International Council for Science explained

International Council for Science
Abbreviation:ISC
Headquarters:Paris, France
Type:INGO
Leader Title:President
Leader Name:Peter Gluckman
Successor:International Science Council
Merged:International Social Science Council
Former Name:International Council of Scientific Unions

The International Council for Science (ICSU, after its former name, International Council of Scientific Unions) was an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the advancement of science. Its members were national scientific bodies and international scientific unions.

In 2017, the ICSU comprised 122 multi-disciplinary National Scientific Members, Associates and Observers representing 142 countries and 31 international, disciplinary Scientific Unions. ICSU also had 22 Scientific Associates.[1] In July 2018, ICSU merged with the International Social Science Council (ISSC) to form the International Science Council (ISC) at a constituent general assembly in Paris.[2]

Mission and principles

The ICSU's mission was to strengthen international science for the benefit of society. To do this, the ICSU mobilized the knowledge and resources of the international scientific community to:

Activities focused on three areas: International Research Collaboration, Science for Policy, and Universality of Science.

History

In July 2018, the ICSU became the International Science Council (ISC).

The ICSU itself was one of the oldest non-governmental organizations in the world, representing the evolution and expansion of two earlier bodies known as the International Association of Academies (IAA; 1899–1914) and the International Research Council (IRC; 1919–1931). In 1998, Members agreed that the Council's current composition and activities would be better reflected by modifying the name from the International Council of Scientific Unions to the International Council for Science, while its rich history and strong identity would be well served by retaining the existing acronym, ICSU.[4]

Universality of science

The Principle of Freedom and Responsibility in Science: the free and responsible practice of science is fundamental to scientific advancement and human and environmental well-being. Such practice, in all its aspects, requires freedom of movement, association, expression and communication for scientists, as well as equitable access to data, information, and other resources for research. It requires responsibility at all levels to carry out and communicate scientific work with integrity, respect, fairness, trustworthiness, and transparency, recognizing its benefits and possible harms. In advocating the free and responsible practice of science, the council promotes equitable opportunities for access to science and its benefits, and opposes discrimination based on such factors as ethnic origin, religion, citizenship, language, political or other opinion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or age.[5]

The International Science Council's Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in Science (CFRS) "oversees this commitment and is the guardian of this work."[5]

Structure

The ICSU Secretariat (20 staff in 2012) in Paris ensured the day-to-day planning and operations under the guidance of an elected executive board. Three Policy Committees − Committee on Scientific Planning and Review (CSPR), Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the conduct of Science (CFRS) and Committee on Finance − assisted the executive board in its work and a General Assembly of all Members was convened every three years. ICSU has three Regional Offices − Africa, Asia and the Pacific as well as Latin America and the Caribbean.

Finances

The principal source of ICSU's finances was the contributions it receives from its members. Other sources of income are the framework contracts from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and grants and contracts from United Nations bodies, foundations and agencies, which are used to support the scientific activities of the ICSU Unions and interdisciplinary bodies.

Member organizations

AbbreviationUnionMember SinceField
IAUInternational Astronomical Union1922Astronomy
IBROInternational Brain Research Organization1993Neuroscience
ICAInternational Cartographic Association1990Cartography
IGUInternational Geographical Union1923Geography
IMUInternational Mathematical Union1922Mathematics
INQUAInternational Union for Quaternary Research2005Quaternary Period
ISAInternational Sociological Association2011Sociology and Social Sciences
ISPRSInternational Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing2002Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
IUAESInternational Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences1993Anthropology and Ethnology
IUBMBInternational Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology1955Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
IUBSInternational Union of Biological Sciences1925Biology
IUCrInternational Union of Crystallography1947Crystallography
IUFROInternational Union of Forest Research Organizations2005Forestry
IUFoSTInternational Union of Food Science and Technology1996Food science and Food technology
IUGGInternational Union of Geodesy and Geophysics1919Geodesy and Geophysics
IUGSInternational Union of Geological Sciences1922Geology
IUHPSInternational Union of History and Philosophy of Science1922History of science and Philosophy of science
IUISInternational Union of Immunological Societies1976Immunology
IUMRSInternational Union of Materials Research Societies2005Materials science
IUMSInternational Union of Microbiological Societies1982Microbiology
IUNSInternational Union of Nutritional Sciences1968Nutrition
IUPABInternational Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics1966Biophysics
IUPACInternational Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry1922Chemistry
IUPAPInternational Union of Pure and Applied Physics1922Physics
IUPESMInternational Union for Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine1999Medical physics
IUPHARInternational Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology1972Pharmacology
IUPSInternational Union of Physiological Sciences1955Physiology
IUPsySInternational Union of Psychological Science1982Psychology
IUSSInternational Union of Soil Sciences1993Soil science
IUTAMInternational Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics1947Mechanics
IUTOXInternational Union of Toxicology1996Toxicology
URSIInternational Union of Radio Science1922Radio science

Associate member organizations

Abbr. Associate
4SSociety for Social Studies of Science
AASAfrican Academy of Sciences
AASSAAssociation of Academies and Societies of Sciences in Asia
ACAL
CIECommission Internationale de l'Eclairage
FIG
IAHRInternational Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research
IASCInternational Arctic Science Committee
ICA (acoustics)International Commission for Acoustics
ICIAMInternational Council for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
ICLASInternational Council for Laboratory Animal Science
ICOInternational Commission for Optics
ICSTIInternational Council for Scientific and Technical Information
IFIPInternational Federation for Information Processing
IFLAInternational Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
IFSInternational Foundation for Science
IFSMInternational Federation of Societies for Microscopy
IIASAInternational Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
IUVSTAInternational Union for Vacuum Science, Technique and Applications
IWAInternational Water Association
PSAPacific Science Association
SCOPEScientific Committee on Problems of the Environment
TWASThe World Academy of Sciences
UISUnion Internationale de Spéléologie

See also

Abbr.Organisation
Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights
Committee on Data for Science and Technology
Committee on Space Research
GCOS Global Climate Observing System
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme
IHDP International Human Dimensions Programme
Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment
SCOR Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research
INASP International Network for Advancing Science and Policy
WCRP World Climate Research Programme
WDS World Data System

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.icsu.org/about-us/our-members ICSU's Our Members web page
  2. Web site: Introduction · Documentation on the ICSU/ISSC merger process . 2022-09-26 . icsu-issc.gitbooks.io.
  3. https://council.science/about-us ISC's About Us web page
  4. https://council.science/about-us/a-brief-history ISC's A Brief History web page
  5. Web site: International Science Council . ISC Steatite 7: Freedoms and Responsibilities in Science . n.d.. International Science Council . 24 April 2021.