The European Union as a model of international cooperation in science, technology and sustainable development
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 20:36authored byJosephine Anne Stein, Allam Ahmed
This article presents European Union (EU) research policy as a stable, long-term form of organising international science and technology (S&T) co-operation, and evaluates the prospects for transposing this model to co-operation with non-European countries in the context of sustainable development (SD). The European approach combines scientific objectives with common political, social, economic and environmental aims through a form of partnership based on dynamism, collective decision-making and the distribution of research responsibility. It is argued that the prevailing character of co-operation between Europe and developing countries (DCs), which stresses the transfer of resources, does not adequately recognise the knowledge, capacity for innovation and valuable socio-cultural assets of partners within the developing world. The common objective of sustainable development in an increasingly interdependent world creates opportunities for extending aspects of the European model of S&T co-operation to wider partnerships to build scientific capacity, political stability, economic prosperity and environmental quality in a way that has been demonstrably successful within the European Union itself.
History
Publication status
Published
Journal
British Journal of Politics and International Relations
The detailed background information on the structure of the EU model of international cooperation is here pursued into the interactions with non-EU developing countries in the field of sustainable development. It is shown that the EU approach here often neglects the capabilities for change within those developing countries. Preparation of the paper was shared 50/50 with the co-author, with Dr Ahmed providing the central and much of the later sections.