ASEAN research:
output and
collaboration

The SEA-EU-NET project

• FP7 funded
• supporting ASEAN-EU research cooperation and related policy dialogue
• Runtime: 4,5 years (Oct 2012 to Apr 2017)
• Coordination: DLR/Germany
• Activities:
• Stakeholder dialogue
• H2020 information
• Thematic workshops
• Alumni activities
• Analyses → qual and quant

Quantitative analyses

• Bibliometrics
• Publication output in ASEAN
• 2003-2014
• Thematic focus
• Trend analysis
• Geographic patterns/co-publications
• Patent analyses
• Patenting activity in ASEAN
• Patent applications by office
• .. by inventor country
• .. by applicant country
• Source: PATSTAT

Bibliometrics

ASEAN

Outline

1. ASEAN output
2. Thematic portfolio
3. Internationalisation
4. Country level: Singapore

Key message 1

Research output in the ASEAN region is growing fast(er than the world average) – expanding research potential

ASEAN output compared to major Asian partners

ASEAN countries' publication output
during the past 10 years (2004-2013), by country

ASEAN countries' publication output
excl top 3

ASEAN countries' publication output
excl top 6

Results

Thailand 2004-2014: 118155 records
→ 21% of ASEAN output

Singapore 2004-2014: 188291 records
→ 34% of ASEAN output

Topics

Thematic specialisation of ASEAN publication output 2004-2014

Key message 2

The ASEAN Research landscape is internationalising

Internationalisation share

39.2% of ASEAN output 2004-2014 are co-publications

• 2004: 38.3%
• 2014: 42.6%

Key message 3

The European Research Area is ASEAN‘s main co-publication partner region

ASEAN co-publications with important partners (2004-2013)

Results

ASEAN-EU 2004-2013: 69851 records
→ 13% of ASEAN output

Visualisation

Bibliometrics

Singapore

Key message 4

Singapore accounts for 32% of ASEAN research output

Development

The annual publication output of Singapore-based authors grew continuously

• from 12,500 publications in 2004
• to 21,500 in 2014

Share in ASEAN declined: from 53% in 2004 to 27% in 2014

Key message 5

Singapore is a global research hub in a number of areas

Them. specialisation of Singapore's output 2004-2014

...compared to ASEAN overalll

Development of topics over time

• Medicine is increasing its share in the portfolio (18% in 2014)
• Enabling and Strategic Technologies are too
• ICTs' share has fallen to 15% by 2014
• Engineering's and physics' share are also decreasing

Topics in global comparison

In 2014, Singapore's overall publication output was the 32nd highest globally. The share in global output is higher than expected in, among others,

• computer science (21st),
• chemical engineering (22nd)
• engineering (22nd)
• materials sciences (22nd)
• biochemistry (25th) and
• energy (26th)

The share in global output is lower than expected in, for instance, agricultural and biological sciences (47th), arts and humanities and earth and planetary sciences (38th)

Topics and impact

Since around 2011, Singapore is the country with the highest number of citations per document globally in

• the biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology field as well as
• environmental sciences
• material sciences
• energy
• chemistry
• chemical engineering
• engineering (alternating with Hong Kong)

Topics and impact

Performance is comparatively low in:

• earth and planetary science (32nd in 2011 and 2014; >100 pub)
• neuroscience (21st in 2014; >250 pub)
• social sciences (14th in 2014; >250 pub)
• medicine (8th in 2014 and in 2011; >1000 pub)

Key message 6

Singapore's research output is (still) internationalising

Internationalisation share

Internationalisation share: 44% (ASEAN average: 39%)

Development 2004-2014: 31% to 57%

Co-publication partner countries

The most important co-publication partner regions/countries, 2004-2014, are:

1. USA (26863)
2. EU28+AC (24682)
3. China (22551)
4. (UK (9334))
5. Australia (9287)

Institutions

Publication output per year of Singapore's research universities (incl A*Star)

