Call for Participation: AAAS-TWAS Course on Science Diplomacy

To strengthen the connection between scientists and governmental officials, policymakers and diplomats, applications to attend the course are being invited from ‘participant pairs’. Both participants in the participant pair should be living and/or working in the same country. Priority will be given to participant pairs from developing countries, and especially Science and Technology lagging countries (STLCs – https://twas.org/66-countries).

The applicants in the ‘participant pair’ should share some common interest in the areas of science, technology and innovation. However, it is not necessary that they work or have been working together in the past.

The ‘participant pair’ will include:

1. Participant 1: a Early-Career Scientist (preferably 40 years or below) whose research and wider engagement has international policymaking implications or applications, and
2. Participant 2: a Policymaker from the policymaking arena, working on science, technology, and innovation-related matters. This person should belong to one of the following categories:

– A local or national government official.
– A policymaker.
– A diplomat.
– Staff at an academy of sciences at supervisory level.
– Civil servant.
– A representative of a research funding institution.
– Staff or expert working for and/or with an international (e.g. UN) organization.

The goal of the pairing is to help develop long-term science policy connections. Therefore, early-career scientists applicants are encouraged to check with the head of their home institute for suggestions on a possible suitable co-applicant from the policymaking arena.

The two participants in the participant pair will apply individually, but must confirm their participant pair partner on their application and explain why it is a good partnership. Thus, participant pairs must have agreed in advance about their ‘twinned’ applications.

Please note: Applications that do not identify a participant partner will not be considered. Therefore, it is highly recommended to find a partner co-applicant BEFORE applying.

Commitment to attend all days of the course is expected from both members of the selected pairs. Therefore, if one member of the pair will not be able to commit to attend the whole workshop, this will automatically disqualify the other component of the pair.

Alumni of the course will join a global network of young leaders and innovators reaching across borders to address societal challenges and become agents of change in their countries and sectors.

 

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS 

• Twin Applications must be submitted online as follows:

• Participant 1 in participant pair (Early-Career Scientist) must apply via the link https://forms.office.com/r/dbNWqg6dfZ
• Participant 2 in participant pair (from the policymaking arena as indicated above) must apply via the link https://forms.office.com/r/1drUmpTnAe

Please note that the two links are different. Applicants are requested to please use the correct link to apply.

• Applications that do not specify their participant partner will be considered incomplete and will not be considered.
• NB. As part of the application, some accompanying documents must be submitted by email before the deadline to the TWAS Secretariat to sciencediplomacy@twas.org. These required documents are specified at the end of the online application form. In your email, please use the Subject line: “Accompanying documents of application of Mr/Ms Surname / Name”.
• Candidates should not have participated in any previous AAAS-TWAS course on science diplomacy, including regional workshops.
• Women are especially encouraged to apply, as are refugee or displaced scientists.
• Applicants from any nationality are welcome but priority is given to developing countries.
• Applicants from the 66 Science & Technology Lagging Countries (STLCs) https://twas.org/66-countries and – within this group – the 47 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) https://twas.org/least-developed-countries-ldcs are especially encouraged to apply and will be given priority.
• The course will be held in person in Trieste, Italy. Commitment to attend all days of the course is expected from both members of the selected pairs. Therefore, if one member of the pair will not be able to commit to attend the whole workshop, this will automatically disqualify the other component of the pair.
• An expert committee will be established by TWAS and AAAS to review the applications.
• The deadline for submitting applications is 5 March 2023 (at midnight, CET time zone).
• Successful candidates will be informed by the first week of April 2023.

Course Fee information

Organizers will cover the expenses of pairs selected, including transportation, lodging, visa expenses, meals and incidentals.
Additionally, there will be opportunities for a small number of self-supported participant pairs (including from high-income countries) to attend the course if selected. No travel support will be provided to self-supported participant pairs. They will be responsible for paying their own travel to Trieste, Italy along with paying a ‘registration fee’ to cover accommodation, meals and some administrative costs (approximately 600 euro, exact amount to be specified after selection).