Organised between 6-8 October 2024 in Kyoto, Japan, the 21st Global Annual Meeting of the Science and Technology in Society Forum gathered ca 1,400 global leaders in science and technology, policymaking, business, and media from over 80 countries, regions, and international organisations. ASEF was invited to attend for the first time this year as part of ASEF’s new initiative this year to contribute to this field as part of our new project, the Asia-Europe Science & Technology Diplomacy Initiative.
The Science and Technology in Society Forum is a platform for the world leaders to gather and discuss various issues related to science and technology. Inaugurated in November 2004, the meeting in Kyoto, Japan, and online, brings together close to 1,500 participants from 120 countries every year to discuss and address the challenges and opportunities presented by the newest science and technology, and their implications to society.
Read more about the Science and Technology in Society Forum here.
The focus of this year’s 21st edition was on the following topics:
- AI
- The Digital Age
- Basic Science
- Global health
- Biotechnology
- Food and Energy
- Energy
- Climate Change
- Collaboration
In the words of its Chairman, Hiroshi Komiyama, the STS Forum has become “the world’s premier platform for discussing issues related to science and technology and their implications for society.”
Read the full Chairman’s Statement on the Forum and the topics here.
The STS Forum had plenary sessions that featured high-level speakers—ministers, global business executives, thought leaders, and prominent scientists. S&T’s role in the future given climate change and the rise of AI served as the underlying theme in most plenary talks.
The event had eight running subthemes: Energy, Earth and Commons, Climate Risks, Life Sciences, Innovative Engineering, Cooperation in S&T, S&T Education, and Digital Technologies.
Sessions that are worth noting under the Cooperation in S&T subtheme are the one on ‘Science & Technology Diplomacy’ and ‘Collaboration among Academia, Industry and Government’.
The session on ‘Science & Technology Diplomacy’ was chaired by Sudip Parikh, Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, USA. This session emphasised the importance of science diplomacy in global response to crises and complex problems. To sustain this, calls were made for an open, collaborative global system to support exchange of ideas and talent.
Furthermore, the session on ‘Collaboration among Academia, Industry and Government’, chaired by Remi Quirion, Chief Scientist of Quebec, Canada & President, International Network for Governmental Science Advice, New Zealand, highlighted the need to increase the participation of the Global South and facilitate their open access to knowledge and tools. Trust was mentioned as an important bedrock for cooperation among academia, industry, and government – each of them playing a different role in this dynamic, and therefore have specific gaps they can fill in the whole scientific ecosystem.
The STS Forum provided ASEF with the opportunity to engage with high-level stakeholders in science and technology diplomacy, to learn more about new upcoming trends in the field, and explore potential future partnerships.
Learn more about ASEF’s work in Science & Technology Diplomacy through our Asia-Europe Science & Technology Diplomacy Initiative here.
If you have any questions about ASEF’s work in Science & Technology Diplomacy, please contact scitech@asef.org