviews in the field research. Empirical data was collected from a research sampling of 210 youth participants in three AUN youth activities: Japan-ASEAN Student Conference, the 8th ASEAN Youth Cultural Forum, and the 8th International College Student Exchange. Based on a pre-test and post-test design, the impacts of such activities on the improvement of participants’ ASEAN consciousness in some aspects, e.g. understanding of ASEAN, general knowledge of ASEAN, and attitudes and awareness towards ASEAN, were proved. The findings verified what is hypothesized in this research: the activities must nurture a sense of regional awareness in participants, apart from simply attaining the specific objectives of each academic cooperation activity. In addition, it was found that variables which were used to select research sampling, namely types of activity (academic and non-academic activity), duration of activity (short and long activity), and knowledge background and familiarity with ASEAN (ASEAN youth and non-ASEAN youth) have a relation with the significance of the increase in participants’ ASEAN consciousness. For instance, results from respondents in academic activities show more of an increase than from nonacademic activities. The results in longer activities proved that the duration of participation makes participants feel stronger about ASEAN citizenship. Despite a lower initial awareness of ASEAN, non-ASEAN youths (Japanese youths) show more improvement on understanding and knowledge after attending the activity. Theoretically and empirically, this research presents an analysis, conclusion, and recommendations aimed at making another step in academic cooperation development towards regional integration.