The Advanced Science and Technology Institute debuted last year the Knowledge Management Division (formerly known as Special Project Division), created as part of its Rationalization Plan approved by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) last June 10, 2009. KMD's creation also coincides with the agency's ISO 9001:2000 certification, further strengthening ASTI's goal to become a knowledge-centric, learning organization committed to continuously improving through quality management.

One of only a few government agencies in the Philippines with a dedicated KM Unit, ASTI's KMD managed to fill most of its vacant positions late last year and start 2010 with a bang. KMD states its program strategy in 2010 as follows:

1. Improve linkage between knowledge management and ASTI operations and its quality management system

2. Develop appropriate policies, incentive mechanisms, activities and information systems to promote capture, sharing, and reuse of relevant data, information, and knowledge

3. Enhance communities of practice to allow direct, peer-to-peer sharing of valuable knowledge not captured in information systems

4. Boost skills development and learning among staff and clients

5. Strengthen external knowledge networks, linkages, and partnerships.

The KMD manages one of the more advanced KM/information management systems in the public sector and has worked with other agencies to customize information systems for them (eg, CHED, PCASTRD). It is open to doing consultancy, contract research, and other partnership projects on KM and information systems development with other government agencies, LGUs, NGOs/CSOs, as well as the private sector and international organizations. Under its Training Unit, ASTI-KMD also plans to offer trainings and seminars on KM and ICT for KM in the near future.

For more information, please contact Ms Ryne Amatorio at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Ms Mitz Ann Montanez at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The SEACOOP Consortium (of which ASTI is a partner) recently kicked off the “Supporting to Policy dialogues and strengthening with Southeast Asia” or SEALING project in Jakarta, Indonesia last January 18-19, 2010. The SEALING project is a follow-up to the SEACOOP (“Southeast Asia Cooperation”) project and aims to support the development of Information Society policy dialogues and strenghtens cooperation on ICT research between the ASEAN countries and, the European Union (EU). This project will run for the next 24 months starting January 2010.

The SEALING project builds on the result achieved and the experience gained through the FP7 SEACOOP project, which had supported the development of S&T cooperation in ICT between EU and ASEAN from 2007-2009. It will concentrate in:

• the organisation of cooperation events in Europe and in Southeast Asia to be synchronised with policy dialogue meetings,

• the identification and analysis of ICT policy and research priorities at bilateral and regional levels, and the provision of recommendations for future cooperation initiatives,

• the development of synergies with dialogues and activities launched under EU-funded programmes, at the initiative of EU Member States and Associated States, and at the ASEAN level,

• the development of promotion, dissemination and awareness-raising activities, aiming at contributing to ensure the highest impact of the project.

Sigma Orionis, the project coordinators of both FP7-funded projects sees the potential to promote international cooperation activities initiated by SEACOOP, and as a method to retain the momentum created in the two regions involved. SEALING also intends to ensure an even greater involvement of European and Southeast Asian stockholders in project activities (eg, through Project Advisory Committees, local ICT events and seminars, and consultations).

As a partner in the SEACOOP project, the Philippines through ASTI contributed to a five-fold increase in participation in collaborative research with European research partners. ASTI hopes that through this follow-up project, SEALING will help to further increase opportunities for ICT research collaboration with EU companies and institutions, and support policy dialogues on ICT policies, standards, and regulations.

In SEALING project, ASTI will spearhead the “Project Impact and Dissemination” work package which aims at ensuring the widest dissemination of project perspectives and achievements, and the highest impact of project activities. The task wills focus on project website and documentation, awareness raising activities, and enhanced information sharing, development of communities of practice, and addressing the contribution of the project to events and publications.