Academy of Sciences for the Developing World

Academy of Sciences for the Developing World
Name	Academy of Sciences for the Developing World
Formation	1983
Founder	Abdus Salam
Type	International non-governmental organization
Headquarters	Trieste, Italy
Region served	Developing countries
Leader title	President

Contents

Academy of Sciences for the Developing World is an international scientific organization founded in 1983 to promote scientific capacity in low- and middle-income countries. It was established under the patronage of Nobel laureate Abdus Salam and has engaged with institutions such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World Bank, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The Academy has collaborated with universities and research centers including University of Oxford, Harvard University, University of Cape Town, Indian Institute of Science, and São Paulo Research Foundation.

History

The Academy was founded in the early 1980s following initiatives by Abdus Salam, discussions at the UNESCO General Conference, and advocacy from scientists linked to International Council for Science and Third World Academy of Sciences affiliates. Early milestones involved conferences in Trieste and partnerships with the International Centre for Theoretical Physics and meetings with delegations from India, Brazil, South Africa and Malaysia. During the 1990s the Academy expanded programs in biotechnology, renewable energy and public health, engaging scholars associated with CERN, Institut Pasteur, Max Planck Society and American Association for the Advancement of Science. In the 2000s it adapted to new priorities after consultations with World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, and representatives from China Academy of Sciences, Russian Academy of Sciences, and National Research Foundation (South Africa).

The Academy's stated aims include strengthening scientific capacity in low-income countries, promoting research-led development, and advising policy makers in areas covered by organizations such as World Health Organization, United Nations Environment Programme, and United Nations Development Programme. It seeks to foster collaboration among scholars from institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Tokyo, University of Nairobi, and Pontifical Catholic University of Chile to address challenges in health, agriculture and climate. The mission emphasizes support for early-career researchers associated with African Academy of Sciences, Latin American Academy of Sciences, and national academies including Royal Society and Academia Sinica.

Governance has typically involved an elected Council, a President, Scientific Advisory Committees, and regional chapters liaising with national bodies such as Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (India), Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (Mexico), and National Science Foundation (US). The Secretariat, historically based in Trieste and linked to the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, coordinates programs with partner organizations including European Commission, African Union, Commonwealth Secretariat and G77. Leadership lists have included figures who also held posts at Imperial College London, Peking University, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and University of Karachi.

Core activities comprise fellowship schemes, training workshops, policy reports, and grant facilitation that mirror initiatives by Rockefeller Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Wellcome Trust. Scientific domains targeted include infectious diseases studied at Institut Pasteur, agricultural research linked to International Rice Research Institute, and renewable energy projects comparable to those at Fraunhofer Society and National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The Academy organizes regional meetings similar to conferences hosted by African Union Commission, publishes policy briefs used by World Bank Group teams, and operates mentorship networks with membership overlap with Royal Society of Chemistry, American Chemical Society, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Membership comprises elected fellows, associate fellows, and honorary members drawn from institutions including University of Cambridge, University of California, Berkeley, University of São Paulo, Tsinghua University, and University of the West Indies. Fellows have included scientists who also served at National Institutes of Health, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Wellcome Sanger Institute, and national academies such as Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and Indian National Science Academy. Selection processes follow peer review and nomination practices analogous to those of National Academy of Sciences (US), Académie des Sciences (France), and Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst.

Funding sources have included multilateral agencies, philanthropic foundations, bilateral aid programs, and research councils, with historical partners such as United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, European Union, and national ministries of science from Italy, India, Brazil and South Africa. Collaborative grants have involved consortia with CERN, International Livestock Research Institute, CGIAR, Wellcome Trust, and regional research networks like African Academy of Sciences and Inter-American Development Bank science initiatives.

The Academy's impact is visible in capacity building outcomes reported by partners including World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, and national science systems in Kenya, India, Brazil and Pakistan. It has been credited with fostering research networks similar to those of Global Fund consortia and influencing policy dialogues at United Nations General Assembly side events. Criticism has focused on governance transparency, resource allocation debates noted in reports by Oxfam, Transparency International and independent analysts from London School of Economics, Stanford University and Harvard Kennedy School, as well as discussions about duplication with regional academies like African Academy of Sciences and Academia Mexicana de Ciencias.

Category:International scientific organizations