THE information and communication technology (ICT) sector of Negros Occidental is getting a boost through the ongoing 2017 Training Program on Korea’s Experience of Science and Technology Parks (STP) in Daejeon, South Korea.
Lawyer Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, executive director of Bacolod-Negros Occidental Federation for Information and Communications Technology, is one of the participants from 20 countries gathered in the event organized by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, and Innopolis Foundation.
Batapa-Sigue said the innovation training, which runs from May 15 to 26, mainly underscores the knowledge sharing program on Korea's 44-year experience in terms of STP.
“The course aims to share Korea's STP development, accumulate knowledge by looking into practical examples from across the globe, and build a network of specialists in various fields,” Batapa-Sigue said.
The training will also open up new opportunities between countryside champions for technology entrepreneurs, including those being hosted by the Technology Business Incubation Center at the Negros First Cyber Centre in Bacolod City, she added.
The 12-day activity includes lectures on key areas such as technology commercialization theories, and conceptual tools and strategies for STP formation and development.
There are also discussions on Korea's new industrial policies for national innovation, technology financing mechanism, and start-up incubation in science and technology universities, among others.
Batapa-Sigue said during the presentation sessions, Korean experts will assist the sophistication of the project idea, offering practical advice to tailor ideas for actual implementation in participating countries.
She added that the group discussions are providing them the opportunity to exchange views and experiences, wherein the substantive scope of project idea also includes start-up incubation.
“Startups bring innovation to a city, because their ideas address real life problems and provide solutions to real concerns by integrating the use of technology and market research. We must encourage the robust growth of startup ecosystem in our province,” Batapa-Sigue said.
Moreover, the training also includes field visits to various Innopolis tenant institutions such as research and development institutes, universities, and industry-academy cooperation centers like Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, among others.