Reaffirming the UK's dedication to deepening scientific and
technological ties with ASEAN.
What is engineering biology?
Engineering biology is recognised as a transformative technology
and one of the UK's five critical emerging technology priorities.
This technology is defined as the design, scaling and
commercialisation of biology-derived products and services that
can transform sectors or produce existing products more
sustainably, including for example the development of mRNA
vaccines to fight COVID. Advancements in engineering biology has
the potential to revolutionise various industries and enhance
sustainability.
Facilitating a dialogue
International collaboration is vital to promoting and embedding a
culture of responsible innovation in addition to learning from
and demonstrating best practice. The mutual advancement in
science and technology is a key initiative of the UK-ASEAN
(Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Plan of Action.
At the inaugural 2023 ASEAN-UK Dialogue
on Science, Technology and Innovation in the Philippines, SIN
Singapore proposed the ASEAN-UK Regional
Training and Workshop on Engineering Biology as one of the first
three projects delivering our shared commitment in science and
technology.
Impact: driving UK-ASEAN
collaboration
The ASEAN-accredited
workshop was led by SIN Singapore and held in Singapore from 26
February to 1 March 2024. The workshop was delivered by a team of
12 UK and seven Singaporean experts on Engineering Biology. Over
25 participants from all ten ASEAN Member
States and representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat
also attended the event.
The agenda featured state-of-the-art Engineering Biology
research, economic development strategies, and its practical
applications across health, agriculture, food security, and
climate change. The potential applications and benefits
highlighted led to a collective commitment from participants to
promote Engineering Biology in their home countries.
The workshop also emphasised the significance of responsible
innovations, regulations and standards, providing ASEAN officials
with a comprehensive understanding of Engineering Biology's
promise to tackle global challenges.
The UK experts then travelled to Bangkok, in a trip coordinated
by SIN Thailand, where they led a UK-Thailand workshop on
Engineering Biology as part of the UK-Southeast Asia Tech Week.
The workshop enabled meaningful dialogue between the UK experts
and Thai stakeholders across government, academia and businesses
on important areas such as navigating regulations and promoting
innovation ecosystem growth. The engagement highlighted
Thailand's priorities and growing appetite to partner with the UK
on Engineering Biology.
The event encouraged dialogue and set the stage for future
UK-ASEANcollaborations
in science and technology. Hosting the workshop reaffirms the
UK's dedication to deepening its scientific and technological
ties with ASEAN, building
on the strong foundation established since becoming an
ASEAN
Dialogue Partner.
