Global Young Academy

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Global Young Academy

The Global Young Academy is an international organization of early-career scientists and scholars that links emerging researchers from across continents including United Nations, European Union, African Union, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and Organization of American States networks. Founded with involvement from entities such as the InterAcademy Partnership, the Royal Society, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and the National Academy of Sciences (United States), the institution fosters collaboration among members from countries like India, Brazil, Germany, South Africa, and Japan. Its activities intersect with global forums such as the World Economic Forum, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World Health Organization, the International Science Council, and the European Research Council.

History and founding

The organization emerged after consultations involving the InterAcademy Panel delegates, leaders from the Royal Society, and representatives of national bodies including Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Sciences (India), with formal launching events tied to conferences at venues like the Deutsches Museum and meetings in Berlin, New Delhi, and Nairobi. Early conveners included individuals affiliated with Max Planck Society, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Academia Brasileira de Ciências, Korean Academy of Science and Technology, and National Research Foundation (South Africa), who coordinated with funders such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and the European Commission. The founding cohort drew on models from organizations such as the Young Academy of Scotland, the German Young Academy, and the Indian National Young Academy of Sciences, positioning the group amid initiatives linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, the Rio+20 Conference, and the Global Challenges Research Fund.

The body aims to empower members to advise bodies like the United Nations General Assembly, the World Health Assembly, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change while promoting science diplomacy with partners such as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (UK), the U.S. Department of State, and the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung. Objectives emphasize engagement with platforms like the G20, the BRICS, the African Union Commission, and the European Commission to influence policy on issues highlighted by the Paris Agreement, the Sendai Framework, and the Sustainable Development Goals. The organization advocates for diversity and inclusion through collaborations with the Association for Women in Science, the Ada Lovelace Institute, the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme, and the International Labour Organization.

Membership comprises early-career researchers nominated by national academies such as the National Academy of Sciences (United States), the Royal Society, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Indian National Science Academy, and the Academia Brasileira de Ciências. Governance includes elected Co-Chairs and an executive group akin to structures in the InterAcademy Partnership and the International Science Council, with oversight resembling that of the Royal Society council and advice from advisory boards featuring figures from the Nobel Prize community, the European Research Council, and the National Science Foundation. Selection criteria echo procedures used by bodies like the Wellcome Trust and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, while term limits and rotation draw parallels with the Young Academy of Denmark and the Austrian Young Academy.

Programs address themes featured at meetings such as the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum, and the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC. Initiatives include mentorship schemes modeled after the European Molecular Biology Organization career development activities, science communication training similar to workshops by the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, and policy briefs submitted to entities like the World Health Organization and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Projects span collaborations with the Global Research Council, the Future Earth network, the International Center for Theoretical Physics, and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, and run programs addressing matters cited by the G7 and the G20 research agendas.

The organization has influenced deliberations at forums such as the United Nations General Assembly, the World Health Assembly, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change sessions, contributing to reports cited by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Food and Agriculture Organization. Members have received awards and fellowships from the Nobel Prize community, the Royal Society, the European Research Council, the Fulbright Program, the Ramon y Cajal Program, and the Humboldt Research Fellowship. The academy’s work has been acknowledged in outlets including coverage by Nature (journal), Science (journal), The Lancet, and mentions at panels hosted by the World Economic Forum and the International Science Council.

Category:International scientific organizations