About the event
UNESCO and South Africa, with the support of India, will convene the Fourth Chief Science Advisors Roundtable (CSAR) at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris (Room XI) on 10 November 2026, to examine what constitutes effective science advice in today’s world of diverse knowledge sources and forms.
Under the theme Trusted advice in a world of plural knowledge, the event will reflect a twofold challenge: Widening the set of voices that can legitimately inform government decision-making, within and across countries, and sharpening the procedures by which contested evidence is weighed and made visible.
It takes place in parallel to the FMSTAN 10th Anniversary Symposium: Reinventing science diplomacy in a changing world (9 November).
Please visit CSAR event page on UNESCO's website for more information.
Participate
Open morning session (09:00–13:00): Participation is free and open to all those with an interest in the topic.
Closed afternoon session (15:00–17:30): By invitation only. Invitations are extended to all Member States' Chief Science Advisors or equivalents. Where no formal Chief Science Advisor position exists, the ministry responsible for science is invited to nominate the closest functional equivalent in the national context. Please contact sciencepolicy@unesco.org for further information.
Registration through the below Indico page is required for all in-person attendees.
Please only register if you plan to attend in person.
Once registered and approved, you will receive a QR code that you must show together with an ID in order to enter UNESCO premises. Please allow up to one week for your approval to arrive before writing to the contact points.