Young scientists call for global action to address threats to academic research

A collaborative effort by 16 young scientists from 11 countries, including China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Spain, Canada, Australia, Turkiye, and Belgium, has produced a viewpoint article titled "A Call to Action to Address Escalating Global Threats to Academic Research".

Published on Jan 2 in the academic journal Innovation, the article outlines five critical challenges facing academic research worldwide: public mistrust, a disconnect with end-user applications, a disconnect with policymakers, barriers to international collaboration, and a reliance on conventional performance metrics.

These threats, exacerbated by global events such as the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and changes in media environments, are hindering innovation and breakthroughs in academic research, the authors wrote.

The article urges global cooperation to address these challenges and emphasizes the importance of bridging gaps in scientific education and communication. It calls for fostering an environment where scientific exploration is recognized as a cornerstone of civic engagement and advocates for establishing stronger connections between academia and the public, media, industry partners, international collaborators, policymakers, and university leaders.

The authors also stress the importance of diversity, noting that integrating a broader range of perspectives and expertise into academic research strengthens the connection between science and society.

"The reinvigoration of academia is dependent on the collective efforts of academics worldwide," the article states. "Our colleagues are encouraged to join the mission of advocating for change to bring benefits to individual researchers, academic institutions, and society as a whole."

The article's origins trace back to the 6th World Laureates Association Forum, held in Shanghai's Lingang Special Area from Nov 6 to 8, 2023, according to the World Laureates Association. The annual forum, which has been held since 2018, brings together prize-winning scientists, including Nobel laureates.

The 2023 summit drew over 300 global scientists from 25 countries and regions, including 27 Nobel laureates, 40 Chinese academicians, and more than 120 young scientists. Participants engaged in interdisciplinary discussions, exploring academic research progress and identifying common challenges faced by the global academic community.

The idea for the article was conceived during a summit session. Fun Man Fung, an assistant professor in the School of Chemistry at University College Dublin, and Gaelle Offranc Piret from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research were among the scientists who initiated the project.

"Many of the limitations on academic science achievements are linked to a disconnect between science, policymakers, and private sectors, despite history showing their futures are deeply interconnected," Fung said. "The theme of WLA2023, 'Science Leads Transformation', is very appropriate. The time to ensure and defend integrity and creativity in research is now."

Following intense discussions at the summit, the young scientists formed WeChat and email groups to continue their collaboration online. Over the course of a year, they conducted bi-weekly brainstorming sessions and round-the-clock collaborative editing across time zones.

"I'm very proud that we could achieve this," Piret said. "The message we have is important, and we are proposing a systemic and international solution to a global problem. We hope this call to action reaches scientists, citizens, policymakers, private companies, and banks around the world."

Joy Wolfram from the University of Queensland, the article's communication author, emphasized the role of public support. "We value the public's support of academic research. Without it, we cannot make scientific discoveries that improve and save lives," she said.