Science Diplomacy: Bridging Worlds
Hemdan M. Aly | QSComm Advisor
At its core, science diplomacy is the use of scientific collaboration as a tool to build bridges, address common challenges, and improve international relations between countries. It operates on the belief that the universal language of science can transcend political, cultural, and ideological divides, fostering dialogue and cooperation where traditional diplomacy may struggle (The Royal Society & AAAS, 2010).
It’s not merely scientists attending international conferences; it’s a strategic framework where science and foreign policy intersect. This practice manifests in several key ways:
1. Diplomacy for Science: Facilitating international scientific cooperation by negotiating large-scale projects, ensuring the free movement of researchers, and establishing joint funding programs.
2. Science for Diplomacy: Using scientific partnerships as a soft power tool to improve bilateral relationships and build trust, especially between nations with strained political ties (Nye, 2004).
3. Science in Diplomacy: Informing foreign policy decisions with scientific evidence on global challenges like climate change, pandemic preparedness, and the governance of emerging technologies (Gluckman et al., 2017).
➡️Historical Emergence and Key Milestones
While the term itself is modern, the practice of science diplomacy is centuries old, evolving significantly through key geopolitical moments.
· The Cold War Catalyst: The mid-20th century was a pivotal period. Despite profound hostility, the United States and the Soviet Union maintained scientific exchanges as a strategic channel. The 1959 Lacy-Zarubin Agreement (U.S.-Soviet Cultural Agreement) explicitly used exchanges to maintain communication (Krige, 2019). The iconic Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (1975), where American and Soviet spacecraft docked in orbit, remains a powerful symbol of science for diplomacy, demonstrating cooperation at the height of geopolitical tension (Logsdon, 2009).
· Addressing the Global Commons: In the late 20th century, the focus expanded to transnational threats. The negotiation of the Montreal Protocol (1987) to protect the ozone layer is a prime example of science in diplomacy, where robust scientific consensus was essential for treaty-making (Parson, 2003).
➡️Formalization of the Term: Who "Invented" It?
The phrase "science diplomacy" does not have a single inventor. Its emergence in common parlance was gradual, but its formal conceptualization is widely attributed to a seminal report.
The critical milestone was the 2010 report by The Royal Society (UK) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), titled "New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy" (The Royal Society & AAAS, 2010). This report provided the foundational tripartite framework, analyzed concrete case studies, and powerfully advocated for the concept within policy circles. Therefore, while the practice is ancient, the contemporary conceptual framework and popularization of the term are largely credited to the joint efforts of these leading scientific institutions in the late 2000s.
In essence, science diplomacy is the recognition that in an interconnected world, our scientific and political fates are intertwined. It is the pragmatic application of shared knowledge to build a more cooperative and stable international order.
➡️First: United Kingdom
Responsible Authority: UK Office for Quantum.
General Strategy: The UK National Quantum Strategy, with a shift in focus towards achieving tangible economic and social outcomes through a "missions"-based approach.
Mentioned Initiatives and Programs:
1. The Five Quantum Missions (UK's Five Quantum Missions):
· Vision: Develop a commercially useful quantum computer in the UK by 2035.
· Vision: Pioneer the first quantum communications network at scale.
· Vision: Deploy a new generation of quantum sensors in the National Health Service (NHS) to treat patients.
· Vision: Develop quantum Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems and install them on transport systems.
· Vision: Utilize quantum hubs to enhance capabilities in critical national infrastructure sectors.
2. Quantum Health Mission:
· Objective: Apply quantum computing to specific health domains such as drug discovery, healthcare service optimization, and AI-assisted diagnostics.
· Implementation Method: Identify priority sectors (health, energy, financial services, defense, transport) and convene with international partners around high-impact use cases.
3. International Cooperation Programs:
· Academic fellowship and researcher exchange programs.
· International funding calls in partnership with "UK Research and Innovation" for company consortia.
· Work to facilitate companies' access to international markets and talent mobility.
Additional Links for Initiatives:
➡️Second: Finland
Participating Entities: Consulate General in New York, the Finnish Government.
General Strategy: International cooperation with like-minded nations (especially Nordic, EU, and the US), focusing on sharing the successful Finnish model of building a comprehensive "Full Stack" quantum ecosystem with financial efficiency.
1. Finnish Quantum Computing Infrastructure Initiative:
· Objective: Create a national platform integrating quantum computing and High-Performance Computing (HPC), leveraging Finnish strength in both fields.
· Link for the Initiative (LUMI - a flagship European project in which Finland is a strong partner): https://www.lumi-supercomputer.eu/ (Note: LUMI is a European HPC project, but it represents the infrastructure with which Finland integrates its quantum capabilities).
