EUR&I Days ASEAN 2022 engaged with twin transition of green and digital in ASEAN and EU

European Research and Innovation Days ASEAN 2022 (EUR&I Days ASEAN 2022), the flagship regional event of EURAXESS ASEAN, closed on Nov 11, 2022 on a high note.

Over 4,000 participants comprising policymakers, scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, activists and the public from across Southeast Asia and Europe attended the virtual event from 2 to 11 November 2022. This year, European Research and Innovation Days ASEAN 2022 focused on green and digital transitions in ASEAN and EU.

H.E Igor Driesmans, EU Ambassador to ASEAN and H.E Satvindar Singh, Deputy Secretary-General for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC, ASEAN) opened EUR&I Days ASEAN 2022 with keynote speeches on EU-ASEAN Relations in Research and Innovation: Going Green and Digital to Reach the SDGs and ASEAN Innovation Road Map 2019-2025. Val Amiel Estil, Executive Director, Association of Young Environmental Journalists presented the science keynote, Bridging Science, Business and

Society: The Twin Transitions for a Better World.

In his opening keynote address, H.E. Igor Driesmans, EU Ambassador to ASEAN said, “The exchange of ideas and expertise on a regional level that takes place at the European Research and Innovation Days

ASEAN 2022 will help us shape new solutions for a more sustainable, digital and greener future in Southeast Asia and Europe.”

H.E Satvindar Singh, Deputy Secretary-General for the ASEAN Economic Community underlined the importance of the twin transition in his keynote address where he said, “Sustainability and digitalisation–both of these elements are very closely intertwined and it is not really advisable to treat sustainability as a separate topic from digital transformation. Efficiency created by digitalisation indeed can contribute to a lot more, better circular economy and green growth for the region.”

In his keynote, Val Amiel Estil appealed for science to be heeded, “We need to listen to the science, trust in the science, communicate the science, and respond to the science”, thus underscoring the critical role of research and innovation in meeting the sustainable development goals.

Discussion topics ranged from the Digital Transformation for Green Growth: The Role of Research and

Innovation, How Public and Private Funding Finance Green Innovation to The Transformative Effect of Science, addressing the pressing green and digital issues of the day.

On the topic of public-private partnerships, speaker João de Almeida Simões, Head of Strategy, Santander Foundation highlighted the role of banks and said, “Banks have a strategic role in the transition to the green economy. We aim to be a change agent to empower society and join forces with all sectors to reach our goals”. Speaking about the transformative effect of science, Glenn Banaguas, Founder and Chairperson, Climate Smart and Disaster Resilient ASEAN, surmised, “The transformative impact of science is more than understanding the world. It is about embracing its significance and bringing it closer to the hearts of the people.”

EUR&I Days ASEAN 2022 paves the way for researchers in ASEAN to better understand the research and innovation landscape in Europe by providing a platform for them to learn about ongoing collaborative research projects and to discover EU-funded research opportunities for collaboration with ASEAN. Videos of the EUR&I Days ASEAN 2022 sessions are now available at eu-ridays-asean.engage.eu.