APEC’s Policy Partnership for Science, Technology and Innovation (PPSTI) envisions that the APEC region will have achieved innovative economic growth by 2025. For details on this, read the PPSTI Strategic Plan 2016–2025.

The PPSTI’s mission is to “support the development of science and technology cooperation as well as effective science, technology, and innovation policy recommendations in APEC through collaboration between government, academia, private sector and other APEC fora.”

Formerly known as the Industrial Science and Technology Working Group (ISTWG), the partnership was formed in 2012, when APEC agreed to broaden the group’s mandate to include innovation policy development and to intensify cooperation among governments, businesses and academia. When the ISTWG was renamed to the PPSTI, a new terms of reference outlining the PPSTI’s mandate and goals was endorsed.

Last page update: October 2021

18^th Meeting of the Policy Partnership for Science, Technology and Innovation (PPSTI18)

On August 25–26, the PPSTI virtually held its second meeting of 2021 (PPSTI18), with 18 member economies present. PPSTI18 began with the announcement of the 2021 APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (ASPIRE) winner, Dr Jessica Bogard, a dietitian and public health nutritionist from Australia. She took the victory with her research on boosting the potential of underutilized local and indigenous foods to reduce malnutrition, particularly among pregnant women and young children. Twelve young scientists across the region were nominated for this year’s Prize.

Following the 2021 ASPIRE Ceremony, the PPSTI organized the 2021 APEC Research and Technology (ART) Seminar on “STI Cooperation for the Sustainable and Resilient System after COVID19” cohosted by Korea and Australia. The discussion focused on understanding the STI policies and strategies needed to ensure resilience and sustainability post-COVID, and the long-term PPSTI initiatives that can help establish a sustainable and resilient system.

Highlights of PPSTI18 are as follows:

• PPSTI endorsed the PPSTI Statement on Building Resilience in STI, which highlights the importance of STI in advancing sustainable, inclusive growth and building resilience in the region. This is a follow-up action from PPSTI17 when delegates agreed to develop a PPSTI-endorsed policy statement, based on the PPSTI 2021 theme.
• PPSTI presented the outcomes of its internal comprehensive evaluation of the PPSTI Strategic Plan (2016–2025). Through this initiative, the PPSTI reviewed its activities, evaluated progress on its key performance indicators, and identified new and emerging opportunities for to support the APEC region and its leaders.
• The PPSTI also agreed to continue to use sub-groups to spearhead the work on the PPSTI Strategic Plan, and to provide them with clear priorities and direction.
• The new 2022–2023 PPSTI Chair will lead the revision of the updated PPSTI Strategic Plan, with support from the governing board, to consider outputs from the internal evaluation, SCE Assessment, the 2021 APEC Research and Technology (ART) Seminar, and PPSTI meetings.