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| Asian Science and Technology Foundation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Asian Science and Technology Foundation |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Headquarters | New Delhi, India |
| Region served | Asia |
| Leader title | Director General |
Asian Science and Technology Foundation is a pan-Asian non-profit institution established to promote scientific research, technological innovation, and capacity building across Asia. The Foundation engages with national academies, multinational corporations, and regional development banks to coordinate research programs, training, and policy dialogues. It operates through country offices, thematic centers, and partnerships with universities and think tanks.
The Foundation was founded in the early 1990s during a period of rapid technological change that included the rise of the Internet and the expansion of multinational research links between Japan, China, and India. Early collaborations involved exchanges with the Science and Technology Agency (Japan), the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research institutions. The organization expanded in the 2000s alongside initiatives such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation science initiatives and entered joint programs with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. High-profile advisory roles have included consultations with figures associated with the Nobel Prize, the Royal Society, and the National Institutes of Health on regional research priorities.
The Foundation's core mission aligns with objectives articulated by institutions like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the United Nations Development Programme: to strengthen research capacity, promote technology transfer, and support innovation ecosystems. Specific aims include fostering networks among the Indian Institute of Technology, Tsinghua University, National University of Singapore, and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, supporting startups linked to Seoul National University spin-offs, and advising policy forums such as ASEAN scientific committees and G20 science task forces. The Foundation emphasizes applied research partnerships with corporate entities including Samsung, Tata Group, and SoftBank.
Governance follows models seen at the Wellcome Trust and the Gates Foundation, with a board comprising representatives from national research councils such as the National Science Foundation (United States), the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the European Research Council. Executive leadership includes a Director General and program directors who coordinate thematic divisions mirroring units at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics and the International Rice Research Institute. Country offices liaise with ministries like the Ministry of Science and Technology (India), the Ministry of Education (China), and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (South Korea).
Programmatic work spans research grants, fellowship schemes, and technology incubation modeled after programs at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Notable initiatives include a regional fellowship comparable to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, collaborative centers akin to the Pasteur Institute network, and a disaster-resilient infrastructure program coordinated with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. The Foundation runs innovation challenges with partners such as Microsoft, Google, and the World Intellectual Property Organization, and supports field trials conducted in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute and the CIMMYT.
Strategic partnerships include memoranda of understanding with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the National Research Foundation (Singapore). The Foundation collaborates with universities such as Peking University, University of Tokyo, Indian Institute of Science, and Seoul National University, and with laboratories like Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Riken, and the Max Planck Society. Multilateral engagements encompass the Asian Development Bank, the World Health Organization, and the International Monetary Fund on science policy, public health, and innovation financing.
Funding sources mirror mixed models used by the Wellcome Trust and include endowments, competitive grants, and project funding from philanthropic entities like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and corporate partners such as Tata Group and Samsung. The Foundation receives program-specific grants from multilateral agencies including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, and participates in joint funding mechanisms with the European Commission Horizon programs. Financial oversight is informed by reporting standards similar to those of the International Accounting Standards Board and audit practices used by the United Nations.
The Foundation's impact includes contributions to regional capacity building measured in collaborative publications with institutions like Tsinghua University, IIT Bombay, and National University of Singapore, patents filed in partnership with Sony and Panasonic, and technology transfers to small enterprises comparable to models used by the Fraunhofer Society. Recognition has come in the form of awards and endorsements from bodies such as the UNESCO Science Prize committees, citations in reports by the World Economic Forum, and invitations to advisory panels hosted by the G20 and the Asia-Europe Meeting.
Category:Scientific organizations based in Asia