Thailand to host ASEAN Innovation Roadmap & Bioeconomy Forum in Conjunction with GBS 2020 in November
At the press conference on 9 November 2020, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) announced that Thailand will be organizing ASEAN Innovation Roadmap & Bioeconomy Forum in Conjunction with GBS 2020 on 16-20 November 2020 at Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok. Joining the press conference were Asst. Prof. Dr. Pasit Lorterapong, MHESI S&T Counselor and Prof. Dr. Morakot Tanticharoen, Advisor to NSTDA President.
Hosted by MHESI’s Office of the Permanent Secretary, in collaboration with NSTDA and the Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO), the forum addresses two important topics essential to the development of ASEAN community, namely innovation and bioeconomy, aiming to serve as a platform for Thai and international participants made up of academics, scientists, researchers, experts, university students, entrepreneurs and general public to present, discuss, share information on innovation and bioeconomy and forge collaboration to advance innovation and bioeconomy agenda in the ASEAN region.
Dr. Pasit revealed that countries in ASEAN have been experiencing robust technology and innovation growth and attempting to utilize technology and innovation to drive their economic development. In order to have a collective blueprint for ASEAN community to pursue innovation agenda, Thailand initiated and led the development of ASEAN Innovation Roadmap (AIR) during its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2019. The AIR 2019-2025 has been completed and adopted by the ASEAN Economic Community Council. AIR is a strategic direction to guide ASEAN to advance innovation transformation, tap into the opportunities that arise with emerging technologies such as blockchain technology, artificial intelligence (AI), 3D printing, create a vibrant science, technology and innovation ecosystem, nurture innovation-based startups and utilize innovation to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Dr. Panit concluded that this upcoming forum would offer a good opportunity for experts from ASEAN member countries and ASEAN dialogue partners to share and form ideas for collaboration in research and businesses.
The Global Bioeconomy Summit (GBS) was first launched in 2015 in Germany under the guidance of the International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy (IAC) comprising high-level experts and drivers of the bioeconomy in several parts of the world. GBS serves as an important platform for the global communities to set bioeconomy policy and drive every aspect of bioeconomy agenda, including trade and investment as well as research and innovation. According to Dr. Morakot, who also serves on the IAC, the first and the second GBS held in 2015 and 2018, respectively garnered positive feedbacks and achieved substantial outcomes. As Thailand has been actively taking part in the GBS since 2015, the country was invited to represent ASEAN region to co-organize the third summit, GBS2020, previously scheduled to be held in November 2020 in Germany. However, due to the COVID-19 spandemic, GBS2020 will be held in a virtual format instead of a physical event. There will be live-streaming discussions and activities from Germany along with live streaming activities from co-organizing countries to audiences from all over the world.
As a co-organizer of GBS2020, the on-site event to take place at Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok will feature speeches and policy addresses on bioeconomy from world leaders and representatives from many countries as well as seminars webcast from the main GBS2020 in Germany, as well as multiple discussions, talks, workshops held on-site in Bangkok and livestreamed to GBS audiences around the world. In addition, the on-site event will have exhibitions featuring projects and programs supporting bioeconomy such as bio-based products, community development and ecotourism, and investment incentives to promote new businesses in bioeconomy sector.
For more information on the forum, please visit: https://www.nstda.or.th/thaibioeconomy/bioeconomy-forum-2020.html.
