UNESCO Jakarta was established as a field office for South-East Asian Science Cooperation (SEASCO) in 1951. In 1967, it became the Regional Office for Sciences and Technology for South-East Asia (ROSTSEA). Since 2001, it is the Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific. The Jakarta Office is also mandated to cover 5 countries - Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste after assuming the role of focal point for the country in 2002.
As a Regional Bureau for Science, it provides strategic expertise and support in science, technology and innovation, to Member States, UNESCO Field Offices, and UN Country Teams in the region. As a Cluster Office, it covers all UNESCO mandates, namely, education, natural and social sciences, culture, communication and information.
South-East Asia is a highly dynamic and fast-growing region that offers great economic, religious, political and cultural diversity, and confronts several key challenges. Fostering international partnerships and cooperation, UNESCO Jakarta collaborates with Member States’ National Commissions, United Nations Agencies, civil society representatives, and other stakeholders and partners to actively contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It implements UNESCO’s programmes in the region, to foster change for a sustainable, multicultural and prosperous future for all.