In a world moving faster every year, innovation isn’t just about the next big tech breakthrough—it’s about how countries work together to shape the future. On June 19 and 20, ASEAN made that vision feel a little more real.
At two major events held back-to-back in Jakarta, Southeast Asian ministers, researchers, and international partners gathered to talk science, technology, and what comes next.
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June 19: EU–ASEAN Dialogue — A Cross-Regional Conversation
The 12th EU–ASEAN Dialogue on Science, Technology, and Innovation brought European and ASEAN representatives to the table. Think: researchers, policymakers, and people trying to build real connections between universities, labs, and governments.
They focused on expanding talent exchanges, collaborating on climate and digital tech, and strengthening ASEAN’s access to EU research programs like Horizon Europe. In short, it was about bridging efforts across continents—not just ideas, but infrastructure and opportunity too.
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June 20: ASEAN Ministers Outline a 10-Year Plan
The next day, ASEAN ministers came together for the 21st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology, and Innovation (AMMSTI‑21). This wasn’t just another policy talk—they launched a new roadmap: APASTI 2026–2035.
This plan lays out five main goals to guide the region’s innovation ecosystem for the next decade:
Invest in talent — especially youth, women, and underserved communities.
Strengthen research infrastructure — so access isn’t limited by borders or resources.
Support industry partnerships — to help innovations move from labs to real life.
Solve shared problems — like climate, health, and tech equity, together.
Make benefits inclusive — because no one should be left out of progress.
It’s a reminder that science and technology aren’t just academic—they’re about how we live, work, and face regional challenges together.
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Why This Matters (Yes, Even to Us)
For students and alumni in tech, policy, or anything in between—this roadmap could shape the environment we step into. Whether it’s more research grants, better startup ecosystems, or easier regional partnerships, APASTI and the upcoming Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) aren’t just big acronyms. They’re groundwork for opportunities we might build on—or walk into.
ASEAN is betting on collaboration over competition. And Jakarta, in June, was where a lot of those pieces started locking into place.
