International Science Council (ISC)

From gender audit to institutional reform: the Slovak Academy of Sciences’ Gender Equality Plan - International Science Council A gender audit can be a diagnostic exercise and the starting point for structural reform. At the Slovak Academy of Sciences, it became the foundation for an institutional Gender Equality Plan that reshaped recruitment practices, leadership pathways and workplace culture.

👩‍🔬 A comprehensive gender audit can provide the evidence needed to drive institutional reform. At the Slovak Academy of Sciences, it formed the basis of a formal Gender Equality Plan.

Read the full case study: https://council.science/blog/from-gender-audit-to-institutional-reform/

#CallForNominations: 2026 Stein Rokkan Prize. Deadline: 1 May 2026

🔗https://ecpr.eu/prizes/stein-rokkan

The #SteinRokkanPrize for Comparative Social Science Research recognizes an outstanding published monograph that makes a significant contribution to the field.

The Science Diplomat Podcast: Sir Peter Gluckman on Science advice, trust, and the limits of evidence - International Science Council Sir Peter Gluckman reflects on how science informs political choices amid global tension, emphasizing why humility and transparency will be central to brokering science policy.

#Podcast: What can science do and not do in policy?

On The Science Diplomat podcast, our president Peter Gluckman unpacks the boundaries between evidence and political decision-making.

🎧 https://council.science/podcasts/podcast-peter-gluckman-science-advice/

#CallForExpertInput: AI use in research is growing fast. Transparency is key to maintaining integrity.

Help shape a new Global Reporting Standard on AI Disclosure in Research. Submit your input by Feb 28!

🔗 https://council.science/our-work/ai-disclosure-in-research/

Reforming who gets in: Gender equality at the Science Council of Japan - International Science Council The Science Council of Japan increased the share of women in its membership from 3.3% in 2000 to nearly 39% in 2025. This transformation was driven by reforms to nomination processes, supported by sustained national commitments to gender equality.

👩‍🔬 From 3.3% in 2000 to nearly 39% women members in 2025. The Science Council of Japan shows how reforms to nomination processes can significantly shift representation of women in scientific organizations.
🔗 https://council.science/blog/gender-equality-at-the-science-council-of-japan/

🏆 Warm congratulations to @valentimvicente on receiving the Stein Rokkan Prize for Comparative Social Science Research for his book "The Normalization of the Radical Right: A Norms Theory of Political Supply and Demand".

https://council.science/news/vicente-valentim-wins-2025-stein-rokkan-prize/

#Webinar: The International Science Council (ISC)’s Committee for Freedom and Responsibility in Science (CFRS) is hosting a webinar on Research Funding Transparency.

📆 18 March 2026
🕗 13:30 UTC

🔗 Register here: https://council.science/events/research-funding-transparency/

#AI is rapidly reshaping how science is conducted, governed, and funded, often at a pace that outstrips the ability of national research systems to adapt.

Read the latest edition with 26 country case studies:
https://council.science/publications/ai-science-systems/

#Vacancy: We are looking for a strategic and results-driven Head of Fundraising and Development to lead our income generation efforts and secure the future of the global voice for science.

Deadline: 15 March 2026

Apply: https://council.science/news/head-of-fundraising-and-development/

Towards gender equality in scientific organizations: assessment and recommendations - International Science Council Academies of science, medicine and engineering, along with international scientific unions, play an important role in shaping scientific agendas, recognizing scientific excellence, and advising policy-makers. In doing so, they influence whose expertise is visible and whose voices are heard in science. Persistent gender gaps within these organizations - relative to the share of women in the scientific workforce - raise questions about whether women scientists can participate, lead, and be reco...

💡 Women represent about 1/3 of researchers, yet they remain underrepresented in scientific organizations. On the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we launch a new report examining this gap: https://council.science/publications/towards-gender-equality-in-scientific-organizations/.

Welcoming a new Member: UK Young Academy - International Science Council On its mission to support early- and mid-career researchers, the International Science Council continues to welcome young academies across the world. Meet a recently joined Member - the UK Young Academy.

