All Southeast Asian countries have placed Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in mainstream education because of its important role in the socio-economic development of a nation (Paryono 2013). In addition, TVET has been identified as one of the seven priority areas in education in Southeast Asia as agreed at the Strategic Dialogue of Education Ministers (SDEM) meeting in September 2014.

To promote the internationalisation of TVET institutions, and leverage the global competitiveness and 21st century skills of TVET students in Southeast Asian countries, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) in collaboration with Ministries of Education and related Ministries and TVET institutions in Southeast Asia developed the SEAMEO Polytechnic Network in April 2016 as a part of SEA-TVET Consortium.  The network aims to enhance internationalisation and partnership of TVET institutions (colleges, polytechnics and university of technologies) in the region through cross-country exchange programme and other collaborations. 

In addition, the 3rd High Officials Meeting on SEA-TVET hosted by the Ministry of Education of Malaysia in May 2017 also recommended to improve the student mobility by suggesting the SEAMEO Secretariat to serve as a Coordinating Agency (One Stop Service Unit) to facilitate the implementation process of TVET student exchange programme.

Since 2016, the SEAMEO Polytechnic Network Meeting has been organised as a “Meeting Platform” for TVET institutions to discuss, and commit for the implementation process of the TVET Student Exchange Programme. As a result from the SEAMEO Polytechnic Network Meetings, the SEA-TVET Student Exchange Programme has been implemented for 3 batches with the total number of 601 TVET students exchangedin 2018-2019.