Webinar: The role of science and science funders in the time of the COVID-19 crisis

New research calls and programmes targeting COVID-19 research have been launched by national research councils, academies, scientific unions, development aid agencies and private foundations around the world. The swift and unprecedented mobilization of research and funding is inspiring.

To help stimulate and maximize the impact of this type of action, the International Science Council organized a webinar for national research funding agencies, development aid agencies, private foundations and the international scientific community.

The webinar provided a dialogue space for:

• Identifying critical COVID-related knowledge gaps and fostering potential collaboration and synergies;
• Understanding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on science funders;
• Discussing potential longer-term implications of the pandemic for global science systems; and
• Exploring ways of enabling science to respond more effectively to future similar threats.