The document discusses the UK Science and Innovation Network (SIN), a global network of over 110 UK government attachés working to promote UK science and innovation through diplomacy. SIN aims to strengthen foreign policy influence, support UK economic growth, address global challenges, and support international development goals by facilitating partnerships between UK and host country academics, businesses and policymakers. As the SIN attaché in France, the author works to strengthen the UK-France relationship through science and innovation cooperation at governmental, institutional, and business levels.

1. Building Trust and
Supporting Diplomacy
through
Science & Innovation
WIMLDS
Paris,22/01/2020
LouisaZanoun,PhD
SeniorSenior&Innovation Attachée
BritishEmbassy,Paris

2. Introduction
2
• Intro, career before joining the FCO
• Science at the heart of UK Diplomacy: the UK Science
Innovation Network (SIN)
• what it is
• objectives
• what we do
• Science and Innovation at the heart of UK Diplomacy
• Example of activities, outcomes and impactful
achievements

3. SIN - what is it?
3
• SIN is a global network of approx. 110 UK government attachés in over 40
countries and territories around the world, working in embassies, consulates,
missions
• The network is jointly funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(FCO) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
(BEIS)
• Our main role is to present UK S&I offer in host countries as well as identify
and build partnerships and cooperation at Government and institutional level

4. SIN – our objectives
4
• The global SIN team has four overall objectives:
1. Influence - Strengthening foreign policy influence through
science and innovation
2. Prosperity – Supporting UK economic growth by bringing
together UK and host countries’ academics, innovators,
business leaders and policy-makers
3. Security – Working with host countries to deliver solutions to
global and UK challenges: climate change, Antimicrobial
resistance, Ebola, energy, oceans..
4. Development - Supporting international development goals
and matching UK expertise to international need
1. These 4 supports our overall Embassy/FCO objective: support
UK diplomacy and strengthen the UK-France relationship at
bilateral and multilateral level e.g. G7, G20, OECD, UN etc

5. SIN in France: what we do
5
• Each country/region delivers a different mix of these objectives,
depending on local/regional context and UK Govt plans
• In France, our overarching objective is to prepare an even stronger S&I
relationship between the UK and France in the context of the new UK-
EU relationship.
• Global objectives are delivered through thematic programmes which
have been identified and agreed in consultation with UK Government
and stakeholders.
• In France, team of 2 ½ . We cover UK and FR S&I policy with a focus
on Cyber, Space, AI/Data, Life Sciences, Energy, Higher Education incl.
mobility programmes.
• Examples: supporting visits of UK Ministers and senior Govt officials to
Paris, organise meetings HMA and team, reporting to London and
French contacts, networking, relationship building, deliver UK-FR
Summit etc.

6. •Science and Innovation in UK Diplomacy: why?
6
• Origins of SIN: knowledge economy.
• Science Diplomacy refers to:
• the role scientific research activities can play in fostering
positive international relations
• the use of diplomacy to support international science
• the use of science to influence policy
• SIN within UK Government sits with FCO (diplomacy) and
BEIS (science/innovation policy). We support UK Govt
departments as well as UK Parliament and UK S&I
stakeholders (universities, businesses, think tanks, non-
profits)

7. Why science diplomacy matters?
7
• Science diplomacy has been around for a while, but policy and decision
makers across the world increasingly speak of its potential in building and
strengthening diplomatic relations, esp if and when political discussions
become difficult. Also, more and more Govts appoint Scientific Advisers at
the heart of Govt (e.g. UK Govt GCSA and CSAs). EU is thinking of
developing science diplomacy (in research phase et the moment).
• Scientists forging links with each other globally, developing co-operative
approaches to regional challenges and working & advising Govts as one
e.g. Fukushima, Ebola, Oceans, Iran nuclear programme
• Science diplomacy play an interconnected role in developing multilateral
responses to global challenges e.g. scientists and Govts working together in
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). More recently, in
AI, with the creation of the GPAI (scientists’ initiative now backed by G7,
OECD)

8. Examples of impactful UK-FR cooperation
8
• Government level e.g. UK-France Summit
• Institutional level
• Research institutes
• Universities
• Think tanks & non-profits
• Business level
• Business associations with
innovation/science(corporates, startups)
• Inward/Outward missions

9. Conclusion
9
• The UK Government considers science and innovation
important facilitators in maintaining and strengthening
links globally by developing and maintaining dialogue
and cooperation
• SIN contributes to UK diplomatic effort: 110 attachés, 40
countries around the globe working as a network
• Various examples of how SIN France helps strengthen
the UK-France relationship
• Impact and relationship building are central ingredients
of science/innovation diplomacy; event though the
question of impact may be difficult to understand

10. The end
10
https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/uk-science-and-innovation-
network
https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/uk-science-innovation-
network-in-france
Louisa Zanoun, PhD
Senior Senior & Innovation Attachée
British Embassy, Paris
louisa.zanoun@fco.gov.uk