International organizations and cooperation

This article describes the history of international collaboration in forensic science and highlights current practices and future directions. As forensic science has expanded over the last 50 years, so too have the opportunities to collaborate beyond regional and national borders. Peer leaders and organizations in various parts of the globe have worked together to establish and connect networks that have enabled the sharing of forensic science learning opportunities, research priorities, goals, and objectives. Similarly, key organizations with regional and global mandates have collaborated to assist emerging forensic service providers in developing countries through standards development, training, and capacity building. The digital transformation and migration to virtual service provision that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated in all workplaces, including forensic laboratories, has enabled even closer collaboration and exchange of methodologies, research, training, recruitment, and service delivery. The future of forensic science globally will continue to rely on an even greater degree of collaboration internationally to successfully deliver on the regional objectives of forensic service providers.