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Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung said the Vietnam government has recognised that developing the digital economy is one of the key tasks in enhancing the competitiveness of the economy.
With that in mind, the government is aiming to create a national database system and launch a national public service portal that connects with local portals to monitor and enhance public service delivery.
The idea of building an e-Government started in 2000. In September 2018, a National Commission for e-Government was established whose objective is to move towards having a digital economy and digital society. After 18 years, quite a lot of positive changes in technology application have been reported in most administrative offices nationwide.
Information technology has been applied in public administrative service centres in 39 out of 64 cities and provinces across the country. In these localities, state agencies now share data with each other, most notably in the fields of taxation, customs services, social insurance and healthcare. However, it is still not at the desired level.
Data Fundamentals critical in the success of rolling out E-Government strategy
Sharing data is not a new issue, but a very important one for Vietnam government as it enables the formation of close links between the central Government and local governments. Although, there is still a long way to go.
There are many issues that need to be addressed. First is an institutional issue, currently the government has no framework or regulations on what type of documents that administrative Government agencies should be sharing.
Secondly they do not have “foundation data” for e-Government, even basic national data on the population or land. And what they do have in not always in electronic format. And thirdly they need to ensure a secure foundation for all data.
“In Vietnam, we’ll have a fully fledged e-Government soon. However, at the beginning, we’ll focus efforts to put the information into electronic format. For example, we have already launched the National Single Window, the ASEAN Single Window, and the establishment of public administrative centres in cities and provinces nationwide.” said Mr Mai Tien Dung in a recent interview.
Government uses own experience and international success stories to create national database proposal
He also stated that with lessons learned from other countries and from their own country, they have come up with a proposal on the creation of a national database to submit to the Prime Minister for approval.
Centralised database to make government more efficient
The minister said that he was confident that when the e-Government is fully operational, it will help save a lot of time on meetings and paperwork.
For the time being, we should develop a centralised database as soon as possible as at present, many of our data sets are being maintained separately by different Government agencies.
He also remarked that “what’s more important is the Government wants to provide public services to the public online.”
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The Vietnamese government has said that digital transformation and green transformation are inevitable global trends. They have a crucial role in enhancing economic growth, labour productivity, competitiveness, production, and business efficiency. They also reduce reliance on fuel sources that cause pollution and minimise carbon footprint.
To discuss digital and green transformation for sustainable development and to foster networking opportunities for businesses to accelerate their green transitions, the Ministry of Science and Technology held a forum in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

Domestic and international scientists, along with representatives from organisations and technology companies, deliberated on strategies to speed up green and digital transformations. They underscored the importance of advancing technological innovation and implementing reforms in human resource management, training, and quality enhancement to create new products and processes. This, in turn, will boost business value, aid in the delivery of better goods and services to society, and expedite Vietnam’s industrialisation and modernisation processes.
Participants suggested the establishment of a support mechanism for industries implementing green and digital transformation solutions in Vietnamese businesses. They also stressed that it is necessary to promote Horizon Europe’s international cooperation programme on joint research and innovation for Vietnam and have comprehensive digital transformation solutions for businesses.
During the forum, Quang Ninh province representatives, the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA), businesses, and organisations exchanged memoranda of understanding regarding collaboration in the domains of digital transformation and green transformation.
Vietnam has been introducing emerging technologies in the agricultural sector to promote sustainable growth. Earlier this year, the government announced plans to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) for the optimisation of farming practices, including weather prediction, monitoring of plant and livestock health, and enhancing product quality.
AI can improve crop productivity and help control pests, diseases, and cultivation conditions. It can improve the performance of farming-related tasks across food supply chains. Advancements in the manufacturing of AI-controlled robots are assisting farmers worldwide in utilising less land and labour while simultaneously boosting production output.
Vietnam’s commitment to technological advancements in agriculture extends beyond AI, as highlighted by the government’s plans to harness biotechnology. In September, the Politburo issued a resolution under which Vietnam aims to be among the top ten Asian countries in biotechnology production and services by 2030.