Institution's co-publication linkages

The share of international co-publications in absolute publication output 2004-2014 per institution:

• NUS: 45%
• NTU: 42%
• A*Star: 40%
• SMU: 63%
• SUTD: 70%

Cooperation patterns

Here are some institution-level observations

• EU28+AC most important partner for A*Star, NUS, SUTD
• NTU has more links with China than with any other
• SMU has more links with the USA than with any other
• UK, AU, DE adn JP follow the top three (EU, US and CN)
• IN is more important than JP for NTU
• Collab. with MY is comparatively strong at NUS and NTU
• FR plays a stronger role at A*Star than at NUS and NTU
• For Canada, the opposite applies

Institution's thematic portfolios

Institution-level impact measures

Institution-level impact, topics and collaboration

Patent analyses

Animation

Key message 1

ASEAN is an increasingly important market for IP

PCT applications per ASEAN IP office, 2004-2013

Key message 2

Pro-IP policies and increasing inventive activity are reflected in increasing outputs

Patent applications with ASEAN-based inventors

ASEAN-based inventors were involved in 10,000 PCT applications in the period 2003-2013 (for comparison: 12,000 national applications). Singapore and Malaysia account for most of this.

PCT applications with inventors based in ASEAN, 2003-2012

PCT applications with inventors based in ASEAN, 2003-2012

Technology sectors in PCT applications with ASEAN-based inventors

Key message 3

International cooperation plays a major role

Internationalisation in PCT applications with ASEAN-based inventors

PCT co-inventions with selected partner regions

ASEAN applicants

Patent applications with ASEAN-based IP owners

ASEAN-based applicants filed around 13,000 PCT applications in the period 2003-2013 (for comparison: 26,000 national applications). Singapore and Malaysia account for 87% of this.

Most of these applications involve local inventors.

ASEAN applicants

The most relevant technology fields in PCT applications (co-)owned in ASEAN:

• Computer technology
• Semiconductors
• Audio-visual technology
• Digital communication
• Medical technology
• Biotechnology
• Electrical machinery
• Pharmaceuticals

Key message 4

IP ownership is highly concentrated institution-wise

PCT applications - share of top applicants

Top applicants, national patents

Top applicants, PCT patents

Singapore

PCT and national applications involving SG inventors, 2003-2012

Where are these applications filed?

77% of national applications involving Singapore-based inventors are filed in the US

However, 62% of PCT applications involving Singapore-based inventors are filed in ASEAN

The situation is similar in Malaysia, different in Thailand (where only 27% of PCT applications are filed in ASEAN)

Technological specialisation (top fields), national patent applications with Singapore-based inventors

Singapore's co-invention partners, PCT

Singapore's co-invention partners, national appl.

Singapore's foreign ownership patterns

Of those applications involving Singapore-based inventors, 72% of national applications and 97% of PCT applications are also domestically (co-)owned.

IP (co-)invented in Singapore is most frequently foreign owned in:

• EU (703 PCT applications)
• US (481)
• JP (148)
• CN (83)
• AU (37)
• MY (34)

The foreign-owned IP is most frequently related to electrical engineering or chemistry. Exceptions: Denmark in the field of mechanical engineering; Netherlands

Singapore itself is the IP owner of 143 PCT applications involving Malaysia-based inventors.

Summary

We have seen that

• IP market in ASEAN is growing (policy seems to be a strong factor)
• International cooperation plays a major role in patenting
• Co-inventions: around 30%
• IP ownership is highly concentrated institution-wise
• Singapore: Traditional FDI sectors are still dominant in national patent applications
• Singapore: ICT and biotech visible in PCT filings
• Most of the foreign co-owners of Singapore-invented IP are based in the EU

Wrap-up

What's in it for policy?

• Be aware of trends
• Get to know the institutional landscape
• Trace links from Singapore to your own/other countries
• Data as an input to policy discussions (not as a solution)