The Madrid Declaration on Science Diplomacy

THE MADRID DECLARATION ON SCIENCE DIPLOMACY

February 2019

PREAMBLE

Science diplomacy has long been a tool to develop bilateral and multilateral relationships. However, the definition and applications of science diplomacy have broadened considerably in recent years. This conceptual broadening coincides with the growing understanding that science and technology underpin so many of the challenges and opportunities that current societies face, whether as a driver or a potential solution. Integrating science into foreign policy to not only advance national interests but also to tackle shared global challenges is an appropriate response.

In this context, S4D4C organized the 1st Global Meeting on Science Diplomacy titled “EU Science Diplomacy beyond 2020” in Madrid in December 2018. At this event, experts from around the world discussed the present and future of science diplomacy, its fundamental role in addressing global challenges and the requirements to harness its full potential in the EU and beyond.

As a result of these fruitful discussions this “Madrid Declaration on Science Diplomacy” was signed by a group of high-level experts who contributed to the conference. It proclaims a common vision of science diplomacy in the future, emphasises the benefits science diplomacy can bring to tackling the global challenges of our time and outlines the principles needed to foster science diplomacy worldwide.

VISION

The “Madrid Declaration on Science Diplomacy” aims to foster agreement and raise awareness about the need to strengthen science diplomacy strategies and practices world-wide for the support of universal scientific and democratic values. These strategies are required to suitably include science and technology as key dimensions of foreign policy and international relationships at different political levels. This confluence of interests must be in the benefit of both the scientific endeavor as well as legitimate broader political and societal objectives.

Science diplomacy, in the context of this Declaration, is understood as a series of practices at the intersection of science, technology and foreign policy. The renewed interest in science diplomacy comes in response to identified challenges at the interface of science and foreign policy, where a greater scientific voice could both add value to bi- and multilateral discussions and decisions about our shared global concerns. Joint science diplomacy objectives are possible where actors converge around such common challenges. Therefore, science diplomacy goes beyond international science collaboration, as it tackles interests that go beyond the scientific ones and may directly or indirectly serve to advance diplomatic goals. The Madrid conference highlighted the growing importance of science diplomacy on a global level. One important role for science diplomacy, in this regard, is to build bridges between science, technology and innovation practices, national and regional interests, as well as global challenges.

We firmly believe that:

  • Science diplomacy is often not fully exploited at all levels of governance, and especially at supranational levels;
  • More explicit science diplomacy strategies at national and supranational levels would allow for a more effective alignment of interests and a more efficient coordination of resources.

BENEFITS OF SCIENCE DIPLOMACY

We firmly believe that the potential of science diplomacy is yet to be fully realized. It includes:

  • Endeavours to address global challenges. Science and technology are global enterprises. Together with other tools in diplomacy, science diplomacy can facilitate the identification of common global challenges. Coordinated scientific efforts can help to address these global challenges. The relationship between global challenges and scientific practices goes both ways. Efforts to achieve the “Sustainable Development Goals” are an example of how global challenge-related policy-making and scientific research must be in constant dialogue.
  • More productive and sustainable international relations at multilateral and bilateral levels owing their interaction with science and technology. The precondition for this is that scientific activities are considered but not appropriated by broader political rationales.
  • Evidence-informed foreign policy supported by science and technology, aiming at substantive and resilient international agreements, treaties and policies.
  • Better conditions for scientific activities due to the contribution of foreign policy agendas. Diplomacy, with the support of the scientific community, has a particular role to play in the implementation of larger scientific initiatives and projects (e.g. research infrastructures, joint programmes, etc.).
  • Improved interfaces between science and public policies. Science diplomacy can contribute to eliminating cultural, sectoral, and knowledge barriers between different actors such as policy-makers, researchers, diplomatic bodies and civil society.

