Japan, Asean join consultation programme on regional networking
Japan, Asean join consultation programme on regional networking
Regional SME networking is getting a boost as Japan teams up with the SME agencies across South-East Asia to promote benefits of shared learning across the incubation centre network.
Representatives of the ten Asean member states and Japanese counterparts along with officials from line ministries, companies and the National University of Laos (NUoL) are taking part in the Asean workshop entitled “Fostering Competitive SMEs in Asean by promoting Business-Academia Networking of Entrepreneurship Education” Project.
The workshop formally opened yesterday and is due to end today.
Sponsored by Japan Asean Integration Fund (JAIF), the objective is to share insights on progress in fostering competitive SMEs in Asean by promoting business-academia networking through entrepreneurship education projects and the promotion of teaching incubation centre networks in Asean.
NUoL President Prof. Dr Somsy Gnophanxay joined the opening ceremony.
The workshop also disseminated the results of applying “Consultant Based Learning for Asean SMEs” (COBLAS) approach in the following three programmes in order to strengthen the function of incubation centres through business-academia networking in Asean.
The three programmes include incubation manager training, strategic development and international business.
The COBLAS method was developed by Dr Takeru Ohe, a former professor at Waseda University Graduate School of Commerce.
Workshops will be held twice during the project both in the Philippines and Laos to share knowledge and information and to exchange ideas as well as contributing to regional network-building.
The project commenced in 2014 under Asia Science and Education for Economic Development Institute (Asia SEED) with the financial support of Japan-Asean Integration Fund (JAIF) and collaboration with universities’ incubation centres in Asean countries.
So far, a total of 18 programmes have been implemented in this project with participants coming from SMEs, academia and governmental agencies.
It is hoped that the workshop may further spur the building and strengthening of networks between industry, government and academia across the region by discussion of common issues to develop responses and identify potential collaborations.
