Foreign Service Institute Director-General Claro S. Cristobal attended the 11th Annual Meeting of Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Training Institutions of ASEAN Plus Three at Seoul, South Korea, on 27-29 April 2016 to participate in talks to to further strengthen cooperation among diplomatic academies in the region.

Hosted by the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA),the meeting gathered 32 delegates and focused on the importance of education, training, and lifelong learning for diplomats. During the meeting, the following sessions were conducted: East Asian Community Building and Education, New Education Skills and Technologies, Lifelong Education and Training for Diplomats, and International Cooperation among Diplomatic Training Institutions.

The session on New Education Skills and Technologies was moderated by Ambassador Cristobal. The session highlighted the significance of new and various training and education approaches to the evolving roles of diplomats. It also served as an avenue for ASEAN+3 members to share and learn from the current experiences and strategies in capacitating and upgrading the skills of their foreign service officers. In addition to technology and media integration, inclusiveness of diplomatic programs from global to local levels was seen important as a means to manifest desirable attitudes a diplomat should have in order to serve his or her country and its people better.

The 12th Meeting in 2017 will be hosted by the Philippines, while China will host the in 2018.