Adamson S. Muula 1-3
- Member, Academy of Sciences, Malawi
- Head of Department and Professor, Department of Community and Environmental Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Malawi
- President, ECSA College of Public Health Physicians
Abstract
The International Council of Science (ISC) in collaboration with the Omani Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation convened the Muscat Global Knowledge Dialogue, 26–28 January 2025, where over 400 delegates met over two days in Oman. Among the different activities and outputs at the forum, a Muscat Declaration in Global Science was agreed. This personal view attempts to reflect the declaration, vis a vis, health professionals, services and research in Malawi.
Background
The International Council of Science- a grouping of national, regional and global science bodies- and the Omani Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation convened a global science dialogue in Muscat, Oman, from 26th to 28th January 2025. The dialogue comprised plenaries, parallel theme-based sessions, workshops and networking sessions. One of the key outputs of the dialogue was the Muscat Declaration on Global Science. The extent to which this declaration is of use to the ISC itself, regions and the globe, depends on the actions that are taken afterwards. I reflect on the declaration in relation to health research and the services delivery in Malawi.
The International Science Council
The ISC is an international non-governmental organisation comprising among its members international scientific unions and associations, scientific federations, young scientific researchers’ associations, national academies and research councils. For Malawi, the National Commission of Science and Technology (NCST) is currently the only member.
The ISC was created in 2018 from the merger of the International Council for Science and the International Social Science Council. The International Science Council (ISC) itself was founded in 1931 while the International Social Science Council was created in 1952. The ISC’s first General Assembly (i.e. after the merger) was held in Paris, France in July 2018. Until last year, I had no knowledge about the ISC and its business. This didn’t mean that the organisation didn’t exist. It did; there was however mutual oblivion. I believe the ISC did not know I existed and I did not know it existed. Both of us however were losing out from lack of interaction.
The world has a lot of things going on and unless one intentionally seeks out, many activities, some of which would have been useful to one’s personal and professional life, go unnoticed. Health researchers who wish to extend their reach in collaboration, grant seeking and publications, must intentionally seek. They should be asking themselves “what useful other things are going on in the world that could have positive impact in my professional and personal life? There are professional groupings, funding agencies, effective treatment modalities that are happening but unknown to us. There are dozens if not more continuous professional development sessions on offer, some even for free, that even with time on hand, scientists and practitioners could have benefitted from. However, people may not be aware of these happenings. The internet, among other strategies, can be an ally in seeking these opportunities.
Collaboration of Societies and Associations
The ISC brings together national, regional and global science guilds, societies, associations and other such entities to advance global science. In the realm of health practice and research, Malawi has several sectoral and discipline-based practice and research societies and associations. These include: Women in Infectious Diseases in Malawi (WIDREM, Paediatrics and Child Health Association (PACHA), Young Researchers Forum, Society of Medical Doctors, The Medical Association of Malawi, Public Health Association of Malawi, Environmental Health Association of Malawi, and the Academy of Sciences-Malawi. For the most part, all these and other organisations, in different levels of consciousness (some alive and well, some moribund and in need of resuscitation) exist in siloes. Health research and practice groups in Malawi may wish to explore whether establishing and supporting an intra- and multi-disciplinary national forum may be worthwhile. Formative stages can be championed by anyone of the existing associations, societies or public entities: the National Commission for Sciences and Technology, the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation in the Ministry of Education, an institution of higher learning or the Academy of Sciences-Malawi.
Science as a shared resource and public good
The ISC and its membership believe that science is a shared resource and a public good. What does it mean for a thing to be a “shared resource” and a “public good”. Simply, science is for a everyone and science must benefit humanity. It would be helpful if health researchers in Malawi also reflected and reminded themselves as often as it is necessary, that the science that they are engaged in, is a shared resource and a public good. This realisation should therefore elicit certain actions and approaches which include paying attention to the following: collaboration and networking, intra- and multi-disciplinarity, co-creation of research, research dissemination, communication and engagement of the different publics. While articles published in scientific journals are an obvious output for research, other reports aimed or targeting the different relevant stakeholders should be pursued. We should never believe that only fellow scientists are the ones interested in our work. Depending on the nature or topic that had been studied, it may be that the community, neighbouring communities, fellow scientists, practitioners and researchers should be the targeted for dissemination and engagement.
Disparities in education and research
The ISC recognises disparities in science education and research as an obstacle to human progress. These disparities are not just at the global and regional levels. There are also within-country differences in terms of gender, disciplines and subject areas, among provinces, and methodologically. If science is a global good, and if science must solve societal problems, it is clearly counterproductive for society to think it can progress while some areas of this human experience remain unattended. It is the same humanity that science must serve. So, it appears to me as nonsensical that, for instance, natural sciences may be prioritised or disregarded compared to the social sciences. Similarly, it is unfortunate that different and unequal investment may be made in qualitative methods compared to the quantitative methods. If we have first paid attention to the sort of problems- not the methodological differences- that needed to be solved, then perhaps all scientific methods and approaches would be considered as valid and legitimate. Similarly, it is unhelpful to invest more in one gender at the exclusion of the other. The different perspectives that may emanate from the different backgrounds and life experiences, should be viewed as a strength rather than a weakness.
Science practice in a volatile world
The world is experiencing perhaps one of the most consequential periods of its existence; the present is among the most uncertain and polarised periods of human history. Global peace and security are constantly being challenged, threated and stretched. Science presents itself as a universal tool for good. Although the ISC is non-political and non-aligned, the Muscat Dialogue bemoaned the deteriorating global security situation and the rise of inward looking and unhelpful political movements. The Dialogue was not oblivious to the challenges that science and scientists continue to be derailed in conflict zones.
