ASEAN COSTI Meeting advances sci-tech cooperation agenda for 2026-2035

The three-day event brings together around 250 delegates from science, technology and innovation management agencies across ASEAN, the ASEAN Secretariat, international partners, research institutions and the scientific community.

COSTI is an ASEAN senior official-level cooperation mechanism tasked with supporting the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology, and Innovation in implementing regional cooperation directions.

The 90th meeting takes place during the initial phase of implementing the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology, and Innovation for 2026–2035, providing an opportunity for member states to translate shared priorities into concrete initiatives and strengthen links between their research and innovation capabilities.

A key development at this year’s meeting is the restructuring of COSTI’s specialised subcommittees, reduced from nine to five for the first time. The streamlined structure is intended to improve coordination and make regional science and technology cooperation programmes more effective.

The five subcommittees met on October 13 to discuss the science, technology and innovation ecosystem; deep and emerging technologies; biotechnology and food science; materials and energy technologies; and Earth, ocean and space sciences.

One day later the Board of Advisers to COSTI will hold its 21st meeting. The COSTI-90 plenary session will begin on the afternoon of the same day and continue on October 15.

Delegates will review the implementation progress of the Ministerial Meeting's conclusions, consider key initiatives and tasks, and update on cooperation activities with dialogue partners and international organisations.

Vietnam aims to promote ASEAN cooperation that delivers tangible, measurable and applicable results. Priorities include joint research, sharing research infrastructure, exchanging scientists, and strengthening links between universities, research institutes, businesses and investors.

A highlight of COSTI-90 will be the final round and award ceremony of the 2026 ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women, scheduled for October 14.

Centered on the theme of applying artificial intelligence to develop inclusive and resilient health systems in ASEAN, the prize features four female finalists. The candidates will present their research and answer questions from the judging panel to determine the winners in two categories: mid-career scientist and senior scientist.

Also on October 14, a seminar on the findings of a survey on biotechnology in ASEAN will address research capabilities and cooperation needs, while shaping a development roadmap for the sector in the region.

The Ministry of Science and Technology, in collaboration with UL Research Institutes (USA), on October 15 will host an international seminar on women in innovation. It seeks to connect female scientists and encourage women and the younger generation to engage in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Vietnam to host two key ASEAN occupational safety and health meetings

Vietnam is scheduled to host two major meetings of the ASEAN Occupational Safety and Health Network (ASEAN-OSHNET) in the central city of Da Nang from July 7 to 9, reaffirming its active role in promoting regional cooperation on safer and healthier workplaces.