PRINCIPLES TO FOSTER SCIENCE DIPLOMACY WORLDWIDE

  • Value for citizens: governments, diplomats and researchers are encouraged to acknowledge and demonstrate science diplomacy as a fundamental and universal tool to improve international relations in general.
  • Methodological diversity: consider explicit and implicit types of science diplomacy objectives. This involves acknowledging that not all relevant science diplomacy practices are labelled as such. Putting the science diplomacy label on a given project, programme or policy is a strategic choice.
  • Demonstrable impact: the potential positive effects of science diplomacy need to be measured and recognized. At the same time, there may be unintended side effects that need to be acknowledged and assessed. Public policies not relating to science diplomacy may also have unintended effects in the realm of science diplomacy.
  • Evidence-informed: in foreign affairs-related policies in relevant areas. This knowledge can be content-related (e.g. scientific evidence on climate change, global inequality, cyber security), context-related (e.g. knowledge about a specific innovation system) or process-related (e.g. evaluative knowledge on the effects and the outcome of science diplomacy interventions).
  • Collaboration and inclusion: science diplomacy is a multi-actor effort in which diplomats, scientists and science managers as well as other non- state actors can have a role and can contribute to its deployment. This applies at the local, regional, national and international level. This innovative model brings new governance and coordination mechanisms that need to be managed in dialogue with all stakeholders.
  • Capacity building: All stakeholders involved in science diplomacy will benefit from exchange and suitable capacity building activities. Therefore, cutting-edge, interdisciplinary, intergenerational, interactive training modules are needed. These will enable diplomats, public officials and scientists to cooperate in an efficient way, strengthening future science diplomacy. This capacity building runs in parallel to the need to establish new science diplomacy positions such as science advisors in foreign ministries, scientific staff at Embassies, etc., which will also foster new career paths for science diplomacy professionals.
  • Independence of science: science is an extremely useful tool for addressing global challenges and for improving international relationships as long as it is not distorted by ideological goals

The declaration is intending a truly global reach.If you would like to sign it as well, just send your name, affiliation and motivation to sign to s4d4c@fecyt.es!

The Madrid Declaration as pdf: Download

Full list of signatories (updated continuously)

SIGNATORIES OF THE DECLARATION BY ALPAHBETICAL ORDER 

Note: The experts promoting this Declaration are signing on an individual basis. Their signature does not mean endorsement by any institution.