As OpenGov Asia reported, the biotechnology sector is on the verge of becoming a significant economic and technological industry, with an expected 50% rise in the number of companies in terms of investment size and growth rate. Additionally, it is projected that half of the imported biotechnology products will be substituted by domestic production. This sector is anticipated to make a 7% contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Vietnam aims to establish a thriving biotechnology sector by 2045, positioning itself as a prominent centre for smart production, services, biotechnology startups, and innovation in Asia. This sector is expected to contribute 10% to 15% to the GDP by that year.
As a result of its tropical climate and its economic shift away from agriculture, biotechnology plays a vital role in Vietnam’s industrialisation and modernisation efforts. It contributes significantly to ensuring food security, facilitating economic restructuring, and promoting sustainable development. Furthermore, in environmental conservation, biotechnology has brought forth numerous solutions. These include the breakdown of inorganic and organic pollutants, waste treatment, industrial waste processing, and the use of microorganisms to address oil spills and incidents of oil contamination.
Vietnam can focus on developing various aspects within the biotechnology sector, such as agricultural advancements in crop and animal breeding, manufacturing veterinary drugs, developing vaccines, and creating bio-fertilizers.
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The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology is devising incentives to support the implementation of 5G telecommunications network technology in Indonesia. This step is taken as part of a strategy to optimise the 5G network to enhance internet speed significantly.
Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Budi Arie Setiadi has revealed that the government’s efforts are geared towards encouraging investment in this sector. One specific measure is to incentivise telecommunications operators to encourage them to make large-scale investments. With these incentives in place, operators can avoid making a substantial upfront payment, which can reduce their investment costs.
Budi Arie Setiadi also expressed his belief that internet speed in Indonesia will continue to increase in line with the advancement of digital technology. The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology is committed to making Indonesia one of the top 10 countries in the world in terms of internet speed by implementing a robust 5G network. Therefore, the government will continue to focus on developing the digital infrastructure to support this goal.
In addition, Budi Arie Setiadi emphasised the importance of establishing a strong digital infrastructure. He explained that includes the development of a reliable and extensive 5G network, which will help meet the needs of the public and industries as they navigate the ever-evolving digital era.
“5G in the future will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping not just the telecommunications landscape but also the broader digital ecosystem,” Budi Arie Setiadi elaborated. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected and reliant on high-speed data transmission, Indonesia is positioning itself strategically to harness the potential of 5G technology for its growth and development.
The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has embarked on a mission to position Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, among the top 10 nations globally regarding 5G network deployment.
“When we discuss speed, it’s a measure relative to other nations, but what truly matters is our global ranking. We employ this benchmark because the world’s pace of internet adoption is not slowing down. Even if our target is to achieve 100 Mbps, if we observe that the global rankings are on the ascent, we remain steadfast in our pursuit,” he expressed.
Furthermore, he also underscored that the government is committed to assessing and crafting strategic initiatives to deliver improved-speed 5G network services. He emphasised that they are poised to collaborate closely with various mobile operators and industry ecosystems to formulate the most effective strategies.
In pursuing high-quality internet network services, the government also remains acutely attuned to the evolving dynamics within the domestic industry.
Budi Arie further highlighted the significance of fostering an industrial ecosystem that enhances quality sustainably and competitively. He said that it is paramount as it will ensure the industry sustains its health and engages in fair competition.
Commercial 5G services are already operational in 49 cities across Indonesia. Furthermore, the development of 5G networks is actively progressing in five super-priority tourist destinations and is being showcased at various international events.
The Minister’s emphasis on global ranking highlights Indonesia’s determination to benchmark itself against international standards. It acknowledges that the digital landscape is dynamic and constantly evolving, and being among the top performers globally clearly indicates staying relevant in the digital age.
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The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and the Hospital Authority (HA) have joined forces to create the HKSTP HA Data Collaboration Lab, set to launch in October 2023 at Hong Kong Science Park. The facility will grant over 1,400 Park companies and their partners direct access to de-identified clinical data sourced from HA’s extensive patient database, comprising around 200,000 patient records.
