Principles & Policies for International Scientific Collaboration

Science, by its very nature, transcends national boundaries. International scientific collaboration has
led to great advances in our understanding of our world, our universe, and our shared global
challenges. International scientific partnerships enable breakthrough discoveries that help humanity
tackle these global challenges. Likewise, international scientific cooperation fosters mutual
understanding across political and ideological divisions.

Research provides the best impact when its results are communicated broadly, for the benefit of all.
At the same time, participating scientists must balance open scientific cooperation with national
security interests. Researchers must also respect intellectual property agreements, local laws and
regulations, and be respectful of the rich cultural diversity of the people who conduct research.
Consequently, the undersigned national physics societies and international physics organizations
call upon their members and upon scientists across the globe to abide by the following principles
that are crucial to successful international scientific cooperation:

• Integrity: Scientists should adhere to the professional values, principles, and best practices that
  underpin our research communities and provide the basis for a fair, open, and trusted research
  environment. Failure to adhere to these principles imperils the research enterprise and its many
  benefits.
• Transparency: An open science environment requires transparency among all partners.
  Scientists should disclose all funding sources, individuals, and organizations involved in their
  collaborations, as well as any requirements for the flow of information and documents within
  their collaborations, among the participants, and to their governments.
• Reciprocity: Scientists and institutions should exchange materials, knowledge, data, along
  with access to facilities, research sites, and training, in a manner that benefits all collaborating
  partners.

Likewise, to realize fully the national benefits of international scientific partnerships, the
undersigned call upon their governments and those who promote policies and practices that
advance international scientific collaboration, to:

• Enact travel and visa policies that enable scientific interactions between peers and partners;
• Assess policies to ensure that they do not result in unnecessary or unintended barriers to
  multinational research collaborations; and
• Foster opportunities for international research collaboration and exchanges for early-career
  scientists.

Lastly, the signatories urge all stakeholders--national governments, research institutions, and
professional societies--to disseminate clear and well-communicated standards that define the
responsible conduct of scientific research. Moreover, the signatories encourage all scientists
worldwide to not only uphold the principles expressed above, but also to highlight their significance
as cornerstones of professional conduct and ethical behavior.

 

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December, 2023

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*) American Institute of Physics, American Physical Society, Canadian Association of Physicists, Chinese Physical Society, European Physical Society, Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft, Indian Physics Association, Institute of Physics for the UK and Ireland, International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, Japan Society of Applied Physics, Netherlands’ Physical Society, Optica (formerly OSA), The Physical Society of Japan, Società Italiana di Fisica, Société Française de Physique, South African Institute of Physics