MUSCAT, Oman - TWAS joined other members of the International Science Council (ISC) for an event that focused on the future of global science on 26–30 January 2025.
The event, called Muscat Global Knowledge Dialogue and Third ISC General Assembly, was hosted by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation of Oman. It drew representatives from across the scientific spectrum, including international unions and associations, research councils, international federations and societies, and academies. Among them were the TWAS Young Affiliates Network (TYAN) and the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), which operates from TWAS headquarters in Trieste, Italy.
During the pre-event workshop on 26 January, TWAS President Quarraisha Abdool Karim led discussions on ‘Freedom and Responsibility in Science’. "We must understand the threats to the global scientific enterprise. And we must consider both challenges and opportunities—not only to ensure equitable capacity but also to promote sustainable development," she noted.
On the same day, TYAN Co-chair Roula Abdel-Massih joined roundtable discussions on the Oman National Biotechnology strategy.
The Muscat Global Knowledge Dialogue started on 27 January. During the two-day event, ISC Member representatives shared insights and perspectives around developments in science, and their impacts on sustainability and our societies.
H.E. Prof. Rahma Al-Mahrooqi, minister of higher education, research and innovation of the Sultanate of Oman, set the tone in her opening address. “We, who are concerned with science, have a great responsibility to work continuously for humanity, especially for a better future for future generations, which must be provided with knowledge that develops awareness and understanding of individual and societal responsibility towards the world as a whole,” she said.
In his keynote speech, H.E. Csaba Kőrösi, President of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, highlighted science's role amid intensifying geopolitical competition. He emphasized the necessity of a transition towards sustainability and stressed that this can only be achieved by harnessing an efficient institutional architecture.
One of the main priorities, he noted, is to identify projects for the Pact for the Future, adopted by the United Nations in September 2024. The pact covers a broad range of issues including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations, and the transformation of global governance. To ensure the Pact for the Future’s actions have an impact, Kőrösi urged, we need to identify projects, select priorities, and identify the actors and platforms of cooperation.
He then inquired about who might be the best organizers to mobilize the academic community for this contribution. “Is it the International Science Council? Is it TWAS? UNESCO? Or a consortium of all? What could be the key scientific project to assist implementation?” he asked.
The dialogue featured several sessions exploring key themes in international scientific cooperation. TWAS President Quarraisha Abdool Karim contributed to a panel on ‘Rethinking international science collaboration for the 21st Century’, chaired by Lidia Brito, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, and OWSD Coordinator Tonya Blowers addressed gender equality challenges in science during a parallel session.
"By reinforcing global scientific cooperation and exchanging knowledge, we can drive scientific breakthroughs in the developing world. This gathering provided us with the ideal platform to discuss new ideas and explore areas of collaboration," TYAN Co-chair Roula Abdel-Massih said.
OWSD Coordinator Tonya Blowers stressed that OWSD invited a delegation of members from Jordan, Yemen, Palestine, Egypt, and Iraq to participate in this international event. They used the occasion to hold their first OWSD Arab regional meeting and discuss how OWSD members and chapters in the region can best collaborate. "Delegates also seized the opportunity to discuss challenges and solutions around the interconnected themes of women, science, and development with colleagues from all over the world," Blowers noted.
TWAS Public Information Officer Giovanni Ortolani represented the Academy at ‘Unlocking digital potential: A closed high-level meeting of the Digital Journeys project’. Launched in January 2025, this initiative focuses on strengthening the digital capacity of science organizations in low- and middle-income countries. TWAS joins 10 other organizations as part of the cohort participating in this four-month programme focusing on data management, virtual collaboration, and technological integration.
“This initiative focuses on ensuring that science organizations, regardless of their resources, have the tools and knowledge to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven world,” noted Vanessa McBride, science director and acting head of the Centre for Science Futures of the ISC.
The high-level meeting offered participants the chance to share insights about how their organizations use digital tools, and discuss the program of the initiative, which will include workshops, webinars, and coaching sessions.
The week concluded with ISC's Third General Assembly, where member delegates and Fellows convened to address strategic planning for 2025-2028, budgetary considerations, and governance modifications.
Throughout the events, the TWAS delegation engaged in numerous bilateral discussions, strengthening international scientific partnerships. More information about the Muscat Global Knowledge Dialogue and Third ISC General Assembly is available on the ISC website.
Giovanni Ortolani
More photos are available here and on the TWAS Flickr page.
