The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO) Regional Open Learning Centre (SEAMOLEC) Conference is aimed at increasing the exchange of experiences in open and distance education and the application of information technology in expanding this form of education.

During the conference, seminars on policies and technology in open and distance education, theory and practice will be held on September 14-15 with the participation of 250 professors and experts from ASEAN member countries.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Education and Training Tran Van Nhung said that open and distance education has become a part of human development in many countries, including Vietnam. The model has helped increase communities' education thanks to its advantages regarding time, venue, programmes and means of learning.

The Vietnamese Government has approved a US$100 million project on distance training for the 2006-2010 period, Mr Nhung said.

The project starts at Hanoi Open University and Ho Chi Minh City Open University and will be conducted in central Da Nang city.