KISTEP held the '2023 KISTEP-ISTIC STI Training Program for High Level Policy Makers' at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas from July 25 to 28, in collaboration with ISTIC under UNESCO.

△ Opening remarks by Byung-Seon Jeong, President of KISTEP

The program, which started in 2009, has provided about 250 high-level S&T policy makers from 71 ISTIC member countries in Asia, South America, the Middle East, and Africa with expertise in S&T innovation policy and development experiences that have served as the basis for Korea's economic growth.

△ Welcoming speech by Sharizad Dahlan, Director of ISTIC

In the 2023 program, 14 S&T policy makers from 13 countries, including Asia (Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Uzbekistan), the Middle East (Iran), Africa (Egypt, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Zimbabwe) and South America (Brazil), participated.

△ Group photograph of the 2023 KISTEP-ISTIC STI Training Program for High Level Policy Makers

The program consisted of △ Technology Foresight, S&T Basic Plan, HR in S&T Policy, R&D Program Budget Allocation and Coordination, R&D Program Evaluation, COSTII, △ (Special sessions) History and Future Directions of S&T Policy in Korea, Key Issues in the Era of GVC Challenges and Technology Hegemony, How to Increase R&D Productivity and Its Fruits, and △ Country Reports.

△ Special Session by Sungchul Chung, President of Wonjung Institute

The 2023 program was more meaningful as the program was held offline after about 3 years due to COVID-19. After the announcement of the resumption of the offline program, there were numerous inquiries from ISTIC member countries' S&T ministries and related organizations, and the number of applicants for the program also increased significantly compared to previous years.

△ KISTEP sessions and special sessions

President Byung-Seon Jeong said, "We are delighted to be able to invite participants to Korea and meet them in person by holding the program offline, which had been held only online due to COVID-19. Korea achieved remarkable development based on S&T innovation by acquiring S&T know-how and experience from advanced countries and establishing a ministry dedicated to S&T in the 1960s. Although Korea has emerged as a world-class S&T powerhouse, we still have various concerns, such as the transition to a mission-oriented R&D system, the creation of a research environment centered on researchers, and the creation of high-quality research results. We will continue to share Korea's success experiences and concerns, and seek continuous knowledge transfer systems and cooperation plans so that developing countries can promote national development by strengthening their S&T innovation capabilities, solve global problems, and contribute to the universal values of mankind, such as improving the quality of life."

△ Participants of the 2023 KISTEP-ISTIC STI Training Program for High Level Policy Makers

△ KIST (Study Visit)

△ Gyeongbokgung Palace (Study Visit)

* Introduction of ISTIC

The creation of the International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation under the Auspices of UNESCO (ISTIC) was a successful outcome of the Second South Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 and China in Doha, Qatar, June 2005. ISTIC was launched in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in May 2008 to support the establishment of national S&T innovation policies and various related research and exchange activities in developing countries.

http://www.istic-unesco.org

** Introduction of KISTEP-ISTIC STI Training Program

KISTEP-ISTIC STI Training Program shares Korea's economic development experiences and S&T innovation examples to high-level policy makers in developing countries that are ISTIC members. It was launched in 2009 with a request to KISTEP for a "customized R&D training program" to strengthen overall S&T capabilities in the countries, including national S&T policy establishment, planning and evaluation, and management techniques.