2004 APEC Science Ministers' Meeting

• human capacity building,
• international Science and Technology (S&T) networks,
• connecting research and innovation,
• strengthening technological cooperation and encouraging best practice in strategic planning.

We appreciate the role which Korea, Australia, Canada and Thailand have played in leading the drafting groups on these issues.

• agreed there needed to be more and better engagement between the scientific community and society in APEC economies, including the communication of benefits and risks arising from research; and
• welcomed the offer by Australia's National Science and Technology Centre, to coordinate the development and implementation of a project to study the impact of science centre programmes and activities, and capture and disseminate best practice.

We want ISTWG to base its future programme of activities on the four key policy issues, coordinating its efforts with other APEC working groups where that would lead to a more effective and cohesive programme of work.

We also welcome the broader perspective which ISTWG now takes on the policy aspects of S&T and the contribution which science, technology and innovation make to sustainable growth, arising from work initiated at the Penang Policy Forum in 2001.

At the same time, we note that any consensus about future activities of ISTWG and other APEC working groups must take into account that individual economies are at varying stages of economic and technological development.

We need to look particularly to measures that can be adopted by governments, and areas where collaboration among economies can help address both individual and regional priorities.

Our main directions for ISTWG's future work programme are attached.

• Globalisation facilitated by the rapid spread and use of information and communication technology gives rise to such issues as (i) how scientists, researchers and policy makers work with each other; and (ii) the availability and use of scientific and technological information, in particular balancing effective protection of intellectual property rights against ensuring the appropriate availability of public good information derived from research and development.
• Increasing complexity, cost and pace of science and innovation, which have spurred international cooperation, particularly in areas of science requiring large scale facilities and/or sharing of large databases and research tasks. This requires economies to ensure their science and innovation systems are open, competitive and attractive.
• The blurring between science and industry; effective interaction between public and private sector researchers requires the appropriate scientific and innovation skills; appropriate patenting, licensing and spin off arrangements to be in place; and for the private sector to play appropriate roles in the science and innovation system.
• Maintaining adequate funding to sustain the economy's science base, so individual economies can play a role in wider science and innovation systems.
• Ensuring an adequate supply of appropriately skilled science and innovation personnel to maintain the basic sciences, work in multidisciplinary teams, and effectively manage science and innovation processes.
• Ensuring that science and innovation optimise their contributions to sustainable growth through the public and private sectors playing appropriate roles.

APEC Ministers responsible for other sectors, such as human resources, small and medium enterprises and energy, should be aware of our decisions and where our respective working groups should coordinate their activities in order to make the most efficient use of APEC resources.

• the most appropriate role for governments in facilitating the establishment and operation of successful international S&T networks;
• factors that are needed to successfully establish and operate international S&T networks;
• ways in which economies can identify areas of science where the maximum mutual benefit would result from the establishment of international S&T networks.

Ministers noted the important role modern communications technologies can play in facilitating more effective international networking in S&T, and in this context affirmed the critical role of the APEC Science and Technology website (ASTWeb), and the need for ISTWG to ensure it operates effectively.

• The demand for S&T skills in relation to the capacity of economies to educate and train researchers, scientists and secondary & tertiary teaching staff.
• The main factors that encourage people to study and work in the S&T field (or discourage them from doing so).
• The key factors behind skilled S&T staff moving across borders, either within APEC or to other countries.

To ensure their S&T workforce reflects the demography of each economy and makes best use of the range of skills available, ISTWG, HRDWG and other relevant APEC fora should consider the need for programmes that promote the active participation of women, ethnic communities and other under-represented groups in science and research.

We recognise the value to individuals and to economies of broadening skills and work experience, though we are also concerned at the impact when skilled staff are lost elsewhere for the long term. A balance is needed.

We have agreed that ISTWG, in conjunction with the HRDWG and other working groups as necessary, should:

• Consider how APEC can facilitate the exchange of S&T staff.
• Identify successful policies to promote mobility of individual S&T staff, drawing on the work relating to the APEC Architect and APEC Engineer programmes where relevant.
• Consider the development of curricula that incorporate science, research and technology with business and innovation.

We exchanged experience in identifying curricula, educational materials, governance systems, teaching and facilities to meet the needs of future S&T students. We task ISTWG with continuing that sharing of experience, to help identify and disseminate best practice and positive case studies.

We agreed on the importance of cooperation to raise S&T awareness among all sections of the population. We welcomed the efforts of member economies working together to enhance the contribution which science centres and museums make to increasing communities' knowledge of the benefits of science and of science careers.

