Commission on Higher Education
Department of Science and Technology
The Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Science and Technology of
the Republic of the Philippines wish to announce the change of date of 1st APEC High-Level
Policy Dialogue on Science and Technology in Higher Education. It will now be held on
August 13-14, 2015 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, Metro
Manila, Philippines. Although we have originally scheduled this event on July 6-7, 2015, we
believe that moving it to August 13-14, 2015 will ensure optimal participation from
representatives of APEC economies.
We deeply apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused on some participants who
have made travel arrangements for July 6-7, 2015, but we hope there is still a possibility for
rebooking or revising your travel plans.
The High-Level Policy Dialogue on Science and Technology in Higher Education aims to
engage representatives of APEC member economies in a comprehensive, in-depth and
productive exchange of emergent ideas, plans and proposals on how best we can work
together and complement each other in mobilizing higher education institutions as platforms
for unleashing innovations in science and technology. In particular, our purpose is to explore
best possible ways of reengineering higher education in order to address challenges and
propose directions of mutual concern in relation to the following topics:
1. Ensuring Relevance, Utilization and Contribution of Products of S&T in Higher
Education to Economic Development in the APEC Region
2. Technologies and S&T Concerns of the Future: Implications for Future Careers
3. Innovations in Higher Education Delivery Modalities and Strategies
We will discuss each of the three topics as well in the context of the following areas: a) Food
Production and Security, b) Environment, Disaster Preparedness, Climate Change and
Energy, c) Marine Resources: Economy, Biodiversity and Conservation, d) Smart Analytics
and Engineering Innovations, and e) Health Systems. We believe that the open and freewheeling interactions during these two days in August 2015 will yield positive results in
advancing our higher education policies and programs in science and technology in order to
serve the ends of inclusive regional economic growth.
We hope that our key agreements at the High-Level Policy Dialogue on Science and
Technology in Higher Education will contribute positively and substantively to the different
cross-cutting dialogues, senior ministerial meetings, and the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in
November 2015.
Attached is the Background Paper for the High-Level Policy Dialogue. Please note that we
are still looking for resource persons in some topics that we have identified for discussion in
the 2-day program.
For inquiries, please get in touch with the following contact persons:
Dr. Napoleon K. Juanillo, Jr.
Director
Office of Planning, Research and Knowledge Management
Commission on Higher Education
Tel. No. (+632) 441-1169
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara
Undersecretary for Scientific and Technological Services
Department of Science and Technology
Tel. No. (+632) 837-2071 local 2020
Email: [email protected] or itcu‐[email protected] Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in Manila.
BACKGROUND PAPER
APEC 2015 HIGH-LEVEL POLICY DIALOGUE ON
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Department of Science and Technology and Commission on Higher Education
Republic of the Philippines
I. Rationale
Higher education institutions, in both developed and developing economies have hosted a
significant number of the scientific and technological breakthroughs in the 21st century. For the APEC
economies, this growing phenomenon makes it imperative to re-examine and redirect their higher
education systems and modalities toward further advancing science and technology to serve the ends of
national and regional growth. Increased scientific exchanges, and academic and research partnerships and
collaborations among scholars, scientists and researchers in the member economies can be channeled
towards common thrusts that engender innovation, increase productivity, build regional science and
technology capacity and connectivity, and foster regional economic cooperation and growth.
Nonetheless, varying levels of advancements and diversity in the higher education systems as
well as marked differences in innovation and the scientific and technological progress among APEC
member economies can be both a cause for concern and immediate action. It is in this context that a highlevel policy dialogue is being proposed on the topics: a) Ensuring Relevance, Utilization and Contribution
of Products of S&T in Higher Education to Economic Development in the APEC Region, b)
Technologies and S&T Concerns of the Future: Implications for Future Careers, and c) Innovations in
Higher Education Delivery Modalities and Strategies. Discussions on these topics are aimed at finding
common solutions to gaps and differences while at the same time working on mutually beneficial
platforms such as a) Food Production and Security, b) Environment, Disaster Preparedness, Climate
Change and Energy, c) Marine Resources: Economy, Biodiversity and Conservation, d) Smart Analytics
and Engineering Innovations, and e) Health Systems.
II. Objectives
The High-Level Dialogue on Science and Technology in Higher Education has the following
objectives:
1. To highlight the role of higher education in fostering science and technology towards
inclusive and regional economic growth;
2. To examine and explore higher education mechanisms, modalities and strategies that can
build the human capital necessary to produce innovations in science and technology; and,
3. To demonstrate the contributions of science and technology in higher education in
addressing issues that commonly affect APEC member economies such as: a) Food
Production and Security, b) Environment, Disaster Preparedness, Climate Change and
Energy, c) Marine Resources: Economy, Biodiversity and Conservation, d) Smart
Analytics and Engineering Innovations, and e) Health Systems
1 III. Topics
1. Ensuring Relevance, Utilization and Contribution of Products of S&T in Higher
Education to Economic Development in the APEC Region;
2. Technologies and S&T Concerns of the Future: Implications for Future Careers; and,
3. Innovations in Higher Education Delivery Modalities and Strategies
Each of these topics will be discussed in relation to the following concerns: a) Food Production
and Security, b) Environment, Disaster Preparedness, Climate Change and Energy, c) Marine Resources:
Economy, Biodiversity and Conservation, d) Smart Analytics and Engineering Innovations, and e) Health
Systems.
