Engaging With Embassies
Nigel Mason (Coordinator of Europlanet 2024 RI) gives guidance on how to approach embassies and an example of the outcome of a collaboration between embassies in the UK and Hungary.
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In developing scientific collaborations between nations, or even as an individual moving from your home country to another country to undertake research, one source of support is embassies (also consulates and high commissions, see box).
The embassy is often the first point of contact between the governments of two countries. Its responsibilities may include sharing intelligence, promoting the interests of the foreign country, supporting bilateral programmes, drawing up treaties, and arranging official visits. A key purpose of an embassy is to assist citizens of its home country living, working, or travelling overseas. It can also help citizens of a foreign country travelling to the country the embassy represents.
As part of their diplomatic mission, embassies collaborate with local governments, businesses and other organisations to build and maintain political, commercial, and cultural relationships. This includes science – indeed many embassies have staff with a science brief. Scientists may be deployed from their home institutions (ministries, research centres, universities, etc) to embassies, or be locally hired in embassies. These scientists have the responsibility of liaising on science, research, technology and innovation issues. Their job titles greatly vary, such as science attachés (US), science advisers or coordinators (Spain), science envoys (also the US), or science wings (India).
Their roles may cover a range of tasks.1,2
Embassies, Consulates and High Commissions – What are the Differences?
A consulate is where consular services (help and advice provided by diplomatic agents of a country to citizens of that country) are performed. Embassies will normally have a consular section. There may be a number of consulates in a country. These would usually be in cities with the most tourists.
An ambassador is the chief representative of a country’s government in another country. British embassies in Commonwealth countries are known as high commissions, and the ambassador is known as the high commissioner. Ambassadors can be sent to multiple different countries, but traditionally a high commissioner is assigned to one country for their whole career.
- Collecting and analysing information.
Keeping track of scientific advances, and identifying and analysing the research, development and innovation strategies of stakeholders in the country of residence, are fundamental parts of the science staff’s portfolio. This information will be reported to ministries, research centres, innovation structures and enterprises in the country of origin.
- Facilitating contacts between scientific communities of both countries.
The science staff promotes scientific mobility of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, as well as the establishment of close scientific collaborations and partnerships between scientists of both countries. Sometimes efforts may focus on specific scientific areas of interest, according to national plans of research and development or the pre-existence of bilateral networks.
- Enhancing a country’s scientific/technological image.
By organsing events, seminars and conferences, the science staff enables leading researchers and institutions of the home country to showcase their research activities abroad.
- Organising the reception of official delegations.
The science staff supports visits of ministries, government officials and executives of research institutes to the other country. It also facilitates communication between the government authorities in charge of research and innovation in both countries.
- Delivering a scientific advisory role.
A growing trend is to enhance the role of the science staff in both providing science advice to all Foreign Service staff deployed in the embassy, and encouraging scientific and technical exchanges in different departments. With the growing importance of scientific issues such as climate change, cybersecurity, bioterrorism, and global infectious diseases, the role of scientists in foreign policymaking and diplomacy is becoming more important.
Thus whether you are an early career researcher moving to another country, or developing a collaboration with a partner abroad, creating contacts with your embassy in the other country and their embassy in your own country may be valuable. Embassy staff like to hear about their citizens being involved in exciting projects, and scientific research creates good social media stories!
However, embassies can also help to create networks and host events – an invitation to an embassy is hard to refuse! The staff will also know of bilateral programmes to support research, undergraduate and postgraduate education, and staff exchanges.
Embassies of smaller states are perhaps more approachable, since they have fewer people to deal with and you may create a stronger personal relationship. Indeed, if they know you are living and working in a country abroad you may find yourself invited to embassy events when a politician or dignitary from your home nation is visiting. You can even propose events such as public talks and exhibitions that the embassy may help organise or even host.
For nations that are either in the European Union (EU), or are affiliated with the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, there is a network of contacts whose role is to promote and support national engagement and applications to Horizon Europe programme. These are known as National Contact Points (NCPs) and are often closely linked to embassies.3
UK and Hungarian Space Networking
Both the UK and Hungarian governments have highlighted space as a national priority in recent years. The UK is a leading manufacturer of spacecraft, complex payloads, navigation systems and satellite communications, with a particular strength in small satellites. The Hungarian space sector is growing steadily, with companies and research entities involved in areas such as the development of microsatellites, space radiation risk management, satellite communications, material sciences and experiments in microgravity for Covid-related medicine.
Another area of interest is education: planning is ongoing for a postgraduate education programme with a broader space-qualification involving 17 Hungarian universities. This would enable students to pursue horizontal space studies involving STEM courses, as well as legal and economic subjects related to space.
To foster bilateral collaborations between Hungary and the UK in the space sector, meetings were organised with the support of the UK embassy in Hungary (May 2023) and Hungarian Embassy in the UK (November 2023).
The UK-Hungary Networking Workshop was funded by the HM Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. It was hosted at the UK embassy with the help of Kriszti Kocsis (Senior Policy Officer/ Attaché, Climate & Energy, Emerging Technologies) and her colleagues Matthew Kirlew (Head of Political Affairs) and Szilveszter Bodnár (Prosperity Campaign Team).
The Meeting of Hungarian-UK Space Communities was hosted at the Hungarian embassy in London, just after a Hungarian delegation attended the UK Space Conference. It was organised with the support of Gábor Takács- Carvalho (First Secretary Science and Technology Attaché).
In both meetings, UK and Hungarian members of academia and industry gave presentations and participated in round-table discussions. Several collaborations have followed, with at least one contract resulting from the events. Future bids to EU and national funding agencies are in discussion, strongly supported by embassy staff.
References
- Ruffini, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55104-3
- Melchor 2020. https://doi.org/10.1163/1871191X-BJA10026
- NCP Portal: https://horizoneuropencpportal.eu/
