Asia-Europe Foundation

ASEF joined the global conversation on #cyberspace governance at the 2026 World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, China 🌐   🎤 ASEF’s Deputy Executive Director ZHANG Lei spoke at the Sub-Forum “International Norms in Cyberspace: Practices and Exploration”, sharing ASEF’s perspective on how Asia-Europe dialogue can help shape an open, secure and inclusive digital space.   🤝 The visit was also an opportunity to meet our longstanding partner Fudan University and the Department of International Cooperation of the Cyberspace Administration of China.   🌏 ASEF remains committed to fostering exchanges between Asia and Europe on the defining issues of the digital age.   #WIC2026 #WorldInternetConference #DigitalGovernance

📬 The November 2026 ASEF eNewsletter is here! Check your mailbox and catch up on the latest updates and initiatives from ASEF for Asia-Europe cooperation.   🌏 Read about the Asia-Europe Science and Technology Diplomacy 2026 and Youth Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia. 🩺 Discover how Asia and Europe are advancing the One Health approach through dialogue in Munich, Germany. ⚖️ Explore key discussions from the 24th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. 🎨 Catch the recording of the Thailand Green Guide Launch and Roundtable by ASEF culture360. 🔎 Read this month’s ASEM InfoBoard feature on pushing back against the scam industry.   Not receiving the ASEF eNewsletter yet? Subscribe here: na2.hubs.ly/H08PtHX0 and stay connected with the latest developments in Asia-Europe cooperation! ✨

🤝 ASEF was delighted to welcome the KAS Political Dialogue Asia team to the Foundation, represented by its new Director for Regional Programme Dr Denis Suarsana and Deputy Head, Policy Advisor Mr Jonas Nitschke.   💬 Representatives from ASEF’s Communications, Education and Governance & Sustainable Development departments shared upcoming projects and explored new opportunities for collaboration.   🎯 Building on a strong partnership since 2022, ASEF and KAS reaffirmed their shared commitment to fostering dialogue and cooperation between Asia and Europe.   🙏 ASEF looks forward to continuing this fruitful partnership with KAS!

Yesterday, we were delighted to welcome a delegation from UiT The Arctic University of Norway, including the Prof Dag Rune Olsen (Rector), Dr Jonas Stein (Vice-Rector) and Ms Ingvild Svestad (International Cooperation Section), to ASEF. The delegation was accompanied by the Norwegian Ambassador to Singapore, Ambassador Leif Trana, who also serves as Norwegian Governor for ASEF 🌏 Building on our partnership on the ASEFYLS Capacity Training 2026, the visit offered a valuable opportunity to deepen our exchange, introduce ASEF’s wider work and explore possibilities for future collaboration. We appreciated the opportunity to connect with our partners and discuss how we can build on this collaboration to strengthen engagement between Asia and Europe 🤝 Thank you to the UiT delegation and the Norwegian Ambassador for the engaging exchange and continued support. We look forward to continuing the conversation! #ASEF #UiT #ASEFYLS #AsiaEurope #InternationalCooperation

🌏 Road to the Meeting on Risk Communication: Meet the Trainers. In a public health emergency, messages must reach communities with different languages, concerns and levels of trust, often before there is time to test them. AI is beginning to change what is possible. For Dr Ng Yeuk Fan (Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore), it means “business as usual is no longer enough.” For Dr Alok Prakash (M3S, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology), AI personas can help communicators rehearse messages in minutes, but “final judgement must remain human.” In Tokyo, both will lead the hands-on AI sessions. Swipe to read their full reflections ➡️ 📅 5–6 November 2026 | 📍 Tokyo, Japan 🔗 For further information: Bridging Knowledge and Practice: Risk Communication for Public Health Emergencies in the Age of AI - Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) (na2.hubs.ly/H08Lvj40) #RiskCommunication #RCCE #AI #PublicHealth #AsiaEurope #ASEM #ASEFPHN #NUS #SMART

