ESCAP’s project with Google and APRU (Association of Pacific Rim Universities) aims to build a network of researchers exploring AI for social good that can conduct research relevant for policy makers. As part of this partnership, 8 research projects are being sponsored.

Three years after the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, there is a consensus that public and private finance will both be needed – at scale – to meet the SDGs, and that official development assistance can and should play a role in catalyzing and accelerating those flows, especially in risky and harder to reach economies.

Social entrepreneurship is an effective model to address social problems and bring prosperity to communities, contributing to Vietnam's efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The social enterprise sector has made important contributions to socio-economic development in many countries and in Vietnam, nearly five years after implementation of the Enterprise Law, social enterprises have a legal foundation for their establishment and operation. However, there was a need for thorough research on how the social enterprise sector was taking shape in Vietnam.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific - East and North East Asia Office (UNESCAP-ENEA) and the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) of the Republic of Korea are hosting a training workshop on science, technology and innovation (STI) policies for sustainable development, with a particular focus on developing STI policies for frontier technologies and public innovation. This training is prepared in partnership with the newly launched Asia Pacific Research and Training Network on STI Policy (ARTNET on STI Policy).

In February 2017, the British Council and United Nations ESCAP signed a collaborative agreement to promote the growth of social enterprise and impact investment across the Asia-Pacific region as a means of supporting progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Together we are co-operating to provide research, analysis, training, policy dialogues and offer guidance to support policy makers and other stakeholders in formulating and implementing policies and strategies that foster social enterprise and create enabling environments for impact investment.

The Department of Social Development and Welfare, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Thailand in cooperation with Social Enterprise Thailand Association and British Council will be organizing ASEAN+3 Conference on Social Enterprises during 6-8 March 2019 at Swissotel Bangkok Rachada, Bangkok.

Grassroots innovation is a modality of inclusive innovation that enables extremely affordable, niche-adapted solutions to local problems, often unaided by public sector or outsiders even from NGO sector in the initial phase.

Science and technology parks can serve as useful vehicles for innovation and growth of start-ups. However, effective development and management of these parks is not always easy. Among many questions, what policies should be put in place to facilitate development of science and technology parks? In an era of digital connectivity, how should science and technology parks adjust themselves to embrace new opportunities and challenges?

Organised by ESCAP and hosted by the Government of Thailand, the Summit will explore how to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to promote social and economic impact and meet the Sustainable Development Goals. It will showcase research and spark discussion on creating an enabling environment for the growth and application of AI, the likely social impact and risks and challenges associated with AI.

Frontier technologies have the potential to re-shape the economy and boost productivity across all sectors and industries. They also offer great potential to harness social and environmental goals.