Name Surname Position
Reham Abo-Shnaf Researcher, Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI), Egypt
Muhammad Adeel Career Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan
Yousuf Al Bulushi Head of Science, Knowledge and Technology Transfer Office (SKTT) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oman
Katalin Alföldi Policy Officer and Grant Coordinator, European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST)
Khaled Alhazmi King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia
Nelva Alvarado Researcher, University of Panama
Orhan Alta Professor, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey
Ana Anselmo International Matters, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Germany
Karina Elizabeth Aquino Valle Coordinator of Multilateral Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Honduras
Francisco Emilio Argote Vega Lecturer, Universidad Mariana, Pasto, Colombia; and Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain
Cristina Arias-Navarro Scientific Programme Manager, French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), France
Ewert Aukes Post-doctoral Researcher, University of Twente, the Netherlands
Chagun Basha Policy Fellow, DST’s Policy Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, India
Zukhra Bektepova Project Officer, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)
Yoran Beldengrün Mercator Fellow on International Affairs 18/19 in Science Diplomacy
Aranzazu Berbery-Alvarez Railway Engineering Researcher and Associated Professor, Technological University of Panama, Panama
Sarah Beringer Head of Strategy & Communication, German Historical Institute Washington, USA
Paul Berkman Director, Science Diplomacy Center, Tufts University, USA
Mahantesh Biradar Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
Marta Božina Beroš Associate Professor, University of Pula, Croatia
Philipp Brugner Project Manager, Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI), Austria
Neha Bhutani Postdoctoral Researcher, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Canada
Veronica Buccheri Senior Specialist, International Relations Service, National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), Italy
Melody B. Burkins Associate Director, John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding, Dartmouth College. Chair, US National Academies’ Board on International Scientific Organizations (BISO). Governing Board, International Science Council (ISC). Senior Fellow, UArctic Institute of Arctic Policy. Advisory Board, Science Diplomacy Division of International Network of Government Science Advisors (INGSA)
Cecilia Cabello General Director, Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT)
Johana Cabrera Director, Science Connect, Chile
Reina Camacho Toro Research Scientist, Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Energies (LPNHE/CNRS), ATLAS experiment at CERN, France
Montaña Cámara Professor in Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, University Complutense of Madrid, Spain
Franklin Carrero-Martínez Board Director, National Academy of Sciences, USA
Isabel Carrilero Associate Director, Industry Association of Navarra, Spain
María Esmeralda Castelló Gómez Associate Professor of Research, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Ministry of Education and Culture, Uruguay
Sara Cebrián Science and Innovation Attaché, UK-Science and Innovation Network (SIN-UK), British Embassy in Madrid
Siti Khodijah Chaerun Professor, Faculty of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia
Tatjana Christelbauer President, Agency for Cultural Diplomacy (ACD), Austria
William Colglazier Senior Scholar, Center for Science Diplomacy, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), USA
Pedro Cortegoso Education Attaché, Spanish Embassy in Brazil
Marie Croce Former Junior Researcher, Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI), Austria
Kerstin Cuhls Scientific Project Manager, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, Germany
Elke Dall Senior Researcher, Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI), Austria
Alexander Degelsegger-Márquez Head of Digital Health and Innovation, Austrian Public Health Institute, Austria
Estrella Díaz Sánchez Distinguished Researcher and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
Wolfgang Eberhardt Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Delegate of Germany to the Council of SESAME
Christoph S. Eberle Biochemist, Boston, MA, USA
Luisa Echeverría Internationalisation Advisor, Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA), Colombia
Ana Elorza Science Advice Coordinator, Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT)
Javier Escudero President, Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom, UK
Omololu Fawunga Researcher, University of Huddersfield, UK
Pedro Figueroa Coordinator, National Agency for Research and Development (ANID), Chile
Andrew Fenemor Senior Scientist Integrated Catchment Management, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, New Zealand
Tim Flink Post-doctoral Researcher and Lecturer, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany
Cristina Fraile Deputy Head of Mission, Spanish Embassy in the US
Wiebke Frey Researcher, Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Leipzig, Germany
Laura García Ibáñez Specialist in Immunology, Cancer and Health Policy, Brussels, Belgium
Silvia Herminia García Martínez Auditor, Instituto de Fomento Municipal, Guatemala
Miguel García-Herráiz Roobaert Former Deputy Secretary General, Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Spain
Kemel Ahmed Ghotme Director of Translational Neuroscience Research Lab, Universidad de la Sabana, Colombia
