UNESCO
02-09-2005

Objectives

• Discuss, develop, and recommend systematic reform in science and engineering education, the enhancement of pedagogical methods and curricula development, and activities which enhance public science and engineering awareness; 
• Share information, good practices and policy instruments among the Asia-Pacific countries and establish a network of experts and institutions;
• Apply recommendations for developing policies and education methods regarding human resources development and public awareness-raising in science and technology.

Participation
Approximately 30 specialists and science and engineering education policy-makers from the Asia and the Pacific region (including 15 Korean participants) will participate. Divided into three groups: Basic Science Education, Engineering Education and Undergraduate Teacher Training, all at university level, each group will have participants from more than five countries including the Republic of Korea. Domestic specialists and decision-makers are invited to a public hearing, scheduled in the afternoon of the second day. There will be discussions on current issues within each group. Specialists with a high reputation in science and engineering education are also invited as keynote speakers. Invitation lectures in the morning of the first day are open to the public.

Background
While many countries, including the Republic of Korea, are interested in capacity building in science and technology, educational programmes and methods have failed to reflect the demands of the times and to attract the young generation’s attention. In addition, the public and policy-makers show a lack of understanding of basic science, technology, and engineering. The rate of young people’s enrolment in science (especially mathematics, physics, and chemistry) and engineering related courses in university is greatly decreasing.

UNESCO’s mid-term strategy 2005 – 2007 emphasizes “Capacity Building in Science and Technology for Development”. Within this context, the 32nd Session of the UNESCO General Conference (October 2003) established the “International Basic Sciences Programme (IBSP)” to pursue inter-governmental co-operation for capacity building in basic science and science education.

UNESCO organized the “AAAS-UNESCO Expert Meeting on Science and Technology Education: Systemic Approaches to Reform”, Paris, June 2004. The meeting underlined the need for reform in science and technology education curriculum and for education to promote greater public understanding and appreciation related to science, engineering, and technology. It was agreed that it was necessary to organize another international forum on reform in science and technology education on a greater scale, to discuss reform and implementation methods more broadly.

The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Forum on Regional Co-operation for Human Resources Development in Basic Science and Technology was held in Bangkok in March 2005. It again pinpointed the decline of interest among young people in science as a central concern and the need for reform and innovation in science and engineering education.

Contact:   Ms. Eun-Young Kim, Programme Specialist, Sciences and Communication Team, KNCU, tel.: 82-2 755 1105 ext. 350, fax: 82-2 755 7477, e-mail: heidi@unesco.or.kr  

International Basic Sciences Programme (IBSP)

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