The Rise of the Rest? High-Impact Science in a Multipolar World

Since World War II, the United States has been the leading producer of high-impact science. Over the past decade, however, the U.S. share in the global production of high-impact papers has declined compared to Europe and China. Some people welcome the increasing competition for scientific leadership and argue that the world stands to gain from it. Others insist that a cooperative model offers many benefits, especially for addressing global challenges. Within this context, this discussion session will consider some of the central science policy questions of our time: How can countries improve the quality of their scientific output? What is the impact of these trends on their innovation potential? Should nations bolster specific subjects to maintain their competitive position and should they seek to create strategic specializations? What are the costs and benefits of competition for scientific excellence, and what can we gain from collaboration in a rebalancing world order?