Alliance of National and International Science Organizations (ANSO)

Introduction

The Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO) is a non-profit, non-governmental international organization founded in 2018. Founding members include the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and 36 other scientific institutions, universities, and international organizations worldwide. ANSO aims to improve regional and global capacity in science and technology, human livelihoods and wellbeing, and to promote broader S&T cooperation and communication.

Background

In 2013, Chinese President XI Jinping proposed the “Belt and Road” Initiative, making great contributions to international cooperation, global common prosperity and human progress, serving as a Chinese Plan for building a community of shared future for the mankind. The countries in the Belt and Road Region are confronted with many common challenges, such as climate change, eco-environment and resources problems, natural disasters, emerging and infectious diseases and food security issues. In order to solve these common challenges, there should be united actions toward science-based solutions to promote common development and prosperity in this region.

The idea of establishing the “Alliance of International Science Organizations” (hereinafter as ANSO), was firstly discussed in the “First International Science Forum of National Scientific Organizations on the Belt and Road Initiative” held in Beijing in November 2016. Leaders from 22 national scientific and research organizations, two Nobel Prize winners, over 30 academicians from all over the world and more than 350 scientists from nearly 40 countries and regions attended the Forum. As the result of this important event, “Beijing Declaration” was released to seek more comprehensive framework to support the international cooperation on science, technology and innovation along the Belt and Road and other regions as well.

In July 2017, the representatives from 12 academies, institutes and international organizations attended the workshop in Islamabad of Pakistan. The name of the alliance (ANSO) was determined, a draft the statutes and development strategy were formulated.

In November 2018, ANSO was formally inaugurated and the 1st ANSO General Assembly and 1st ANSO Governing Board Meeting were held, laying solid foundation for the development of ANSO. In the same year, the registration for ANSO as an international S&T non-governmental organization was accomplished.

Vision

Engaging global scientific institutions and expertise to develop an open and inclusive cooperation platform for the benefit of all, to conduct in-depth scientific communication, collaboration and capacity building for the sustainable development of the Belt and Road regions, and to promote the development of a global community with a shared future.

Mission

to foster the advancement & application of problem-solving science and technology for human livelihood and green development,
to promote scientific capacity building,
to boost scientific exchanges, and
to advance the development of a scientific community in harmony and vitality.

Key Facts

Established: 2018
Type: International, non-profit and non-governmental scientific organization
Headquarters: Beijing, China
Current Membership: 96 Member Organizations
Participating Countries and Regions: 59

Governing Board Members

No.	Organization	Year of Approval by GA
1	Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)	2018
2	National Academy of Sciences and Techniques of Senegal (ANSTS)	2022
3	Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA)	2022
4	Mongolian Academy of Sciences (MAS)	2018
5	National Research Centre (NRC), Egypt	2018
6	The Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS)	2022
7	Universidad de Chile	2018
8	University of Donja Gorica (UDG), Montenegro	2022
9	Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan	2022

Programmes

CAS-ANSO Science Programs

The CAS-ANSO Co-funding Research Program aligns with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aims to explore and establish a co-funding mechanism under the framework of the ANSO. It encourages ANSO Member organizations to jointly engage in scientific, technological, and innovative research cooperation with the institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The program seeks to promote sustainable economic and social development and contribute to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

CAS-ANSO Scholarship

CAS-ANSO Scholarship (previously known as ANSO Scholarship for Young Talents) was formally launched in 2019 with the goal of training and cultivating young scientists from all over the world. CAS-ANSO Scholarship has two categories: degree program and non-degree program. The degree program supports 100 to 200 Master’s students and 300 PhD students every year to pursue postgraduate education at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) and institutes of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) around China.

A sub-category of the CAS-ANSO Scholarship (Degree Program) – the ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship – was officially launched in 2022. Each year, TWAS/UNESCO will select up to 40 PhD students from developing countries for this scholarship category, with 10 scholarships prioritized for recipients engaged in climate-related research. Aligning with TWAS/UNESCO’s priority areas, special (non-exclusive) consideration will be extended to two target groups: Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and women.

