ISTC Executive Director Contributes to Global Research on Scientific Sovereignty the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

Astana, November 2025

The International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) is pleased to highlight the contribution of its Executive Director, Ms. Karina Anguelieva, to the new flagship publication of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI), titled “Building Scientific Sovereignty: Data-Driven Strategies for Strengthening Research Capacity in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.”

The study, authored by Laura Ryan, Bridget Boakye, Rithika Muralidharan, and Alex Otway, with collaboration from Beth Kaplin (University of Rwanda) and Karina Anguelieva (ISTC), provides a comprehensive and data-driven roadmap for governments seeking to strengthen their national research and innovation ecosystems.

Drawing on 84 key indicators across 129 countries, the paper introduces the new Global Science Capacity Explorer, a policy tool enabling governments to benchmark scientific progress, identify structural gaps, and design tailored interventions aligned with their institutional realities and development goals.

The report highlights a major global imbalance: low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) represent 85% of the world’s population, yet account for only 14% of global scientific publications and receive less than 10% of global R&D investment. This imbalance, the authors note, leaves many nations dependent and vulnerable in an era of geopolitical fragmentation and rapid technological change. Building scientific sovereignty—the capacity to define and sustain one’s own research agenda—is presented not as an aspiration but as a strategic necessity for resilience, competitiveness, and sustainable growth. 
Ms. Anguelieva’s contribution reflects ISTC’s long-standing experience in advancing science governance, promoting evidence-based policymaking, and fostering international cooperation between research institutions, industry, and governments. Her insights helped integrate the practical dimension of policy implementation in transition economies, including Central Asia, into the global analysis.

Among the multiple actions carried out each week by ISTC to strengthen regional and international cooperation, Ms. Anguelieva recently took part in the International Forum “Kazakhstan – Territory of Academic Knowledge” hosted by the Eurasian National University (ENU) in Astana. In her address, “Bridging Research and Industry in Central Asia: Why Building Sustainable Innovation Ecosystems Is Key to Resilience, Competitiveness, and Social Cohesion,” she emphasized the growing importance of aligning scientific research with societal and economic needs. She underlined that technology transfer, research excellence, and science diplomacy must evolve together to ensure that innovation serves not only economic competitiveness but also social cohesion and long-term regional stability.

The participation of ISTC in this major global research initiative, as well as its ongoing engagement with universities, ministries, and international partners, underscores its commitment to building scientific diplomacy as a foundation for sustainable development. Through over 4,700 projects implemented across more than 60 countries, ISTC continues to support national reforms, enhance science–industry linkages, and strengthen regional and global networks for innovation and security.

As scientific capacity becomes an ever more decisive factor for national sovereignty and resilience, ISTC remains dedicated to raising awareness of the strategic importance of investing in science and innovation — ensuring that research serves as a bridge between knowledge and policy, and as a cornerstone of peace, prosperity, and shared progress.

Read the full report by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change