New governance approaches for multilateral research to address global challenges

Project description

In order to adequately address global challenges (e.g. climate change, energy security) dynamic progress in science, technology development and innovation is required. For quick development of scientifically backed solutions and to inform policy makers accordingly, multilateral approaches have to be developed. These will not substitute national research projects or bilateral cooperation but will play an important complementary role. However, science, technology development and innovation belong to the few important fields of human action, in which global governance structures are still very incipient. The Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) has commissioned the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), to develop the content and working modalities of a research project, in which the existing international structures in the area of science, technology development and innovation will be investigated. The focus was on disciplines and technology fields that are of paramount importance for addressing global challenges. In this process, the DIE worked closely with the OECD-Secretariat and the OECD Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy (CSTP). The project aimed at developing recommendations for the development of new or improved cooperation mechanisms in science, technology development and innovation in areas of global importance. These were presented at a final conference.

In the first phase of the project a multinational network of researchers and think tanks from OECD member countries, accession countries and enhanced engagement countries undertakes core case studies on different forms of multilateral research cooperation. The case studies are developed along a joint methodology and structure in order to ensure their coherency and in order to facilitate the drawing of general conclusions. The research will then be complemented by the analysis of other models of multilateral research co-operation. In the final phase of the project and based on the synthesis of the analytical work, a drafting team – composed of experts from the first two phases, policy makers as well as possibly additional specialists - will formulate recommendations or guidelines that will undergo a number of feedback rounds, negotiations and public consultation. Once the CSTP has agreed on the recommendations or guidelines, they will be submitted to the OECD Council for adoption.