President Emeritus of Academia Sinica Yuan-Tseh Lee was elected the next president of the International Council for Science (ICSU) on October 23 in Mozambique.

ICSU is a non-governmental organization with a global membership that includes 114 national scientific bodies and 29 international scientific unions. Because of its broad membership, the Council often speaks on behalf of the global scientific community and acts as an advisor in matters ranging from ethics to the environment. A fundamental principle of ICSU is "the universality of science," which affirms the right and freedom of race, citizenship, language, political stance and gender.

"ICSU is the United Nations of the scientific world. It is the first time a person from Taiwan has been elected president of the body. It is a great achievement in the scientific world," said Academia Sinica President Chi-Huey Wong on hearing the news.

President Wong said that Dr. Lee was urged by the scientific community both inside and outside Taiwan to run for the presidency of the Council. As he cares deeply about issues such as the environment, energy and equal allocation of scientific resources, he is a natural choice to head the organization, Wong said.

At his nomination address, Dr. Lee stated that he believes that ICSU's mission to strengthen international science and promote international collaboration and the universality of science, is more important today than ever before.

He stated that in upcoming years, ICSU efforts might focus upon the research and development of green and clean energy, closer cooperation in the prevention of epidemics and infectious diseases and international cooperation and observation of global warming processes.

Dr. Lee's term as President of the Council will start in 2011.

Academia Sinica has participated in ICSU since 1937. During its 71 years of membership the Academy has been actively involved in the Council. In 2006, ICSU President Goverdhan visited Taiwan to celebrate ICSU's 75th anniversary.

In a related development, Taiwan is currently bidding to hold the 2014 ICSU Annual General Meeting in Taipei. The results of the bid will be announced later today (October 24).