1. Dr. Jacob Bronowski once said, “the most wonderful discovery made by scientists is
science itself.” Now, it is time for us to join forces, research and acknowledge in order
to further develop science and allow its advances to benefit all. Science Diplomacy
refers to the opportunity and necessity to overcome nationalistic reflexes.
By definition, innovation is meant to improve the quality of life by changing, improv-
ing, or revolutionizing a product, a service, or a sector. Nowadays, leaders worldwide
are increasingly aware of the necessity to focus their efforts on innovation. They
developed national innovation policies and frameworks for local companies to ensure
their competitiveness in a globalised world. With the globalisation of innovation,
national policies shouldn’t form barriers to scientific exchanges.
We have to learn from the past in order to advance into the future. However, in a
globalised world offering us such a wide range of communication tools, we should
also be able to learn from each other regardless of our geographical locations.
Diplomacy is an old practice and has often been criticised for not evolving at the
same pace as other domains.
Innovations emerge all the time but the successful ones are those combining the
old with the new, without necessarily replacing it but by reinventing it while taking
preexisting factors and inducing progress under consideration.
Diplomacy cultivates longstanding habits; it is attached to its protocols and conserves
decades old treaties. However it would be unfair the reduce diplomacy to its old ways
as the profession is certainly evolving thanks to a new range of dynamic professionals,
new methods and a shape in diplomats’ responsibilities; it’s nonetheless true that
until recently the profession was running out of steam. Science Diplomacy offers a
new perspective for both science and diplomacy.
Diplomacy can ease the cooperation for research and science by enhancing commu-
nication among scientists, engineers, and communities. A cooperation that can help
to improve international relations by offering a ground of collaboration and under-
standing where other means aren’t feasible and later opens doors on other key issues.
Science can provide expertise and analysis that will reinforce foreign policy actors’
insight and help them reach their objectives when addressing global challenges
such as climate change or food security with the accurate scientific information to
support them. Science Diplomacy allows for innovative flourishing around the world
to benefit all.
Diplomatic World magazine has decided to offer a tribune and visibility to scientists,
politics, academics and organisations that are working to develop and implement
Science Diplomacy worldwide.
Comme le disait le Professeur Jacob Bronowski “la plus belle découverte faite par
les scientifiques, c’est la science en elle-même“. Aujourd’hui, il nous revient de
joindre nos efforts, nos recherches et nos connaissances afin de développer la
science et de permettre à ses avancées de bénéficier à tous. Il est nécessaire de
dépasser les réflexes nationalistes qui y font obstacle et Science Diplomacy nous
en offre l’opportunité. L’innovation vise, par définition, à améliorer notre qualité
de vie en changeant, améliorant ou révolutionnant un produit, un service ou un
secteur d’activité. Aujourd’hui, les dirigeants du monde entier ont pris conscience
de l’importance de concentrer leurs efforts dans l’innovation. Ils ont développé
des politiques nationales en ce sens et des structures permettant aux compagnies
locales d’assurer leur compétitivité à l’échelle mondiale. Alors que l’innovation
se globalise, les mesures nationales, elles, peuvent constituer un obstacle aux
échanges scientifiques.
Nous devons pouvoir tirer les leçons du passé pour l’avenir. Néanmoins, dans un
monde globalisé offrant un large éventail de moyens de communication, nous
devrions être capables d’apprendre les uns des autres quelle que soit la distance
qui nous sépare. La diplomatie est une pratique qui a traversé les époques mais
qui a souvent été critiquée pour, contrairement à d’autres domaines d’activité,
évoluer avec une lenteur qui ne coïncide pas nécessairement avec la mutation qui
caractérise le monde actuel. Constamment, des innovations sont créées et mises en
avant mais celles qui s’implantent avec succès sont celles qui marient le nouveau
et l’ancien sans remplacer ce dernier. Les innovations qui permettent le progrès
sont celles qui réinventent tout en prenant en compte les facteurs préexistants.
