Rethinking science diplomacy and global biosecurity: challenges, emerging practices and the way forward

Abstract The changing organization and nature of biotechnology and bio-innovations have led to the global phenomenon of ‘science at large’. This has given rise to two key trends in global biosecurity governance: the growing role of science diplomacy in addressing biosecurity concerns and the rise of distributed agencies, particularly involving young practitioners from the global South, who are participating in a decentralization of western-dominated biosecurity discourse through Track II science diplomacy. These trends require updated and inclusive regulatory innovations that acknowledge biosecurity and related regulatory-ethical discussions as crucial elements of public diplomacy. There is a particular need to align these efforts with emerging forms of societal funding and to foster novel public–private partnerships in advanced bioscience research. They also call for promoting multitrack science diplomacy by bolstering institutional support for science diplomacy and biosecurity. This could be in the form of dedicated funding, or the establishment of sustained platforms to enable regular mutual learning and interactions between an international group of scientists and policy-makers. These efforts should be complemented by investment to normalize cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral dialogues, which are essential for building communities among both established and new stakeholders. These dialogues can foster mutual learning, cultural harmonization and the development of joint initiatives to address shared biosecurity concerns. This policy paper advocates for the formal integration of science diplomacy training into university science curriculums, especially at the postgraduate level. This training will equip the next generation of scientists to align scientific visions and enhance biosecurity compliance in an increasingly connected yet ideologically diverse world.