The lab will be the first portal of its kind, offering non-academic research and development (R&D) access to HA’s data, opening up exciting opportunities for the tech industry to leverage clinical data for groundbreaking biomedical and healthcare innovations.
HKSTP’s CEO highlighted the lab’s transformative potential within the innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem. He highlighted how seamless data collaboration between hospitals, academia, and industry will drive Hong Kong’s healthcare transformation and digital economy aspirations. The lab is expected to catalyse the development of breakthrough technologies by Park companies, aimed at positively impacting global lives.
The Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority underscored the significance of this partnership in facilitating industry access to clinical data and fostering collaboration and innovation. It aligns with the shared goal of accelerating healthcare transformation and enhancing healthcare quality across Hong Kong.
The HKSTP HA Data Collaboration Lab, situated in Building 19W of Hong Kong Science Park, will provide robust infrastructure, enabling exclusive access to HA’s Self-service Data Platform. This platform encompasses clinical data from a randomly selected group of 200,000 patients spanning 2007 to 2017, categorised by age and gender. The data covers various aspects, from patient demographics and hospital/clinic attendance records to clinical diagnoses, procedures, medication records, and laboratory/radiology results.
Data security and privacy are paramount, with HKSTP implementing rigorous measures. These include on-site personnel, surveillance systems, an isolated network, and restrictions preventing data download, saving, or printing. Additionally, all personal information is anonymised in the database. Governance committees, namely the HKSTP Clinical Research Ethics Committee and the Data Governance Committee, ensure compliance with data protection, privacy, and clinical research ethics.
The official launch of the HKSTP HA Data Collaboration Lab is scheduled for October 2023, following a pilot phase. During this time, all 1,400+ HKSTP Park companies (primarily in biotech and healthcare), their partners, and academic researchers can apply for access, with each application granting a five-day exploration window.
This collaboration stems from Hong Kong’s 2021 Policy Address, which tasked HKSTP and HA with promoting enhanced collaboration and data sharing between the R&D and healthcare sectors. The Self-service Data Platform was initially restricted to academic research and publications at select secure locations.
The establishment of the HKSTP HA Data Collaboration Lab at Hong Kong Science Park marks a significant milestone in HKSTP’s journey to strengthen collaboration across government, industry, academia, and research sectors, positioning Hong Kong as a global I&T hub.
The establishment of the HKSTP HA Data Collaboration Lab aligns with the goals of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, as outlined in its policies and initiatives. One of the central objectives of the HKSAR government is to transform Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub.
This initiative aims to foster collaboration between government, industry, academia, and research sectors to boost technological advancements and economic growth. The lab directly supports this goal by facilitating seamless data sharing between the healthcare and tech sectors, driving innovation, and advancing healthcare quality—a key component of the HKSAR government’s vision for a thriving and competitive knowledge-based economy.
OpenGov Asia reported on the Chief Executive of Hong Kong’s 2021 Policy Address which aimed to bolster the development of innovation and technology (I&T) to transform Hong Kong into an international I&T hub. The CE had noted, before delivering her final Policy Address, that the address would focus on economic integration with the Chinese mainland, housing and land supply, and resumption of quarantine-free travel with the mainland.
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The upgrade of the Vietnam-US bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has created opportunities for Vietnam to attract more high-quality investments in the fields of innovation and advanced technology.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh recently attended a meeting with chief executive officers of leading United States enterprises in the semiconductor industry in Washington DC. According to a report, American business representatives spoke highly of Vietnam’s semiconductor industry’s potential, noting the presence of high-quality human resources and the continuously advancing capabilities of local enterprises and training establishments in the country.

They believed that the possibility for cooperation between the two countries in the semiconductor industry is substantial and holds great significance for the development of bilateral relations in the new era. During the meeting, participants explored investment prospects in Vietnam and put forth collaborative strategies to nurture a semiconductor ecosystem. They suggested that in the long run, American companies could consider establishing chip factories in Vietnam.
