Published on February 14, 2025, on the fifteenth anniversary of their original New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy report, AAAS and the Royal Society released this important updated framework to address a fundamentally changed global landscape. Drawing on over a year of evidence gathering — including high-level international dialogues, scientific meetings, and consultations with leaders from 16 countries across government, diplomacy, industry, academia, and national science academies — the report argues that the 2010 framework, while still influential, was shaped by an era of greater optimism about multilateralism and global solidarity that no longer reflects current realities. The new framework takes a more pragmatic view, acknowledging that science diplomacy is ultimately a tool to advance the diplomatic objectives of a nation or organization, which can be perceived as either positive or negative. It highlights the challenges defining today's disruptive era — including intensifying geopolitical competition, the rapid advancement of AI and emerging technologies, growing national security concerns in scientific collaboration, and the rise of powerful non-state actors such as major technology companies conducting their own forms of statecraft. The report shifts from the original three-dimensional theoretical framework toward a more practical two-dimensional approach, focusing on how science impacts diplomacy and how diplomacy impacts science — offering essential reading for anyone engaged in or studying international science policy today.
Science Diplomacy in an Era of Disruption
August 18, 2026