A Ugandan scientist's perspective on science diplomacy

Scientist Anywar Godwin of Makerere University in Uganda discusses how the TWAS's flagship science diplomacy course has provided him with a new skill set for having an impact.
From 18-20 June 2024, with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), TWAS co-organized the 11th annual AAAS-TWAS Course on Science Diplomacy. Twenty new science diplomacy enthusiasts, half with a scientific background, half with a focus in policy or diplomacy, attended presentations and discussions on issues in science diplomacy. They also played out roles in simulated negotiations on difficult topics such as the construction of a dam on a shared river. The programme receives key funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and AAAS.
“The workshop is very exciting, very stimulating. It has opened up my mind, and I’m networking, I’m connecting with many people,” he said. “Science diplomacy has the potential to actually solve many problems, to impact lives and to reach where ordinary solutions may not work.”
“Without the support of Sida I wouldn’t have been here,” he added.
TWAS has since hosted a science diplomacy course every year since 2014, and the programme has become a major source of science diplomacy education, especially for scientists from developing countries.