A new ISC regional presence in the Asia-Pacific Region to be established at the Australian Academy of Science

The Regional Focal Point for Asia-Pacific will begin operation in 2023, and will work to ensure that regional needs and priorities are adequately represented in the ISC’s global agenda, that regional voices are actively engaged in the governance and management of the ISC’s work, and that regions benefit from the results of that work. The establishment of the Regional Focal Point is supported by a $10.3 million investment from the Australian Government over the next six years.

Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC, President of The Australian Academy of Science, said that hosting the ISC’s regional presence would deepen engagement across the Asia-Pacific region, and enable the advancement of science for the benefit of all.

“We look forward to fostering engagement with the diverse nations across the Asia-Pacific region and working on our shared goal of championing science as a global public good,” he said.

“The need for strategic and effective science diplomacy has never been greater, and we look forward to codesigning a work program with our regional neighbours.  The announcement of a director to lead the operations of the Regional Focal Point for Asia-Pacific will be made in the coming months, said Anna-Maria Arabia, Chief Executive of the Australian Academy of Science.

The ISC works to advance science as a global public good, and to address issues that are of major importance to global science and to society. In order to achieve this mission, the ISC’s global strategy must have strong resonance in all regions of the world.

“The Asia-Pacific Focal Point is central to translating the ISC’s global vision into actions tailored to meet the unique needs of the Asia-Pacific region,” said Sir Peter Gluckman, ISC President.

“The Australian Academy of Science is a very active and engaged member of the ISC. As host of this new focal point, the Academy is well placed to strengthen partnerships across the region and to advance science as a global public good. The ISC is grateful for the Australian Government’s leadership and investment in building scientific cooperation in the region,” said Sir Peter.

The new Regional Focal Point will build on the strong network established by the former regional office of the ISC, which was hosted by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia. The ISC Governing Board and headquarters thank the Academy of Sciences Malaysia for the support provided to maintain the regional office over the years, and thank the regional office staff for their valuable work and crucial commitment to advancing science as a global public good in the respective regions.

The announcement of a new regional presence in the Asia-Pacific Region follows an open call for expressions of interest to host an ISC regional presence, released in late 2020, and the launch of a Regional Focal Point in Latin America and the Caribbean based at the Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, announced in January 2022.

A discussion on the future of a regional focal point for Africa will start at the Global Knowledge Dialogue in South Africa at the World Science Forum in December 2022.

Image: istock photo by ktsimage