La diplomatie cultive ses coutumes, reste attachée à son protocole et à ses traités
qui sont vieux de plusieurs décennies. Il serait injuste de réduire la diplomatie à un
ensemble de traditions surannées néanmoins il est vrai que la profession sembla
s’essouffler jusqu’il y a peu. Science Diplomacy offre un renouveau tant pour la
science que pour la diplomatie. La diplomatie facilite la coopération pour la science
et pour la recherche en permettant aux scientifiques, aux ingénieurs et au public
de communiquer. La coopération scientifique permet d’améliorer les relations
internationales en offrant un domaine de collaboration, là où d’autres moyens
ne sont pas envisageables et permettra d’ouvrir le dialogue sur d’autres questions
par après. Les scientifiques transmettent aux acteurs de politique étrangère toutes
les données pertinentes relatives aux questions pointues telles que le changement
climatique ou la sécurité alimentaire dont ils doivent traiter. Science Diplomacy
permet aux innovations développées de par le monde de l’être au bénéfice de tous.
Diplomatic World a décidé de permettre aux scientifiques, aux acteurs du monde
politique, au corps académique et aux organisations qui sont actives dans le
développement et l’implantation de Science Diplomacy de tirer profit de la tribune
qu’il offre.
SPECIAL DOSSIER SCIENCE DIPLOMACY
Herman Winick Professor Emeritus, Stanford.
“Science is international. There is no such thing as national science, national science is not science, and science only works
when people exchange ideas. It is fundamentally international in nature, and progress is made when people cooperate.”

2. DW: Can you state a definition of science diplomacy?
How would you characterize your own experience
on the subject and why is science diplomacy close to
your heart?
Mr Carlos Moedas: When international cooperation in
research and innovation (R&I) goes beyond the advance
of science and technology (S&T) and the strengthening of
competitiveness and also affects external dimensions of other
policies – from peace and security, to sustainable develop-
ment, to health – then it becomes a powerful external policy
tool; this is science diplomacy.
Science diplomacy is close to my heart as I truly believe that
scientific values of rationality, transparency and universality can foster common
understanding, build trust, and promote cooperation between people – regardless
of cultural, national or religious backgrounds.
DW: Science diplomacy covers numerous areas, can you name the principal
ones and explain the science diplomacy impact attached?
For me, science diplomacy is a way of perceiving international cooperation on scientific
and technological challenges that can lead to many other mutual benefits, for
example: Maintaining people-to-people contacts in times of conflict; Understanding
our planet and developing shared strategies for good stewardship; Developing
common standards which can lead to better market access and increased trade;
and Tackling shared challenges such as global health.
Science diplomacy's most explicit 'test' is when it brings together people in areas
of tensions to jointly address shared challenges. It has a particular added value in
conflict areas and complex security environments.
Science plays a key role in providing insight in a number of policy challenges – in
areas like health, energy and the environment – that require highly informed
decision-making involving governmental and non-governmental negotiators from
many nations and trans-national networks. The European Commission has just set
up a mechanism for high quality, timely, independent scientific advice that will
contribute to our continued pursuit of the best possible evidence-based policy.
Science diplomacy can also facilitate international scientific and economic coopera-
tion. Diplomats work to reach agreements on international science collaborations,
to support the profile of European research and innovation
worldwide or to cooperate to remove regulatory barriers
such as visa restrictions, or security issues, or agree common
standards such as on research integrity, peer reviewing,
gender issues, open access, or IPR treatment.
DW: How can scientific cooperation improve inter-
national relations? Can you state past and present
examples?
Let me give you a prime example of science bringing together
people in areas of tensions and conflicts to jointly address
shared challenges. The SESAME synchrotron particle
accelerator in Jordan brings together researchers from
countries that would otherwise never meet, from Iran and Israel to Pakistan, Egypt
and Palestine. With science as a common language, they are now building bridges
of trust – bridges that could help in other policy areas.
Just as CERN - the European Organization for Nuclear Research - was set up after
the Second World War to bring together scientists from former enemies in Europe,
SESAME now allows researchers to collaborate across the Middle East, fostering not
only scientific and technological capacities and excellence, but also trans-national
dialogue, better understanding and a culture of peace.
