Implementing Agency: Asian Productivity Organisation (APO)
Most of the above mentioned problems can be addressed by adopting the Japanese approach of "Junkan" (means circulation). According to this integrated waste management concept, the waste-especially the organic wastes (such as food waste) are separated and converted into useful product such as fertilizers. These products are further used to revitalize the local economy. A classic example of 'Junkan' system could be as follows: the organic waste from a city/community is segregated and instead of sending it to landfill or incinerator, it is converted into useful product such as fertilizer by using appropriate technological interventions. This organic fertilizer is used to grow organic vegetables, which creates new business opportunities for the community. Thus the resources are circulated in the eco-system and the economic benefits are also feedback in the community itself.
Implementing Agency: National Electronics Computer Technology Center NECTEC
In the past decade, economic activities have substantially increased in the technology sector including information and communications technology, as well as other leading edged technology such as biotechnology and genetic engineering. Many developed countries have been successful at maintaining its growth based on the knowledge-based economy.
Knowledge is the engine of growth in this type of economy, the production the dissemination and the utilization of knowledge have led to higher employment and the wealth of the nation. The lack of skilled labors in many countries has led to an import of talented workers to fulfill the domestic demand.
To drive a society to become a knowledge-based one, the people of that society must accept the culture of learning and knowledge utilization. This knowledge base should lead to a better standard of living an innovation to enhance competitiveness and better opportunities to leap in the development success. The new economy that has emerged in many countries is new in a way that its factor inputs do not include only capital and labor but also information and knowledge. Knowledge and technology therefore have important role in driving the economy forward. However, the globalization force and the knowledge-based economy have also widened the gap between those who have and those who have not.
Digital divide within a country and between nations has stemmed from the disparity in access to knowledge and these problems have led to more severe problems of brain drain and inefficient use of human capital. As a result agencies produce low-quality work and the nation?s IT development could not catch up with the economic growth and the globalization dynamics.
To have a new economy, a nation needs capital and ICT skilled workers. When advance ASEAN members are bracing themselves for the knowledge based new economy, the new members are still not yet fully in the old economy. According to the ASEAN Finance and Macroeconomic Surveillance Database, the average GDP per capita of CLMV in 2003 is only 356 USD, which is very low compare to the other ASEAN-6
(1,626 USD). This is because all the new ASEAN members are dependent on the agricultural sector whereas all the pioneering members are more dependent on the industrial and services sectors which required higher skilled labors.
The other IT related development indicators in CLMV such as the number of PCs in education, internet subscribers, and websites & internet providers are very weak also. The latest report shows that there are around 2,000 computers in schools and education offices around Cambodia.1 This causes the constraints that CLMV share in common, the lacking of skilled human resources or professional IT trainers.
Although the governments of CLMV now recognize the importance of ICT and develop ICT policies emphasize on human resources development, the process still slow. The latest data regarding IT schools and IT graduates in CLMV are not available. However, during 1996-2000, Myanmar?s Yangon Computer University produced about 2,500 graduates. Cambodia has one university and 12 private schools teaching IT. 2 Vietnam, with the leading position in this group, recognizes that the production of IT manpower from their educational institutes in the country cannot meet the demands from the industries due to the low quality of education and training in ICT. 3
Implementing Agency: ASEAN Foundation and DLSU-CREM, Philippines
The ASEAN region has a total population of over 550 million, of which over 60% belong to the age group of 15 to 60 years. The region therefore has a relatively young population, of which the youth (40 years and below) constitutes a major sector. The region has a relatively high literacy rate ranging from 80.2% to 99% among males and 60.1% to 99.3% among females. The rate of urbanization in the region is high, with one country (Singapore) being 100% urban, another (Brunei Darussalam) with 74% urban population, and two countries (Malaysia and Philippines) with over 60% urban population. The growth of information technology in the region has been phenomenal, particularly in the urban areas, with a rapidly growing number of people using computers, the Internet and mobile phones, and a large segment of the youth playing computer video games.
Implementing Agency: AUN/SEED-Net (ASEAN University Network/ South East Asia Engineering Education Development Network), Thailand
The currently established consortium of graduate schools in engineering should be strengthened through a "Partnership University of ASEAN and Japan" with the establishment of regional academic societies and centers of excellence in engineering in member countries. The regional conferences will serve as the key to tie scholars, industry and community together and integrate other relevant programs to achieve the overall objectives of the project. The specific objectives of the project include the following:
? to collect the most updated technology and research in each field/common issues,
? to disseminate the knowledge among experts and researchers in each field/common issues,
? to share and exchange experiences and research works among academicians, industry/community, policy makers, and
? to strengthen the collaborative relationship among universities, industry, community and policy makers.
Implementing Agency: Asian Institute of Management
The overall objective is to establish an independent, self-sustaining network of ASEAN CFs with the ASEAN Foundation as key convenor. The project will also develop meaningful baseline data on CFs in the ASEAN region.
The project will cover the following:
? Establish an initial database of leading CFs active in ASEAN
? Organize the organizational meeting of what is hoped to constitute the core of the prospective NACF. Together with the AF, in collaboration with the LCF and other identified networks or identified CFs, this will be done in conjunction with the AIM 7th Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility (?AFCSR?) to be held in Singapore on November 21-22, 2008.