The Prime Minister urged the United States semiconductor enterprises to increase their investment in Vietnam across all stages of the semiconductor industry, including infrastructure development, technology transfer, design, production, distribution, and manpower training. The collaboration should involve businesses, research institutions, and training establishments from both countries.
This approach will pave the way for enhancing the quality of human resources and the capabilities of Vietnamese companies, enabling the country to further engage in the value and supply chains of the global semiconductor industry.
Developing Vietnam’s semiconductor industry aligns with the current global trend and harnesses the potential and resources available in the country. Moreover, it brings about tangible benefits for people, therefore, the Minister noted that Vietnamese citizens will actively participate and contribute to the process.
He claimed that the government and relevant ministries and sectors are committed to creating an equal and healthy business environment. They will offer optimal conditions for foreign enterprises, including United States semiconductor companies, to operate in Vietnam stably, effectively, and sustainably.
At the event, three significant memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed by Vietnam’s National Innovation Centre (NIC) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MoPI) with American partners. The agreements aim to bolster design capabilities, advance product development, and enhance the training of human resources dedicated to the semiconductor industry.
One of these MoUs signed with an electronic design automation company, is geared towards providing support for the establishment of a chip design incubation centre. The second agreement was formulated to foster the growth of Vietnam’s semiconductor and electronics sector. Within this partnership, NIC will offer Vietnamese universities, training centres, and startups the necessary technology and training programmes to design and develop semiconductor products.
Under the third agreement, NIC will work with an American university to engage with Vietnamese research institutes and educational organisations to develop training programmes and share research in the domains of semiconductors and related fields. Additionally, they will actively seek and leverage appropriate sources of funding to enhance the capacity of the workforce in the semiconductor industry.
Founded in 2019, NIC supports and develops Vietnam’s startup and innovation ecosystem. Its mission is to modernise the country’s economic growth model by harnessing the power of science and technology. In October, NIC will inaugurate its new research centre located in the Hoa Lac High-Tech Park in Hanoi. This facility will include a chip design incubation centre equipped with cutting-edge technologies from key partners of NIC.
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Breakthrough Victoria has unveiled investment partnerships totalling AU$ 87 million with five universities, geared toward facilitating the transition of transformative research from the laboratory to the marketplace. Swinburne University of Technology is set to co-invest AU$ 9 million, a sum reciprocated by Breakthrough Victoria, aimed at fostering the creation of novel ventures that will accelerate the commercialisation of research endeavours. This investment bolsters Swinburne University of Technology’s capacity to propel innovation and instils confidence among its researchers that their pioneering ideas can be translated into tangible realities.
Under these partnerships, each entity will funnel investments into startup companies originating from research initiatives, with pre-seed and seed funding capacities of up to AU$ 1 million per venture.
The official announcement was made by the Minister of Industry and Innovation during the inauguration of the Global Entrepreneurship Conference in Melbourne, a gathering that drew more than 4,000 investors and entrepreneurs from across the globe.
These alliances are being established as part of the ambitious AU$100 million Breakthrough Victoria – University Innovation Platform which was designed to elevate the level of commercialisation of pivotal research, characterised by its real-world applicability and benefits from Victorian universities.
The capital injections into startups during this critical nascent stage will serve as pivotal financial support, facilitating the development of product concepts, prototypes, and trials that are essential for research with strong commercial viability. Moreover, researchers and academics will receive dedicated support to enhance their ability to identify and effectively translate innovative ideas into commercially viable opportunities, thereby augmenting their entrepreneurial capabilities. The specifics of these partnership agreements have been tailored in collaboration with each respective university, thereby addressing the unique needs and the specific stage of their research commercialisation journey.
The co-investment partnership is expected to fuel innovation across a spectrum of industries, with a particular focus on aerospace, healthcare, sustainability, and manufacturing. These sectors, all intricately linked with technology, stand to benefit significantly from the injection of capital into startups that are on the cusp of technological breakthroughs. Such investments will not only drive product development but also foster technological advancement and drive economic growth.
