Swiss Young Network for Science Policy and Diplomacy (SYNESPOD)

Background

The project is motivated by the global challenges that affect Switzerland, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and the devastating effects of the political and health crises, that require transdisciplinary solutions at the interface of science, policy, and international cooperation. For this purpose, science policy and diplomacy provide opportunities to address challenges through science-policy dialogue and international collaboration.

Goals

• Building the capacity of early-career researchers to contribute to science policy through trainings and workshops
• Increasing the capacity, visibility, and impact of early-career researchers in science for policy and science diplomacy
• Establishing (inter)national collaborative network for science policy and diplomacy

Planned activities

SYNESPOD will be realized through workshops, participation in forums, and partnerships with representative (inter)national associations, creating and strengthening a strategic network for science policy and diplomacy.

In particular, the project envisages a workshop on science for policy for early-career scientists with insights on effective science communication to policy-makers and science-policy dialogue co-organized in collaboration with Geneva Science-Policy Interface (GSPI) and Reatch. Moreover, we plan to participate in Geneva Science and Diplomacy Week in collaboration with GESDA, an international forum for science diplomacy leaders, through continued partnership with foraus, and the World Biodiversity Forum in Davos in collaboration with the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT) and GSPI. We will further focus on mapping the science-policy interface for educational offers for early-career researchers in collaboration with GSPI and Reatch. Finally, we are committed to strengthening and establishing connections and partnerships with other young academies and (inter)national organizations involved in science for policy and diplomacy, including the Global Young Academy (GYA), Young Academy of Sweden (SUA), Young Academy Finland (YAF), Young Academies Science Advice Structure (YASAS), International Network of Government Science Advice (INGSA), and International Science Council (ISC), among others.