Science diplomacy needs to be more business-like, experts say

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-08-22 04:00

New Zealand; International

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A new editorial co-authored by former NZ Chief Science Advisor Sir Peter Gluckman argues that science diplomacy needs to become more "transactional", focused on shorter term national benefits. Although science diplomacy has been viewed optimistically in recent decades, the authors write, international politics caused this "aspirational" and trusting model to shift to a second "pragmatic" model focused on shared problem-solving. They explain that the third model, the new "transactional" one, has risks such as an increased focus on nationalism and prioritising quick rewards over fundamental science. However, they say it's a logical response to the way the world currently works, and doesn't need to mean losing scientific cooperation or trust—rather, future science diplomats should draw on all three models of diplomacy to combine their strengths.