Science

Creating knowledge and understanding through science equips us to find solutions to today’s economic, social and environmental challenges and to achieve sustainable development and greener societies. As no one country can achieve a sustainable future for our planet alone, international scientific cooperation contributes, not only to scientific knowledge but also to building peace.

Science, research, technology and innovation are prerequisites for the further development of the economy – but they are also much more than that. Scientific progress also improves our lives, for example through medical innovations. Also, science shifts us to new production and consumption patterns in order to save our planet, which is essential in the face of limited resources and global change.

UNESCO strengthens scientific research worldwide, taking into account tensions between academic freedom and social responsibility of science. The latter includes both ethical responsibility and orientation towards global challenges. UNESCO contributes significantly to standard setting, it supports developing countries to set up their own research infrastructure and it promotes cooperation in science. This is an important step towards peace. It also promotes global research on urgent societal issues, making sustainable development a reality.

Science policy and scientific networking

UNESCO advises its Member States on the formulation of a needs-based science policy and helps set up a central research infrastructure – because science is an important driver for all countries to reduce poverty, create jobs and promote sustainable development.

At international level, UNESCO creates innovative forms of cooperation and exchange of experience among its Member States, by organising the World Science Forum every two years, compiling the UNESCO science report every five years, which extensively examines current global and country-specific trends and developments in higher education and research and innovation. The Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO coordinates the participation of Lithuanian scientists, researchers and science-policy makers at both of the cooperation formats. The Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, the Lithuanian Science Council and the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences are key partners and players in this endeavour.