The significance of Human Resource in socio-economic development of the region has been recognized since the inception of SAARC. The leaders at the First SAARC Summit in 1985 reaffirmed that their fundamental goal was to accelerate the process of economic and social development through the optimum utilization of human and material resources to promote the welfare and prosperity of people and to improve their quality of life.

At the Second Summit in 1986, the leaders recognized that meeting the needs of children was the principal means of human resource development. They decided that children should be given highest priority in national development planning.

The leaders recognized at the Fourth Summit in 1988 that HRD was one of the means of achieve the objectives of SAARC. In this context they welcomed the offer of Pakistan to host the SAARC Human Resource Development Centre in Islamabad. The Centre undertakes research, imparts training, and disseminate information on HRD issues and advises Member States on HRD related policies and strategies.

SAARC countries have been cooperating in the development of various dimensions of human resource. Such cooperation started as early as August 1982 in the fields of sports, arts and culture. In 1998, the SAARC leaders decided to include education in the agreed areas of cooperation and a Technical Committee was formed to deal with the principal area requiring urgent attention in the region. This Technical Committee was re-organized in 1992. The further re-structuring of the SAARC Integrated Programme of Action (SIPA) in 1999 resulted in the creation of the Technical Committee on Human Resource Development. This was reconstituted in January 2004 to deal with matters pertaining to education, skill development, arts, culture and sports. The Technical Committee met in March 2004 and made a number of concrete and result oriented recommendations for regional cooperation in the vital area of human resource development.

At the Twelfth SAARC Summit held in Islamabad in January 2004, the leaders underlined that investment in human resource development was critical for future development of South Asia. It was, therefore, essential to establish a network of centers of higher learning and training, and Skill Development Institutes across South Asia.

It is generally felt that economic and social development cannot be ensured without optimum utilization of human resources for which education is a sine qua non. SAARC has, therefore, emphasized the importance of promotion of education. The Heads of State or Government at the Ninth Summit at Male´ in 1997 acknowledged that illiteracy was one of the major causes impeding the development of the vast human resources of South Asia and a major factor contributing to the region’s economic backwardness and social imbalance.

Cooperation in education entered the SAARC agenda early with the establishment of a Technical Committee on Education in 1989. Since reorganization of the SAARC Integrated Programme of Action (SIPA) in 1999, this subject has come under the purview of the Technical Committee on Human Resources Development. A SAARC Chair, Fellowship and Scholarship Scheme is in operation. A SAARC Consortium of Open and Distance Learning (SACODiL) has been created with a view to standardization of curricula, mutual recognition of courses and promotion of transfer of credits. A SAARC Teachers Forum has been established. Nevertheless, a lot more remains to work before concrete benefits of such cooperative activities are clearly visible.

Education in South Asia suffers from the twin problem of lack of access and of excellence. In majority of the SAARC Member Countries, enrolment of children of primary school age is far below universal level. This problem is further compounded by high levels of dropout. Thus literacy rates remain low. The situation at the secondary and tertiary level are no better. In some respects, are even worse.

The SAARC Social Charter, which was signed by the Heads of State or Government during the Twelfth Summit (Islamabad, 4 - 6 January), reaffirmed the importance of attaining the target of providing free education to all children between the ages of 6 - 14 years. The Member States agreed to share their respective experiences and technical expertise to achieve this goal.

The regional cooperation in the field of culture started with the First Meeting of the Technical Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture held in New Delhi in January 1989. Since then it has been an important area of cooperation among SAARC countries.

The Tenth Summit recognized the profound cultural continuum of South Asia as a historical basis for sustaining harmonious relations among the peoples of the region and welcomed the offer of Sri Lanka to host a meeting of Ministers of Cultural Affairs with the objective, inter alia, of establishing a South Asian Cultural Centre. A preparatory meeting of the Secretaries of Cultural Affairs was held in Colombo in November 2001, which recommended practical measures, among others, for protection, conservation and maintenance of cultural and pilgrimage sites; development of archaeology and muscology; encouragement of contemporary arts and culture; engaging the corporate sector and non-state organizations in cultural activities; and developing cooperative links with UN and other regional institutions.

