15/10/2026
Science diplomacy is not only about connecting science and policy. It is about strengthening the ability of countries, institutions and researchers to navigate international cooperation, advance shared priorities and shape decisions that matter.
This ambition is at the heart of Science Diplomacy for the Global South (SD4GS), a collaborative initiative of the ISTIC (International Science, Technology & Innovation Centre) under the auspices of UNESCO, The National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) and the Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre (FEAHLC).
From 28 September to 2 October 2026, experts, researchers and institutional representatives convened in Cape Town, South Africa, for the SD4GS Module Development Workshop, an important step towards establishing a structured, practice-oriented science diplomacy capacity-development framework designed by, with and for the Global South.
The five-day workshop brought together diverse expertise and perspectives to advance the SD4GS curriculum and learning architecture, with particular attention to:
✅ Building core science diplomacy capabilities at the intersection of science, policy, diplomacy and international cooperation.
✅ Developing a common learning foundation with three professional pathways for early- and mid-career researchers, research leaders, and research managers and international cooperation professionals.
✅ Embedding Global South realities into the learning framework, including development priorities, strategic interests, institutional capacities, equity, power asymmetries and meaningful participation in international cooperation.
✅ Connecting knowledge with practice through contextualised case studies, simulations, negotiation exercises and tools for navigating real-world science diplomacy challenges.
The workshop generated substantive inputs and important directions for the continued development and consolidation of the SD4GS training materials. The next stages will focus on completing and validating the module package, preparing a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme and undertaking pilot implementation before wider rollout.
Beyond developing a training module, SD4GS seeks to build a sustained ecosystem of science diplomacy capabilities, practitioners and institutional partnerships across the Global South.
The Cape Town workshop reflects the shared commitment of ISTIC, NRF and FEAHLC to advancing science diplomacy capabilities across the Global South. The collective expertise and contributions of participating institutions and experts will continue to inform the development and implementation of SD4GS.
Together, the partners aim to move beyond knowledge exchange towards strengthening the capabilities needed to initiate, negotiate, lead and sustain international scientific cooperation.
