EU-ASEAN Policy Dialogue: Building and Managing a Transnational Network for Brain Circulation

BANGKOK, 12 May 2023 – The EU-ASEAN Policy Dialogue on Building and Managing a Transnational Network for Brain Circulation, held on 10 May and 11 May, lifted the collaboration in promoting talent development in ASEAN to a new level.

This dialogue was part of the first meeting of the Expert Group on ASEAN Talent Mobility (EG-ATM) which shared best practices from the EU and ASEAN. In the dialogue, the EG-ATM engaged in a roundtable discussion on the challenges in ASEAN for international collaboration related to mobility and brain circulation. The aim was to identify best practices from the EU for ASEAN Talent Mobility as well as ASEAN’s priorities for collaboration on talent development with the EU. The dialogue is expected to produce a set of recommendations on programmes and activities that would further strengthen the collaboration between ASEAN and EU on science, technology and innovation.

The EG-ATM also aimed to understand how to utilise brain circulation to transform the supply, demand, and mobility of skilled professionals across ASEAN along with developing recommendations for a brain circulation network and talent pool in ASEAN. The EG-ATM benefited from best practices and lessons shared by the EU, and these will be carefully considered as ASEAN builds its talent mobility network.

In his keynote address, Dr Pichet Durongkaveroj, Former Minister of Digital Economy and Society in Thailand, stressed the importance of viewing ASEAN talent mobility as being mutually beneficial to all ASEAN countries, and essential to continued economic growth in the region. He highlighted that the ASEAN talent mobility program should be designed in close consultation with industry so that their demands are met, and by leveraging the best practices from ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners.

The European Commission Directorate General for Research and Innovation representative, underline how, to achieve the best results, EU and ASEAN need to increase cross-border cooperation to develop innovative solutions to deliver just, green, and digital transitions and to promote resilience, prosperity, competitiveness, and social well-being”.

The dialogue was organised in Bangkok by the ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (COSTI) through the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) of the Kingdom of Thailand in cooperation with the European Union (EU) through the Enhanced Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (E-READI).