The Royal Society’s new Science Policy Centre is now developing a stream of work to explore the changing role of science in 21st Century diplomacy.
To help inform this work, the Society, in partnership with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), held a discussion meeting in June on ‘new frontiers in science diplomacy’.
By bringing together experts from the scientific and foreign policy communities, the meeting explored a range of international perspectives on the meaning and methods of science diplomacy, identifying barriers and how they can be overcome. Case studies included the opportunities for positive engagement with the Islamic world through science and technology partnerships, and the role of scientific cooperation in the governance of transnational resources and regions, such as Antarctica and the Arctic.