The CatalySD Primer: Science Diplomacy Resources for Learners and Teachers

The CatalySD Primer is an introductory text to discover the field of Science Diplomacy. It synthesises theoretical and practical insights of the international science diplomacy community, to encourage further exploration. The Primer provides learners and educators alike with resources to approach science diplomacy in contemporary European and global contexts.

First written in Dec. 2024, the Primer was updated in 2025. Coincidentally the Primer shares its 27/02/2026 release date with the "Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on a European Union framework for science diplomacy COM(2026) 97 final," an important policy document foreshadowed in the Primer but not included... Science diplomacy is moving so fast that the Primer can always be updated!

The Primer is suitable for individual study or for integration into university courses.

Written in plain English for a broad undergraduate or graduate audience, it leads the reader through a variety of concepts, issues and thematic approaches to science diplomacy. While taking a European perspective, the Primer acknowledges and is useful for other global regions.

• Major references are analysed, with extended quotes presented in boxes.
• Questions for solo reflection or group discussion are highlighted in green.

The Primer is also available in an attractive e-learning format:

https://tudomanydiplomacia.hu/catalysd/primer/ 

CatalySD (“Catalysing Science Diplomacy: New career perspectives, curricula, and international partnerships,” January 2024–December 2025; catalysd.eu) was an Erasmus+ project aiming to advance education and practical applications in science diplomacy. CatalySD built upon the outcomes of the European Commission Horizon 2020 project InsSciDE (n° 770523, 2018-2022). 

Coordinated by the Proteus Foundation (Hungary), the CatalySD consortium brought together partners from six countries and eight institutions, including Institut Symlog de France, the Barcelona SciTech DiploHub, and Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, alongside associated partners from Corvinus University of Budapest, the Arctic University of Norway, Sorbonne University, and the University of Ljubljana. Together, they promoted knowledge transfer between Western and Eastern Europe to help foster lasting cooperation in research, higher education, and policy.

An international textbook by Alexis Roig (Barcelona SciTech DiploHub) supported by Erasmus+ CatalySD is expected to be published in full Open Access by e-IR in 2026.