The Meeting of the Cultural Affairs Ministers was held in Colombo on 5-7 February 2003. It approved measures for protection, conservation and maintenance of South Asian Cultural Heritage, and cooperation among Member States in promoting contemporary arts and culture.

SAARC Cultural Festivals are held regularly. Last such festival was held in Dhaka in March 2004. The next cultural festival is to be held in New Delhi.

Sri Lanka hosted the first ever SAARC Film Festival in September 1999. On that occasion, three seminars were also held on different aspects of the South Asian cinema including on film as cultural expression, film marketing and distribution, and the future of the film industry. Another film festival is to be held in Sri Lanka in December 2004. Recommendations of the Technical Committee on HRD at its First Meeting (Colombo 4-5 March 2004) that the SAARC film festivals may be organized annually by Member States in rotation has been approved by the Standing Committee. This would significantly contribute to the promotion of culture among the SAARC countries.

The Leaders during the Twelfth Summit (Islamabad, 4 - 6 January 2004), took pride in the rich cultural mosaic of the peoples of South Asia and underlined the need for preservation of traditional skills and crafts, and promotion of cultural exchanges between nations.

During the Thirteenth Summit (Dhaka, 12 - 13 November 2005) the Leaders recognised the cruicial role of culture in bringing the people of South Asia closer. They also stressed that cooperation in the area of culture was vital for reinforcing and projecting the distinct identity of South Asia. The SAARC Ministers of Culture were directed to meet soon to elaborate a SAARC Agenda for Culture.

A SAARC Museum of Textiles and Handicraft is to be established in India to, inter alia, preserve designs in various crafts and related traditions, train astisans and crafts persons, foster design skills, hold promotional events, and undertake research.

At the Eleventh Summit (Kathmandu, 4-6 January 2002), the Leaders underlined the need to devise appropriate strategies for raising the quality of education through exchange of information among universities in the region. While emphasizing upon the importance of mutual recognition of educational institutions, they agreed to realize the goal of a common regional educational standard through uniform methods of instruction and teaching aids. They were unanimous in recognizing the benefit of introducing SAARC in the national curricula at appropriate levels of study in order to enhance the awareness about Association’s goals and objectives.

The First Meeting of the Committee of Heads of University Grants Commission/Equivalent Bodies was held in Dhaka in October 2003 to propose modalities for implementation of the recommendations of the Eleventh Summit. Among other things, the Meeting recommended that a minimum period to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree (excluding Professional Degrees) should be 12 + 3 years of Education in Member States; that a chapter on introduction to SAARC should be included in the curricula at secondary level as a chapter is one of Social Science subjects; and that the degrees awarded by Chartered Universities in the region should be recognized by all Member States on the basis of number of years studies, grades and credits obtained.

The Second Meeting of the Committee (Islamabad, June 2004), while reviewing progress in the implementation of decisions taken at its First Meeting, recommended a number of measures for their effective implementation.

The Third Meeting of the Committee is to be held in Sri Lanka.

The Second meeting of Vice Chancellors of Open Universities/Heads of National Distance Learning Institutions held in New Delhi on 2-3 December 2002 decided to operate SACODiL through a rotational Secretariat till arrangements were made to establish a permanent Secretariat. The rotational Secretariat acts as a central point for correspondence, maintaining SACODiL records, monitoring the progress of assignments, convening meetings, taking follow-up action and any other functions conferred upon it by the Board of Governors.

The meeting decided to establish the Board of Governors of SACODiL comprising the Vice Chancellors of National Open Universities or Heads of major open and distance learning institutions or educational bodies as well as National Focal Points of SAARC in the Ministries of Foreign/External Affairs of the SAARC Member States and representation of the Secretary Geenral, SAARC. The first meeting of the Governing Board of SACODiL was held in New Delhi on January 2005. The second meeting of the Board is to be held in Colombo on 23-24 January 2006.