Science provides doorways into the future, and the doors to be opened are being chosen in the West. Priorities are being determined, standards are being set with little input from Asia. To be part of the discussion, the region must become more scientifically competent. The need is more acute as the opportunities and problems we face become more grounded in science. They must be decided by the region's own governments and societies, and they require understanding of the scientific as well as the political, economic and social issues involved.
Asian governments are keenly aware of the importance of science.
Most have related ministries or cabinet-level scientific advisers. Asian educators are also working hard to produce enough scientists to keep up with the growing demand. The Internet boom has been a blessing too. It has not only drawn a new generation of students into science and technology, but also popularized its sphere of scientific know-how. But information technology is hardly the totality of science, nor is the ability to feed the commercial hunger for tech-savvy talent the only measure of educational success.