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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider USAID commits $30 million to innovative projects in the Philippines

USAID commits $30 million to innovative projects in the Philippines

Published Feb 13, 2024 06:24 am

At A Glance

  • The United States will allocate over $30 million in funds for the country's innovation programs in higher education.<br>The program aims to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education institutions.<br>The National Economic and Development Authority said that the program will bolster more originally Filipino-made products through such innovative startups.

The United States aid agency’s allocation of over $30 million in funds will support innovative startup programs in higher education, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.

NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon in a television interview stated that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide funds for the US-Philippine Partnership for Skills, Innovation, and Lifelong Learning (UPSKILL) Program for five years, starting in 2024.

The program aims to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education institutions through faculty and staff training, improving curriculums, and increasing and improving community extension and technology transfer activities.

It will also establish partnerships with academia and industries for structured work-based learning experiences for students, faculty engagement in industry, and similar activities.

Edillon said that the program will result in more originally Filipino-made products through such innovative startups.

The government has been on a mission to bolster innovation in the country through research and development, aiming to increase the expenditure for the area to 1.8 percent of gross domestic product by 2040.

It also aims to increase the number of researchers to 1,500 per million population by 2040, based on the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document.

Currently, the country’s rank in the Global Innovation Index (GII) improved from 59th out of 132 countries in 2022 to 56th last year.

Related Tags

USAID upskill National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
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