International Council for Science

Lore & Background

The ICSU was one of the oldest non-governmental organizations in the world, representing the evolution and expansion of two earlier bodies: the International Association of Academies (IAA; 1899–1914) and the International Research Council (IRC; 1919–1931). In 1998, Members agreed to modify the name from the International Council of Scientific Unions to the International Council for Science, while retaining the existing acronym ICSU. Its mission was to strengthen international science for the benefit of society, mobilizing knowledge and resources to identify and address major issues, facilitate interaction among scientists across all disciplines and countries, promote participation of all scientists regardless of race, citizenship, language, political stance, or gender, and provide independent, authoritative advice to stimulate dialogue between the scientific community and governments, civil society, and the private sector.

Reader's Guide

The International Council for Science played a pivotal role in fostering global scientific collaboration for over a century. Its activities focused on three areas: International Research Collaboration, Science for Policy, and Universality of Science. The Principle of Freedom and Responsibility in Science was central to its work, advocating free movement, association, expression, and communication for scientists, as well as equitable access to data and resources. The council opposed discrimination based on ethnic origin, religion, citizenship, language, political or other opinion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or age. Its Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in Science (CFRS) oversaw this commitment. The ICSU's structure included a Secretariat in Paris, an elected executive board, three Policy Committees, and a General Assembly of all Members convened every three years. It had three Regional Offices in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Its finances came primarily from member contributions, with additional income from UNESCO framework contracts and grants from United Nations bodies, foundations, and agencies. The merger with the ISSC in 2018 created the International Science Council, continuing its legacy of uniting the natural and social sciences.

Did You Know?

• ICSU comprised 122 multi-disciplinary National Scientific Members, Associates and Observers representing 142 countries and 31 international, disciplinary Scientific Unions in 2017.
• ICSU also had 22 Scientific Associates.
• The ICSU Secretariat in Paris had 20 staff in 2012.
• ICSU's predecessor bodies were the International Association of Academies (1899–1914) and the International Research Council (1919–1931).

A Patchwork of Names: Navigating Diplomatic Identity

Taiwan's presence in the international community is shaped by a complex web of naming conventions that reflect decades of geopolitical pressure. Under sustained pressure from the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China has been excluded from or downgraded within numerous international bodies. To maintain engagement, Taiwan has adopted a variety of designations across its memberships. The most common label is "Chinese Taipei," under which the territory participates in thirty-seven intergovernmental organizations. Eight bodies recognize it as the "Republic of China," while six use the name "Taiwan" and another six employ the hybrid "Taiwan (ROC)." In certain forums, even more specific descriptors appear, such as "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu" or "the economy of Taiwan." This multiplicity of names is not merely bureaucratic; it is a direct consequence of the diplomatic standoff between the two Chinas, forcing Taiwan to negotiate its identity anew in every single organization it joins.

From Particle Physics to Palm Trees: The Breadth of Engagement

Despite the constraints on its sovereignty, Taiwan's footprint across international organizations spans an extraordinary range of fields. In the sciences, the territory maintains contacts with CERN as "China (Taipei)," participates in the European Research Council, and engages with the Belmont Forum through its Ministry of Science and Technology. Financial institutions like the Bank for International Settlements, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Asian Development Bank all list Taiwan among their participants. Human rights bodies such as Amnesty International and FORUM-ASIA include Taiwanese members, while agricultural networks like the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions and the Afro-Asian Rural Development Organization welcome its Council of Agriculture. Environmental organizations including Botanic Gardens Conservation International and Conservation International also count Taiwan among their ranks. Even cultural and educational bodies, from the Association Montessori Internationale to Education International, maintain ties. This breadth demonstrates that, regardless of the name used, Taiwan's institutional engagement cuts across virtually every sector of global cooperation.

Institutional Voices: How Taiwan Shows Up

Rather than appearing as a monolithic state actor, Taiwan's participation in international organizations is channeled through a mosaic of specific institutions, ministries, and professional bodies. Academia Sinica represents the territory in the Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils and the Citizen Cyberscience Centre. The Council of Agriculture is the designated participant in the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions. In financial markets, the Taiwan Stock Exchange Corp. sits within the Asian and Oceanian Stock Exchanges Federation, while the Taiwan Futures Exchange holds a seat in the Association of Future Markets. The Ministry of Health and Welfare's Taiwan Food and Drug Administration participates as an observer in the European Pharmacopoeia. At the municipal level, Taipei City is a member of the Asian Network of Major Cities 21. Civil society organizations like the Taiwan Association for Human Rights and the Consumers Foundation Chinese Taipei carry the territory's voice in human rights and consumer advocacy forums. This decentralized model means that Taiwan's international presence is distributed across dozens of distinct institutional actors, each operating under its own designation.

Milestones and the Geopolitical Undercurrent

Several specific moments illuminate the tension between Taiwan's desire for full international engagement and the political realities it navigates. In 1991, a Memorandum of Understanding paved the way for Taiwan's participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum as "Chinese Taipei," a compromise that also enabled the APEC Business Travel Card scheme. On 31 March 2009, the ROC's Legislative Yuan debated and ratified both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, a step that carried particular weight given Taiwan's participation in Amnesty International. In 2011, UNESCO recognized the Cumulus cloud database, with Taiwan listed as "Taiwan (China)." Meanwhile, certain Caribbean Community member states, including Belize, Haiti, and Saint Lucia, formally recognize the Republic of China, and the Asian-Pacific Parliamentarians' Union has hosted plenary meetings with Taiwan participating as the Republic of China. These episodes reveal that while PRC pressure has undeniably shaped the landscape, pockets of full recognition and substantive participation continue to persist across the international system.