ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation (APASTI) 2016-2025

The ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation (APASTI) for period 2016-2025 was adopted by the Ministers on 6 November 2015 during the 16th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology.

The vision, goals and thrusts of APASTI 2016-2025 are as follows:

A Science, Technology and Innovation-enabled ASEAN, which is Innovative, competitive, vibrant, sustainable and economically integrated

1. ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) addressing the Grand Challenges of the new millennium;
2. Economically integrated ASEAN involving active collaboration between the public & private sectors especially SMEs and enhanced mobility of talents;
3. Deep awareness of STI & the beneficial impacts of STI on the bottom of the pyramid;
4. An innovation-driven economy with a deep STI enculturation and a system of seeding and sustaining STI by leveraging ICT and the resources of our talented young, women and private sectors;
5. Active R&D collaboration, technology commercialisation and entrepreneurship and network of centres of excellence; and
6. An enhanced STI management system in the new AEC so as to support ASEAN Innovation reaching global markets and that promotes innovation, integration and narrowing of development gaps across AMS.

Strengthen strategic collaboration among academia, research institutions, networks of centres of excellence, and the private sector to create an effective ecosystem for capability development, technology transfer and commercialization

• Action 1.1 Intensify the engagement of academe, private sector and relevant partners in the planning, implementation and assessment of joint undertakings in human resource development, and research and development;
• Action 1.2 Enhance and sustain the utilisation of the ASEAN Science and Technology Network (ASTNET) and strengthen other S&T networks to facilitate information sharing;
• Action 1.3 Establish policy frameworks including including IPR protection, risk and benefit sharing mechanisms for joint collaboration and technology transfer among centres of excellence; and
• Action 1.4 Strengthen existing regional STI initiatives in priority areas including Sustainable Development Goals.

Enhance mobility of scientists and researchers, people-to-people connectivity and strengthen engagement of women and youth in STI

• Action 2.1 Establish a policy framework for exchange of scientist, researchers and students including women and youth;
• Action 2.2 Establish scholarship, fellowship and/or attachment programs for students, researchers and other STI personnel;
• Action 2.3 Intensify efforts towards standardisation of certification and accreditation in education and technical competency; and
• Action 2.4 Expand opportunities for women, youth and the disadvantaged group to contribute in STI through incentives and support mechanisms.

Establish innovative system and smart partnership with dialogue and other partners to nurture STI enterprises to support MSMEs, nurture knowledge creation and STI applications to raise competitiveness

• Action 3.1 Establish support mechanism such as mentorship and incentive program to support and nurture STI enterprises from start-up to the next competitive level of development; and
• Action 3.2 Engage dialogue and other strategic partners in joint undertakings on appropriate and commercially viable STI initiatives.

Raise public awareness and strengthen STI enculturation to enhance ASEAN science and technology cooperation

• Action 4.1 Encourage the participation of scientists, researchers and industries in the ASEAN S&T events such as ASEAN Food Conference (AFC) and ASEAN Science and Technology Week (ASTW);
• Action 4.2 Enhance the contents of the articles published in the ASEAN Journal of S&T for Development and other journals;
• Action 4.3 Leverage on the ASTNET in publicizing ASEAN initiatives in STI;
• Action 4.4 Develop a resource database and network to facilitate information sharing and technical cooperation among agencies in the public and private sector; and
• Action 4.5 Engage relevant stakeholders in developing and implementing an effective communication and STI enculturation plan.