First meeting of Commonwealth Science Advisers at the Royal Society

The inaugural meeting of Commonwealth Science Advisers starts today at the Royal Society (16 - 17 April 2018). The meeting, part of the Commonwealth Summit, brings together 31 Commonwealth nations – from Australia to Vanuatu – to share their experiences of bringing science into the world of policy to help address global challenges.

The meeting is hosted by the Royal Society and organised by the Government Office for Science, assisted by the International Network of Government Science Advice (INGSA). Sir Peter Gluckman, Chief Science Adviser to the PM of New Zealand and Chair of INGSA, and Dr Patrick Vallance, the UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser are jointly chairing the meeting.

The two day meeting offers an opportunity for the participating countries to network, share insights and learn from others experience of using science advice to inform policy and build resilience. Delegates will discuss a range of case studies on using science advice to tackle sustainable development goals.

The Commonwealth forms a significant part of the global scientific community. It is home to 12% of the world’s researchers and accounts for around 10% of global research and development expenditure.

A summary of the meeting will be available shortly.