By Rosemarie C. Señora, DOST-STII

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has successfully embarked on a high-impact strategic mission to the United Kingdom from June 8 to 15, 2025. The mission aims to solidify international partnerships that will accelerate the Philippines’ transition into a robust innovation economy.

Anchored under Project Padaghan, this week-long mission is a pivotal step in DOST’s broader agenda to connect Philippine research and development (R&D) with global innovation ecosystems. The delegation engaged with some of the UK's most prominent science and technology institutions including University College London Business (UCLB), the UK Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT), UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng), and innovation hubs in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Key highlights of the mission include:

• Participation in London Tech Week 2025 from June 9-11, providing access to over 30,000 global tech leaders, where the delegation will scout scalable technologies in AI, clean energy, and biotechnology, and open dialogue with European venture capitalists;
• Institutional engagement with UCLB on the afternoon of June 11, to adapt successful spin-off and commercialization frameworks for Philippine higher education institutions (HEIs);
• Policy-level dialogues with DSIT, UKRI, and RAEng on the morning of June 12, exploring co-funding mechanisms and engineering capacity-building programs;
• Site visits in Glasgow (University of Strathclyde, IBioIC, Glasgow Science Centre) from June 13-14, focusing on knowledge transfer partnership model for Philippine industries, bioeconomy collaboration for development of roadmap leveraging IBioIC expertise, and science communication best practices; and
• Discussion with Edinburgh Innovation Hub (Edinburgh Innovations and Venture Builder Incubator) on June 15 for startup acceleration framework for DOST incubators and licensing opportunities for PH technologies.

Expected outcomes from the visit include the formulation of commercialization road maps, new models for joint research funding, startup incubation frameworks, stronger IP licensing structures for EU market entry, joint R&D proposals, institutional researcher exchange partnerships, and pilot programs for industry-academic collaboration—all seen to directly strengthen DOST’s capacity to drive inclusive, innovation-led development across the nation.

The carefully curated program—spanning London's policy makers, Glasgow's industrial biotech leaders, and Edinburgh's venture builders—has been meticulously designed to extract maximum value from each engagement. This is not merely an observational visit, but rather a targeted acquisition of the tools, partnerships, and knowledge needed to position the Philippines as a competitive player in the global innovation landscape.

The Philippine delegation includes DOST Assistant Secretary for Technology Transfer, Communications, and Commercialization Napoleon K. Juanillo, Jr., PhD; DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development Executive Director Reynaldo V. Ebora; Atty. Lucidien G. Raz, officer-in-charge of the DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute; and Atty Marion Ivy D. Decena, director of DOST-Technology Application and Promotion Insitute along with Atty. Aldritz Ignacio P. Jurado III and Ms. Florisa Mae Ilagan-Bucao.

Their unified goal is to bolster the country’s innovation infrastructure and create inclusive, science-led growth across all regions. This is among the many initiatives by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aimed at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability.

These pillars embody the mantra OneDOST4U: Solutions, Opportunities for All. For more information, visit www.dost.gov.ph.