Join an ever-increasing global membership that helps strengthen international science for the benefit of society, building the capacity to bring together and integrate scientific excellence and science-policy expertise from all fields of science worldwide. By becoming a Member of the ISC, your institution will become part of the global voice for science.
Membership categories
Members adhere to the ISC as institutions in the following categories:
- Category 1: International scientific organizations devoted to the practice and promotion of scientific disciplines or areas of science, being institutions that draw membership from several countries within a region or from countries across at least two regions, and whose members are held together by a formal agreement, constitution or similar instrument.
- Category 2: Academies of sciences, research councils or analogous not-for-profit scientific bodies representing a broad spectrum of scientific fields or disciplines in a country, region or territory.
- Category 3: Other national, regional or global organizations which are primarily composed of active scientists. This shall include young scientist organizations that have the characteristics of Category 1 or 2 Members.
- Category 4: Other bodies active in fields related to those of the Council which may be granted observer status. These are primarily public or international organizations associated with the promotion of science, science communication, science education, science diplomacy or the science–policy interface, with which the Governing Board considers it in the interests of the Council to be able to engage directly.
Eligibility criteria
The ISC does not offer individual membership. Universities are generally not eligible to apply for membership. If your institution does not meet the eligibility criteria, please consider engaging in ISC activities through membership with one of our Members.
When adhering to the ISC community, Members commit to supporting ISC values, to complying with the ISC Statutes and Rules of Procedure and to adhering to the ISC’s vision of science as a global public good as well as its mission to provide a powerful and credible global voice for science. Members are invited to participate in events and activities of the community, be represented at the ISC General Assembly, and to engage with the ISC science programmes and affiliated bodies.
In reviewing an application, the ISC Governing Board will consider the following criteria:
- If the applicant organization represents scientific excellence in its domain.
- If the applicant organization’s vision, mission and work is in line with the ISC’s values and non-discrimination principles (see ISC Statutes and Rules of Procedure).
- In the case of and application for Category 1: If the applicant organization is of an established, independent, non-governmental and international nature. International bodies are defined by the ISC as those bodies to which appropriate organizations in all countries of the world are eligible to adhere.
- If the new admission positively affects the balance of disciplines within the ISC membership and does not contribute to excessive fragmentation of sub-disciplines.
- Overall benefits of the applicant organization to the ISC community.
Obligations of ISC Members
When adhering to the ISC membership, Members commit to the following obligations:
- To support the ISC’s values of excellence and professionalism; inclusivity and diversity; transparency and integrity; innovation and sustainability.
- To adhere to the ISC’s vision of science as a global public good and its mission to provide a powerful and credible global voice for science.
- To comply with ISC Statutes and Rules of Procedure, notably the Principle of Freedom and Responsibility in Science.
- To maintain links with the activities of the ISC community: Members are expected to participate in events and activities of the community, be represented at the ISC General Assembly, and engage with the ISC science programmes and bodies.
- To pay annual dues to the ISC within a scale determined by the General Assembly. Currently, dues for Members in Category 1 are determined by the income from their own membership fees while dues for Members in Category 2 are based on the national GDP. Dues for Category 3 Members currently amount to a fixed fee of € 552 p.a. in 2024. Members in Category 4 do not pay dues.
Application procedure
Organizations interested in applying for ISC membership are invited to contact the ISC Membership Liaison Officer Anne Thieme ([email protected]) for an introductory call.
Subsequently, the application for ISC membership must be addressed in writing (to [email protected]) by submitting:
- Completed and signed membership application form (this is a sample copy, the secretariat will provide you with the application form after an introductory call)
- A copy of the Statutes of the applying organization (or equivalent document)
- A signed statement that the applicant will comply with ISC’s Statutes and Rules of Procedure
- Audited financial statements from the last three years
In the event of an application for membership in Category 1 by an international union, association or similar body which was previously a part of an existing Member of the Council, the applicant should inform the relevant Member and seek its support before applying for membership (Rule of Procedure 8.2.i).
In the event of an application for membership in Category 2 by an organization in a country, region or territory which already has existing Member(s) of the Council, the applicant organization should inform the existing Member(s) and seek their support before applying for membership (Rule of Procedure 8.2.ii).
All applications for membership will be transmitted to the ISC Governing Board, which shall decide whether the ISC Secretariat shall approach the ISC Members to seek their support for a given application for membership. For Category 1 or 2 membership, support must be expressed by at least twelve Members, including at least three Members of Category 1 and three Members of Category 2.
For Category 3 or Category 4 membership, support from nine Members is sufficient, including at least three Members of Category 1, three of Category 2, and three of Category 3. Voting Members will have the opportunity, upon receiving the request, to ask for an electronic ballot of all Members on the membership application. If no such ballot is requested, the Governing Board will decide on the application. In the case of statements of opposition, the Governing Board may request an electronic ballot of all Members on the membership application (Rule of Procedure 8.3).
All successful applications come into effect from the conclusion of the session of the
Governing Board at which they were definitively approved (Rule of Procedure 8.4).
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