IV. Expected Outputs
The Dialogue will result in the formulation of a Declaration strengthening multi-lateral
cooperation on advancing science and technology in higher education in the APEC economies towards
developing the 21st century innovators for science and technology.
The Declaration will embody the various strategies and actionable steps such as:
1. Cross Border Education & Inter-University Collaboration;
2. S&T Mobility Card: Talent Mobility for Scientists and Expert Researchers; and
3. Capacity Building through Twinning Programs (Joint and Double Programs for Ph.D.
degrees in Science and technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Marine Sciences and
Fisheries)
V. Target Participants
At least forty two (42) delegates from each of the twenty one (21) APEC economies are expected
to participate in the high-level meeting: 21 economy representatives from education/ higher education
departments/ ministries and 21 economy representatives from science and technology departments/
ministries. In order to ensure broad range discussions, representation will also be sought from the
following:
•
•
•
Leading scientists and researchers on science and technology based in higher education
institutions;
Senior university officials, presidents, vice-presidents/chancellors for research and innovation of
higher education institutions; and
Business and industry leaders/CEOs.
An estimated 700 participants including speakers and guests are expected to attend the Dialogue.
2 VI. Call for Papers
Each member economy is invited to nominate a resource person who can make a presentation on
a topic. Currently, there are seven (7) slots that are in need of a resource person (please see table below).
As host, the Philippines, will have two presentations: first, on the theme of “Ensuring Relevance,
Utilization and Contribution of Products of S&T in Higher Education to Economic Development in the
APEC Region in the context of Environment, Climate Change Preparedness and Disaster Mitigation and
Resiliency” and second, on the theme of “Technologies and S&T Concerns of the Future: Implications for
Future Careers in the context of Smart Analytics and Engineering Innovations.”
Deadline for confirmation and submission of presentation is on July 6, 2015.
Themes
Sub-Topics
Food Production and
Security
Environment,
Disaster
Preparedness,
Climate Change and
Energy
1. Ensuring Relevance,
Utilization and Contribution
of Products of S&T in Higher
Education to Economic
Development in the APEC
Region
2. Technologies and S&T
Concerns of the Future:
Implications for Future
Careers
Mr. Jose Luiz Fernandez
Country Representative
Food and Agriculture
Organization
Gisella Orjeda, Ph.D.
President
Hon. Mario G. Montejo,
Secretary, Department of
Science and Technology,
Philippines
Consejo Nacional de
Ciencia, Tecnología e
Innovación Tecnológica
(Peru)
Wei-Sen Li, Ph.D.
Deputy Executive
Secretary
Ministry of Science and
Technology (Chinese
Taipei)
3. Innovations in higher
education Delivery
Modalities and Strategies
William Dar, Ph.D.
Director General,
International Crops
Research Institute for the
Semi-Arid Tropics
(ICRISAT) (India)
Yoshimori Honkura,Ph.D.
Program Officer ,Japan
Science and Technology
Agency
Mr. Biao Jiang
Vice President, Shanghai
Advanced Research Institute,
CAS (China)
Marine Resources:
Economy,
Biodiversity and
Conservation
Smart Analytics and
Engineering
Innovations
Open for nomination
Open for nomination
Open for nomination
Open for nomination
Hon. Patricia B. Licuanan,
Ph.D. Chairperson,
Commission on Higher
Education, Philippines
Sergey V. Ivanets, Ph.D.
Lead Shepherd, Human
Resources
Development
Working Group(Russia)
Open for nomination
Open for nomination
Health Systems
Open for nomination
1
APEC Economies are requested to nominate speakers.
3 VII. Venue
Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines
VIII. Target Date
The High-Level Policy Dialogue on Science and Technology in Higher Education will be held on
August 13-14, 2015.
IX. Project Benefits
The High-Level Policy Dialogue will be beneficial to the APEC economies through:
1. Shared learnings and insights from the experiences of other APEC economies on
mobilizing higher education to advance science and technology;
2. Establishing a common platform for S&T collaboration among scientists and experts
from higher education institutions in finding solutions and creating innovations relating
to: a) Food Production and Security, b) Environment, Disaster Preparedness, Climate
Change and Energy, c) Marine Resources: Economy, Biodiversity and Conservation, d)
Smart Analytics and Engineering Innovations, and e) Health Systems;
3. Cooperation in the pursuit of common human capacity building policies and programs
through higher education in support of advancing S&T among APEC economies; and,
4. Continuing awareness, discussion and possible implementation of important higher
education initiatives that will enhance the human resources and address the much needed
human resource requirements for science and technology in the APEC region.
4