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

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 3

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 4

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

Thailand

Key message 4

Thailand accounts for 21% of ASEAN research output

Development

The annual publication output of Thailand-based authors grew continuously

• from 5000 publications in 2004
• to 15250 in 2014

Thailand's share in ASEAN publication output declined slightly: from 21% in 2004 to 19% in 2014

Topics

Thematic specialisation of Thailand's output 2004-2014

Compared to ASEAN overalll

Development of topics over time

• The share of Clinical Medicine publications in Thailand's output 2004-2014 decreased from 29% in 2004 to 21% in 2014
• The shares of Engineering, Biomedical Research and ICTs are also decreasing
• The share of Enabling and Strategic Technologies as well as of Biology is increasing

Topics in global comparison

In 2014, Thailand's overall publication output was the 40th highest globally. The share in global output is higher than expected in, among others,

• pharmacology, toxicology and pharmaceutics (29th)
• chemical engineering (32nd)
• agricultural and biological sciences (35th)
• engineering (35th)

The share in global output is lower than expected in, for instance, neuroscience (45th), social sciences (46th) or earth and planetary sciences (50th)

Topics and impact

In 2014, Thailand had the 49th highest average times cited counts worldwide (countries with >2500 output). The average citation impact is above this expectation in

• pharmacology, toxicology and pharmaceutics (35th; >250 pub.)(
• medicine (35th; >1000 pub.)
• agric. and biolg. sciences (36th; >500 pub.)
• biotechmistry (39th; >250 pub.)
• chemical engineering (39th; >250 pub.)

Impact is relatively lower in computer science (55th; >500).

Key message 5

Thailand's research output is moderately internationalised

Internationalisation share

Internationalisation share: 38% (ASEAN average: 39%)

Development 2004-2014: 44% to 39% (down to 37% in 2010-2011)

Key message 6

Relevant role of the US and Japan
but trend towards ERA
Thailand as a relevant hub for neighbouring countries

Co-publication partner countries

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

1. USA (15,527)
2. EU28+AC (15,092)
3. Japan (9,100)
4. Australia (4,504)
5. China (3,413)
6. Canada (1,994)
7. Korea (1,914)
8. Malaysia (1,914)

Results

Thailand-EU 2004-2014: 15,092 records

• 13% of Thailand‘s output (same as share of ASEAN-EU co-publications in ASEAN overall publications)
• 22% of ASEAN-EU co-publications (same share as Thailand‘s publications in overall ASEAN publications)

Key message 7

Thematically, biomedical research plays a more important role in EU-Thailand co-publications than in Thailand output in general; ICTs, social sciences and engineering a lesser

Thematic areas in Thai-ERA research publications

Thematic areas in Thai research publications

Source: FP7 participation data (CORDIS)

ASEAN publications (2004-2013) per topic.

Institutions

Publication output per year of major Thai research universities

Publication output per year of major Thai research universities (and NSTDA)

Institution's co-publication linkages

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

Here are some institution-level observations

• The EU28+AC are the most important partner for most
• The US is most important partner for Chulalongkorn Uni.
• Japan is the most important partner for NSTDA
• Austria (!) is the fourth most important partner for Kasetsart University, only after the EU28+AC as a group, USA and Japan
• Malaysia (proximity!), but also China and India are playing a role as co-pub. partners for Prince-of-Songkla University
• China is an important partner for Chulalongkorn Univ. (copubs amount to 1/4 the copubs with the US or the EU; normally China makes up 1/5 or less of the copubs of these countries)

Institution's thematic portfolios

Institution-level impact measures

Institution-level impact, topics and collaboration

Institution-level: topics and partners

Biomedical research - topics and partners

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 centralised

PCT applications - share of top applicants

Top applicants, national patents

Top applicants, PCT patents

Thailand

PCT and national applications involving TH inventors, 2003-2012

Where are these applications filed?

National patent applications: 57% of national applications involving Thailand-based inventors are filed in the US, 23% in Europe (only 2% in ASEAN)

PCT patent applications: 27% of PCT applications involving Thailand-based inventors are filed in ASEAN

The situation is similar in Malaysia and Singapore, for instance, is different: there, most of PCT applications are filed locally

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

Singapore's co-invention partners, PCT

Singapore's co-invention partners, national appl.

Thailand's foreign ownership patterns

Of those applications involving Thailand-based inventors:

• 57% of national applications are domestically (co-)owned
• 94% of PCT applications are domestically (co-)owned

IP (co-)invented in Thailand is most frequently foreign owned in the EU. Some countries in detail:

• US (69 PCT applications)
• UK (52)
• SG (39)
• NL (36)
• IN (30)
• JP (28)

The foreign-owned IP is most frequently related to chemistry.

Foreign ownership with Thai entities as the owners is not recorded frequently enough for analysis.

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
• Thailand: Sectors that are strong in nationally filed patent applications: computer technology, electrical machinery and audio-visual technology
• Thailand: Pharmaceutics and chemistry are visible in PCT filings

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)