The Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Coordination Symposium 2025 on 3 March 2025 marked an official launch of the STI Coordination Platform–a joint initiative between ASEAN University Network (AUN), ASEAN University Network/Southeast Asian Engineering Education Development Network (AUN/SEED-Net), and Japan-ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Platform (JASTIP) aimed at cultivating the next generation of STI Coordinators.

The platform seeks to drive cross-disciplinary research collaboration producing outcomes that not only strengthen ASEAN-Japan relations and broaden the research landscape but also contribute to the global effort in tackling pressing challenges. Garnering over 200 participants onsite and online, the symposium served as a platform for universities, researchers and government agencies to align common goals and explore potential opportunities for knowledge-sharing and collaboration.

Following through was a presentation by Dr. Taro Sonobe from Kyoto University/JASTIP. He delivered a comprehensive overview of the “Human Capacity Building for Science, Technology, and Innovation Coordination between ASEAN and Japan towards Grand Challenges” project–a collaborative project between JASTIP, AUN/SEED-Net, and AUN with a support from Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).