Partnering & Networking

Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) was established in 1991 with a mission to “conduct, support, coordinate and promote efforts in scientific and technological development in the public and private sectors so as to maximise contributions to national development”.

From the beginning NSTDA has served as a base for scientists and experts to meet and work on scientific and technological issues of immediate concern to both the national and international research communities. NSTDA has four national research and technology centers: the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), formed in 1983; the National Metal and Materials
Technology Center (MTEC) and the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC), both formed in 1986; and the National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), established in 2003. In 2005, the Technology Management Center (TMC) was founded.

All centers support the four mandated missions of NSTDA: research and development, technology transfer, human resources development, and infrastructure development. NSTDA’s R&D strategy is built around five clusters which directly reflects national social and economic priorities: food and agriculture; health and medicine; energy and environment; resources, communities and the underprivileged; and manufacturing and service industries.

To support these clusters, NSTDA also conducts research in a number of platform technologies. In addition, NSTDA reaches out to other research organizations and universities through joint collaboration, contracted research, and other mechanisms to ensure the best resources are being captured for the country’s innovation needs. To tie all these together, the Technology Management Center (TMC) of NSTDA serves as a linkage between scientists and end users and provides the relevant technology services.