New Member spotlight: UK Young Academy (UKYA).

At the ISC, supporting early- and mid-career researchers and the young academies that represent them is central to a strong, inclusive global science system.

https://council.science/blog/uk-young-academy/

Rethinking the good life: human development beyond GDP - International Science Council What does it mean to have a good life? Can this life be achieved within planetary boundaries, for everyone, and without undermining the prospects of future generations? These are not abstract philosophical questions. They sit at the heart of contemporary social development debates, unfolding amid rapid demographic change, technological transformation, and escalating ecological pressures.

What does it mean to have a good life?

This is not an abstract philosophical question. It sits at the heart of contemporary social development debates:

https://council.science/blog/human-development-beyond-gdp/

Science for climate action: a 2026 agenda - International Science Council 2026 is a challenging year for science action given the complicated geopolitical context and the declining support and funding for science. Much will depend on how the scientific community rises to the challenge of continuing and reframing their crucial work in driving climate action.

2026 is a challenging year for science action given the complicated geopolitical context and the declining support and funding for science.

In this context, several priorities emerge for the scientific community 👇

https://council.science/blog/science-for-climate-action-2026/

One year ago today, the Muscat Global Knowledge Dialogue opened in Oman. It anticipated today’s pressures: geopolitics, AI, unequal access to knowledge, and just sustainability transitions.

Read the report to inform your 2026: https://council.science/publications/muscat-global-knowledge-dialogue/

A theory of change approach to enhance the post-2030 sustainable development agenda - International Science Council A better approach is needed to assess potential implementation, impact, and feasibility of proposals.

💡 A post-2030 development agenda will not succeed by adding new goals alone.
As progress on the #SDGs continues to lag, new research highlights the value of a Theory of Change approach for the post-2030 Agenda: https://council.science/blog/theory-of-change-approach-to-enhance-post-2030-sda/

#Vacancy: We are looking for a motivated, dynamic, full-time junior Science Officer to contribute to our ambitious strategy.

Deadline: 9 March 2026
Apply: https://council.science/news/junior-science-officer/

#Hiring #Jobs

Open Science round-up: Embedding Open Science incentives in research systems - International Science Council In this issue, we feature an editorial from the Research Data Alliance’s Sharing Rewards and Credit Interest Group on the recognition of open science practices in research assessment.

#OpenScience: This edition includes an editorial from the Research Data Alliance’s Sharing Rewards and Credit Interest Group on embedding Open Science incentives in research systems: https://council.science/blog/open-science-round-up-embedding-open-science-incentives-in-research-systems/

Rethinking scientific careers in a changing world  - International Science Council What does it take to build a meaningful scientific career in a rapidly changing world? As the research landscape evolves, scientists are rethinking how they work, connect, and sustain their careers. A new podcast series from the International Science Council, produced with its Member the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and Nature, explores these themes through conversations between researchers at different stages of their careers.

🔬 How are scientific careers changing? As technologies evolve and collaboration becomes increasingly global, researchers are navigating new challenges and new opportunities.🔗 https://council.science/blog/rethinking-scientific-careers-in-a-changing-world/

Women in scientific organizations: 10 years of global evidence from science academies and unions - International Science Council A special webinar from the ISC, IAP and SGCES on World Science Day for Women and Girls in Science – 11 February 2026, from 2 - 4 pm UTC.

📆 #SaveTheDate: Women in scientific organizations webinar.

On 11 February from 14:00 to 16:00 UTC, we will present key findings on women’s participation, leadership and recognition in scientific organizations.

➡️ Register: https://council.science/events/women-in-scientific-organizations-webinar/

Science at the UN in 2026: Mark your calendar - International Science Council The International Science Council works closely with ISC Members and partners to help strengthen science-policy interfacing and evidence-informed decision-making at a global scale. Here is what to watch for at the UN in 2026 and how to get involved.

📆 What lies ahead for science in multilateral policy in 2026? Mark your calendar for the key moments, processes, and policy spaces where scientific input will matter most in the year to come: https://council.science/blog/science-at-the-un-in-2026/.

