International organizations
European
ALLEA - All European Academies
ALLEA is a federation of 38 national academies of sciences, arts and humanities in Europe. It was formed in 1990 on the initiative of the Swedish and the Dutch Academies. Many European academies within the fields of science and the humanities had drawn attention to a need to cooperate and to be in communication with each other within the European field. ALLEA's tasks are to give advice and to make recommendations regarding scientific policy to authorities, the European Community and national and international organisations, when it is more efficient to do this collectively than individually.
Sweden has 4 members in ALLEA: The Royal Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities, the Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, the Royal Academy of Agriculture and Forestry and the Royal Academy of Sciences.
EASAC - European Academies' Science Advisory Council
EASAC was founded in 2001 at the Royal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm by 15 academies of science within EU. Its aim is as an advisory organ to provide EU's politicians with independent, in-depth information on scientifically and politically important issues, e.g. regarding the environment, agriculture, energy, fishing, health and food. Through its network of the foremost active scientists in Europe, the new research organ will be able to organize groups of qualified expert to prepare specific issues. The initiative may come either from the scientists themselves or as a request from those who need advice.
ESF - European Science Foundation
ESF consists of 67 member organisations and is devoted to scientific research in 24 European countries. The organisation was formed in 1974 and promotes European cooperation within basic research (the mobility of scientists, free flow of information and ideas, study possibilities/study aids), investigates amd gives advice about research- and scientific-political questions of strategical importance, and plans and implements joint research activities.
Global
IAC - InterAcademy Council
IAC is a non-governmental organisation, founded by the national academies of science in the world to assists decision-makers in different countries with advice and the examination of scientific issues. The Board consists of the Presidents of 15 national academies of science and equivalent organisations. IAC cooperates with IAP (InterAcademy Panel on International Issues) which represents more than 80 national scientific academies.
IAP: the global network of science academies
IAP was formed in 1993 and is an informal global network of 80 science academies. IAP works to supply governments and international organisations with advice and facts and to inform the public about scientific aspects on issues of international importance.
Cooperation between the member institutions takes place bilaterally, regionally and globally. IAP is also involved in close cooperation with other scientific organisations such as the InterAcademy Council (IAC), the InterAcademy Medical Panel (IAMP) and the International Council for Science (ICSU). IAP also cooperates with regional academies such as the Federation of Asian Scientific Academies (FASAS) and the All European Academies (ALLEA).
ICSU - International Council for Science
ICSU was founded in 1931 and is an international, non-governmental research organisation, whose aim is to bring together scientists within the field of natural sciences in international scientific endeavour. ICSU is a forum for the exchange of ideas and information and for the development of standards. This is achieved through a large number of scientific meetings and a wide range of publications.
The organisation has 98 multi-disciplinary members (scientific research councils or academies of science) and 26 international, single-discipline Scientific Unions. ICSU thus aims to gather together a wide spectrum of scientific experts, who can be consulted by members on basic interdisciplinary issues. ICSU also has 28 Scientific Associates.
The academy is also the authority responsible for about 20 Swedish national committees, which maintain contact with ICSU's Scientific Unions.
IFS - International Foundation for Science
IFS was formed in 1972 and is a non-governmental organisation with 118 member organisations in 81 countries, most of which are developing countries. IFS gives research grants to promising young scientists in developing countries, in order to strengthen these countries' capacity to carry out relevant and high-quality research relating to the control, utilisation and preservation of biological resources and their environment. The secretariat is located in Stockholm.