On November 26 International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) held its 79th meeting of ISTC’s Governing Board. The Governing Board representatives from Armenia, the European Union, Georgia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Norway, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, Tajikistan, and the United States were joined by the ISTC Secretariat.

ISTC is an intergovernmental organization created to facilitate peaceful science and technology collaborations aimed at making the world safer, more secure, and more sustainable. Over the course of the meeting the Secretariat briefed the Parties on financial, operational, and other developments related to ISTC’s operations.

Specific topics that were discussed include the ISTC’s participation in the Japan Kansai 2025 EXPO – World Exposition, which will take place in Osaka, Japan in 2025.

Additionally, the Japanese Government will be sponsoring two more projects for the total amount of $ 700 000.

Governing Board Members reviewed ISTC’s budget results for 2024 and proposed budget for 2025, as well as semi-annual reports from the ISTC headquarters and branch offices. The primary focus of the meeting was discussion of the Strategic Roadmap Action Plan for ISTC outreach to potential new members and strategic partner organizations. Governing Board Members considered the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) 77 meeting report as well as future schedules of ISTC GB, SAC meetings for 2025 and the ISTC Communications Plan. Also, a new Governing Board Member from Japan and additional Japanese Member to the ISTC SAC were presented at the meeting.