From 17-20 February 2025, representatives from Young Academies in Israel, South Korea, Poland, Austria, Germany, the Global Young Academy (GYA), India, and Canada (on zoom) gathered in Berlin for a Young Academies Symposium on “Strengthening Global Scientific Collaboration”, organized by The Israel Young Academy and by the Young Academy of Germany “Die Junge Akademie”.
The GYA was represented by Co-Chair Chandra Shekhar Sharma (Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad, India) and EC Member Francesco Maurelli (Constructor University, Germany).
The symposium featured TED-style talks, keynote presentations, and focused discussions, resulting in actionable initiatives to enhance science excellence and policy integration, with participants discussing science policy, diversity, and international collaboration.
Key topics included:
- Excellence in Science – Rethinking impact beyond citations to include societal engagement.
- Science Policy – Strengthening connections between academia, practitioners, and policymakers.
- Diversity in Science – Addressing gender and cultural representation in research.
- Open Science & Capacity Building – Improving publication models and career opportunities for early-career researchers.
- Discussions on academia’s role in crises and planning future collaborations.
Key Outcomes & Next Steps:
Three working groups formulated strategic action plans, including:
- Bi-annual survey on the state of academia to assess funding, policy impact, and institutional goals.
- Peer-Boosting Program & Leadership Training to support researcher mobility and collaboration.
- International AcadeMix – An interdisciplinary forum for research exchange and innovation.
- Open Science & Publishing Reform – Developing best practices for negotiations with publishers.
- Young Academies Scholar Award – A global initiative to foster early-career researcher exchange.
The next phase includes detailed implementation, fundraising efforts, and expanding participation. This symposium marked a significant step towards bridging academia and policy while fostering global scientific cooperation.
📢 Stay tuned for further updates and upcoming initiatives!