CAS, the leading founding member of ANSO, is the major sponsor of CAS-ANSO Scholarship. TWAS and UNESCO, both founding members of ANSO, provide partial funding for ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship awardees. ANSO welcomes all members and parties who are interested in creating a more diversified scholarship program together.

CAS-ANSO Fellowship

Aligned with the UN Decade of Sustainable Development, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO) jointly established the CAS-ANSO Fellowship Program (hereinafter referred to as “the Fellowship”). This initiative aims to strengthen regional and global scientific and technological capabilities, while fostering broader collaboration and knowledge exchange among Belt and Road countries and beyond.

CAS-ANSO Conference Programs

The CAS-ANSO Conference Program is a joint initiative launched by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO). Designed to foster international scientific collaboration, the program empowers ANSO members to organize high-impact seminars/ symposia/forums/workshops across diverse scientific disciplines. By creating a dynamic platform for researchers, institutions, and policymakers from ANSO member countries and beyond, the initiative aims to catalyze knowledge exchange, spark interdisciplinary dialogue, and advance collaborative research addressing global and regional challenges. The theme for CAS-ANSO Conference Program 2025 is Sustainable Water, Food, Environment & Ecosystem.

Selected Projects and Programmes

The following selection illustrates the thematic, geographical and organizational diversity of ANSO-supported science cooperation. It is based on projects and programmes explicitly named in ANSO Annual Reports from 2019 to 2025 and does not constitute a complete inventory of all ANSO-supported activities.

“Reported year(s)” refers to the annual report or reports in which an item appears. It does not necessarily indicate the project’s approval year, starting year or duration. Continuing projects reported in multiple years are consolidated into a single entry.

Public Health and Biomedical Sciences

The Relationship of Air Microbiome and Ambient Aerosol in the Mega-city’s Subway Network

Cooperation Instrument: International Collaborative Research Project
Countries / Regions: Thailand
Participating Institutions: Thailand Bioresource Research Center; National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
Reported Year(s): 2020

Hybrid Modalities Based Control of Assistive Ankle-Foot Orthosis Robot for Stroke Rehabilitation

Cooperation Instrument: International Collaborative Research Project
Countries / Regions: Hong Kong, China
Participating Institutions: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Reported Year(s): 2020

A Belt and Road Platform to Track and Tackle MRSA Disease and Carriage, Elucidating Their Antimicrobial and Biocide Resistance, Genetic Diversity and Transmission Dynamics Between Humans, Animals and the Environment

Cooperation Instrument: International Collaborative Research Project
Countries / Regions: Bangladesh; Sri Lanka
Participating Institutions: Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University; University of Peradeniya
Reported Year(s): 2022

Whole Genome Sequencing and miRNA Biomarkers for an Enhanced Understanding of the Mechanism of Tuberculosis Infection in Cynomolgus Macaques: A Translational Knowledge to Clinical Study

Cooperation Instrument: International Collaborative Research Project
Countries / Regions: Thailand; United States
Participating Institutions: Chulalongkorn University; University of California, Davis
Reported Year(s): 2022

Environment, Climate and Biodiversity

A First Step Valorization of Waste Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide via Its Sustainable Capture

Cooperation Instrument: International Collaborative Research Project
Countries / Regions: Jordan; Türkiye; Morocco; China
Participating Institutions: Royal Scientific Society (Jordan); partner institutions in Türkiye, Morocco and China
Reported Year(s): 2020; 2022

Water Resources Risk and Countermeasures for Sustainable Development Under Changing Environment in the Pan Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Cooperation Instrument: International Collaborative Research Project
Countries / Regions: Tajikistan; Kyrgyzstan; Pakistan
Participating Institutions: National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan; National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic; Institute of Space Technology (Pakistan)
Reported Year(s): 2022

ANSO Project on Marine Microplastic Pollution

Cooperation Instrument: ANSO-CAS Joint Research Project
Countries / Regions: China; Indonesia; Philippines; Papua New Guinea
Participating Institutions: Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Marine Research Center, Indonesian Academy of Sciences; University of the Philippines; University of Papua New Guinea
Reported Year(s): 2023

Enhancing Ganges River Dolphin Ecological Research in Bangladesh Rivers Through Implementing a Standardized Real-time Acoustic Monitoring System

