A Workshop on Research for Development in ASEAN: Towards Resilience, Inclusivity and Preparedness (the Workshop) was held on December 4, 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia. It aimed to foster evidence based policymaking and promote sustainable, inclusive growth across the ASEAN region. The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) led the Workshop, with guidance from the ASEAN Secretariat and the Mission of Canada to ASEAN, and with technical support from The Asia Foundation. ASEAN Member State policymakers, ASEAN Dialogue Partners, researchers, experts, and development partners participated in the Workshop to share insights and identify priority research themes to guide and enrich the ASEAN Vision 2045.
Workshop panelists discussed how research has contributed and can further contribute to policy reform, greater resilience, and improved development outcomes across the ASEAN region, focusing on three key themes – building resilience to climate change, fostering inclusive economies, and strengthening health systems. They also identified key research priorities to guide the ASEAN Vision 2045, including climate resilience and environmental sustainability; digital transformation and inclusive technology; health systems strengthening and pandemic preparedness; care economy; inclusive, green and diverse economies; lifelong learning and skills development; and building local research capacity.
These priority research topics align with ASEAN’s core goals and will require investment and collaboration with sectoral bodies to enhance evidence-based policymaking. The Workshop concluded with a forward-looking agenda that underscored the need for researchers, ASEAN policymakers, and development partners to better incentivize the use and integration of research and data into policy decision-making processes.
Workshop panelists discussed the challenges they encounter when attempting to connect research to policy and offered examples of barriers that prevent evidence-based policymaking. Resource constraints and project-based funding emerged as significant issues because they limit researchers’ ability to engage with stakeholders and produce long-term research on a sustained basis. Barriers to obtaining and using data also pose challenges because local researchers often rely on international agencies to supply complex datasets, which hinders their ability to integrate insights into policy.
Furthermore, Workshop panelists noted that the effective translation of research into actionable policies requires early and continuous engagement with policymakers to ensure that the research aligns with government priorities, but such engagement proves difficult to obtain. Organisational silos that separate disciplines, particularly in transdisciplinary areas like climate change and healthcare, promote silo mentalities and prevent the collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches essential for policymakers to address complex issues. Lastly, Workshop panelists noted that for research to have an impact, researchers need not only technical solutions, but also a deep understanding of governance, political dynamics, stakeholder engagement, and an awareness that policymakers may have competing incentives.
The Workshop panelists’ insights underscore the importance of long-term, collaborative research efforts in shaping effective policy outcomes and the need to strengthen research- to-policy pathways in the ASEAN region.
The text is based on the Executive Summary of the Synthesis Report from the Workshop on Research for Development in ASEAN: Towards Resilience, Inclusivity, and Preparedness.
Download the synthesis report here.