One of the key benefits of this collaboration is the ability to transform research concepts into tangible products and services. Often, groundbreaking research remains confined to the academic realm due to a lack of resources for development and commercialisation.
However, with this co-investment initiative, researchers will have access to the funding necessary to bring their ideas to life. This is particularly relevant in the tech sector, where rapid innovation is critical, and timely investment can be the difference between an idea’s success and its stagnation.
Furthermore, this initiative acknowledges the pivotal role that universities play in fostering innovation. Universities are often hubs of research and development, where cutting-edge ideas are born. However, bridging the gap between academic research and commercial viability can be challenging.
With the partnership between Swinburne University of Technology and Breakthrough Victoria, there is a concerted effort to facilitate this transition. This not only benefits the university but also the broader tech ecosystem by ensuring that innovative ideas reach the market.
Moreover, the support provided to researchers and academics to enhance their entrepreneurial capabilities is a crucial aspect of this initiative. In the tech sector, it’s not just about having a great idea; it’s also about understanding how to bring that idea to market successfully.
This includes aspects like intellectual property management, market research, and business development strategies. The co-designed partnership agreements consider the specific needs and stage of research commercialisation, ensuring that the support provided is tailored to maximise the chances of success, especially in tech-related ventures.
The new Centre for Paramedicine, housed within the dedicated capability hub at Victoria University in Sunshine, is a testament to the commitment of the government to provide top-notch training for paramedics, OpenGov Asia earlier reported.
The Minister for Ambulance Services inaugurated the pioneering capability hub, a first of its kind in Australia. During the event, she met a group of 54 recently graduated paramedics who will receive training at the hub before embarking on their missions to provide essential care to the people of Victoria.
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Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of transforming the boundaries of digital reality, promising to take simplicity and turn it into complexity through the creation of patterns in images, sounds, and text. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (MIT CSAIL) have delved deep into this realm, introducing an innovative AI model that bridges the gap between two unrelated physical principles: diffusion and Poisson Flow. Their work has led to the development of the “Poisson Flow Generative Model ++” (PFGM++), which is poised to redefine digital content creation across various applications.
The PFGM++ model represents a leap in generative AI, offering the capabilities to generate a wide range of content, from images to audio. Its potential applications span from the creation of antibodies and RNA sequences to graph generation. At its core, PFGM++ extends the foundation of the Poisson equation, a concept from physics, to enhance its data exploration and generation capabilities. This breakthrough underscores the power of interdisciplinary collaboration between physicists and computer scientists in advancing the field of AI, as highlighted by Jesse Thaler, a physicist at MIT.
Thaler emphasises the remarkable progress achieved by AI-based generative models in recent years. These models have generated photorealistic images and coherent textual content, challenging the boundaries of artificial intelligence. Notably, some of these powerful generative models draw inspiration from well-established physics concepts such as symmetries and thermodynamics. PFGM++ builds upon a century-old notion from fundamental physics—the existence of extra dimensions in space-time – and transforms it into a versatile tool for crafting synthetic yet authentic datasets. The infusion of ‘physics intelligence’ is revolutionising the landscape of AI.
In the PFGM model, data points take on the role of minuscule electric charges within a multidimensional space, shaping an electric field that extends into an extra dimension, ultimately forming a uniform distribution.
This process is akin to rewinding a video, starting with charges and retracing their path along electric lines to recreate the original data distribution. This process enables the neural model to grasp the electric field concept and generate new data that mirrors the original.
The PFGM++ model takes this concept further by expanding it into a higher-dimensional framework. As these dimensions continue to grow, the model’s behaviour unexpectedly begins to resemble another crucial category of models known as diffusion models. This work aims to strike a balance, as PFGM and diffusion models occupy opposite ends of a spectrum: one is robust yet complex to handle, while the other is simpler but less sturdy. The PFGM++ model introduces a balanced middle ground, combining robustness with user-friendliness, revolutionising image and pattern generation and marking a significant technological advancement.