Capacity Building and strategic positioning
Among the many members of the ISC are Young Academies of Science from across the world. Young academies are a clear or obvious demonstration that capacity building of the next generation of eminent researchers cannot be left to chance. It is better if it is intentional. Institutions of higher education, scientific associations and societies in Malawi need to be intentional in the capacity building of future researcher. The capacity building of young or future researchers should not just mean education and training in research methods, data analysis and dissemination. It should also include research management in all its content. There are many scientists who are well grounded in research methods but poor in research management which end in obviously limited scientific careers.
The role of artificial intelligence
At this point many people refer to artificial intelligence (AI) as the “elephant in the room”. This review may not be able to discuss the full gambit of discussions that went on at Muscat vis a vis, AI. But AI appears to have come to stay. It is early days really to make any judgement as to whether it indeed stays and until when it stays. The Muscat Dialogue recognises that AI is here, and it has enormous potential for good. This does not mean that the negative implications of AI were never explored. The “double-swordness” of AI was adequately discussed in relation to ethics of use and propagation.
Conclusion
The Muscat Declaration on Scientific Dialogue presents an opportunity for reflection and dialogue among scientific communities across the world. Science is an integral part of any society. Equity and inclusivity, capacity building, multi- and intra-disciplinarity, global financial investments in science are all goals worth pursuing.
Appendix 1: The Muscat Declaration on Global Science
Preamble
The Global Knowledge Dialogue is an initiative of the International Science Council (ISC) to periodically consider key issues at the science-society and science-policy interfaces. This edition was convened jointly by the ISC and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation of the Sultanate of Oman.
The International Science Council’s global membership brings together 250 international scientific unions and associations, national and regional scientific organizations, including academies, government agencies and ministries, research and science councils, international scientific federations and societies, young scientific organizations.
Recalling that the vision of the ISC is of science as a global public good, meaning that scientific knowledge and its practice should be universally considered as shared resources from which everyone should be able to benefit,
Recognizing the diversity of ambitions, challenges, opportunities and approaches in science globally, the growing disparities in research capacity and quality of education between countries and regions, and the need to address these gaps to foster global progress,
Recalling that to realize its vision, the mission of the ISC is to provide a robust, effective, and trustworthy global voice for science,
Considering that the global context in which science is done has changed significantly in the last decade, and that emerging technologies are further changing the paradigms of scientific research,
Noting that in this context, science has a key role to play in promoting social justice, peace, security, and sustainability,
Considering the role of the ISC in strengthening the voice of scientists and their diversity, advancing their freedom and safety, and promoting the right to participate in and benefit from science.
Actionable statements
Participants in the Muscat Global Knowledge Dialogue, therefore,
Defend and promotethe free and responsible practice of science by:
–Advancing the right to participate in and benefit from science and, more broadly, upholding the role of science as a global public good
– Maintaining cross-border scientific collaboration in times of tensions and crisis
– Supporting the protection of science ecosystems and scientists in emergency and conflict settings, with particular attention to displaced scientists
– Supporting, the free, safe, ethical, inclusive, accountable and equitable conduct of science,
Stimulate and support international, inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations in scientific research and scholarship on issues of global concern, including by:
–Actively supporting the UN International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development as a tool to advance the sustainability agenda
–Mobilizing for the International Polar Year 2032–33 and the UN Decade for Cryospheric Sciences
–Taking a holistic approach that integrates all formal and applied sciences (natural, medical, social, humanities, engineering sciences) as necessary in addressing these complex challenges
–Encouraging the pursuit of research on inequality and social cohesion, including gaps where science can play an effective role
–Calling upon funding organizations, philanthropic entities, and leading scientific institutions worldwide to take proactive steps in supporting under-resourced regions by investing in capacity-building initiatives
–Working collectively to develop practical solutions to prevent or reduce pollution and achieve the vision of zero-emissions,
Contribute to the fair evolution of science systems, in the context of emerging technologies and global inequalities, including by:
–Engagingwith science and research funders, policy-makers and other relevant stakeholders to provide expert guidance on the transformation and reform of science systems (in, for example, open science, research assessment, and science publishing) and the enhancement of their transparency, efficiency, inclusion and integrity,
–Promoting a transformation in the higher education institutional environment by equipping future scientists globally with the necessary transdisciplinary knowledge, tools, and skills to tackle urgent and complex societal and environmental issues,
–Critically evaluating the potential impacts of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies on multiple facets of science and education systems,
–Ensuring that scientific data is generated, stored, managed and accessed in a way that facilitates the address of cross-domain grand challenges,
–Supporting academies and associations of young scientists,
Continue advocating for the value of science and promoting evidence-based understanding and decision-making at all levels,
Promote capacity-building initiatives, appropriate training, and adoption of principles and models to strengthen science’s role in the multilateral system,
Promote and assist the use of science diplomacy to advance the common good and address global challenges,
Advocate for the growth and maintenance of investment in international science programmes and free and open knowledge sharing,
Encourage the contribution of scientific research and innovation to the goals of global peace, human well-being, planetary stewardship, and global sustainability,
Reiterate the importance of improving the representation of women scientists and underrepresented groups in the governance of scientific organizations and in science endeavours in general,
Conclude that science is a universal endeavour that can act as a positive force to bridge divides, foster trust, and catalyse collective action on shared global challenges at multiple levels.