Bridging research and policy: Engaging researchers in science diplomacy

The Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) is a global network representing more than 24,000 members from over 155 countries, who currently benefit or have benefited from the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) research funding, including researchers, their supervisors and MSCA project managers. The MCAA aims to connect the MSCA community, support career development initiatives for its members, and advocate for research and researchers.

The MCAA welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for a Council Recommendation on a European Union (EU) framework for science diplomacy and is pleased to be cited as a relevant network of Union mobility schemes. This initiative marks an important milestone in reinforcing the EU’s strategic, scientific, and geopolitical influence, while advancing multilateralism.

As a bottom-up, researcher-led community active across the world, the MCAA embodies science diplomacy in practice. Through international mobility, interdisciplinary collaboration, and intercultural engagement, MCAA members demonstrate how science builds trust, fosters shared knowledge, and supports European values worldwide. This is further reflected in its membership in the European Research Area (ERA) Forum Stakeholder Group 4, the International Science Council (ISC), and the EU Science Diplomacy Alliance, which underlines its strong commitment to enhancing global collaboration within and beyond the ERA. These engagements position the MCAA as a key stakeholder in the design and implementation of science diplomacy actions at the European and global levels.

In light of this commitment, the MCAA supports this unique initiative and calls on Member States to endorse it. Nevertheless, the MCAA believes that the proposed Council Recommendation should be more ambitious to deliver the change the EU needs. In particular, the framework would benefit from clearer implementation pathways, dedicated resources, and stronger integration into existing EU policy instruments.