The First OPEN National Conference occurred on the 28th of July 2022 and it was hosted by Souphanouvong University. The objectives of the Conference were to disseminate the OPEN project, to promote the IROs from the 5 Laotian HEIs, to present the results of the project achieved to-date, to encourage dialogue on internationalisation of HE at the national level, and, consequently, to induce national policy making.

The target of the Conference was the university community (managers, professors, IRO staff, students), but also policymakers and international organisations.

The topic of the Conference was “Internationalisation at Higher Education Institutions in Lao PDR”. The event was divided into three sessions.

The first session consisted of three interventions. First, there was an overview of the OPEN project, given by the Project Manager of UA. Secondly, a keynote was delivered by the Project Advisor from the University of Bologna, Mr. James Kennedy on “Internationalisation after the Pandemic: Resilience and Sustainability”. Then the SKU Lecturer Ms. ToEm Vilaysauk exposed the importance of empowering teachers in Laos through the use of technology in HE.

The second session was more focused on the practical cases, Champasack University and Souphanouvong University explained their roads to Internationalisation. Next, a case study on the collaborative internationalised capacity building for human resources in medicine was exposed by UHS Vice-Dean Dr. Alongkone Phengsavanh. This session finished with the Project Manager of the University of Bologna’s intervention about “Designing Tools for an Asian Way to Internationalisation of Higher Education: the Experience of Erasmus+ KA2 TOOLKIT Project”.

The third session consisted of the presentation of the OPEN Policy Roadmap and a Panel Discussion in which, among others, the General Directors of the Ministry of Education and Sport of Laos, Dr. Saykhong Saynasine and Dr. Silinthone Sacklokham participated.

During the event, the final draft of the OPEN Policy Roadmap for the implementation of strategies on the internationalisation of Laos HE was presented, followed by a panel discussion to validate the document focused on articulating any necessary policy change at the institutional level.

The First OPEN National Conference served as a unique opportunity for different voices to come together to discuss challenges faced by Laotian universities regarding internationalisation, a chance for networking, and a venue to better clarify and show what the OPEN project is about.