IIASA sets example for thriving scientific collaboration in challenging times

In the article, published in Nature, researchers from the US and China discuss the fraying political relationship between the two countries, which is causing their scientific ties to weaken and become increasingly fragile. The authors call this a “dangerous trend”.

They highlight IIASA as a showcase of a "safe zone," noting that during the Cold War, while political leaders were clashing, IIASA's foundation facilitated scientific cooperation between divided nations.

“IIASA's mission of fostering cross-border scientific cooperation for the greater good is more crucial than ever. Amid the pressing challenges of our time – climate change, environmental degradation, pandemics, migration, and regional conflicts – we must not retreat from 'soft' diplomacy, but instead strengthen and expand it,” says IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber.

The article argues that scientific communities in both nations have the potential to develop groundbreaking technologies and ideas that could benefit the world, such as clean energy innovations and advanced medicines. However, if these communities are further divided, the pace of discovery will slow, and scientists will be less equipped to respond collectively to global challenges.

To navigate this divide, scientists must become more politically aware and take a proactive role in defining the terms of engagement. The authors call on US and Chinese researchers to collaborate in identifying and advocating for so-called “safe zones” – areas of research that offer significant collaborative value while being less impacted by geopolitical tensions.

The article also takes a closer look at the history of collaboration between the US and China, highlighting the low number of student exchanges of scientists and engineers, due to recent political tensions.

Click here to read the Nature article.