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water resources model developed at IIASA - will support and enable different stakeholder groups and scientific communities in the accurate assessment of water supply and the demands of both people and the environment. IIASA will also continue to position itself as a leader in the field of earth observation and citizen science to conduct research and provide innovative, cost effective, and high quality data, tools, and services. Building global research partnerships Another dimension of the new strategy involves building on the institute’s record of scientific excellence, collaboration with partners, and policy impact. IIASA will continue to leverage its reputation as a neutral scientific broker and its strong networks with a wide range of stakeholders, member countries, and leading scientific organizations to build bridges across political divides and to confront and negotiate solutions to problems of global interest. The World in 2050 (TWI2050) initiative established by IIASA, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the Stockholm Resilience Centre to support the successful implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda, and the institute’s involvement in the Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land, and Energy (FABLE) Consortium, which seeks to establish a model-aided decision- support environment for sustainable development pathways in the land-use space, are just two examples of the institute’s commitment to collaborative and inclusive research. Likewise, the consultative science platform that was recently jointly established with the International Science Council (ISC) combines the strengths and expertise of the two organizations with those of other international experts to define and design sustainability pathways in a transdisciplinary manner to enable a more equitable and sustainable post-COVID world. Further examples of IIASA researchers’ involvement in large-scale initiatives include regular involvement as key contributors to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment reports, and contributions to the advancement of the field of Loss and Damage in the risk management domain. Training the next generation of systems scientists Any forward-looking strategy should of course also include a capacity-building component. In this regard, the institute postdoc opportunities and its flagship Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) have been instrumental in building capacity in systems thinking and analysis by educating and training a new generation of scientists, professionals, and leaders for almost as long as IIASA has been in existence. As part of the new strategy, training activities at IIASA are being expanded substantially to go beyond its current constituencies to include key decision makers and influencers. As one of the world-leading one-stop destinations for systems analysis, IIASA is also making it its mission to make its data, models, and analytical tools openly available to the research community in a responsible manner. “We are confident that the new strategy IIASA will soon embark on will more emphatically address the much needed systems science perspective to systematically and comprehensively reduce human footprints and enhance the resilience of natural and socioeconomic systems in pursuit of a sustainable future for humanity,” commented IIASA Deputy Director General for Science, Leena Srivastava. “IIASA has a clear head start in terms of tools, methods, and models to make it nimble enough to be responsive to the needs of society in times of great uncertainty associated with unforeseen events like the COVID-19 crisis, and also to address compound risk and the multiple dimensions of sustainability. I look forward to being part of the journey to make the objectives of the new strategy a reality.” Albert van Jaarsveld: jaarsveld@iiasa.ac.at Leena Srivastava: srivastava@iiasa.ac.atBy Ansa Heyl © IIA SA Further info: www.iiasa.ac.at/strategy www.iiasa.ac.at 19OptionsWinter 2020