The EL-CSID project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 693799.
Prof. Dr. Luk Van Langenhove
EU-platformsymposium 17/10/2017
WTI – diplomatie: mogelijkheden en
limieten…
1. The changing contract between science and society
• 1945: “Science, the Endless Frontier” report:
• Government funds scientists to do their thing
• Society will be rewarded by results
• Today:
• Governments want accountability and direct results that support their policies
• Including Foreign Policy and ‘smart power”
• “impact”
The EL-CSID project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 693799.
2. The long past of Science Diplomacy
• Track record of scientists that play a role in international relations
• Example from the Cold War: the Apollo-Suyez Test Project
• These practices were not labeled as “Science
Diplomacy”
3. The short history of Science Diplomacy:
• 2011: the AAAS report
• 2012: EU Communication “Enhancing and
focusing EU international cooperation in research and innovation: a strategic approach”
• 2014: Commissioner Moedas took office
• 2017: RISE report
The EL-CSID project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 693799.
4. Tools and instruments for Science Diplomacy:
• Strategic tools
• Operational tools
• Support tools
5. Operational Tools :
• S&T Cooperation agreements
• S&T Advisory Boards to the government
• S&T Advisors to embassies
• Opening up of national S&T
programmes
The EL-CSID project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 693799.
6. Some problems with Science Diplomacy…
• Container concept
• Often re-labelling of practices or policies
• Used in policy contexts
• Little strategic thinking
• Often isolated from Foreign Policy
• Lack of resources
• Difficult to trace as a practice
• Little support from the scientific community
7. Some suggestions for a new Science Diplomacy agenda:
• Science Diplomacy for and by scientists
• Defending science against populism
• Relating science to global problems
• Network diplomacy for and by governements
• Resilience problems
• Execution problems
• Scale problems
The EL-CSID project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 693799.
Networking between four groups
needs ‘diplomats’
8. Recommendations to governmental actors:
• Bring in a diplomatic element into the relations with industry, universities and civil society
• Invest in communication and stimulate networks
• Be open to the outside world
• Cf. Denmark: ambassador to Silicon Valley
• Don’t confuse science diplomacy with ‘PR” or
nation-branding
The EL-CSID project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 693799.