Rolando A. Gittens Researcher, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panamá
Peter Gluckman Chair, International Network for Government Science Advice, New Zealand
Didier Goosens Head of Corporate Communication, Fonds National de la Recherche, Luxembourg
Robin Grimes Professor, Imperial College London. Former Chief Science Adviser, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) of the United Kingdom, UK
Nicole Grobert Chief Scientific Advisor, Science Advice Mechanism, European Commission
Marga Gual Soler International Science Diplomacy Advisor, Member of the Research, Innovation, and Science Experts (RISE) High-Level Group to European Commissioner Carlos Moedas, Spain
Adrián Gutiérrez Science & Technology Counsellor, CDTI representative, Spanish Embassy in New Delhi, India
Claudia Guerrero Director of International Cooperation, Panama
Jürgen Haberleithner Professor and Researcher, Universidad de Colima, Mexico
Martina Hartl Deputy Head of Department, Department of International Research Cooperation and Science Diplomacy, Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Research, Austria
John R. Helliwell Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, University of Manchester, UK
Ralf Hermann Head, German Office for International Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training (GOVET)
Alma Cristal Hernández-Mondragón Director, Science, Centers and Transfer of Knowledge, SECTEI, México City Government
Mirabbos Hojamberdiev Research Professor, Department of Natural and Mathematic Sciences, Turin Polytechnic University, Uzbekistan
Viktoria Holler Project Manager, IÖB-Servicestelle, Austria
Maximilian Huck Project Manager, Diplomatische Akademie Wien, Austria
Niccolò Iorno Science Officer, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland
Borja Izquierdo Director, International Science Department Director, Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT)
Agnieszka Jarzewicz Independent Expert for the European Commission
Maria Josten Senior Scientific Officer, German Aerospace Center / Project Management Agency (DLR)
Cyrus Kamau Kihuha Chief Analyst; Infrastructure, Information and Communication Services; National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation, Republic of Kenya
Malvina Karaj Technical Director of Pharmacy, Albania
Victoria Kayser-Cuny International Expert in Education, USA
Dirk-Jan Koch Chief Science Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands
Jacek Łukasz Kolanowski Principal Investigator, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS in Poznan, and Vice-Chair-Elect, Polish Young Academy, Poland
Thomas König Head of Strategy and Scientific Services, Institute for Advanced Studies Vienna, Austria
Andriy Kozka Vice-President of International of Public Diplomacy Mission, Ukraine
R. Andreas Kraemer Founder, Ecologic Institute, European Union
Olga Krasnyak Lecturer in International Studies, Underwood International College, Yonsei University, Korea
Radenka Krsmanović Whiffen Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellow, ENEA Casaccia Research Centre, Rome, Italy
Elisabeth Kubin Postdoctoral Researcher in Physical and Biological Oceanography, National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), Italy
Stefan Kuhlmann Professor, University of Twente, the Netherlands
Léonard Laborie Researcher, CNRS, Deputy Coordinator of the Horizon 2020 project “Inventing a shared science diplomacy for Europe” (InsSciDE), France
Luis Miguel Lacerda President, Portuguese Association of Researchers and Students in the UK, UK
Izaskun Lacunza Head of Unit, Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT)
Lorena Lamas PhD in International Relations, Researcher of International Cooperation for Sustainable Development, Uruguay
Angela Liberatore Head of Unit Social Sciences and Humanities, European Research Council Executive Agency
David Mandelweit Researcher, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
Júlia Mascarello Master Student, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
Katja Mayer Scientific Project Manager, Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI), Austria
Claire Mays Executive Director, Horizon 2020 project “Inventing a shared science diplomacy for Europe” (InsSciDE), France
Peter McGrath Coordinator, Science Policy/Science Diplomacy Programme, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Italy
Lorenzo Melchor EU Science Advice and Diplomacy Officer, Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT)
Margoth Mena Young Researcher, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica
Nadia Meyer Senior Scientific Officer, German Aerospace Center / Project Management Agency (DLR)
Alexandra Middleton Assistant Professor, University of Oulu, Finland
James Moran Ambassador, Associate Senior Fellow, Centre for European Policy Studies, Belgium
Pier Francesco Moretti Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy
Maria Ángela Lorena Mosquera Montoya International Relations Adviser, Colombian National Police
Felix Moronta-Barrios Programme Specialist, ICGEB Biosafety, Full Member of the Global Young Academy, Vice-Director of Persea Foundation.
Jan Marco Müller Head of Directorate Office, Coordinator for Science to Policy and Science Diplomacy, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria
Dicky Muslim Associate Professor, Universitas Padjadjaran (UNPAD), Indonesia
Bashirullah Najimi Transform Fund Specialist, The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (IDB-STI), Saudi Arabia
Suryesh K Namdeo Programme Officer, DST Centre for Policy Research, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, India
