Science and Technology Agreements in the Toolbox of Science Diplomacy: Effective Instruments or Insignificant Add-ons?
The last decade has seen the emergence of several organisations dedicated to pursue national science diplomacy agendas. This working paper comparatively examines three cases: The UK’s Science and Innovation Network, the Swiss SWISSNEX, and the Danish Innovation Centre Denmark. The three cases each feature distinct characteristics. While SWISSNEX and Innovation Centre Denmark have a strong take on the promotion of domestic research, innovation, and products, UK’s network engages in a broader spectrum of activities and topics at the nexus of science, economics, and foreign policy objectives. Despite differences in their objectives and organisational setup, all agencies have established offices at hotbeds of science and innovation—particularly in the BRICS—, carry out similar tasks on the ground, and focus on comparable topics. While it is unlikely that many new offices will be established in the near future, it is thought that additional growth will be triggered when emerging economies like Brazil, India, or China start to establish their own science diplomacy agencies.
Rüffin, N. and Schreiterer, U. (2017). Case study. Science and Technology Agreements in the Toolbox of Science Diplomacy: Effective Instruments or Insignificant Add-ons? EL-CSID Working Paper 6, Issue 2017/6.
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