Europe moves from science diplomacy strategy to implementation
Days after E.U. governments endorsed a common science diplomacy framework, a new Horizon Europe project began building the networks, training and coordination intended to put it in place.
VIENNA — Less than two weeks after European Union governments adopted their first common framework for science diplomacy, a new Horizon Europe project wrapped up its inaugural meeting in Vienna with an ambitious goal: turning policy recommendations into practical institutions.
The Consolidating European Science Diplomacy (CUSP) initiative, which officially began on June 1 and held its first consortium meeting this week, brings together 11 organizations from across Europe and beyond to strengthen coordination among the communities that increasingly shape science diplomacy.
The question facing CUSP is whether a field that has largely grown through networks and individual initiatives can be translated into a more coherent European system. Its organizers say that is precisely the challenge the project is intended to address.
Although Europe has invested heavily in international scientific cooperation through universities, research programs, academies and diplomatic networks, science diplomacy efforts have often developed in parallel rather than through a coordinated system. CUSP seeks to map those activities, create a European Science Diplomacy Hub and develop training programs intended to strengthen connections among the communities involved.
The project is one of the first concrete initiatives to emerge following the Council Recommendation on science diplomacy adopted by E.U. member countries on May 29. The recommendation calls for stronger links between research, innovation and external relations as geopolitical competition increasingly intersects with scientific collaboration.
The initiative reflects a broader shift in European thinking about the role of science in foreign policy and international engagement.
For much of the past two decades, European scientific cooperation was largely viewed through the lens of research partnerships, development cooperation and academic exchange. Increasing geopolitical tensions, concerns about research security, competition in emerging technologies and growing pressure on multilateral institutions have prompted policymakers to place greater emphasis on science diplomacy as a strategic capability.
Supporters argue that better coordination is needed because many of the challenges governments face, including climate change, artificial intelligence, public health threats, biodiversity loss and emerging technologies, sit at the intersection of science and diplomacy.
“European science diplomacy has reached an inflection point,” said Elke Dall, a senior expert at the Zentrum für Soziale Innovation and coordinator of the project. Europe possesses strong scientific and diplomatic capabilities, she said, but their impact could be greater “if the efforts are better connected and aligned. CUSP is designed to facilitate this.”
Over the next three years, CUSP plans to produce a comprehensive map of Europe’s science diplomacy ecosystem, develop an online European Science Diplomacy Hub and create training and capacity-building programs for diplomats, science counsellors, researchers and policymakers. The project will also convene thematic working groups and stakeholder consultations intended to connect European efforts with partners in Africa, Asia, the Arab region, Oceania and the Americas.
The consortium includes the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Centre for European Policy Studies, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Charles University, Aarhus University, the Marie Curie Alumni Association and several other research and policy organizations.
The project’s launch comes amid growing efforts to institutionalize science diplomacy across Europe. Universities have established dedicated programs, UNESCO has expanded science diplomacy initiatives, and governments have begun developing national strategies and training programs aimed at strengthening links between scientific expertise and international policymaking.