2. International Cooperation Framework:
· The Joint Statement between the United States and Finland on Quantum Cooperation (2022): Aims to strengthen cooperation in emerging and disruptive technologies.
3. Regional Cooperation:
· The Joint Statement by Nordic Prime Ministers on Quantum (May 2023): Frames regional cooperation among the five countries.
· The Nordic model (a community of shared values and interests, all within NATO) is considered a successful example of cooperation yielding tangible benefits.
4. The Finnish Model and its Companies:
· Mentioned successful Finnish companies such as IQM (quantum hardware) and Bluefors (cryogenic cooling systems for quantum computers) as models of an innovative ecosystem.
Additional Links for Initiatives and Entities:
➡️Third: Netherlands
Participating Entity: The Innovation Team at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Washington.
General Strategy: Enhance international cooperation through the local "Quantum Delta NL" initiative, with a demand-driven ("bottom-up") approach and integration into global supply chains.
Mentioned Initiatives and Programs:
1. Quantum Delta NL Initiative:
· Description: A consortium comprising the five main quantum research hubs in the Netherlands (Delft, Eindhoven, Leiden, Amsterdam, Twente), each specializing in areas (e.g., hardware, software, applications).
· Objective: Make quantum technology useful by focusing on the entire supply chain, talent development, and ensuring component interoperability.
· Official Link: https://quantumdelta.nl/
2. Impact QA Project:
· Objective: Ensure interoperability between Dutch startup technologies to create compelling value and increase competitiveness.
· Link (part of Quantum Delta NL): https://quantumdelta.nl/programme/industry-application/
3. Talent and Training Programs:
· Organizing international summer schools and programs to attract and develop talent locally and internationally.
4. International Cooperation (National and Sub-national Levels):
· Working with the United States and others on setting standards.
· Engaging with emerging technology hubs worldwide to offer Dutch expertise in ecosystem building.
➡️Fourth: Denmark
Participating Entity: Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Deputy Tech Ambassador, and the Tech Leadership team).
General Strategy: A "Whole-of-government" approach translating the national strategy into tangible actions through a dedicated "Quantum Diplomacy" initiative, using the full diplomatic toolbox to drive international and commercial cooperation.
Mentioned Initiatives and Programs:
1. Danish National Quantum Strategy (2023):
· Characteristic: Strong priority on the international dimension and actionable implementation.
· Implementation Method: Convening meetings with all relevant ministries (Defense, Foreign Affairs, Science, Business) to define concrete, actionable steps during the strategy period.
2. Quantum Diplomacy Initiative:
· Objective: Establish a dedicated, full-time diplomatic team working on quantum, including quantum physicists.
· Tools of Operation:
· Bilateral Agreements: With the United States (as the first partner), the United Kingdom, and Japan.
· Multilateral Forums: Working within the European Union and US-led initiatives.
· Security Organizations: Active cooperation with NATO.
· Industry Networks: Creating a "Transatlantic Quantum Community" network to connect industry with defense end-users.
3. Ecosystem and Commercial Development Initiatives:
· New Quantum Fund: To be announced soon, dedicated to funding the quantum sector.
· Quantum House: A dedicated space for industry and scientists to meet and collaborate with the Danish ecosystem.
· International Summer School: Hosting 70 PhD students from 19 countries in summer 2024 to enhance talent building and international networks.
4. Regional Cooperation (Nordic/Scandinavian):
· High priority for cooperation with Nordic countries.
· Participation in the Joint Statement by Nordic Prime Ministers on Quantum (May 2023) and working on action plans for its implementation.
5. Cooperation with the European Union:
· Focus on implementing the European Union's Quantum Strategy.
· Emphasis on the need to address "fragmentation" in European capabilities and enhance cooperation to achieve "scaling" and competitiveness.
6. Unique Governance Structure:
· Establishing structures that ensure continuous coordination between all ministries and with the Danish ecosystem (scientists and companies).
· This structure guides the government towards international cooperation priorities that serve the interests and needs of the local ecosystem.
➡️Additional Links for Initiatives and Entities:
REFERENCES
· Gluckman, P. D., Turekian, V., Grimes, R. W., & Kishi, T. (2017). Science diplomacy: A pragmatic perspective from the inside. Science & Diplomacy, 6(4).
· Krige, J. (2019). Science Diplomacy and Statecraft. In The Oxford Handbook of History and International Relations.
· Logsdon, J. M. (2009). The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project: A Case Study in Science Diplomacy. NASA History Division.
· Nye, J. S., Jr. (2004). Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics. PublicAffairs.
· Parson, E. A. (2003). Protecting the Ozone Layer: Science and Strategy. Oxford University Press.
· The Royal Society & AAAS. (2010). New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy. The Royal Society.
