State Secretary Martina Hirayama attends Chief Science Advisors Roundtable in Paris
Bern, 12.11.2026 — The Chief Science Advisors Roundtable (CSAR) is an international forum supported by UNESCO, where chief science advisers from governments around the world exchange views and achieve consensus on the role of scientific policy advice. At the fourth CSAR meeting, held in Paris on 10 November 2026, State Secretary Martina Hirayama linked her remarks to the international AI summit that Switzerland will host in Geneva in June 2027.
The most recent CSAR meeting was held under the title ‘Trusted Advice in a World of Plural Knowledge’. Martina Hirayama, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation, emphasised the importance of cross-border scientific advice for policymaking, particularly in light of the rapid progress being made in the area of artificial intelligence (AI). Drawing on Switzerland's long-standing experience in science diplomacy, she pointed out that global challenges require a common international scientific evidence base, while policy decisions must reflect national circumstances. In this regard, she stressed the need for collective and effective action to address not only the opportunities presented by AI, but also the associated risks, including those relating to security, transparency and accountability. As these challenges know no borders, international scientific advisory networks should be further strengthened in the future.
Against this backdrop, State Secretary Martina Hirayma drew attention to the Geneva AI Summit in June 2027, themed ‘Bridging Innovation and Trust’. She encouraged the chief science advisers present to actively contribute their expertise to the preparation of this unique platform for dialogue between governments, the scientific community, industry, international organisations and civil society.