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In international relations, history has repeatedly confirmed a few enduring truths. Politics and ties between states do not always begin in negotiation rooms or with the opening of embassies. More often, quieter bridges and channels pave the way before major agreements are signed. Among the most important of these are trade, culture and science.

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That is why it is no longer surprising that universities and research centers have become tools of influence no less important than embassies. Science today is no longer an academic activity isolated from politics. It has become one of the components of a state’s soft power, and one of the paths through which international relations are built and shared interests are managed.

This is what is now known as “science diplomacy.” The concept has gained prominence in recent decades, although it is in fact much older. A study published by Oxford Academic in 2020 notes that the term “science diplomacy” emerged at the beginning of the 21st century as a new term and concept in international relations, even though its practice has deep historical roots and has taken many forms that were not previously classified under this name. The study adds that science diplomacy is built around two goals: Serving states’ national interests and helping address global issues that transcend borders. This is why governments now enlist scientists in international negotiations, appoint science attachés at their embassies, and support research partnerships as an investment in influence and international standing.

The Chinese experience in recent years offers a clear example of this trend. China has not viewed science and technology merely as development sectors. It has made them part of its foreign policy. Official data indicates that Beijing has signed about 115 intergovernmental agreements in science and technology, and established scientific cooperation ties with 161 countries and regions around the world. These agreements were not merely academic programs. They served as bridges for building political and economic partnerships and for gaining access to the latest global knowledge and technologies, helping support China’s rise over the past decades.

The most striking example may be the relationship between the United States and Cuba. Despite the political rupture and the US embargo in place since 1961, scientific cooperation between the two countries continued in health, biotechnology and meteorology. A study published in 2021 indicates that joint research between American and Cuban scientists grew steadily over four decades. During the period of normalized relations led by former US President Barack Obama in 2015, joint scientific publishing reached its highest level compared with all previous US administrations. By 2020, Cuba’s scientific network had also expanded to include about 80 percent of the world’s countries, a clear indication that science succeeded in building bridges that politics could not.

The world should also remember that when the West sought to use the climate issue as leverage against oil-producing countries, it used science as its tool. For many years, it supported research linking climate change to oil consumption, until it became difficult to argue the opposite. The same can be said of many international trends whose seeds were first planted through research and science.

These examples confirm that knowledge is an international tool of influence par excellence. States that make their data, information and scientific archives available are not simply offering a free service to researchers. They are building a long-term global presence. Every academic study that relies on a country’s data creates an additional window into understanding its experience. Every researcher who uses its sources becomes, in one way or another, a carrier of knowledge about its image and experience. Every study written about it becomes an extension of its soft power.

In less than a decade, Saudi Arabia has presented a notable model of institutional and legislative reform. The World Bank has praised the Saudi experience, which has seen hundreds of regulatory and legislative reforms. Meanwhile, the Saudi Vision 2030 report in its ninth year noted the implementation of more than 900 legislative and regulatory reforms that helped improve the business environment and raise the efficiency of government performance.

Saudi Arabia has also presented successful experiences through its landmark projects across multiple sectors, including energy, petrochemicals, environment, agriculture, water and others. Many of these experiences have been linked to global priorities such as the Sustainable Development Goals. Yet these unique experiences have not been made widely available through the appropriate channels, such as scientific papers, think tank reports and other platforms. Nor have they been studied academically and scientifically. These successes could have been highlighted to showcase Saudi Arabia’s standing among successful nations through real-world experiences.

Academic soft power has an impact on attracting investment because of the credibility that scientific papers carry. Many countries work to present their success stories through proven and reliable scientific research. Some countries, however, limit themselves to presenting their views through official media outlets and press conferences. Others have gone further, relying on paid promotional reports published by some international media or research institutions. Even when such reports contain accurate information, they are often viewed as promotional material rather than independent references.

Competition today is no longer only over resources. It is also over knowledge. Countries that succeed in turning their national experiences into published knowledge, and in building advanced databases, influential think tanks and trusted research observatories, do more than strengthen scientific research. They build a quiet and deep influence that extends into universities and decision-making centers around the world. Data has become a strategic asset, and science diplomacy has become one of the most influential tools of soft power in shaping the global standing of states.

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