The EU Science Diplomacy Alliance (EUSDA), in partnership with UNESCO, successfully organised a workshop on science diplomacy training on March 27, 2025, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Supported by the European Union and UNESCO, the event was held in the sideline of the Global Ministerial Dialogue on Science Diplomacy and gathered representatives from ministries of foreign affairs, research ministries, science attachés, trainers, coordinators of science diplomacy programs, alumni of science diplomacy training initiatives, experts from international organizations, and researchers involved in international research projects.
The workshop served as a platform to translate insights and commitments from high-level discussions into practical action related to capacity building and training. Participants assessed current science diplomacy training activities, identified best practices, and pinpointed gaps, with the goal of providing actionable recommendations for customizing training based on target audiences.
Interactive Sessions and Key Discussions
The event featured a combination of presentations, panel exchanges, and open discussions, addressing key questions such as:
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What are the key training needs in science diplomacy?
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Which programmes and organisations offer science diplomacy training on national, regional, and global levels?
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Which issues and topics have gained the most attention in training, and how do approaches differ across countries and organisations?
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How should science diplomacy training be structured, and who should be trained on what topics?
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What strategies can enhance the development and effectiveness of science diplomacy training?
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What are the essential elements of a science diplomacy competency framework?
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How can training programmes be made more coherent, strategic, and adaptable to different institutional and national contexts?
ASEF’s Contribution: Mapping Training Providers and Trends
Ms Réka Tózsa, Director of the Education Department at the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), was invited to speak in the session “Overview of science diplomacy training efforts,” Ms Tózsa shared insights on mapping key providers and trends in science diplomacy training. Her presentation highlighted the various organisations offering science diplomacy training activities across both Asia and Europe, the training topics that have garnered the most interest, and the similarities and differences between training activities in different countries and organisations worldwide. ASEF’s contribution provided valuable context for understanding the current landscape of science diplomacy training and identifying opportunities for future development. This presentation was built upon the work of the Asia-Europe Science & Technology Diplomacy Report, covering 41 countries and highlighting national strategies, policy tools and training mechanisms in S&T Diplomacy.
The session was chaired by Ms Maria Josten, Task Force Leader on Capacity Building within the EU Science Diplomacy Alliance, DLR-PT, Bonn
Besides Ms Tózsa, other speakers included:
- Mr Simone Arnaldi, Professor of Sociology at the Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Trieste
- Ms Maria Bonnafous-Boucher, EU Science Diplomacy Alliance-AVRIST
- Ms Marga Gual Soler, Head of Science Diplomacy Capacity Building at the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA)
- Mr Jean-Christophe Mauduit, Associate Professor of Science Diplomacy, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London
We thank EUSDA and UNESCO for the invitation to join and speak during this impactful workshop.