A Message from the New International Secretary of the Royal Society of Canada
It is with great enthusiasm that I have accepted the position of International Secretary for the next three years. I am particularly delighted that the RSC has just adopted a strategic plan that includes three objectives that will guide the International Committee's actions until 2030. These are:
- Recognizing inclusive excellence,
- Strengthening Canadian society through the democratization of knowledge, and
- Engaging our membership in communities locally, nationally and globally.
In the Coming Months
The International Committee will meet to develop the international action plan that it will present to the RSC Council in May 2026.
Several of the activities announced in the new strategic plan have an international component, including the continuation of the programme supporting researchers and artists displaced by war, conflict or threats of violence (ARDAA). Initially a programme of the RSC College, ARDAA has expanded to include the senior Fellowship this year.
The RSC will also continue to support the Tri-Academy Partnership started in 2024 between the RSC, the Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apārangi and the Australian Academy of Science. This partnership aims to support the growth of the member academies in their efforts for improvement in Indigenous engagement. After an initial summit in November 2024 in Vancouver, the RSC participated in a second summit in New Zealand in 2025. The third summit will take place in Australia in 2026.
Additionally, the RSC College will develop its first international strategy, and the RSC will continue its international work to promote democracy and human rights through its participation in several international organisations, including La Francophonie, the S7 and S20, and the International Human Rights Network.
Acknowledgements
To Paul Young
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my predecessor for his unwavering commitment to the RSC during his tenure as International Secretary. The science academies of the G7 countries form a group called the S7, which was chaired by the RSC led by Paul Young in 2025. I would also like to thank the members of the Committee and the experts from our various academies who were involved in the activities leading up to the publication of the S7 statements.
To the Members of the International Committee
The role of the International Secretary is to advise the RSC on international matters. I could not do this work without the support of a committee of colleges from the three Academies and the College. The International Committee is chaired by the International Secretary and comprises two members from each Academy and two members from the College. Terms are for two years and are renewable.
I would like to thank all the members of the International Committee for their contribution to the vitality of our international relations, and in particular those whose terms ended in 2025: Frédéric Mérand from the College, Maité Taboada from the Academy of Arts and Humanities, and Evelyn Forget from the Academy of Social Sciences. The International Committee welcomes the following two new members for the period from 2026 to 2028: Catherine Dauvergne from the Academy of Social Sciences and Cynthia Milton from the Academy of Arts and Humanities. We will proceed with the appointment of two members of the College in early 2026.
To the Administrative Team
I would also like to thank the RSC administrative team at Walter House and Executive Director Darren Gilmour for their ongoing support. Special thanks to Darren Gilmour for representing the RSC at the latest Inter-Academy Partnership (IAP) meeting in December 2025 in Cairo, Egypt. The IAP brings together more than 150 academies around the world and regional networks, including in the Americas.
In Closing
I wish you a happy 2026. May it be filled with new opportunities to advance knowledge, democracy and human rights, three areas dear to the RSC.
Committee
COMMITTEE MEMBERS |
MANDATE |
|---|---|
|
Linda Cardinal, Chair |
2025 - 2028 |
|
Andrew Weaver, Vice-Chair |
2025 - 2028 |
|
Bonnie Campbell |
2024 - 2026 |
|
Catherine Dauvergne |
2026 - 2028 |
|
Cynthia Milton |
2025 - 2028 |
|
John Smol |
2024 - 2026 |