{"id":8042,"date":"2026-06-24T10:00:44","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T02:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.akademisains.gov.my\/asm-focus\/?p=8042"},"modified":"2026-07-23T12:14:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T04:14:08","slug":"afrasia-workshop-marks-key-step-towards-asia-africa-sti-collaboration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.akademisains.gov.my\/asm-focus\/afrasia-workshop-marks-key-step-towards-asia-africa-sti-collaboration\/","title":{"rendered":"AFRASIA Workshop Marks Key Step Towards Asia\u2013Africa STI Collaboration"},"content":{"rendered":"

The International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation (ISTIC<\/a>), in collaboration with the National Research Foundation (NRF<\/a>) of South Africa, convened the AFRASIA Programme Validation and Stakeholder Strategic Engagement Workshop from 6 to 8 May 2026 at Universitas Negeri Malang<\/a>, Indonesia.<\/p>\n

The three-day workshop brought together representatives from key partner institutions across Asia and Africa, including Indonesia\u2019s Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MOHEST<\/a>), the Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre (FEAHLC<\/a>), the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) through the Malaysia Science Endowment (MSE<\/a>), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM<\/a>), Universitas Negeri Malang, the University of Pretoria<\/a>, and the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH<\/a>). The gathering aimed to finalise and validate the AFRASIA programme framework ahead of its official launch.<\/p>\n

AFRASIA, the Asia\u2013Africa South\u2013South Collaborative Research Programme, is a multi-country initiative designed to strengthen cooperation in science, technology, and innovation (STI) between Asia and Africa.<\/p>\n

Supported by founding institutions from South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Tanzania, the programme addresses shared development priorities in water security, renewable energy,<\/span> and planetary health.<\/p>\n

These focus areas address pressing global challenges that require coordinated, interdisciplinary solutions, particularly in the Global South, where research efforts are often fragmented and institutional capacities vary.<\/p>\n

Since 2022, AFRASIA has been developed through extensive consultations; AFRASIA has progressively refined its vision, governance structure, funding model, and implementation strategy through a mission approach.<\/p>\n

\"afrasia,<\/a>

Chair of ISTIC Governing Board, Professor ChM. Dr. Mohd Basyaruddin Abdul Rahman FASc.<\/p><\/div>\n

The workshop marked a critical milestone in advancing the initiative from design to implementation by validating its framework and ensuring alignment among participating institutions.<\/p>\n

\"afrasia,<\/a><\/p>\n

The first two days of the workshop were dedicated to programme validation. Discussions covered key elements such as strategic framing, programme architecture, work packages, governance, co-funding mechanisms, institutional alignment, and implementation readiness. The Innovation Readiness Level, developed by ASM, was also introduced as a tool to assess the readiness of projects to be funded through this platform for greater translational impact.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t