Renewal of the UNESCO Chair on Diversity and Inclusion in Global Science
UNESCO chair image: Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
The UNESCO Chair on Diversity and Inclusion in Global Science at CWTS, established in 2022, has been renewed for a new term of five years.
In the coming five years, the UNESCO Chair will continue its work around four interconnected research lines: equity and Open Science, the Multiversatory, epistemic inequalities, and evidence-based science diplomacy. With these topics, the Chair aims to advance international cooperation, capacity development, and research and policy engagement.
At CWTS, the Chair is connected to all three Focal Areas, but the Focal Area Engagement & Inclusion in particular. It also builds on initiatives towards Open Science at CWTS. The UNESCO Chair is organised as a team, including Rodrigo Costas (chairholder), Ismael Rafols (co-chairholder; senior researcher at INGENIO), Louise Bezuidenhout, and André Brasil. Each member takes the lead in a different topic within the Chair’s work.
Equity and Open Science
Louise Bezuidenhout will lead the studies on the interplay of Open Science and equity. This builds on the premise that openness of science does not automatically mean that everyone has access and is able to participate equally. Questions to study are how Open Science is being monitored, the role of geopolitics in scientific infrastructure, and North-South partnerships in science.
Broadening how science is being monitored
One of the central topics of the renewed UNESCO Chair is the development of new and broader ways to monitor science. This includes the Multiversatory, an approach that aims at combining a range of indicators, data(sets) and perspectives to understand and measure science beyond conventional methods. This work, led by Rodrigo Costas, will contribute to the development of open and federated data infrastructures, new approaches to research assessment, and more inclusive and reflexive scientometrics.
Understanding epistemic inequalities
Global science remains characterised by significant inequalities in terms of for whom and whose knowledge is produced, disseminated and recognised. This theme, led by Ismael Rafols, investigates whether and how more epistemic diversity and social inclusion may lead to more equitable distribution of the benefits of science, for example in territories in the Global South, in languages other than English and by marginalised communities, in sectors such as health and agriculture.
Connecting evidence with science diplomacy
André Brasil will lead the work to strengthen the connection between the Chair’s research and science policy. This addresses science diplomacy from a Global South perspective, including issues such as multilingualism, the participation of marginalised communities in knowledge production and the governance of global scientific infrastructures.
Strengthening an international community
Alongside research, the renewed Chair will continue to invest in international collaboration, training and capacity development, and support the work and objectives of the three CWTS Focal Areas. It also aims to expand its network to include a broader range of societal actors. It aims to become a platform for research, exchange and experimentation around a shared ambition: to develop science systems that better reflect the diversity of the communities and societies they serve.
The UNESCO Chair Programme
Created in 1992, the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chair programme is intended to support developing expertise in areas related to UNESCO’s mandate, such as education, culture, communication and the natural and social sciences. This network of over 850 institutions in 117 countries mobilises knowledge to address pressing societal challenges and contribute to development. In the Netherlands, there are 18 UNESCO Chairs.