INS-AEC

      Based on the first objective of the ASEAN agreement as a free trade and service area, including investment, labor, and capital, there is an agreement, namely the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS) and Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRA) that manage the free service areas of the ASEAN member countries. As a result, there are eight specific professionals under the agreements that will be free to work in the ASEAN member countries after 2015. They have included engineering, nursing, medicine, dentistry, architecture, surveyor, and accounting.

      Nursing is one of the free service areas and these arrangements will provide free movement of the nursing professionals across the ASEAN members. However, there are two perspectives assembling nursing professionals in ASEAN as an advantage and disadvantage. The advantage in ASEAN after 2015 is that they have more opportunities because of a bigger service market and more freedom under ASEAN, that they will be supported in terms of human resources, skills, and competition by other ASEAN member countries, and that they can move and work in other ASEAN member countries. On the other hand, the brain drain problem from lower salary countries to higher salary countries, and the labor competition problem in countries with a higher quality of life are shown as disadvantages assembling in nursing professionals in ASEAN. Moreover, some of them use English as their official language and some use English as their second language. English communication skill plays an important role in ASEAN movement. Whether they will or will not succeed in the ASEAN community partly depends on their English communication skills. Therefore, on this occasion, the Committee resolved to hold the Seminar on “Nursing Preparation towards ASEAN Economic Community 2015: Perspectives and Challenges” on Saturday, 15 February 2014, at Arnoma Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand. The aims of the seminar are to share information and opinions of participants consisting of Nurse Leader, Nurse Manager, Nurse Educator, and Nursing Students from ASEAN Countries.

       On behalf of Seminar committee, I am pleased to all ASEAN nursing students to INS-AEC. This seminar will be conducted in English, free of charge, and limited seating.

Joko Gunawan

Chairman

WELCOMING

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