Several representatives of institutions assisted by Research and Development (R&D) Leaders took part in the very first R&D Leadership (RDLead) virtual Assembly led by the Department of Science and Technology - National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP)).
The online event was participated in by engaged RD Leaders as well as representatives from the institutions assisted by the program since it started in July 2018.
The event featured selected RD Leaders and institutions assisted during the first two years of the program covering Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Apart from featuring some of the engagements, the event also served as a way for NRCP to show gratitude to the RD Leaders for sharing their expertise through the program; the institutions assisted for trusting the program in helping them level up their research capabilities; and for the institutional and individual partners like the DOST sectoral councils, regional offices, the Science for Change team, members of the RDLead Evaluation Committee and members of the RDLead Advisory Board among others.
The RDLead program aims to strengthen the research and development competencies of Higher Education Institutes (HEIs), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), and Research and Development Institutes (RDIs).
The Program, being spearheaded by the NRCP, has already engaged 34 RD Leaders for 32 institutions covering 16 of the 17 regions in the country for its first two years of implementation. For its 3rd year of implementation in 2021, the program targets to engage 30 RD Leaders for 30 institutions across all the 17 regions of the country.
The program is a response to the recent Global Competitiveness Index report (2016 – 2017) wherein, out of of 138 countries, the Philippines ranked 72nd in terms of quality of scientific research institutions and 78th in terms availability of scientists and engineers.