Science for a complex world: ISC 2025 year in review   - International Science Council In this end-of-year message, the ISC President and CEO reflect on the Council’s key milestones in 2025, from the strategic directions set at the General Assembly in Muscat to sustained engagement in global policy fora, and outline the priorities that will guide the ISC’s work in the years ahead.

2025 was a demanding year for science worldwide. As we move toward 2026, we look forward to continuing our collective work to support an open, responsible science system that engages meaningfully with society and policy.

Read the full message: https://council.science/blog/2025-message/

The building of trust in science and the realization of its public value - International Science Council In this final commentary on the Trust in Science for Policy Nexus report, Xuan Liu outlines key factors affecting trust and presents practical ways to strengthen science’s role as a public good.

💡 #TrustInScience: How to strengthen trust in science in a rapidly changing world? Prof. Xuan Liu explores the factors shaping trust and shares ways to reinforce science’s role as a public good: https://council.science/blog/the-building-of-trust-in-science-and-the-realization-of-its-public-value/

Responsible chemistry in a time of mistrust - International Science Council In an era characterized by accelerating innovation and increasing uncertainty, science faces a paradox. Its influence on daily life has never been greater, yet public confidence in scientific institutions and technologies is increasingly fragile. Javier García-Martínez, a renowned chemist and former IUPAC President, unpacks why this tension is felt acutely in chemistry and shows a possible way forward.

In an era of growing public scepticism, how can chemists, and the institutions that support them, demonstrate responsibility and build trust? Javier García-Martínez explores the challenges facing #chemistry today: https://council.science/blog/responsible-chemistry-in-a-time-of-mistrust/

Trust depends on public openness about how science is practised - International Science Council In this commentary, Heather Douglas highlights how openness about scientific practices, values, and debate can strengthen public trust in science for policy.

💡 #TrustInScience : How can science earn, and deserve, public trust in today’s complex policy landscape? https://council.science/blog/trust-depends-on-public-openness-about-how-science-is-practised/

#Vacancy: We are looking for a motivated, dynamic, full-time Science Officer to contribute to our ambitious strategy.

Deadline: 31 January 2026

Apply: https://council.science/news/vacancy-science-officer-2/

Scientific freedom as a human right: Insights from the dedicated ISC meeting in Aotearoa New Zealand - International Science Council As the world marks International Human Rights Day, the International Science Council (ISC) underscores that scientific freedom and the right to participate in and benefit from science are core human rights.

On International #HumanRightsDay, the International Science Council underscores that scientific freedom and the right to participate in and benefit from science are core human rights: https://council.science/blog/scientific-freedom-as-a-human-right/.

International Community Convenes In Pisa To Advance Coordinated Reform In Publishing And Research Assessment – ASAPbio On 14 November 2025, representatives from several organisations across the publishing reform and research assessment reform communities gathered in Pisa,

On 14 November, leaders from across the global research ecosystem gathered for a workshop co-organized by ASAPbio, @cwtsnl.bsky.social, @dorassessment.bsky.social, and the @sciencecouncil.bsky.social, to advance aligned strategies for reforming publishing and research assessment.

🎉 We are excited to formalize a new partnership with the International Association of Universities to strengthen collaboration on shared priorities at the intersection of #Science, #Policy and #HigherEducation.

https://council.science/news/iau-mou/

📢 For active researchers across all disciplines:

Respond to survey by 19/12 to share your perspectives on key developments, risks, and opportunities that merit attention by the UN’s scientific advisory processes.

(approximately 10 minutes): https://form.typeform.com/to/rW4YObVK

Scientific freedom and the responsible conduct of scientists - International Science Council In this blog series, members of the ISC’s Committee for Freedom and Responsibility in Science share their reflections on the questions surrounding trust in science, particularly in the context of policy-making. The first piece features Karly Kehoe, who examines the ethical responsibilities of scientists and institutions.

#TrustInScience: In this first piece of a series of commentaries examining questions surrounding trust in science, Karly Kehoe explores the ethical responsibilities of scientists and institutions: https://council.science/blog/scientific-freedom-and-the-responsible-conduct-of-scientists/