Science and technology collaboration at the regional level : lessons from ASEAN

Abstract

Given that all the ASEAN economies (with the exception of Singapore) are still preocuppied with efforts to expand their industrial base, their science and technological base is still relatively small, and to a large extent, dependent on many inputs including investments and expertise from the industrial countries. Like most developing countries, all the ASEAN countries have heavily depended upon imported or transferred technologies because these technologies are not only relatively cheap and easy to acquire, but they have been tested and standardised. While the development of indigenous technologies is perceived to be costly and risky, the experience of many countries has shown that the enhancement of such capability requires a mixture of both indigenous and imported technologies. As such, S & T development within each of the ASEAN countries in seen in the context of each country's interest, following the main thrust of its own industrial programme.