Science, Technology and Innovation Outlook 2023, released by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in March 2023, highlighted the critical importance of science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies since the emergence of COVID-19. Such policies are core to building resilience and adapting to emerging challenges, and they also serve as a key driver for sustainable transformation. In fact, the rapid tests, vaccines, and other tools developed soon after the pandemic began, which were vital for the global response to COVID-19’s spread, can be attributed to STI policy investments made by governments over the past few years.

In the post-pandemic era, there is an even greater need to harness the power of STI to help economies recover from the pandemic’s impact. This is reflected in the theme of this year’s United Nations STI Forum: Science, Technology and Innovation in Accelerating the Recovery from the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and the Full Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at All Levels. The forum not only addressed STI’s role in accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but also featured the release of the Global Sustainable Development Report.

In this context, STI has become even more crucial for international assistance, especially in developing countries where the pandemic has had a greater economic impact. STI tools help these countries recover from the pandemic and strive toward achieving the SDGs. Thus, this issue is themed Discussing International Assistance in the Context of the United Nations 2023 STI Forum. We will approach this topic from multiple angles, including through articles discussing the United Nations STI Forum, Japan and South Korea’s STI-based official development assistance (ODA) strategies, corporate STI tools in international assistance, and the impact of Taiwan’s STI-based international assistance programs.

The special topic of this issue is Accelerating Post-Pandemic Recovery and International Assistance Through STI. Interviews were conducted with Dr. Kenny Huang, Managing Director of the Taiwan Network Information Center (TWNIC), and Mr. Ching-Ping Tseng, Chief of the Department of Information Technology, Cathay General Hospital.

Dr. Huang emphasized the growing importance of STI for the international community in his interview, drawing from his extensive expertise and longstanding involvement in international affairs. If the global community wants to tackle its challenges with science and progress, he emphasized, then STI policies are more crucial than ever.

In contrast, Mr. Tseng approached the topic from his unique vantage at Cathay General Hospital, which partnered with the TaiwanICDF in the Health Information Management Efficiency Enhancement Project in Paraguay. He discussed how STI tools can be effectively implemented in foreign aid programs.

With the rapid development of technology, tools available for international assistance have become increasingly diverse. Since Taiwan began its foreign aid in 1959, it has consistently kept pace by integrating new technologies such as satellite remote sensing, smart agriculture, drones, and distance learning into its aid programs. Therefore, this issue aims to not only acquaint readers with the latest trends in international STI development but also draw lessons from the experiences of the contributing authors to provide a multifaceted perspective on STI tools.

 

Summary

Transforming Taiwan’s Research Paradigm to Accelerate Progress Toward the Sustainable Development Goals
(Chia-Wei Chao, Chair of the Taiwan Environment & Planning Association)

With just seven years left to achieve the 2030 Agenda, numerous SDGs have fallen behind due to crises like the pandemic, inflation, and geopolitical conflicts. Therefore, harnessing STI becomes even more critical at this juncture. Accordingly, UN-related organizations and the international research community have released flagship reports advocating for increased R&D expenditure related to the SDGs. They often propose leveraging digitalization to facilitate capacity building, strengthen science- policy-society dialogue, and support mission-led research mechanisms, among other recommendations. Taiwan’s agencies responsible for sustainability, research, and international development should consider these suggestions. They can do so by developing an STI for SDGs Roadmap, establishing a domestic science-policy-society platform for SDGs, enhancing strategic support for SDG-related research topics, and promoting large-scale international cooperation projects in sustainable science. This approach will help transform Taiwan’s research paradigm and accelerate progress toward the SDGs.

 

Looking to Japan and South Korea’s STI ODA as an inspiration for Taiwan’s own foreign aid
(Yi-Wen Su, Analyst at the Taiwan WTO and RTA Center)

Accelerating STI is crucial for achieving the UN SDGs. At the same time, ODA is the primary method for assisting developing countries. However, the focus on using STI to achieve economic recovery and sustainable development has become even more prevalent in the global community following the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the ODA strategies of both Japan and South Korea leverage their strengths in science and technology to assist developing countries in digital transformation. Japan has been involved in this trend for a longer period, with a focus on large-scale infrastructure projects. Meanwhile, South Korea began its efforts more recently, with a concentration on building frameworks for digital governance and promoting technology commercialization for small- and medium-sized enterprises. The practices and strategies of Japan and South Korea may provide valuable insights for Taiwan as it continues to plan and expand its ODA projects.

 

STI Tools in International Assistance from a Corporate Perspective - A Case Study on Renewable Energy

(Marco Tsai, R&D Chief of HD Renewable Energy Co.)

At the 2015 United Nations Development Summit, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was unveiled. It encompasses 17 SDGs with 169 targets and emphasizes the role of STI for achieving these goals and addressing the challenges faced in sustainable development. This article focuses on renewable energy microgrids as a case study to illustrate how STI practices can be employed in aid projects, serving as a reference for international assistance.

 

Taiwan’s Foreign Aid under STI: The Experience and Impact of the TaiwanICDF

(Ming-Hong Yen, Director of the Technical Cooperation Department, TaiwanICDF; Yun-Ping Wang, Deputy Director of the Technical Cooperation Department, TaiwanICDF; Emma Yeh, Division Chief of the Technical Cooperation Department, TaiwanICDF; Keng-Hua Chang, Specialist in the Technical Cooperation Department, TaiwanICDF; Wen-Chi Chang, Assistant Specialist in the Technical Cooperation Department, TaiwanICDF)

Taiwan’s foreign aid programs emphasize leveraging Taiwan’s technological advantages to address development challenges in partner countries. The TaiwanICDF adopts an STI framework in foreign aid cooperation, promoting collaboration between the academic and industrial sectors. It nurtures research talent in friendly countries through higher education scholarships. Additionally, by establishing foundations for collaborative research, it develops applied technologies that are practical and tailor-made to local circumstances. Ultimately, this assistance facilitates industrial transformation and business innovation in recipient countries.

By combining Taiwan’s experience in STI and foreign aid, the TaiwanICDF has created a sustainable international cooperation platform that attracts both the public and private sectors. In addition to encouraging businesses to participate in international cooperation, the platform also strengthens partnerships and resource integration among various aid providers. It also facilitates the incorporation of mature Taiwanese technologies and business models into foreign aid.

Furthermore, by collaborating with like-minded countries and organizations, the TaiwanICDF assists partner countries in nurturing local talents and fostering a “local issues, local solutions” approach. This model guides partner countries as they undergo digital and technological transformations, expanding Taiwan’s international engagement and influence.

• 更新日期: 2023/09/28
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