• being researcher driven,
• having the potential to enhance skills and knowledge,
• having clear goals and appropriate levels of accountability,
• dealing with issues of mutual interest for the economies involved, and
• encouraging the involvement of all interested parties that have the capacity to make a positive contribution.

To facilitate the creation of networks of this sort within APEC, the future work programme of ISTWG should:

• Address those framework issues over which governments have control and where intervention could remove impediments to the establishment of successful international S&T networks. These could include, for example, intellectual property arrangements and the international mobility of researchers.
• Study existing networks within APEC, to identify best practice principles that underlie the establishment and operation of successful networks. This could include encouraging other bodies to compile information from past collaborations, to serve as a guide.
• Explore the establishment and strengthening of international S&T networks in areas of science that have broad implications across economies and society including monitoring and prediction of climate, clean energy, the biological sciences, the nanosciences, and the information and communication technology sciences. Such networks will need to be mindful of other activity already underway.

Ministers recognised the importance across a wide range of sectors of existing networks, noting the work of the APEC Climate Network (APCN) and the Asia-Pacific International Molecular Biology Network (A-IMBN) as examples, and the proposed initiatives of "APEC Climate Center (ACC)" and "electronic International Molecular Biology Laboratory (eIMBL)" for furthering advancements in these areas.

• Initiate a comparison of current practices in national strategic planning, including foresighting techniques, with the intention of trying to define best practice that is most relevant for member economies.
• Review the current directions and topics for APEC-wide foresight studies, which were last set in 1997, and consider the need for a new survey of economies to identify possible revisions.

Ministers acknowledged the work of the APEC Center for Technology Foresight, and the value of effective coordination between the activities of the Center and other groups within APEC.

• That the current review of the organisational structure of APEC should consider the most effective ways of including sustainable growth concepts and priorities within the responsibilities of the bodies that comprise APEC, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of activities which take place within other international organisations;
• That working groups take particular account of the potential value of information exchange and cooperative pilot projects on sustainable growth, the need for managers and technical personnel in enterprises within APEC economies to be aware of the principles of sustainability, and the establishment of information exchange networks on sustainable growth issues between large companies and SMEs;
• That consideration be given to endorsing within the overall APEC structure the following working definition of sustainable growth: "growth that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" and to consider the development of a set of principles which would help guide APEC's work;
• That business leaders within APEC be encouraged to adopt a positive approach towards sustainability concepts as a way of establishing goals that will release the creativity of engineers and scientists;
• That economies explore effective ways of sharing best practice in training, information management and other elements of enabling sustainable growth.

• There are three dimensions to value
• Economic
• Environmental
• Social
• Technology and science are different.  Science uses wealth to create knowledge and technology uses knowledge to create wealth.
  Innovation must be set within a sustainable framework and "business as usual" without regional orchestration won't achieve the change required.
• The Forum recommends Ministers consider achieving a level of harmony between regulatory and taxation regimes in different economies throughout the region to stimulate collaboration in regional research and commercialisation.
• Government plays a crucial role in providing an education system at all levels to ensure excellence of science and the necessary infrastructure to allow good research to flourish. There is a strong regional element to such a system.
• The Forum acknowledges the huge divide between developed and undeveloped economies within the region and the challenges it presents to commercialising science. The Forum was unable to offer any immediate solutions to this problem, but does commend it to Ministers as an area which warrants further consideration.  Linking technology transfer to overseas aid to less developed economies was suggested by some delegates.
• Government and researchers play an important role in gaining public understanding of emerging technologies. The Forum was keen to avoid the difficulties that have been associated with the commercialisation of genetically modified crops.

The Forum agreed this area as the most important challenge facing the APEC region.
There is a great opportunity within APEC to facilitate this by moving people around the region in a targeted way, e.g. sharing best practice in commercialisation from universities such as staff training, use of patent pools, Intellectual Property.
Scientists need new skills; traditionally they are trained in discovery but they need to be flexible, to work well in teams, to have HR, finance and leadership skills, and be business savvy.
The Forum encourages APEC to explore opportunities for creativity and invention at the interface of indigenous and scientific knowledge systems.

• The need to achieve more effective links with business groupings through APEC is crucial. This area needs to be fully explored and options developed as a matter of urgency.
• The possibility of establishing an APEC research council to coordinate research effort in areas of regional interest such as sustainable development was advocated. This should have as one of its objectives the need to establish links with comparable northern hemisphere bodies, in particular the European Union.
• Building on local and national initiatives to develop directories and programmes embracing business, venture capitalists and research communities, the Forum supports the establishment of an APEC based regional directory.