ĐÀ NẴNG  — The 21st Meeting of the Advisory Board to the ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (BAC-21) was held in Đà Nẵng on Wednesday.

The event was part of the 90th Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (COSTI-90), hosted by Việt Nam’s Ministry of Science and Technology.

As an advisory body to COSTI, BAC supports ASEAN cooperation in science, technology and innovation (STI). Its main areas of work include the development and implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation (APASTI), the management and use of the ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Fund (ASTIF), resource mobilisation from partners, and the promotion of public-private partnerships to translate STI outcomes into socio-economic benefits.

Indonesia’s representative chaired BAC-21, which was attended by BAC members from ASEAN member states, private-sector representatives, and the ASEAN Secretariat.

The ASEAN Secretariat briefed participants on the outcomes of relevant ASEAN summits and reviewed progress in implementing recommendations from BAC-20. Discussions focused on funding for ASEAN STI co-operation, particularly the need to ensure joint programmes have sufficient resources to implement and deliver tangible results.

 

Participants also reviewed progress on economic priorities for 2026 and preparations for the 2027 Annual Milestone Deliverables, which will inform BAC’s recommendations to COSTI. The meeting also covered initiatives in space cooperation, artificial intelligence in healthcare and technology transfer.

Participants further discussed mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the implementation of APASTI 2026–2035, with a focus on ensuring that the plan delivers measurable results.

The discussions and recommendations from BAC-21 will be submitted to the COSTI-90 plenary for consideration. They are expected to help shape regional STI priorities and strengthen ASEAN cooperation in the years ahead.

The recommendations focus on mobilising resources, advancing priority initiatives and assessing progress under APASTI.

These efforts aim to strengthen co-ordination among ASEAN member states and partners, turn co-operation commitments into concrete outcomes, and contribute to sustainable development and the region’s competitiveness. — VNS