Asean, US collaborate for stronger science-based policy making

JAKARTA, Indonesia: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Deputy Secretary-General for Socio-Cultural Community Alicia dela Rosa Bala and Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Timothy Hefner formally inaugurated the Asean-US Science and Technology Fellows Pilot Program on Monday, noting that the program would ensure that member states increasingly utilize science when making difficult policy decisions.

The program, managed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) in partnership with the US Mission to Asean, will support eight scientists from academia to work for one year in government ministries in their five home countries with the goal of increasing utilization of science, technology and objective analysis of existing data in decision making.