In June 2025, and in anticipation of the G7 Leaders Summit, the Academies of Science of the G7 issued the Ottawa Declaration, emphasizing that the mobility of researchers and the collaborations across borders accelerate discovery, knowledge creation and innovation.
Resilient knowledge systems[1] are the foundation of open, democratic societies and are therefore critical to the continued betterment of the human condition locally and globally. Abrupt and profound changes are rapidly undermining the resilience of knowledge systems within Canada and around the world, posing grave challenges to our collective capacity to maximize the public good.
Changes afoot in the US along with social and political crosscurrents around the world augur a weakening of multilateral institutions and the open circulation of people, ideas and goods, along with unprecedented attacks on science and science-based agencies in government as well as research-intensive academic institutions and civil society organizations.
In partnership with Academies and institutions dedicated to resilient knowledge systems within Canada and around the world, the RSC is responding at this critical conjuncture by leading the creation of a multidisciplinary and international task force to address three challenges:
a) How can we better understand the forces driving these threats to independent, evidence-based knowledge systems and respond effectively to them?
b) How can countries and researchers collaborate to effectively mitigate these threats and navigate the current context by engaging artists, scientists and scholars to help sustain the momentum of their work?
c) How can countries accelerate robust knowledge production and amplify its impact within and beyond academic and other settings?
Inspired by the model of the RSC Task Force on COVID-19, the Task Force on Knowledge System Resilience will work regionally, nationally and globally in order to generate expert-driven insights aimed at a variety of audiences including the public and policymakers.
Are you interested in contributing to this work? If so, please send a brief paragraph describing your broad area of expertise and your thoughts on the contributions you could make to Darren Gilmour at dgilmour@rsc-src.ca.
[1] Resilient knowledge systems encompass scientific, humanistic and artistic endeavours that engage universities, government, civil society and international organizations and conventions. Premised on freedom of expression, academic freedom, freedom of the press, the rule of law, commitment to human rights and sustainability, such systems are nourished by robust knowledge exchange and dialogue and require strong public support.