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Chapter OneTHE 'BUILDING BLOCKS' OFEDUCATIONAL INNOVATION FOR DEVELOPMENTIN ASIA-PACIFIC 1Philip BergstromIntroductionThe beginning of the new century provides an appropriate moment topause and reflect upon the genesis and evolution of UNESCO’s effortstowards educational innovation for development in Asia-Pacific. Beforeconsidering the ‘snapshots’ on innovation in this volume, it may beinstructive to consider for a moment the ‘building blocks’ upon whichthese new initiatives have been established. While individual countries inthe region began pursuing educational innovations internally as soon asthey gained their independence, the 1950s saw the roots of UNESCO’sRegional Institute Model for educational development. That effortcontinued through the next decade until, in 1973, the Asia-PacificProgramme of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID) wasestablished. ACEID, the Asia-Pacific Centre of Educational Innovationfor Development, serves as Secretariat to APEID. Since its inception, theAPEID/ACEID network has been at the vortex of educational change inAsia-Pacific. This paper will offer a brief review of the most significantevents that led to the establishment of the APEID/ACEID network.To alleviate any confusion over these names, APEID is the network;ACEID is the Secretariat. APEID is not an institution; it is not a place. Itis a system of co-operative linkages between educational institutions,called Associated Centres 2 , within and between the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. Institutions belonging to the APEID network usuallyapply directly to ACEID through their National Commissions forUNESCO. ACEID then accepts their application on the basis of their__________________________1. Portions of this chapter have been published elsewhere.2. At the time of this writing, ACEID is undertaking a programme aimed at revitalizing the 198 currentAssociated Centres, maintaining those who are interested in active participation, and assessingnew applications for admission. This also involves consideration of new applications fromUNESCO Member States who are interested in joining the, now, twenty-eight countries in theregion who are current members of ACEID.The Building Blocks © 3