DW: What are the benefits attached to bridging the scientific and foreign
policy communities? How can scientific cooperation be useful during political
strain? What current international issues could/should benefit from it to
seek improvements or solutions?
As an instrument of ‘smart, soft power’ and a mechanism for improving relations
with key countries and regions around the world, science diplomacy is a key tool
of the EU’s external action. It provides the Union with additional communication
channels and new directions, particularly in stalemate situations and relations where
few other mechanisms are possible, as well as on sensitive bilateral or multilateral
issues. Vice versa, diplomacy can facilitate international scientific cooperation,
promote science and support the profile of researchers and innovators.
We should use scientific cooperation to catalyse and improve international relations.
International science cooperation has a specific added value in conflict areas and
complex security environments because the universal language of science can
open channels of communication and build trust where few other mechanisms are
Interview with Mr Carlos Moedas – European Commissioner
for Research, Science and Innovation

3. feasible. For example, in March I was in Ukraine signing its association agreement
to Horizon 2020, and in April I visited the SESAME synchrotron in the Middle East.
We also need to ensure that external policy is based on scientific evidence and
advice. In particular, science plays a key role in providing insight on a number of
challenges related to our planet – e.g. climate change, energy, health – and the
knowledge that is generated by research and innovation programmes like Horizon
2020 should be put to use.
An archetypical example of 'science diplomacy at work' in terms of both policy
support and financial support is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,
IPCC. The EU itself strongly relies on scientific evidence assessed by the IPCC, and
through Horizon 2020, the scientific objectives reflected in the IPCC are prioritised
in calls for proposals.
Finally, diplomatic efforts are sometimes needed to make scientific cooperation pos-
sible. We have recently extended the European and Developing Countries Clinical
Trial Partnership which is working on clinical testing of new medical products against
HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis for the population in sub-Saharan Africa. This
Partnership, which brings on board the sub-Saharan African countries based on
shared responsibility and ownership, would not have been possible without a major
push from the Commission.
DW: Is science diplomacy a way to avoid state interference problems while
dealing with a crisis?
Supranational challenges are becoming global in scale and of more immediate
importance: peace and stability, resource efficiency, global health etc. At the same
time, people, organisations, nations and regions are increasingly interconnected
across the world.
Scientific collaborations have also become much more widespread with closer
working relationships between researchers and institutions world-wide. Science
diplomacy is an effective additional string to the international community's bow
when what we hope will never happen, happens, helping us all to deal more
effectively in a crisis.
A recent example is how COPERNICUS, Europe's eyes on Earth, is now evolving from
a research based programme, to one active in the field. Its Emergency Management
Service was activated by last month's devastating earthquake in Nepal −
providing reference maps available to international relief organisations the next day.
Sentinal-1a, one of a new fleet of European Space Agency satellites, produced
visual information on the ground movement around Kathmandu just 4 days later.
Data reached scientists within a matter of hours after the satellite passed over Nepal,
providing vital data to governments, scientists and international relief services.
DW: Can you go back on its history as regard to the European continent?
How European countries have benefited from it in the past?
Let me give you the example of CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear
Research.
CERN was formed in 1953 to build the foundations for European research in
physics after World War II by bringing together former adversaries. Twelve European
countries chose to pursue a common path and created the largest research facility
in the field of particle physics. CERN not only aims to solve the greatest mysteries
of the universe. On the way, it also aspires to foster peace through international
collaboration.
The organisation illustrates the importance of science and international research
institutions in uniting nations to pursue a single noble goal. It has become a model
for how to combine scientific excellence with science diplomacy.
Another example is the long history of engagement between European and Russian
scientists. During crises in the past, and present, science has played an important
role in sustaining dialogue and continuing mutually beneficial connections that
could help re-establish broader political and economic links. 2014 was the EU-Russia
Year of Science with more than 170 joint European-Russian events having taken
place all over Europe and Russia throughout the year. These events have served
as a timely reminder that science and innovation are essential ingredients of any
approach that seeks to address today's global challenges and demonstrated the
important contribution international collaborative research and innovation can
make towards solving them.
