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| UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers | |
|---|---|
| Name | UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers |
| Adopted | 2017 |
| Adopted by | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |
| Related documents | Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UNESCO Science Report, UNESCO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Scientific Researchers |
| Language | English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Chinese |
UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers
The UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers is an international standard-setting instrument adopted by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2017 to guide policy on science, research integrity, and the status of researchers. It complements earlier instruments such as the UNESCO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Scientific Researchers (1974) and interacts with instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals. Framed amid debates in bodies such as the United Nations General Assembly, the Recommendation seeks to align national practice with principles endorsed by states like France, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, and Canada.
The text was negotiated in the context of global initiatives involving United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Health Organization, World Intellectual Property Organization, European Commission, and delegates from member states including Germany, India, China, United States (observer status), Mexico, and Egypt. Drafting drew on reports from advisory bodies such as the International Science Council, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, and the International Labour Organization. The final adoption by the General Conference of UNESCO reflected debates recorded in meetings of the UNESCO Executive Board and consultations with networks like Science Europe and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
The Recommendation sets objectives similar to instruments such as the Paris Agreement on climate policy and the Nagoya Protocol on genetic resources. It articulates principles including the freedom of scientific inquiry recognized by courts like the European Court of Human Rights and enshrined in constitutions of states such as South Africa and Mexico. Key normative priorities mirror agendas from the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, emphasizing open science, research integrity, and the social responsibility of researchers in contexts exemplified by institutions like Harvard University, University of Oxford, Peking University, and University of Cape Town.
The Recommendation defines terms relevant to stakeholders such as researchers employed by universities like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, research councils like the National Science Foundation, and laboratories such as CERN. It addresses the status of scientific researchers in diverse settings from public research institutes exemplified by the Max Planck Society to private enterprises including Siemens and Bayer. Definitions parallel those used by organizations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Bank, and clarify relationships to instruments like the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Provisions cover topics familiar from documents like the Helsinki Declaration and the Singapore Statement on Research Integrity: protection of academic freedom, promotion of open access akin to policies at Wellcome Trust and European Research Council, safeguards for research ethics similar to procedures at Johns Hopkins University and Karolinska Institutet, and measures to counter discrimination comparable to actions by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. It recommends governance models inspired by initiatives at National Institutes of Health, funding mechanisms like those of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and partnerships such as UNESCO-ICSU collaborations with the International Council for Science.
Implementation mechanisms draw on precedents from monitoring frameworks used by World Health Organization and reporting cycles modeled after Convention on Biological Diversity national reports. UNESCO invites member states and institutions such as African Union, European Union, ASEAN, and national academies like the Royal Society and the Russian Academy of Sciences to prepare progress reports. The Recommendation envisages periodic review through UNESCO bodies including the UNESCO Executive Board and the General Conference, and encourages data collection protocols used by the OECD and the UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Reactions have been mixed across actors such as the International Science Council, national research councils, and civil society groups including Scientists for Future and Global Young Academy. Supporters cite alignment with practices at leading universities like Cambridge University and corporations like IBM; critics point to implementation challenges observed in countries such as Turkey and Poland and to debates recorded in academic outlets like Nature and Science. The Recommendation has influenced national policy dialogues in regions covered by organizations such as the African Academy of Sciences and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
Several states and institutions have integrated the Recommendation’s elements into policies at ministries analogous to Ministry of Science and Technology (China), research councils like the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, and universities such as University of São Paulo and University of Melbourne. Non-state actors including philanthropic funders like Carnegie Corporation and professional bodies like the International Association of Universities have issued statements endorsing aspects of the text. Implementation models mirror capacities seen in national systems such as Finland and South Korea while adaptation continues in lower-capacity settings supported by actors like UNDP and World Bank.
Category:UNESCO treaties