One of the highlights of globalization is the increased depth and breadth of international cooperation in science. Scientific research topics are becoming more internationalized. This is a result of the development of the “Global Village.”
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An international seminar on tsunamis with representatives from many countries |
In 2005, the world witnessed several continuous disasters, including the tsunami in the Indian Ocean, Hurricane Katrina, and avian influenza.
In today’s era, humanity has become closer than ever.
No country can escape global disasters, such as pandemics, if they occur. Simultaneously, many issues concerning the survival of humanity, such as climate change, the safe development of energy sources, and environmental recovery and preservation, require even more international cooperation.
2005: Increased Cooperation…
In 2005, international cooperation made significant progress in various scientific and technological issues.
With the support of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), coastal nations held several rounds of negotiations and agreed to establish a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean.
At the same time, thanks to international efforts, the Kyoto Protocol on reducing greenhouse gas emissions officially came into effect in February 2005.
2005 was also the year when international cooperation achieved many results. France was chosen by the EU, the US, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and China as the country to host the world’s first nuclear fusion reactor. The goal of this collaborative project is to successfully research the conversion of seawater into a new energy source through solar energy.
The project, costing 10 billion euros (approximately 12.18 billion USD), marks a significant step forward in the search for a cheaper, safer, and cleaner energy source for the future.
In 2005, as avian influenza emerged and topped international and regional agendas, the Geneva International Conference approved a global plan worth 1 billion USD to combat the disease.
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The international conference on avian influenza held in Ho Chi Minh City from February 23-25, 2005 |
Thanks to information technology, information is updated daily. Through this, capital, talent, and knowledge in the field of science are disseminated globally. Scientific and technological achievements are increasingly becoming mainstream.
According to a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in 2005, research and development (R&D) efforts with other countries were on the rise.
Evidence of this is the establishment of many multinational laboratories.
Foreign companies account for up to 70% of the R&D industry in Hungary and Ireland. In Portugal, Spain, and Sweden, multinational companies hold 40% of the market share in this industry.
Other statistics indicate that in the United States, since the 1980s, investment from multinational companies in the field of R&D has tripled.
2006: Cooperation Accompanied by New Challenges
However, the wave of globalization in science and technology brings both opportunities and challenges.
Many developed countries plan to increase their investment in science and technology over the next 5 to 10 years. These countries are concerned that, once the global race in science and technology escalates, they will lose their inherent competitive edge.
The United States is also worried about losing its leading position in science and technology without any breakthroughs. In response to this issue, the National Academy of Sciences proposed a 500-page study calling for further investment in research and education.
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The Kyoto Protocol requires countries to cooperate to reduce emissions in response to global warming |
Recently, the EU has also called on member countries to allocate 3% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to Research and Development (commonly referred to as R&D) by 2010, compared to 1.9% in 2000.
As for Japan, one of the leading countries in science and technology, it plans to draft a massive fund of 215 billion USD over the next five years to maintain its position in R&D.
Along with other countries, in its 10-year report, the UK presented its vision for scientific improvement, setting a goal for investment in the public and private sectors in R&D to reach 2.5% of GDP by 2014, currently at 1.9%.
For developing countries, although globalization in scientific research opens up new opportunities for capital and technology, there are concerns that the dominance of developed countries in science will further widen the gap between these countries and developing nations.
A UNESCO report states: “knowledge divide” has been dividing countries with strong development and research potential from those with weaker educational systems and research capabilities.
Countries in the OECD contribute an average of about 2.2% of their GDP to scientific research and development. In contrast, for sub-Saharan African or Arab countries, this figure is only 0.2% and 0.1% of GDP, respectively.
This warns that the divide in international scientific cooperation between rich and poor countries will continue to expand.