Cooperation Instrument: ANSO-CAS Joint Research Project
Countries / Regions: Bangladesh; China
Participating Institutions: Jahangirnagar University; Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Reported Year(s): 2025

Agriculture and Food Security

CropWatch Innovative Cooperation Programme for Agricultural Monitoring

Cooperation Instrument: Scientific Platform and Data Infrastructure
Countries / Regions: Nigeria; Algeria; Mauritius; Thailand; Mozambique
Participating Institutions: ANSO; CropWatch; United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (UNCSTD)
Reported Year(s): 2020; 2021; 2023

Evaluation and Promotion of Sweet Sorghum Hybrids for Climate Change Adaptations and Multiple End Use Through Value Addition and Industrialization of Products in Sub-Saharan Africa

Cooperation Instrument: International Collaborative Research Project
Countries / Regions: Sudan
Participating Institutions: Agricultural Research Corporation (Sudan)
Reported Year(s): 2022

Understanding Ecology-Agriculture Interrelationship under Environmental Challenges and Developing Sustainable Production Models Through Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices Combining Technology Intervention

Cooperation Instrument: International Collaborative Research Project
Countries / Regions: Uruguay; Brazil
Participating Institutions: University of the Republic (Uruguay); Federal University of Rondonópolis (Brazil)
Reported Year(s): 2022

Innovation in Climate-resilient Agro-food Security Based on Satellite Interpretation, Inverse Accounting and Mitigation Strategies of Environmental Pollution and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Cooperation Instrument: ANSO-CAS Joint Research Project
Countries / Regions: Egypt; China
Participating Institutions: National Research Centre (Egypt); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Reported Year(s): 2025

Energy, Materials and Research Infrastructure

Bioplastics Upcycling Loop (BioPolyCycle)

Cooperation Instrument: International Collaborative Research Project
Countries / Regions: Serbia
Participating Institutions: University of Belgrade
Reported Year(s): 2022

Chinese Argentina Radio Telescope Digital Backend Based on Software Defined Radio

Cooperation Instrument: International Collaborative Research Project
Countries / Regions: China; Argentina; Spain
Participating Institutions: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Reported Year(s): 2022

Research Collaboration on Thailand New Synchrotron Light Source Facility (SPS-II)

Cooperation Instrument: ANSO-CAS Joint Research Project
Countries / Regions: Thailand; China
Participating Institutions: Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Thai partner institution (not specified in ANSO Annual Report)
Reported Year(s): 2020

Distributed Water Purification Station System for Drinking Water Safety in Rural Regions of Kyrgyzstan

Cooperation Instrument: Technology Transfer and Demonstration Project
Countries / Regions: Kyrgyzstan; China
Participating Institutions: Chinese Academy of Sciences; National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic; Kyrgyz implementation partners
Reported Year(s): 2021

Development of a Novel Integrated Heat and Power Micro Energy Grid with Coupling “Energy Bus” and Renewable Microgrid for Net-zero Energy Building Areas

Cooperation Instrument: ANSO-CAS Joint Research Project
Countries / Regions: Serbia; China
Participating Institutions: University of Belgrade; Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Reported Year(s): 2025

Historical Development

2018

The First ANSO General Assembly
The 1st ANSO Governing Board Meeting

2019

The 2nd ANSO Governing Board Meeting

2020

The 3rd ANSO Governing Board Meeting

2021

The 4th ANSO Governing Board Meeting

2022

The Second ANSO General Assembly
The 5th ANSO Governing Board Meeting

2023

The 6th ANSO Governing Board Meeting
The Third General Assembly
The 7th ANSO Governing Board Meeting

2024

The 8th Governing Board Meeting (Special) (Online)
The 9th ANSO Governing Board Meeting

2025

The 10th ANSO Governing Board Meeting
The Fourth General Assembly
The 11th ANSO Governing Board Meeting
ANSO-affiliated Alliance of Innovative Enterprises (ANSO-AIE)
ANSO Africa Hub of Science & Innovation
Africa Office of the ANSO Secretariat
International Research Network on AI Development and Governance (AIR-Net)