How can anticipatory leadership and science diplomacy strengthen collaboration across Asia and Europe? The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and the @GESDAglobal Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) invite you to an ASEF Lecture on Wednesday, 4 November, titled “Anticipatory Leadership and Science Diplomacy Across Asia and Europe”, delivered by Mr Enrico LETTA, former Prime Minister of Italy, Dean of the IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs, and Chair of GESDA’s Diplomacy Forum. The lecture will be followed by a panel discussion with Mr LETTA, Dr Marga GUAL SOLER, Executive Director, Capacity & Leadership, GESDA, and Mr Chris LECK, Group Chief Technology Officer, S&TPPO, Singapore. Join us to exchange perspectives on shared challenges in Science & Technology Diplomacy and strengthen Asia-Europe dialogue! Date and time: Wednesday, 4 November 2026, 15:30 - 17:00 Venue: Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), Conference Room Register: na2.hubs.ly/H08LrV70? #ASEF #GESDA #ScienceDiplomacy #AnticipatoryLeadership #AsiaEurope

🌏 ASEF and ASEAN met in Jakarta to discuss closer cooperation.   🤝 ASEF Executive Director Ambassador Beata Stoczyńska met HE Nararya S Soeprapto, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs and ASEAN Governor to ASEF.   💬 The ASEAN Secretariat, a member of ASEF since 1997, discussed future cooperation with ASEF in youth, education, science and technology diplomacy, the green transition and digital transformation.   🔗 asean.org/deputy-secretary-g…

🇩🇪 ASEF attended the 49th Singapore Lecture, delivered by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on “Germany and the Indo-Pacific: Partnership, Competitiveness and Resilience in a Changing World”.   The lecture was organised by ISEAS and chaired by Singapore’s Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo.   🤖 Chancellor Merz highlighted artificial intelligence and youth as key priorities for Asia-Europe cooperation, two areas at the heart of ASEF’s activities.   🤝 He also recalled a proverb that resonates strongly with us: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” Asia and Europe, together!   🙏 Thank you to @ISEAS for the invitation.

ASEF welcomed Professor Zhao Zhirong, Dean of the School of Public Affairs of Zhejiang University, China, to discuss future cooperation between the two institutions 🤝 🇨🇳   💬 Discussions centred on education and sustainable development, and identified opportunities for potential new projects in youth empowerment and AI policy dialogues.   🎓 The visit builds on a long-standing partnership: in March 2015, Zhejiang University hosted the 4th ASEM Rectors’ Conference and Students’ Forum (ARC4) in Hangzhou.   🙏 ASEF thanks Professor Zhao for his visit and looks forward to strengthening its cooperation with Zhejiang University.

🌏 Meet Dr Dea Vidović, facilitator of #ASEFLinkUp 2026. A researcher at the Institute for Development and International Relations, her work explores cultural governance, justice and international cultural relations. 👉 na2.hubs.ly/H08Gx0W0 #ASEFCulture - ASEF LinkUp 2026 is organised by ASEF, in partnership with Motovila, and in cooperation with the @MZEZ_RS, Ministry of Culture of Slovenia and Center Rog.

📢 Risk Communication: More Than a Decade of Evolution Clear and trusted communication can save lives in a public health emergency. Since 2013, the ASEF Public Health Network has brought together policymakers, experts and practitioners from Asia and Europe to work out how to get it right. The work has run from Bali, Oslo, Stockholm, Seoul and Paris to Viet Nam, the Republic of Korea and online during the pandemic. Each meeting has built on what the last one learnt. 📊 2013–2025 in numbers - 12 dedicated risk communication events - 625 participants - 11 host countries, plus 1 online edition - 17 partner organisations The challenges have kept changing. The work started with leadership and the inclusion of migrants and ethnic minorities, then moved to communication across borders. It went on to cover COVID-19, the infodemic and vaccine confidence. Now AI is changing how information is produced and shared. Through all of this, the goal has stayed the same: clearer public communication that people can trust. The next stage is coming soon. In November, ASEF PHN will meet in Tokyo to take stock of this work and look at how AI can support effective and inclusive risk communication. More to come. #RiskCommunication #RCCE #PublicHealth #PandemicPreparedness #AsiaEurope #ASEM #ASEFPHN