Ababacar Sadick Ndoye Chairman, Partner Relations Commission, Académie Nationale des Sciences et Techniques du Sénégal
Mona Nemer Chief Scientific Advisor to Canada´s Prime Minister, Canada
Eduardo Oliver Secretary-General, Network of Associations of Spanish Researchers and Scientists Abroad (RAICEX), Spain
Miguel Oliveros Cultural and Scientific Diplomatic Counselor, Spanish Embassy in London
Gonzalo Ordoñez Matamoros Assistant Professor, University of Twente, the Netherlands
Farah Ouechtati Researcher and Lecturer, Sorbonne University, France
Miriam Palacios-Callender Visiting Researcher, Global Health and Social Medicine, King’s College London, UK
Florencia Paoloni Science and Technology Secretary, Italian – Latin America International Organization (IILA), Roma, Italy
Danev Ricardo Pérez Valeriano Head of International Relations, Instituto Finlay de Vacunas, Cuba
Marinella Perosa Trieste, Italy
Minh-Hà Pham Vice President for International Relations, Université PSL, France
Steven Phipps Senior Research Fellow, University of Tasmania, Australia
Sergiu Porcescu Founder, Knowledge HUB Moldova
Carlos Quintana National Manager for China and Russia, Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), Spain
Rémi Quirion Chief Scientist of Québec, Gouvernment du Québec, Canada
Alexander Raer PhD Candidate, University of Tübingen, Germany
Moaz ur Rahman Principal Scientist, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Pakistan
Pauline Ravinet Assistant Professor, University of Lille, France
Jonas Reiche-Weiland Academic Coordinator, Arab-German Young Academy, Germany
Margarida Ribeiro Policy Officer, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
Gilda Maria Rodrigues Lopes Researcher, Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA), University of Algarve, Portugal
Alexis Roig CEO, SciTech DiploHub – the Barcelona Science and Technology Diplomacy Hub, Spain
Marco Rondón Robles Biologist, Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (SERNANP), Perú
Raquel Saiz Director of Strategy and Analysis, Asociación Española de Bioempresas (ASEBIO), Spain
Daniel Santos Head of Department of Physics, University of Oviedo, Spain
Gulsen Saray Lecturer, HBVU University, Turkey
Wagdy Sawahel Research Professor, National Research Centre (NRC), Egypt
Zehra Sayers Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabancı University, Turkey
Klaus Schuch Scientific Director, Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI), Austria
Seyed Shahmy Senior Scientist, National Science and Technology Commission, Sri Lanka
Mostafa Moonir Shawrav Vice-Chair, Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA)
Fernando Simón Director, Spanish Coordinating Centre for Health Alerts and Emergencies
Paramdeep Singh Associate Professor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, India
Daniëlla Smit Project Officer in Maritime Safety and Security and Disaster Risk Management, Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Secretariat, Mauritius
Anna Soliguer Guix PhD Student, Information and Knowledge Society, Open University of Catalunya (UOC), Spain
Grigore Stamatescu Associate Professor, Department of Automation and Industrial Informatics, University “Politehnica” of Bucharest, Romania
Verónica Suárez Head of Institutional Relations, Agencia Uruguaya de Cooperación Internacional, Presidencia de la República Oriental del Uruguay
Abdel Nasser Tawfik Professor of Physics, Nile University (NU), Egypt
Chaibi M. Thameur Director of Research, Institut National de Recherche en Génie Rural Eaux et Forêts (INRGREF), Tunisia
Francesca Tolve Office for European and International Relations, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Italy
Ramón Torrent President of OBREAL, Coordinator of EULAC Focus
Mario Torres Director, European Institute of International Studies, Sweden
Ivonne Torres-Atencio Director, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Panama, Panama
Moctar Touré Vice-President, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Italy
Riccardo Trobbiani Project Researcher, United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS), Belgium
Luk Van Langenhove , Horizon 2020 Project “European Leadership for Cultural, Science and Innovation Diplomacy” (EL-CSID), Belgium
Peter Vangsbo Executive Director, Innovation Center Denmark, Danish Embassy to Korea
David Velázquez Communication Officer, EU Polar-net, Alfred-Wegener-Institute, Germany
Yoan Israel Viamonte Garrido SciTechIntel Consulting Services, Ecuador
Petrica Vizureanu Director, Department of Technologies and Equipment for Materials Processing, Faculty of Materials Sciences & Engineering, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, Romania
Alexandra Vorobiova Belova Predoctoral Researcher, Department of Historical Sciences and Musicology, Milá y Fontanals Institute, The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
Kaustubh R. Wadekar i-M Tech Student & NPTEL-SWAYAM Coordinator, Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) Mumbai – IndianOil Odisha Campus (IOC) Bhubaneswar, India
Tom Wang Former Director, Centre for Science Diplomacy, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), USA
Claudia Natalie Widmaier Müller Foreign Trade Technician, Uruguayan National Customs
Akadiri Yessoufou Associate Professor, University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin
Mitchell Young Assistant Professor, Charles University, Czech Republic
Lassina Zerbo Executive Secretary, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)

Please cite as: S4D4C. 2019. The Madrid Declaration on Science Diplomacy. Madrid: S4D4C. Available at: https://www.s4d4c.eu/s4d4c-1st-global-meeting/the-madrid-declaration-on-science-diplomacy/

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