ADB, AIM tie up for $100-M research & info management networking program

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has set aside $100 million in technical assistance (TA) package for research and knowledge management networking, initially in tie-up with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM).

Knowledge management networking is a partnership between entities that allows for an exchange of knowledge and expertise in specific fields.

The $100-million TA forms part of the $175-million target TA budget allocated by the ADB for the Asia Pacific region.

ADB vice president G.H.P.B. van der Linden had admitted that the multilateral funding agency has been getting heavy criticisms for having a large amount of knowledge and expertise, but are unable to share the same.

By linking with the AIM, it hopes to be able to translate and transmit the huge amount of knowledge and wealth to places were it matters, particularly in developing member countries (DMCs) such as the Philippines.

For its part, the AIM could learn from ADB’s wealth of information and expertise in introducing more educational and technical programs that would benefit the Philippines.

AIM president Roberto F. de Ocampo cited the information technology (IT) sector in Asia, where the country is the second leading call center base in the world, behind India. However, India has moved so much faster not only in the call center industry but also in software development with the help of its national government, multilateral agencies and its private sector.

In contrast, the Philippines remain a poor second in both IT areas as the government has not offered any significant assistance to the country’s IT sector.

"The Philippines is good at getting its foot on the door, but ends up getting the door jammed at its foot," De Ocampo said.

The knowledge management network arrangement between the ADB and the AIM, which also linked up with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) could immediately help the three institutions.

De Ocampo said that they would have to prod the national government to invest more in education if it expects the country to move forward.

International studies indicate that countries that invested heavily on education are the same countries that show positive economic growth.

Countries where education expenditures have a huge share in its gross national product (GNP) include Denmark, Korea, Sweden, the United States, France, Canada, Germany, Spain, Italy, Finland, the United Kingdom, Japan, Greece, Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Turkey.