EU Commissioner Carlos Moedas (first row, fourth from right), accompanied by members of CERN
management and researchers involved in the CESSAMag project.

4. DW: How well is science diplomacy implemented within the EU and in
the Member States? What needs to be improved? What are you currently
working on for this purpose?
The strategic, global approach that the EU follows to identify international partner
countries and areas of R&I cooperation is not only guided by S&T excellence,
competitiveness and attractiveness. It is equally important that the cooperation
at international level helps tackle global societal challenges more effectively and
supports the EU's external policy actions.
The notion of science diplomacy is an integral part of this strategy, but whereas
international R&I cooperation actions most often have excellence, competitiveness
and/or societal challenges as their main purpose, science diplomacy actions
have EU external policy support as at least one of their
ultimate objectives.
Although many of our on-going activities
in international R&I cooperation could
be leveraged to also support EU external
policy, so far they have not been considered
through the science diplomacy angle, and
little effort has been devoted up to now
to give them more coherence and
larger impact.
Looking at current actions through
the prism of science diplomacy can help
leverage these for greater impact and
can give rise to entirely new actions. In
other words, while science diplomacy is not
new in Europe’s context, its potential has been
largely untapped and one of my mandate`s
priorities will be to promote it further through
on-going and new actions.
DW: Innovation is the future for the EU and its Member States,
what about the globalization of innovation? Is that an opportunity or a
challenge for the EU?
Globalisation of innovation is both an opportunity and a challenge for the EU.
Global challenges call for global responses and are drivers for international
cooperation in research and innovation. Engaging in international cooperation is
also essential to attract talent, access knowledge and markets, thus increasing the
EU's competitiveness.
Strengthened cooperation of the EU with its international partners is therefore
needed to build critical mass, pool knowledge and identify innovative solutions.
This requires a strategy encompassing all dimensions of international cooperation
in research and innovation.
It should step up cooperation at bilateral and regional level, as well as through
multilateral fora, but also create synergies with the EU's external policies and with
Member States.
DW: Can you highlight EU ongoing partnerships with other countries or
regions?
A wide range of partnerships deserves to be highlighted. But let me give you just one
that was recently highlighted. The participants in the 21-22 May Eastern Partnership
Summit in Riga reconfirmed the high importance they attach to the Eastern Partnership
as a specific dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy. In particular, they
stressed the importance that people-to-people contacts in the areas of education,
research, youth and culture play in supporting the objectives of the Partnership.
Research and innovation is a key element in fostering regional cooperation and
supporting the EU foreign policy. This is why developing a Common Knowledge and
Innovation Space is a key objective of the European Neighbourhood
Policy.
Cooperation in research and innovation has been one
of the areas where engagement with our Eastern
neighbours has been strengthened. An Eastern
Partnership Panel on Research and Innovation
was launched last year and four countries in
the region have requested Association to
Horizon 2020 – the closest form of
cooperation and integration in the field
of research and innovation. Moldova
– already associated to FP7 – was
the first to sign such agreement and
I was very pleased to travel to Kiev
on 20 March to sign the Association
Agreement with Ukraine. The fact that
Ukraine – in the midst of difficult economic and
geopolitical conditions – prioritises cooperation
in the field of research and innovation and commits
to contribute to the Horizon 2020 budget in order to
harvest the tangible and intangible benefits, indicates
that science is seen as a key factor in fostering economic
prosperity and stability.
DW: What message would like to pass to Diplomatic World’s readers?
Scientists are increasingly working across borders, even when there is no or limited
political dialogue between their governments. While this has contributed to shaping
research and academic institutions, its potential for diplomatic power is largely
unexploited. Sound scientific advice and technical information are indispensable
for making informed and forward-looking policy decisions. Therefore, also the
EU’s foreign policy needs to take better advantage of the increasing scientific and
technological capabilities of today.
There is an increasing need for 'science diplomats' worldwide and for more effective
platforms, mechanisms and spaces for dialogue between policymakers, academics
and researchers working on foreign policy to identify projects and processes that
can advance science diplomacy worldwide. I am strongly committed in ensuring a
strong EU role in this process.