The European Science Advisors Forum (ESAF) is a non-formal network consisting of advisors, experts and scientists that hold advisory mandate from their Government and have a responsibility to provide scientific advice to their Government or help arranging it.
ESAF’s mission is to foster cooperation, knowledge exchange and mutual learning between its Members and Associate Members, and to enhance the uptake of scientific advice into legislative, executive and judicial processes.
ESAF was established in 2014 upon the initiative of the European Commission as the European Union-level forum and network for promoting the uptake of scientific evidence into policy-making, for the exchange of information and practice, and for the strategic reflection on scientific advice to political and non-political subjects. ESAF also aims to spread awareness about scientific advice among citizens and actors from civil society and industry.
ESAF Annual Meeting 2023
Meeting participants in front of the Art Centre of the Faculty of Art and Design of the University of West Timisoara
European Science Advice Forum (ESAF) Annual Meeting 2023 was held on 11.–12. September, 2023 in Romania, at the West University of Timișoara. Read more.
ESAF Annual Meeting 2022 (ESAF-8) „The role of science advice in rebuilding the society“
Participants of the meeting. Photo: Virginija Valuckienė
ESAF Annual Meeting 2022 (ESAF-8) „The role of science advice in rebuilding the society“ took place on 29–30 November in Vilnius at the Research Council of Lithuania. Read more.
ESAF General Assembly 2021 (ESAF-7) „From local advice to global benefit”
Virtual participants of the meeting. Photo: Aavo Kaine
ESAF General Assembly 2021 (ESAF-7) “From local advice to global benefit” took place on 30.11–1.12.2021 as a hybrid event at the Estonian Academy of Sciences, Tallinn, Estonia. Read more.
ESAF meeting on scientific advice during the COVID-19 crisis
On Wednesday 24 June 2020, the European Science Advisors Forum (ESAF) organized a virtual meeting in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The meeting focused on lessons that can be learned from the crisis for providing strategic scientific advice. Read more »
Joint ESAF/INGSA meeting 2019
On the 26th and 27th June, 2019 ESAF and the International Network of Government Science Advisors (INGSA) ran a joint meeting in Dublin. It brought together organisations in Europe with an interest in, and remit for, providing science based strategic policy advice and promoting the use of evidence in policymaking and government, including the EU group of Chief Scientific Advisors (EU GCSA) and the EU Joint Research Centre (EU JRC). Read more »