Synthesis Report of the first Science Advice to Governments Conference (2014)

Introduction

The first Science Advice to Governments conference took place in Auckland New Zealand on August 28-29, 2014. The meeting was co-hosted by the Office of Sir Peter Gluckman, Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand and the International Council for Science (ICSU).

The presence of many of the world’s most distinguished scientists and leaders in their country’s respective science systems (as science advisors and/or heads of academies) made this meeting a landmark event.

The Auckland conference was designed as an opportunity for the world’s leading practitioners of science advice to meet and discuss the key challenges and good practices of their task, together with scholars having expertise in the field. The practitioners ranged from individual science advisors to the highest levels of governments and government departments, to heads of academies and other advisory committees. Delegates spoke to a variety of science advisory models that were established (or being established) in a number of jurisdictions globally.

For more information on the meeting, see the conference website, www.globalscienceadvice.org.