UNESCO assists its Member States in formulating their STI policies, strategies and plans as well as in the reform of their science systems, by bringing to light policy options for the governance of science systems in new contexts and supporting participatory policy formulation and/or reviews to improve science management at the national level. This is done by means of the provision of guidelines and methodologies, technical advice and guidance on formulation, implementation and monitoring, together with a review of policies and plans concerning national S&T activities.

Since 2004, UNESCO has been helping Nigeria and the Republic of Congo to reform their science systems, at the government’s request. UNESCO has also been accompanying the United Republic of Tanzania in the reform of its science system since 2008. Tanzania is one of eight pilot countries for the One UN initiative launched in 2007 within a broader reform to improve co-ordination among UN agencies.

As part of UNESCO’s contribution to Africa’s Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action adopted in 2005, UNESCO’s General Conference approved the launch of an African Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Initiative in October 2007. The aim is to develop national science, technology and innovation (STI) policies for all those African countries still without one. One of the thrusts of this initiative is to build capacity in evidence-based policy-making in these countries via STI policy reviews.

Since 2002, UNESCO has also been helping the countries of Southeast Europe to reconstruct their science systems.

In the past five years, UNESCO has also been helping countries in other regions to reform their science systems. These countries include Azerbaijan, Iraq, Lebanon and Mongolia. UNESCO is also one of several partners providing institutional support for the elaboration of a strategy for an Arab Science and Technology Plan of Action.

During the process of national reform, a number of reports and studies are published. (Read the country studies)