On September 20, Hu Shaofeng, Director of the Division of Science Policy and Basic Sciences of UNESCO, Ezra Clark, Chief of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Section of UNESCO, and Ai Sugiura, Programme Specialist for Natural Sciences of UNESCO Beijing Office visited CASTED. The two sides exchanged views on promoting S&T cooperation between UNESCO and CASTED and giving full play to the role of CISTRAT. Liu Dongmei, General Secretary of CPC CASTED Committee, Hu Zhijian, Level-2 Senior Research Fellow, and personnel from CASTED attended the meeting.
An introduction was given first on the overall situation, organization structure, research directions and cooperation network of CASTED, as well as its positive role in S&T policy training towards and research results sharing with developing countries since the founding of CISTRAT in 2012 by CASTED and UNESCO. Research of CASTED on open innovation ecosystem, women scientists, sustainable development and open science was also introduced.
Hu Shaofeng pointed out the support and contribution of CASTED and CISTRAT to UNESCO's mandate. He stated that science and technology are indispensable to the realization of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, where UNESCO will play an important part. The decade from 2024 to 2033 marks the UN International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development. He hopes that CASTED can take the opportunity to better leverage its advantages in S&T policy research, providing a platform for discussing S&T policy formulation in developing countries.
Liu Dongmei said that as a professional and internationalized high-end think tank, CASTED actively explores international cooperation network, and promotes the building of a sound open innovation ecosystem. CISTRAT, the only Category II Center in China to focus on S&T policy, will continue to conduct training towards developing countries, enrich training topics and diversify enrollment channels. Meanwhile, based on its advantages in disciplines, CASTED will strengthen its exchanges and cooperation with UNESCO on sustainable development, open science, low carbon and other issues, so as to make greater contributions to the realization of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