🇩🇰 ASEF was honoured to welcome HE Jakob Brix Tange, Ambassador of Denmark and the new Governor of Denmark to ASEF, together with Ms Caroline Busk Ullerup, Head of Section, ASILAC, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, for a Foundation Visit.   💬 The meeting allowed for a constructive dialogue and useful exchanges on their respective plans and priorities for 2027, reaffirming a shared commitment to advancing Asia-Europe cooperation.   🎯 Looking ahead, 2027 will mark the 50thanniversary of EU-ASEAN relations, a milestone that will shape next year’s activities.   🙏 ASEF extends its sincere appreciation to Denmark for its continued support of our current projects and upcoming initiatives.

🇮🇪 ASEF was honoured to welcome HE Ambassador Damien Cole, Ambassador of Ireland to Singapore.   🤝 After a productive meeting with ASEF Executive Director Ambassador Beata Stoczyńska, Ambassador Cole was presented ASEF’s work across its range of thematic areas, from education and culture to governance. We are grateful for Ambassador Cole’s firm affirmation of Ireland’s continued support for ASEF.    ☘️ We look forward to closer collaboration with Ireland on fostering dialogue and understanding between Asia and Europe. @IrlEmbSingapore

🌏 Road to the Meeting on Risk Communication Risk communication is one of the eight core capacities under the International Health Regulations. COVID-19 showed why: where communication failed, public behaviour faltered, misinformation spread and trust in public health institutions was damaged. Since 2013, the ASEF Public Health Network has brought together policymakers, experts and practitioners from across Asia and Europe to examine what effective risk communication requires. Topics have ranged from leadership and the inclusion of migrants and ethnic minorities to the infodemic, vaccine confidence and the whole-of-government approach. Bridging Knowledge and Practice: Risk Communication for Public Health Emergencies in the Age of AI marks the first comprehensive stocktaking of this body of knowledge. The meeting will look at what has been achieved, why gaps persist, and how AI can support more effective and inclusive risk communication and community engagement. The meeting is co-organised by ASEF PHN and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, with the financial support of the Government of Japan. 📅 5–6 November 2026 | 📍 Tokyo, Japan For further information: Bridging Knowledge and Practice: Risk Communication for Public Health Emergencies in the Age of AI - Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) (na2.hubs.ly/H08F3pH0) #RiskCommunication #RCCE #PublicHealth #IHR #PandemicPreparedness #AsiaEurope #ASEM #ASEFPHN

🎙️ Fresh from the #ASEFClassNet19 conference in Innsbruck, #Austria, Ms Tsvetelina Encheva, English teacher at Minyo Balkanski High School in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria 🇧🇬, spoke to TV Zagora about her experience of the programme.   💡Her key message: teachers stay in charge of whether, when and how AI enters the classroom.   📖 Read the article and full transcript: na2.hubs.ly/H08BMb50 ▶️ Watch the interview (in Bulgarian, with auto-translated English subtitles): na2.hubs.ly/H08BMbV0

🌏 Meet the government and public sector participants of #ASEFLinkUp 2026! Representatives will join arts and cultural professionals in #Ljubljana to explore sustainability, ethics and equity in international #CulturalRelations. 👉 na2.hubs.ly/H08y3Jg0 - ASEF LinkUp 2026 is organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation, in partnership with Motovila, and in cooperation with the @MZEZ_RS, Ministry of Culture of Slovenia and Center Rog.

🤝 A fruitful exchange with our Indonesian partners in Jakarta! 🇮🇩   We had the pleasure of meeting Ambassador Grata Endah Werdaningtyas, Director General for America and Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, and Ambassador Andri Hadi, the Indonesian Governor to ASEF, for a productive discussion on Indonesia–ASEF cooperation.   Indonesia has been a valued partner across many of our initiatives, particularly in: 🎓 Education 🌱 Youth 🔬 Science and technology diplomacy   We look forward to deepening our collaboration and building even stronger bridges between Asia and Europe together. Terima kasih! 🙏