Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has welcomed the signing of the ‘Daejeon Declaration on Science, Technology and Innovation Policies for the Global and Digital Age’ at the OECD Ministers Meeting on Science and Technology hosted by the Korean Government.

Mr Joyce joined his counterparts from member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and other non-OECD countries, at the science ministers’ meeting in Daejeon, Korea yesterday.

The theme of the meeting was ‘Creating our Common Future through Science, Technology and Innovation.’

“This was an important opportunity for New Zealand to strengthen our ties with international counterparts, benchmark our innovation strategy against those of other OECD countries, and promote opportunities for international partnerships in science and innovation,” Mr Joyce says.

The Ministerial Declaration highlighted the commitment of member countries to utilise  science, technology and innovation to foster sustainable economic growth, job creation and enhanced wellbeing. 

The Declaration is designed to help guide the OECD’s future science, technology and innovation work programme based on a shared understanding by OECD Ministers on the most important policy areas to focus on over the next two to three years. 

There are strong parallels between the actions of the Declaration and New Zealand’s science, technology and innovation policy, as reflected in the Business Growth Agenda Innovation chapter, the National Statement of Science Investment, and the National Science Challenges.

Mr Joyce chaired a session on ‘Making National Innovation Strategies Work’’ during the ministers’ meeting, where best practice was shared among a number of advanced economies. As part of the session he highlighted the comprehensive cross-government Innovation programme in the New Zealand Government’s Business Growth Agenda, including its initiatives to lift Business R&D via Callaghan Innovation, strengthen the impact of public science, and grow innovation skills.

“Continuing to develop our science and innovation capability is central to New Zealand’s economic future, and to our environmental, social and cultural wellbeing. This is why the Government has increased expenditure on research and development funding by more than 70 per cent since 2007/08 to an annual investment of $1.5 billion in 2015/16, despite tight fiscal conditions.“ 

The OECD Ministerial Declaration on Science, Technology and Innovation Policies for the Global and Digital Age is available HERE