The International Council for Science (ICSU) is a non-governmental organization
representing a global membership that includes both national
scientific bodies (113 members) and international
scientific unions (29 members).
Through this extensive international network, ICSU provides a forum for
discussion of issues relevant to policy for international science and
the importance of international science for policy issues and undertakes
the following core activities:
Planning and coordinating interdisciplinary research to address major
issues of relevance in both science and society;
Actively advocating for freedom in the conduct of science, promoting
equitable access to scientific data and information, and facilitating
science education and capacity building;
Acting as a focus for the exchange of ideas, the communication of
scientific information and the development of scientific standards;
Supporting in excess of 600 scientific conferences, congresses and
symposia per year all around the world, as well as the production of
a wide range of newsletters, handbooks, learned journals and proceedings.
ICSU also helps create international and regional networks of scientists
with similar interests and maintains close working relationships with
a number of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, especially
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
and the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).
Because of its broad and diverse membership, the Council is increasingly
called upon to speak on behalf of the global scientific community and
to act as an advisor in matters ranging from ethics to the environment.
