A Landmark Moment Aligning ASEAN Youth Empowerment with Regional Education Transformation

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Nov. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- His Highness Tengku Amir Shah ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Al-Haj, Crown Prince of Selangor, officiated the historic launch of the UNESCO Entrepreneurship Education Network (EE-Net) Southeast Asia Chapter at a high-level gala dinner held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC). The event, jointly hosted by UNESCO, the Asia Institute of Sustainability, Entrepreneurship & Diplomacy (AiSED), Intrinsic SEA, and the Selangor Youth Community (SAY), marked a major milestone in ASEAN's commitment to building a future-ready generation equipped for an era defined by technology, innovation, and global interdependence.

Crown Prince of Selangor Officiates Launch of UNESCO Southeast Asia Entrepreneurship Education Network in Kuala Lumpur

His Highness Tengku Amir Shah Calls for a Future-Ready ASEAN

In his keynote address, His Highness described the launch as "a defining milestone for Southeast Asia—at the intersection of technological acceleration, demographic change, and global volatility."

He emphasised that entrepreneurship education must evolve beyond business or enterprise training, becoming instead a foundational force shaping the region's future leadership.

"Entrepreneurship education prepares our youth not only to participate in tomorrow's economy, but to shape it with vision, responsibility, and integrity," His Highness said. He reaffirmed that ASEAN's young population must be empowered to become creators and ethical leaders in a world shaped by artificial intelligence, climate pressures, and shifting global dynamics.

His Highness also underscored the alignment of this regional initiative with Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship 2025, noting that Selangor and Malaysia are uniquely positioned to convene multi-stakeholder partnerships connecting education, technology, innovation, and sustainable development across the region.

UNESCO Regional Director: Addressing Inequality and Preparing for a New Learning Landscape

Offering the regional perspective, Ms. Maki Katsuno-Hayashikawa, Director and Representative of UNESCO's Regional Office in Jakarta, highlighted the urgent need for education systems to accelerate transformation.

She noted that 127 million young people across Asia-Pacific remain out of school and that digital inequalities continue to widen. With artificial intelligence reshaping economies and climate challenges threatening livelihoods, she emphasised that entrepreneurship education is central to UNESCO's SDG4 strategy for promoting equitable, quality learning and lifelong adaptability.

Ms. Maki affirmed that the Southeast Asia Chapter will serve as a platform for coordinated policy dialogue, capacity building, and multi-country collaboration—helping ASEAN countries reshape education systems for the future.

AiSED: A Regional Hub for Entrepreneurship Education and Sustainable Development

Opening the evening, Dato' Steve Cheah, Chairman of AiSED, welcomed delegates and affirmed Malaysia's pride in hosting UNESCO's first EE-Net Chapter for Southeast Asia. He emphasised that the initiative aligns with ASEAN's ongoing transformation, where demographic energy, technological change, and the pursuit of high-value, inclusive growth require a new paradigm of education—one centred on ethics, creativity, resilience, and innovation.

Dato' Steve highlighted the Chapter's role as a regional mechanism that supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals, strengthens human capital formation, and harmonises entrepreneurship education across ASEAN's diverse economies.

Diplomacy, Education, and Youth: A Night of Regional Significance

The gala dinner served as a dynamic platform for regional dialogue, bringing together ambassadors, government leaders, universities, industry innovators, youth organisations, and international agencies.

A brief performance by the Xiamen University Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra added cultural depth to the evening, symbolising Southeast Asia's commitment to empowering young talent and celebrating the role of universities in advancing creativity, leadership, and cross-cultural understanding.

Awards Presented During the Gala Dinner

The ceremony also honoured outstanding individuals whose contributions exemplify leadership, innovation, and sustainable development:

• Happiness Security Visionary Award — Dr. Liu Chun Lin
• Excellence in Global Thought Leadership Award — Ms. Irene Qian HouLin
• Excellence in Public Service & Sustainable Development Award — Dato' Dr. Tan Yew Chong
• Creation Intelligence Award — Mr. Alec Wang Yuheng

A token of appreciation was presented to His Highness Tengku Amir Shah by Ms. Ravenna Chen Yaohui, Organising Committee Chair, in recognition of his unwavering commitment to youth empowerment and regional cooperation.

A Regional Turning Point With Global Implications

Across delegations, there was clear consensus that the establishment of the UNESCO EE-Net Southeast Asia Chapter represents more than the inauguration of a programme—it signals the emergence of a regional movement to reinvent education for the future.

As artificial intelligence, climate pressures, and demographic transitions reshape ASEAN's economic and social realities, the new Chapter is poised to catalyse cross-border collaboration, strengthen entrepreneurship education frameworks, accelerate digital and AI readiness, and expand models of green and ethical innovation.

By uniting UNESCO's global mandate, AiSED's regional leadership, Intrinsic SEA's innovation ecosystem, SAY's youth networks, and contributions from academic institutions such as Xiamen University Malaysia, Malaysia—particularly Selangor—is positioning itself at the forefront of a new architecture for human capital development across Southeast Asia.

As His Highness concluded:
"May this Chapter grow into a regional engine of opportunity, creativity, and shared prosperity—for the youth of today and the generations yet to come."

Source: Intrinsic SEA