Data for Development and the role of CODATA of the International Science Council (ISC)

While the discussion on data for development gains traction in societyespecially with the focus on Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), there is the need for more insight into the long-standingglobal perspectives on data and information for science. The InternationalScience Council (ISC) established in 1932 as International Council for Scientific Unions (ICSU) aims to strengthen international science for the benefit of society. The key principle is the “Universality of Science”1which interprets science as a collective effort working for the common good, but a growing number of scientists, policy-makers, and social scientists argue that science is often too isolated from society to fulfil this promise. This brings in the concept of ‘Open Science’ to close the gap between science and society by democratizing scientificknowledge, for the benefit of everyone. The Committee on Data (CODATA), an interdisciplinary body of ISC is the focus of this paper, along with recentperspectivesregarding its role and needs of science in the present information-driven society.