NSTDA's new policy focuses on unity of purpose
The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) has reorganised its focus on research and development in Thailand, with a new emphasis on cooperation and unity between government agencies and private-sector organisations.
The agency will soon produce a national research-and-development master plan, aimed at bringing unity and a common direction to the country's many research-and-development initiatives and to reduce the overlap in research-and-development investment by government agencies.
The NSTDA's new president Thaweesak Koanantakool, who took office at the beginning of this month, declared: "We will use the requirements of the private sector as the destination for our research-and-development direction."
He said that under his management, the NSTDA's policy would follow the policies of the science and technology minister - principally to use science and technology to enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of the country's real sector, especially agriculture and industry.
The agency is planning to adjust its areas of focus, to give emphasis to five key social and industrial "clusters", including food and agriculture, energy and environment, public health, manufacturing industries and the community. It will deliver scientific assistance to encourage the development of these key clusters through its four key centres, the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec); the National Metal and Material Technology Centre (MTEC); the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC); and the National Nanotechnology Centre (Nanotec).
"We will encourage research and development in science and technology among private-sector organisations by bridging the gap between the applications needed by the real sector and the government's research-and-development efforts," Thaweesak said.
The agency will place more emphasis on providing services and assistance to the private sector. This will not only include lab testing and lab-to-market matching services, but also activities such as Investors' Day, when the NSTDA introduces prospective investors to research-and-development projects, and the NSTDA Commercialisation Process, aimed at commercialising research-and-development outcomes for application in business and the real sector. It will also encourage collaboration between other government agencies and private-sector organisations.
For example, the NSTDA is currently working with the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Office (STI), the Federation of Thai Industries and the Industry Ministry to encourage collaboration in research and development in rail transportation and downstream industries.
"All of the things that the agency has been doing to date, including tax incentives, low-interest loans, consultancy and R&D facilities, we commit to continue and to multiply," Thaweesak said.
The NSTDA's new president said a key task for his agency was the development of a national research-and-development master plan, with the aim of providing a roadmap and guidelines for the R&D organisations of all government agencies.
The move aims to reduce overlapping investment costs and areas of research and development among government R&D centres, including the Thailand Research Fund, the National Research Council of Thailand, the Agricultural Research Development (public organisation), the Society and Health Institute, the National Health Security Office, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and the Office of the Higher Education Commission.
"We [the above organisations and NSTDA] have met every two months for the past eight months. This is a new practice from which we hope to see a new unity in research-and-development planning," Thaweesak said.
Initially, the organisations have agreed to develop a database of research-and-development work being carried out in all of Thailand's R&D centres. It is expected that within two months, the information centre for research and development will be available so that Thailand will be able to acknowledge what R&D is going on, and to whom it belongs. It will also serve as a guide to avoid duplication of effort.
"NSTDA will deliver science-and-technology services and assistance to all stakeholders, including the private and government sectors and communities," Thaweesak said.
In 2009 alone, the NSTDA applied for 200 patents and encouraged collaboration with private-sector organisations to create added value from co-research-and-development projects worth about Bt1 billion.
The NSTDA manages science-and-technology budgets amounting to Bt4 billion per year. Of this, Bt3 billion comes from the government and Bt1 billion from the private sector.