Canada and the Philippines co-host ASEAN Regional Forum meeting of defence university heads in Victoria
The Canadian Defence Academy hosted the 28th ASEAN Regional Forum Heads of Defence Universities, Colleges, Institutions Meeting in Victoria, British Columbia, from 20 to 23 October, co-hosted with the Philippines. National Defence said Canada welcomed the Philippines as co-host ahead of its role as host nation in 2027.
The Canadian Defence Academy hosted the 28th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum Heads of Defence Universities, Colleges, Institutions Meeting in Victoria, British Columbia, from 20 to 23 October, National Defence said in a news release on 28 October. It was the first time Canada served as host nation, and the conference was co-hosted with the Philippines.
Brunei's Ministry of Defence said the meeting, held at Hotel Grand Pacific, was jointly convened by the Canadian Defence Academy and the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP). It was co-chaired by Major-General Jeannot Boucher, Commander of the Canadian Defence Academy, and Director Christine June P. Cariño, President of NDCP.
What was discussed
Under the theme "Enhancing Professional Military Education to Adapt to Pan-Domain Operations", discussions focused on emerging defence technologies, hybrid threats, grey-zone tactics and strategic leadership development, according to Brunei's Ministry of Defence. The meeting also addressed policy and strategic responses to Illegal, Coercive, Aggressive and Deceptive (ICAD) activities, as well as the contribution of a diverse military force to operational effectiveness.
The meeting featured presentations by representatives from 16 countries: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam.
The Philippines to host in 2027
National Defence said Canada co-hosted the 2025 edition of the meeting in Cambodia in preparation for hosting in 2026, and welcomed the Philippines as co-host for the 2026 forum, ahead of its role as host nation in 2027.
Major-General Boucher said in the release:
Read the web like we doTurn any page into clean, ready-to-use data with Firecrawl"The Canadian Defence Academy was honoured to host the 28th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum Heads of Defence Universities, Colleges, Institutions Meeting in Victoria, British Columbia. The open and constructive discussions throughout the forum highlighted the value of professional military education in building relationships, trust, and regional stability."
Key facts
- The 28th ASEAN Regional Forum Heads of Defence Universities, Colleges, Institutions Meeting was held in Victoria, British Columbia, from 20 to 23 October 2026, hosted by the Canadian Defence Academy and co-hosted with the Philippines.
- It was the first time Canada served as host nation.
- The meeting was co-chaired by Major-General Jeannot Boucher of the Canadian Defence Academy and Director Christine June P. Cariño, President of the National Defense College of the Philippines.
- Canada welcomed the Philippines as co-host for the 2026 forum, ahead of its role as host nation in 2027.
Official sources
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