Page 59 - ASEAN-EU Dialogue 2018: Regional and Inter-Regional Economic Cooperation: Identifying Priorities for ASEAN and the EU

with regards to efficient bi-regional co-operation has been lack of awareness of the funding
opportunities, complexities in funding systems and weak networks among researchers
themselves. Thus, through EU-level approach, efficient systems are incorporated to strengthen
S&T dialogue. The annual events known ‘STI days’ was quite popular and attracted hundreds
of participants. The project came to an end in April 2017.

Researchers in Motion or EURAXESS, is a pan-European initiative delivering information and
support services to professional researchers, currently under H2020 (Commission, 2018a).
EURAXESS ASEAN has been serving researchers in all fields interested in a research
career/mobility since 2007. Information services are offered by EURAXESS, and opportunities
for jointly funded SEA-EU projects through the Southeast Asia-Europe Joint Funding Scheme
(JFS). In JFS, each country funds "their own researchers" according to their respective rules
and in principle there is no money crossing borders. Data from DG Research and Innovation
(Commission, 2018b), shows that MSCA (Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions) has been quite
popular with ASEAN member states. However, there is uneven contribution from the part of
ASEAN counterpart – ASEAN member states have been mainly beneficiaries of the EU funds
and their own contribution in the joint effort has lesser than EU’s contribution. Co-operation
agenda is sustained through bottom-up research initiatives by scientists whereas focused policy
exchange is brought forward through the top-down approach. There is already extensive joint
activity in the areas such as Health (i.e. co-operation in the elimination of infectious diseases),
food, technologies (Nanotechnology, ICT), and researcher mobility (Erasmus+ plays a very
important role here). In addition, there are proposals at advanced level for management of
Water resources (Commission, 2018b)

th
In the recently held 7 ASEAN-EU Dialogue of S&T held in Myanmar in 2017, there was
stress on Joint Funding Scheme (JFS), researchers’ mobility and promotion of specific areas
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such as aquaculture and environment. Held in conjunction with the 10 ASEAN STI Week
(ASTIW), the meeting provided an opportunity for the government officials and scientists to
discuss STI co-operation with the EU (EURAXESS, 2017), especially in response to depleting
natural resources and the threat of Climate change the world is seeing increased impetus to
sustainable development efforts. The theme of this ASTIW too was aptly titled “Science,
Technology and Innovation for Sustainable, Equitable and Inclusive Growth”.

Concluding Thoughts and Suggestions
We heard the first three speakers on STI from the perspective of ASEAN, EU and Malaysia,
respectively. They deliberated on the issues, opportunities and challenges of this area. My
effort here will be to carve out some of the issues that lay specifically with EU-ASEAN joint
or parallel STI initiatives. I will try to remain as succinct as possible here.

These issues are in no way exhaustive. But may serve as indicators. These are primarily STI
Issues in ASEAN (vis-à-vis EU) and could be set as priorities of ASEAN, which is also the
theme of this ASEAN-EU dialogue (Commission, 2018b):

(1) Low R&D Budget: There is low percentage of investment in R&D in most ASEAN
countries, barring Singapore and perhaps Malaysia. It is about 2% in Singapore and 1% in
Malaysia to about 0.04% to 0.2% in other ASEAN nations. (Germany has about 3%)

(2) Weak link between public and business sector, and the fact that business sector
contributes most of the R&D.

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