President Şeker Attended UNESCO’s Meeting on Freedom and Safety in Science
TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Şeker attended the “Policy Dialogue on the Freedom and Safety of Scientists” meeting organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, the capital of France. The meeting, held at UNESCO Headquarters, was also attended by TÜBA Full Member Prof. Dr. İlkay Erdoğan Orhan, a member of the All European Academies (ALLEA) Working Group on the Integration of Research Safety and Academic Freedom.
Building on the outcomes of the Policy Dialogue held online in October 2023, the event brought together high-level representatives from member states, leading experts, and members of the global scientific community to address the growing challenges affecting the freedom, security, and integrity of scientific research. Concrete and actionable measures were identified to develop national frameworks and enhance international cooperation aimed at strengthening scientific freedom and supporting the protection of researchers. Participants heard testimonies from scientists and experts regarding current risks and threats; effective policy approaches and best practices were examined. Progress made, ongoing challenges, and priority action plans and areas for the future were discussed based on findings from member states’ reporting processes.
The program, which began with the launch of UNESCO’s new “Assessment Tool for Academic Freedom and the Safety of Researchers”—developed to help Member States evaluate their current policies, identify gaps, and strengthen their national systems—was opened by Abou Amani, Director of UNESCO’s Division of Water Sciences. Following the first panel, which addressed challenges related to supporting and protecting scientific freedom, the afternoon featured four sessions: “Policy Dialogue: Understanding the Challenges, Realities Faced by Today’s Scientists, Global Trends and Outlook, and In-Depth Analysis: Current Challenges.” On the second day of the event, discussions focused on establishing national frameworks for freedom in science and identifying areas for cooperation among member states.
