Event: 11th ADB International Education and Skills Forum — “Applying a Fresh Lens to Unlock the Power of Human Capital”
Date: 3–5 December 2025
Venue: Asian Development Bank Headquarters, Manila, Philippines
Representative: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jomphong Mongkhonvanit, Vice President and Dean, Graduate School of Business, Siam University
Category: News / International Education Policy & Human Capital Development
Overview
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jomphong Mongkhonvanit — Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School of Business at Siam University — attended the 11th ADB International Education and Skills Forum at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Headquarters in Manila, Philippines, from 3 to 5 December 2025. Describing it as a “great privilege,” Dr. Jomphong joined education ministers, global development leaders, policymakers, academics, and international organisations from across Asia and the Pacific to engage with one of the most important annual convenings on education, skills, and human capital in the region.
About the Forum
The ADB International Education and Skills Forum is the flagship event of ADB’s education sector group — held annually at ADB Headquarters in Manila and widely regarded as the premier platform for strategic dialogue on education investment and policy across the Asia-Pacific. The 11th edition was themed:
**”Applying a Fresh Lens to Unlock the Power of Human Capital”**
The theme captured the forum’s ambition: to challenge existing assumptions, embrace new evidence and perspectives, and chart more effective pathways for education and skills development at a time of profound global transformation.
The 3×3×3 Framework
The 11th Forum was structured around an innovative 3×3×3 lens, comprising three themes, three dimensions, and three system levels:
Three Themes — Transformative Features to Reimagine Education Systems:
- Digital Transformation and EdTech at Scale — realising the potential of technology to personalise, expand, and improve learning at institutional and national levels
- Green and Climate Resilience Skills — promoting environmental competencies to serve priority economic sectors for inclusive and sustainable growth
- Future Jobs Across Multi-Sector Contexts — unlocking the role of education and training in health and elderly care, sustainable agriculture, clean energy, sustainable transport, and resilient water systems
Three Dimensions — Targets, Standards, and Impact:
- Enhancing quality and its measurement and monitoring
- Supporting inclusion and equity in education access and outcomes
- Building future-ready education and training systems
Three System Levels:
- K–12 (basic education)
- Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
- Higher Education and research and innovation
Key Forum Highlights
ADB President Masato Kanda opened the forum with a special address affirming ADB’s deepened commitment to education: from 2025 to 2028, ADB’s education commitments are expected to reach USD 6.5 billion — reflecting the institution’s view that investing in education is among the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty, advancing inclusive growth, and building national competitiveness.
The forum featured substantive discussions on: the application of artificial intelligence in education; the evolving role of teachers in AI-integrated learning environments; youth employment and skills development in the context of rapid labour market transformation; and the design of education systems that are genuinely inclusive, equitable, and resilient.
Participants included education ministers, multilateral development organisation representatives, leading academics, private sector innovators, and civil society organisations — all united around the common goal of advancing human capital across a region that is home to more than half the world’s population.
Why This Forum Matters for Thailand and Siam University
Thailand faces the same challenges that defined the 11th Forum’s agenda: an ageing population that demands reskilling and lifelong learning; a skills mismatch between vocational and higher education outputs and the needs of a rapidly digitising, greening economy; and the imperative to expand access to quality education for all segments of society.
For Siam University — an institution that has embedded AI-integrated learning, sustainability education, and international academic collaboration at the heart of its strategy — participation in the ADB Forum provides both validation and valuable external insight. The frameworks, evidence, and partnerships forged at ADB-level forums directly inform how forward-thinking institutions like Siam University design their programmes, partnerships, and student outcomes.
Dr. Jomphong’s presence at ADB Manila also reflects Siam University’s growing profile in regional education policy conversations — alongside governments, multilateral banks, and international organisations that are shaping the investment and policy landscape for education across Asia and the Pacific.
Key Takeaways
- The 11th ADB International Education and Skills Forum (3–5 December 2025) is the Asia-Pacific’s most prestigious multilateral convening on education and human capital — bringing together ministers, ADB leadership, and global experts around a shared agenda
- ADB’s commitment of USD 6.5 billion in education from 2025 to 2028 signals the institution’s recognition that human capital is central to Asia-Pacific’s inclusive and sustainable development
- The forum’s 3×3×3 framework — addressing digital transformation, green skills, and future jobs across K–12, TVET, and higher education — directly mirrors the priorities that Siam University is embedding in its own institutional strategy
- Dr. Jomphong Mongkhonvanit’s participation places Siam University in the company of the region’s most influential education stakeholders, strengthening the university’s international networks and policy relevance
- For Thailand, the forum’s themes — from AI in education and climate skills to inclusive access and future-ready systems — map directly onto the national challenges that Siam University and its peers are positioned to help address
The 11th ADB International Education and Skills Forum was hosted by the Asian Development Bank at its Headquarters in Manila, Philippines, 3–5 December 2025. For more information, visit [adb.org](https://www.adb.org/news/events/11th-adb-international-education-skills-forum).