The global knowledge society

Knowledge societies rest on a foundation of educational and research excellence. The Internet, advances in communications technology, and the rapidly expanding global fiber optic network are necessary, but not sufficient. It takes people to train, to educate, to collaborate, and to innovate. Building the global knowledge society is the theme of the 2012 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting in Vancouver (16 to 22 February). Bringing together scientists and educators from more than 50 nations, the meeting tackles global issues and new ways of building connections between developed and developing nations.