May 13 - 15, 2003 Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

About 40 participants from five member countries, and major international, regional, and national scientific organizations participated in the General Assembly. Some member countries could not attend for unavoidable reasons, such as the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The Academic Symposium organized by the host country attracted about 150 participants. The Indonesian Minister for Research and Technology delivered the opening remarks.

At the Symposium, the following two keynote addresses were delivered: “Human Genome Diversity of Southeast Asia and Biotechnology Development: Implication, Application and Complication” by Prof. Dr. Sangkot Marzuki, Director of the Eijkaman Institute for Molecular Biology and “Women’s/Gender Studies in Asian Countries towards the Sustainable Development in Asia” by Prof. Hiroko Hara, Member of the Science Council of Japan (SCJ). Malaysia reported on the progress of the SCA Joint Project it is leading, and seven new proposals for consideration for the SCA Joint Project from four countries were presented. Progress reports on six of the eight SCA projects proposed at the second conference were distributed to participants. In addition, 37 poster presentations from 15 international and national institutions took place.

It was reported at the General Assembly that the SCA had endorsed and issued the “Ubuntu Declaration on Education and Science and Technology for Sustainable Development” with 10 other of the world’s foremost global educational organizations and scientific academies at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg from August 26 to September 4, 2002. General Assembly participants showed their expectation that the SCA would make a visible contribution not only in Asia but also in the world arena in the future in collaboration with other international organizations like the United Nations.

 Chairperson's Summary