Implementing Agency: Department of Science and Technology, Philippines
? The overall theme of the 8th ASTW is ?Making Science Work for You?. The Conference sub-theme is ?ASEAN S&T: Addressing Regional and Global Challenges in the 21st Century? to highlight the strategic role of science and technology in finding sustainable solutions to national and regional problems as well as facilitating regional integration for global competitiveness.
? With a sub-theme ?Gearing up for the Future through S&T?, the ASEAN Youth Science Summit aims to bring together students to raise awareness on the global, regional and national issues that are presently affecting the Southeast Asian region and the world.
The proposed ASEAN Foundation Scholarship Program in partnership with various corporate foundations is aimed at three objectives:
? to leverage the funds available at the ASEAN Foundation with matching funds from corporate foundations;
? to develop human resources in the region, particularly among the CLMV countries; and
? to enhance awareness of ASEAN and promote the development of the ASEAN identity, which, over the years, would be the natural outcome when a large number of students from various ASEAN countries spend time and study in other ASEAN countries.
Implementing Agency: Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), Thailand
? Enhance human capacity of fishers of selected rural fishery communities as well as relevant government officials and those working at the local level in support of fishery communities in order to alleviate the identified poverty status through fisheries intervention covering the areas of co-management, responsible fishing practices, backyard fishery post-harvest and processing, rural aquaculture and inland fisheries development.
? A special focus will be given to the rural areas and fishery communities in ASEAN region.
Implementing Agency: Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand
? Develop a better understanding of the gaps/limitations in the existing social/gender impact assessment criteria/ tools/ methods being used within and outside ASEAN countries.
? Strengthen the capacity of government officers and related personnel to conduct an assessment of social/gender impact of road construction projects in the context of their own countries.
? Develop social/gender impact assessment tools as well as accompanying cases for the context of ASEAN countries which prioritize poverty alleviation and social equality in marginalized areas in the region.
Implementing Agency: Mineral and Geosciences Department, Malaysia
Development of a comprehensive and coordinated approach to elucidate qualitatively and quantitatively the hydro-geological processes related to sustainable groundwater management of CLMV countries
Implementing Agency: ASEAN Committee on Science and Technology (COST). ASEAN secretariat
Concern over human resources development in science and technology is quite apparent among the ASEAN member countries. The project is attempt to formulate a project addressing this concern and will also make us of the criteria for core project.
Implementing Agency: National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), Thailand
The common problem faced by the new ASEAN member countries, perhaps except for Vietnam is the failing behind in biotechnology development. Yet on the positive, biotechnology has been recognized and placed high priority. Six major areas of focus have been identified and multifaceted approach is taken in each one which can include upgrading of human resources, support for research, support for private sector development, training and public awareness/ information services. The focus areas are:
1) Plants, Animals and their product improvement. 2) Environmental biotechnology. 3) Aquaculture.4) Food Technology. 5) Biodiversity. 6) Medical biotechnology.
Implementing Agency: Philippine Association of Food Technologist, inc.(PAFT)
The conference is being held organized by the ASEAN sub-committee on Food Science and technology (ASCFST) of the ASEAN-COST jointly with the federation Institute of Food science and technology in the ASEAN (FIFSTA). to provide guidance, directions and the ASEAN perspective to the planning of the activity, a steering committee has been set up composed of the ASEAN member countries' representatives to the ASCFST. A local organizing committee headed by the national Cost chairperson of the Philippine will take charge of the implementation of the project.
Implementing Agency: Indonesia State Ministry of Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia
The ASEAN Science & Technology Week (ASTW) is an important event of the ASEAN Committee on Science and Technology (ASEAN-COST). This event is conducted triennially on a rotational basis among ASEAB Countries. The 1st-6th ASTW have been successfully organized in Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Brunei Darussalam in 1986, 1989, 1992, 1998, and 2001 respectively. The ASTW event, since it was created for the first time, has main purpose to promote S&T development in Southeast Asia Countries. In addition, it is expected that this forum will open windows of opportunities for regional scientists, technologist, researchers, academician, government officials, practitioners and private sectors, to interact and promote networking, as well as to expand their S&T cooperation. In the 7th ASTW the overall theme is "Innovative ASEAN: Creating ASEAN Competitiveness through Innovation, Science and Technology".
Implementing Agency: Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation Regional Training Center (SEAMEO RETRAC)
As part of the cooperation between ASEAN Foundation and the Government of France on ICT Application for ASEAN Integration and Human Resources Development for the CLMV Countries, E-commerce is considered as an important ICT application that could help the development of the CLMV countries, especially for their small and medium enterprises (SMEs).SEAMEO RETRAC, as one of the 15 Centers under the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) has experience and expertise concerning Entrepreneurship Development. In the past few years, the Center has offered courses and conducted needs analysis on ICT application in Education and SMEs. The Center has been requested by ASEAN Foundation to organize a 5-day training course on ICT Application on E-commerce for CLMV countries. Thus, the proposal is a response to the request. This course will provide the participants with as much information as possible on the subject of knowledge and skills for SME development using ICT application
Address:
ASEAN Foundation
Jl. Sam Ratulangi No.2, Menteng,
Jakarta - 10350, INDONESIA
Phone: +62-21-3192 4828
Fax: +62-21-3192-6078
E-mail: secretariat@aseanfoundation.org
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About The ASEAN Foundation
The ASEAN Foundation was established by the ASEAN Leaders in December 1997 during ASEAN’s 30th Anniversary Commemorative Summit to help bring about shared prosperity and a sustainable future to all 10 ASEAN Member Countries, namely, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
