SciDF Talks Science Diplomacy

Scientists Dating Forum is glad to welcome you to our next special SciDFTalks about Science Diplomacy, with high-profile speakers, joining us from all Europe.

The aim of this event is to introduce the field of Science Diplomacy and hear how it is implemented internationally, in Europe, Spain and in the region of Catalonia. We therefore invited four experts working in the field who will share their experience with us:

Casimiro Vizzini (Expert in the Division of Science Policy and Capacity Building at UNESCO)
Montserrat Daban (Head of International Relations, Secretariat for  Universities and Research of the Government of Catalonia)
Lorenzo Melchor (Science Coordinator in the Spanish Embassy in London)
Octavi Quintana Trias (Director of the PRIMA Foundation)

We are looking forward to welcome you and your friends to this SciDF Talks. Don’t forget to register here.

Event language will be English.
Free Networking Apero will be offered after the event.

There are many reasons why science diplomacy has gained in importance in recent years:

Global challenges don’t recognise any borders and often have to be solved through international collaborations, relying on political exchange and scientific knowledge. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is one prominent example of this.  

Furthermore, the universal character of science and research promotes collaboration in international relations through multinational projects or international infrastructure amendments, even in the extreme cases when usual routes of communication, politics and diplomacy have failed.

Science Diplomacy can also be used to facilitate integration of companies abroad and promote national interests.
 
Therefore, many states, in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders and non-state actors, including universities, civil society, international organizations and business, have recently begun to publish their science diplomacy strategies. Spain has published its strategy very recently, in 2016.