Academies of Sciences

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World Bank

Academies of Sciences are unique institutions capable of acting as a major interphase between government and civil society and providing authoritative and credible advice on issues related to science and technology to governments. They contribute to both the economy and society in developing national science and technology policy and sustainable development.

The Technology Bank and Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) has supported the establishment of science academies in Angola, Lesotho, Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi.

The successful launches were key milestones; however, the support required to establish institutional and operational capacity remains a challenge.

Africa

Currently, the initiative provides support at different levels to Chad, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. Academy champions have been identified to lead the national steering committees and the development of the Academy of Sciences constitution, arrange workshops to validate the constitution and ensure that the academies become legal entities based on national laws and procedures.

The new academies model is also supported by the regional lead academies in South Africa, Uganda, Senegal, and Egypt. These lead academies support the new academies by offering mentorship and capacity development opportunities. Mobilizing resources and affiliating with a regional and global network of academies are key priorities for new academies to enable in-kind and financial support.

The capacity development programme also prioritizes strategic planning, resource mobilization and communication strategies for new and existing academies. In July 2021, the first quarterly meetings involving new, existing and lead academies were held to raise awareness of the importance of science for society and policy and promote inter-academy collaboration forums to strengthen networking through a virtual platform.

The Technology Bank has also commenced discussions with the Africa Academy of Science (AAS) to establish a strategic partnership for the capacity development of science and unlock the potential of science in Africa. In addition, the Technology Bank has started collaboration discussions with the Science and Technology Department of the African Union (AU) on supporting LDCs in Africa in implementing the AU Transition Plan.

Asia-Pacific Region

Concerning the Asia-Pacific region, the Technology Bank has engaged with the Australian Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society of New Zealand to collaborate in setting up a regional Academy of Sciences for the Pacific LDCs. Furthermore, the relationship with the Asia Association of Academies of Sciences is being formalised with the signing of an MoU, including supporting academies in Asia. The initial focus is on Cambodia as they expressed interest in establishing an Academy of Sciences during the regional consultations in 2020.

Collaboration & Partners

Collaboration with global networks of academies such as the Inter-Academy Partnership and the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) will raise the need for academies to ensure the enhancement of science diplomacy, youth and women participation, and building capacity for journalists to report on science.