Globalisation (and economic liberalisation) is not something which is just confined to economic, political and financial institutional spheres of society and economy. Its influence and impact has already penetrated into the practice of science and technology system and the functioning of science as a social institution (as we know it from the last 200 years or so) including universities and higher educational institutions. Some basic fundamental values of open, academic science, advancing knowledge frontiers, and science as public good (existing social contract), is being overtaken by secrecy in science, creation of wealth from knowledge and science as market good (new social contract). This Tiffin Talk will raise a number of issues:

· What are the implications for science and society relationships?

· Should we allow the market forces to take over the governance of scientific enterprise?

· How can we create a level playing field between ‘public good’ and ‘market good’ in science institutions and universities?

· Are IPRs and secrecy going to benefit advancement of knowledge or retard its progress?

· What are the implications for Asian countries?

V.V. Krishna is currently Professor and Chairperson at the Centre for Studies in Science Policy (CSSP). He is currently an honorary visiting Research Fellow at the UNSW, Australia and Visiting Professor at Institute of Advanced Study, UNU, Yokahama, Japan.  He has a PhD in Sociology of Science from the University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. He has 27 years of research experience in the areas of sociology of science, science and technology policy and national innovation systems in Asia and Pacific and social history of science. He has published 30 research papers and five books. Professor Krishna was a visiting Professor at the Institute for Research and Development (IRD) & MSH, Paris, 2000-2004; a co-founder of Science, Technology and Society; a consultant to UNESCO, Paris, for its programmes on electronic publishing in the developing countries; and a contributor to a number of eminent publications.