A conference opened in Hanoi on Nov. 16 to facilitate cooperation on research and technology development between ASEAN and the EU.

The 4th SEA-EU-NET stakeholders conference, themed “ASEAN-EU Year of Science, Technology and Innovation 2012”, is an initiative to build a strong partnership between the two important regions in an effort to tackle current global challenges.

The conference will review the results of scientific and technological cooperation between ASEAN and the EU, define potentials and cooperation fields between the two regions, put forward new funding mechanisms and establish a platform to stimulate research partnerships.

Three symposiums on the EU-ASEAN ecological imprint, building and management of green cities in the context of climate change and water security and management will take place during the two-day event.

The conference is part of SEA-EU-NET project that aims to boost bi-regional cooperation in science and technology, establish a network of universities, research institutes, state agencies, industries and donors to increase research competencies.

The project forms part of the EU’s 7th framework programme on research and development (FP7).

As of October 2010, Vietnam involved in 27 joint research projects worth 3.38 million EUR financed by FP7./.