Governance Structure

The Globelics Governance Structure provides the organizational framework that guides the network’s activities and supports its mission of advancing research on innovation, learning, competence building, and sustainable development. It brings together researchers and institutions from different regions of the world, ensuring broad international representation and encouraging collaboration across diverse academic and policy communities.

The governance structure is designed to promote both academic excellence and inclusive participation. Its leadership is shared among internationally recognized scholars who contribute their expertise to defining research priorities, strengthening scientific cooperation, and supporting the long-term development of the network. Through this collaborative approach, Globelics maintains a strong connection between research, policy, and practice while encouraging knowledge exchange between developed and developing countries.

The structure also supports the organization of annual conferences, PhD Academies, working groups, and collaborative research initiatives. By working closely with host institutions and regional partners, Globelics ensures that its activities remain relevant to local and global development challenges. Overall, the governance structure plays a central role in fostering international cooperation and reinforcing the network’s commitment to innovation as a driver of sustainable and inclusive development.

Globelics Scientific Board

The Globelics Scientific Board is the main representative and strategic body of the Globelics community. It brings together members from different regions of the world who contribute their experience, knowledge, and commitment to guide the development of the network and support its mission.

The Scientific Board reflects the global and diverse character of Globelics. Its composition seeks to ensure regional representation, gender balance, and plurality of perspectives, recognizing that innovation and development must be understood from different contexts, especially from the realities and challenges of the Global South.

The Board plays a central role in shaping the priorities of Globelics, supporting its conferences, academies, publications, regional networks, partnerships, and other community activities. It helps ensure that the network remains active, inclusive, academically relevant, and connected to policy debates on science, technology, innovation, learning, competence building, and development.

Beyond its formal responsibilities, the Scientific Board embodies the collective spirit of Globelics. It is a space for dialogue, coordination, and shared responsibility, where members work together to strengthen the network, support younger generations of scholars, foster collaboration across regions, and promote meaningful exchanges between research, policy, and practice.

In this sense, the Globelics Scientific Board is not only a governance body. It is a key expression of the network’s commitment to democratic participation, international collaboration, academic excellence, diversity, and the use of knowledge to advance more inclusive and sustainable development.

Globelics Scientific Board 2026–2030

President:

José Miguel Natera

(Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico)

President

Vice-Presidents:

Glenda Kruss

(University of Johannesburg, South Africa)

Vice-President

Jun Jin

(Zhejiang University, China)

Vice-President

Danilo Spinola

(Birmingham City University, United Kingdom)

Vice-President

Regional Members:

Africa:

Abdi Ahmad

(Adama Science and Technology University, Ethiopia),

Glenda Kruss

(University of Johannesburg, South Africa),

Justina Adwoa Onumah

(Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Ghana),

Martin Kang’ethe Gachukia

(Technical University of Kenya, Rwanda/Kenya).

Americas:

Andrew Roberts Cummings

(Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas, El Salvador),

Claudia De Fuentes

(Saint Mary’s University, Canada),

Isabel Bortagaray

(Universidad de la República, Uruguay),

José Miguel Natera

(Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico).

Asia:

Jun Jin

(Zhejiang University, China),

Keun Lee

(Seoul National University, South Korea),

Swati Mehta

(National Institute of Science Education and Research, India),

Trina Fizzanty

(National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia).

Europe:

Carlo Pietrobelli

((UNU-MERIT, Netherlands),

Danilo Spinola

(Birmingham City University, United Kingdom),

Isabel Álvarez

(Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain),

Roberta Rabellotti

(Università di Pavia, Italy).

Alumni Representative:

Abiodun Egbetokun

(De Montfort University, United Kingdom/Nigeria),

Alumni Representative

Jana Schmutzler De Uribe

(Universidad del Norte, Colombia).

Alumni Representative

Globelics Secretariat

The Globelics Secretariat provides the organizational and implementation support that enables the network to advance its activities, strengthen its community, and sustain its global presence. Working in close coordination with the Presidency Team and the Globelics Scientific Board, the Secretariat helps translate the network’s priorities into concrete actions, supports communication across the community, and contributes to the coordination of conferences, academies, seminars, publications, partnerships, and other strategic initiatives.

The Secretariat acts as a key implementation space for Globelics. It facilitates coordination among regional networks, helps preserve the institutional memory of the community, and contributes to the effective execution of agreed work plans. Through this role, the Secretariat strengthens the capabilities of Globelics to operate as a global, inclusive, and collaborative network dedicated to innovation, learning, competence building, and development.