Explicit science diplomacy funds are rare, in particular as it is sometimes argued that science diplomacy works better in an implicit way.
The Science Diplomacy Fund launched in the Netherlands is one of the experiments. It aims to strengthen its international profile as a knowledge economy where world-class science is conducted. The national research organisation NWO plays different roles in the set-up: financing, programming, bringing together, supporting and influencing and is also proactive in harmonising the international knowledge policy of the Dutch government, Nuffic and the knowledge institutions. The argument is to present Dutch research abroad better with a joint effort. For this, NWO makes strategic use of visitor grants and other instruments. In 2020, NWO started a dedicated Science Diplomacy Fund. In 2021, they experimented opening up several positions of “Embassy Science Fellows”.
The Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) is a joint initiative of the Swiss Federal Council and the Canton and City of Geneva. It started its operations on 1 January 2020. The initiative with a global outlook and reach will leverage both the International Geneva’s ecosystem and well-organized innovation actors worldwide for the benefit of the planet and its inhabitants.
Visit site: https://www.nwo.nl/en/policies/international+collaboration/science+diplomacy; https://www.nwo.nl/en/funding/our-funding-instruments/wotro/science-diplomacy-fund/science-diplomacy-fund.html (Dutch Science Diplomacy Fund), https://www.nwo.nl/nieuws/bent-u-de-eerste-nederlandse-embassy-science-fellow-esf-nl (call for Embassy Science Fellows for Dutch embassies), https://gesda.global (Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator)
Keywords: Funding, International Collaboration, Explicit Science Diplomacy, Public-Private Partnership, Impact, Global Challenges, Emerging Challenges
