Illustrative photo (Source: asean.org)

Jakarta - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in collaboration with the US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on April 8 officially launched the ASEAN SME Academy 2.0, an upgraded version of an online learning platform.

Aiming to reach more micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and help accelerate their businesses recoveries, the version introduces many new features including courses available in Bahasa Indonesia, Thai, and Vietnamese, attractive visual design features, and top-quality resources including specific modules for COVID-19 recovery.

Overall, the primary goal of the academy is to provide a platform for ASEAN MSMEs to develop their digital skills.

In his remarks, Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General of ASEAN, underscored that digitalisation is a new power of growth and competitiveness for every business and every economy. Changing the broader business mindset to harness digital technology is the key to success, he noted.

The ASEAN SME Academy 2.0 is a partnership between the US private sector, the US Government, and ASEAN to help empower small businesses in Southeast Asia, said Ambassador Ted Osius, President and CEO of US-ABC.

Kate Rebholz, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., of the US Mission to ASEAN, stressed that the new initiative will support thousands of SMEs across Southeast Asia as they recover from the pandemic, build resilience for the future, and adapt to the growing digital economy.

Steven G. Olive, Mission Director for the USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia, highlighted that USAID’s renewed support and private-sector partnerships will help equip the bloc’s SMEs with the necessary training, tools, and resources to pave the way for a more prosperous Indo-Pacific.