The International Science Council (ISC) is a non-governmental organization with a global membership that brings together 40 international scientific Unions and Associations and over 140 national and regional scientific organisations including Academies and Research Councils.
The ISC was created in 2018 as the result of a merger between the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the International Social Science Council (ISSC). It is the international organization bringing together the natural and social sciences and the largest global science organization of its type.
The mission of the International Science Council is to act as the global voice for science. As part of that mission, the ISC:
- Speaks for the value of all science and evidence-informed decision-making;
- Stimulates and supports international scientific research and scholarship on major issues of global concern;
- Articulates scientific knowledge on such issues in the public domain;
- Promotes the continued and equal advancement of scientific rigour, creativity and relevance in all parts of the world;
- Defends the free and responsible practice of science.
The Council is governed by an international Governing Board which provides scientific and strategic leadership for the organization, and is advised on key aspects of its work by a number of Advisory Bodies. The Council’s global headquarters are located in Paris, France. Its Regional Offices – for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia and the Pacific – work closely with national and regional Members to ensure the relevance of the Council’s work and priorities in all parts of the world. A General Assembly of all Members is convened every three years.
