The IAEA will soon introduce the 'IAEA Collaborating Center' concept into its regular budget programme to enhance research and development and training activities. As a 3-year trial basis, the IAEA will designate several institutions of the Member States as the 'IAEA Collaborating Centers'. Among the potential trial institutions to be designated, half of them is expected to be from RCA Region.
The IAEA's concept to designate the Collaborating Centers was motivated by WHO and FAO. These UN organizations have been operating similar Collaborating Centers with participation of more than 1,400 institutions worldwide. The Collaborating Centers will assist the IAEA regular programme by undertaking such functions as development and application of appropriate technology; provision of reference substances and other services; conducting research, including the planning, monitoring and evaluation of the research and promotion of the application of the results; standardization of terminology and nomenclature of technology, standardization of procedures and protocols, and promotion of relevant quality control and quality assurance standards; training, including research training; and coordination of activities carried out by several institutions on a given subjects.

It is said that institutions that have the capacity to fulfill a function relevant to the IAEA's programme, and institutions of high scientific and technical standing that have already attained international recognition, may qualify for designation as a Center. Also, a department or laboratory within an institution, or a group of facilities for reference standards, research or training belonging to different institutions may be designated as a Center, with one institution acting for them in relation with the IAEA.

The IAEA plans to designate the Collaborating Centers in the programme of 1) Food and Agriculture 2) Human Health 3) Water Resources 4) Marine and Terrestrial Environment, and 5) Physical and Chemical Applications. Potential trial institutions in RCA Member States being considered as the IAEA Collaborating Centers are the Singapore University, Department of Chemistry for food safety; the Seoul National University Hospital for nuclear medicine and molecular imaging; the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute for harmful algal bloom research, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute for nuclear data, and the Bhabha Atomic Research Center in India for isotope applications.