The General Assembly (GA) is the highest authority of the International Science Council (ISC), and meets in ordinary session once every three years, at the invitation of one of its Members. The founding General Assembly of the ISC will meet in July 2018 in Paris, and the location of the 2021 GA will be decided there. We are now soliciting invitations to host the 2nd General Assembly of the ISC in 2021.
The Assembly is responsible for setting the general direction, policies and priorities for the Council for the next triennium and is a mix of business and scientific sessions. It is a meeting of scientific leadership from around the world and affords a unique occasion for scientists of all disciplines to meet and engage in cross-disciplinary activities.
The General Assembly is a closed meeting for Members
(Member Organisations, Member Unions and Associations) and invited participants (Interdisciplinary Bodies, Affiliate Members, key partners and observers) and numbers around 350 participants. The Assembly, including two Members’ fora, lasts for three or four days and is normally preceded by a science day organized by the host country. The Governing Board and a small number of other committees also meet just prior to the Assembly and immediately after. Provisions should be made for a scientific event to be co-organized by the host and the ISC Secretariat.
The host organization is expected to take responsibility for all local logistics, the organization of scientific sessions and visits to scientific institutes, etc., prior to the Assembly, and is expected to ensure that there is adequate media coverage of the event.
It is also expected to make a contribution to a fund to finance the participation of scientists from developing countries at the Assembly.
Expressions of interest to host the 2nd General Assembly of the Council should be received at the ICSU Secretariat by 9 April 2018 at the latest and should state that all bona fide scientists will receive visas to attend the meeting if necessary and that all material needs for the proper conduct of the Assembly and associated meetings will be satisfied.
Please send expressions of interest to nora.papp@icsu.org and do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.