World Academy of Art & Science

July 21-23, 2006

From time to time, every organization stops and takes stock.  This is a key responsibility of a Board of Trustees. .  To assess both past accomplishments  and current resources, to identify key opportunities and strategic directions are essential to the effectiveness and robustness of an organization. 

Established in 1960, The World Academy will, in 2010,  be marking  50 years of activity.   The upcoming 50th anniversary of WAAS offers yet another reason to for the Board to discuss future directions at this time. 

Perhaps the following will help provide a bit of a context and stimulus to begin such a conversation: 

GIVEN

• WAAS is nearing the 50 year mark since its founding
• There is a corporate and Board structure (including bylaws)
• There is continual renewal as new Fellows are named 
• Fellows represent a distinguished set of accomplished academics, politicians, professionals and artists
• WAAS reflects both a global and a multi-disciplinary perspective 
• WAAS has the capacity to comprehend and critically discuss the most complex issues of our time
• There is great potential for global 'influence' and contribution to the commonweal
• The prominence of the  Albert Einstein quote on the WAAS website: "The creations of our mind shall be a blessing and not a curse to mankind."
• other??

THEREFORE

If the assets of the WAAS are embodied by the accomplishments, knowledge and experiences of its Fellows:   

1. How can WAAS best use these assets (i.e. resources) over the next 2-5 years?
2. Should WAAS look to increasing its influence in key areas? Where? How?  Do we want WAAS to become better known?  Where?  Among the public or policy circles or governments or academics? 
3. How do we make more operational  the fundamental aims of the World Academy: e.g.,  To rediscover the language of mutual understanding.
4. How does WAAS develop its work program?  Does the work program of WAAS follow a consistent thread?  Should it?  Or is it more opportunistic, depending on funding and interests?
5. How can we best tap into the experience, passion, knowledge and resources of the Fellows?  How can we best engage Fellows into the work and outcomes of WAAS?
6. How can we make it such that  Fellows increase their appreciation of the WAAS and their role in it such that they find personal and professional meaning when they note their connection to WAAS in, for example, in their bio or c.v. or when chatting with colleagues?   That Fellows find the WAAS sufficiently interesting and exciting that they seek to involve junior colleagues in the work of WAAS.
7. We have defined our focus as "the social consequences and policy implications  of knowledge." There is a growing global discourse in this area.  While WAAS may have been one of the first "in the game", others groups have entered this area.  With a growing number of "players", what is the unique niche of the WAAS  and what is its unique contribution to the global conversation?