In addition to its adaptable dimensions, the research team has proposed a novel training approach that enhances the model’s understanding of the electric field, further boosting its efficiency.
To bring this concept further, the research team tackled a pair of differential equations detailing these charges’ motion within the electric field. They evaluated the model’s performance using the widely accepted Frechet Inception Distance (FID) score, which assesses the quality of generated images compared to real ones. PFGM++ excelled in demonstrating enhanced error tolerance and resilience regarding the step size within the differential equations, solidifying its position as a game-changer in the realm of AI-generated content.
In the future, the researchers are committed to refining specific aspects of the model through systematic approaches. They aim to identify the optimal value of D, customised for distinct data sets, architectures, and tasks, by closely analysing the behaviour of neural network estimation errors. Moreover, they plan to leverage PFGM++ in contemporary large-scale endeavours, particularly in text-to-image and text-to-video generation.
MIT’s PFGM++ stands at the forefront of a digital content revolution, bridging the gap between AI and reality. By integrating physics principles and advanced AI techniques, this innovative model promises to reshape the way we create digital content, opening up new horizons for creativity and application across various industries.
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According to Dr Juanito Batalon, OIC, Office of the Executive Director for Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD), digitalisation in the Philippines’ agricultural sector ushers in a new era of innovation and efficiency.
“Due to the nation’s reliance on agriculture for food security and livelihoods, the incorporation of digital technologies is transforming the way agriculture is practised,” Dr Juanito explained.
Precision agriculture is one of the primary areas that will benefit from digitisation. Farmers are optimising agricultural planting, irrigation, and pest management by employing GPS technology, drones, and satellite imagery. This not only enhances crop yields but also saves resources and has a lower environmental impact.
Dr Juanito emphasised that precise farming methods like drip irrigation and controlled-release fertilisers reduce waste, save water, and have less of an effect on the environment. Farmers can also get information about market prices and trends through digital platforms. This helps them make smart choices about how to sell their crops, which increases their profits.
He highlights the Project SARAi, a research programme designed to deliver important information to local farmers in order to improve their yield. He has explained that SARAi specifically supports farmers by informing them about the weather, what crops they should plant for the season, what soil type they should employ to optimise crop quality and yield, and what pests and illnesses their crops are prone to.
He added that the project team also created drones that allowed them to see if their crops were still healthy or if they needed extra attention. With SARAi’s continual innovation, they were able to use satellites to estimate rainfall for the week, as well as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to find farmlands that cater to various crops.
Dr Juanito also stressed that they are actively promoting the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture to improve productivity and sustainability citing that the DOST-PCAARRD has been involved in various initiatives related to the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, in agriculture with the help of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
Besides, digital solutions give farmers the real-time data they need to make smart, data-driven choices. This includes decisions about planting, harvesting, and getting rid of pests, all of which lead to better crop management in the long run.
Drones and sensors are also very helpful for keeping an eye on crops and finding diseases early, which lets farmers target their efforts and lower production losses. Besides these useful advantages, digital technology is also very important for rural development because it helps rural communities get training, education, and knowledge, which makes their lives better.
Also, blockchain technology makes it possible to track crops, which improves food safety and quality control and helps farmers adjust to changing weather conditions, eventually making Philippine agriculture more sustainable.
“Digital technology is changing the Philippines’ farming industry, which is good for food security, economic growth, and the environment,” Dr Juanito said.
Further, DOST Secretary Renato Solidum, Jr highlighted during the 9th Balik Scientist Programme Annual Convention the importance of addressing the brain drain in the Philippines and retaining scientific talent through various initiatives like the “Balik Scientist Programme.” It discusses the country’s increasing global innovation index and government spending on research and development.
The Balik Scientist Programme, recognised as a significant national initiative, is emphasised for bringing back diverse Filipino scientists to contribute to the nation’s growth. The programme focuses on harnessing global science for sustainable development and innovation including digitalisation, AI, and robotics among others that are tailored to local challenges.