ASEAN, EU promote scientific ties

The ASEAN-EU Science, Technology and Innovation Days 2016 provided a forum dedicated to researchers, scientists, policy makers on science, technology and innovation, creative companies and related parties from ASEAN and EU countries.

The forum had 22 seminars with many policy sessions in terms of water resource management, health, food safety, innovation, measurement, and business connectivity. In addition, the forum introduced successful cooperation projects on science, technology and innovation between ASEAN and the EU. The ASEAN-EU Science, Technology and Innovation Days 2016 attracted the participation of 230 domestic and 358 foreign delegates from the UK, France, Germany, Finland, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Singapore.

Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh said that the forum determined the potential and priority sectors between the two regions, while researchers and scientists were offered opportunities to develop relationships and assess outstanding studies.

According to Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Viet Thanh, ASEAN’s development goal is to become a competitive, creative and dynamic community. Therefore, scientific and technological development and innovation are needed. Scientific and technological development is seen as a priority and plays a key role in Vietnam’s socioeconomic development. The 2013 Law on Science and Technology was issued with many mechanisms and policies to create the most favorable conditions for its development, especially providing a foundation for the integration process and expanding international cooperation in order to resolve challenges at the global level.

ASEAN has established the relationship with many EU countries to assess modern technologies in order to improve its capacity. For example, the Seventh Framework Program for Research and Technological Development attracted the participation of more than 200 South Asian research institutes.
Kostas Glinos, Head of Unit for Strategy on International Cooperation, DG Innovation & Research of the European Commission said that the EU has provided support to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation and innovation between ASEAN and the EU, especially in a context where ASEAN has increasingly become dynamic and attractive.

Strategic Forum for International Science and Technology Cooperation Chairman Andree Dan said that to bring higher efficiency, Vietnam needs to prioritize investment in innovation at the international level and make most of opportunities to improve national capacity.

Source: VEN