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Promoting Science in the Developing World. Action by TWAS and Partners. Mohamed H.A. Hassan Executive Director, TWAS. Inaugural Meeting of the TWAS Arab Regional Office Alexandria, Egypt, 2-3 June 2005. Overview. TWAS and Partners TWAS Regional Offices TWAS-ARO. Overview.
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Promoting Science in the Developing World Action by TWAS and Partners Mohamed H.A. Hassan Executive Director, TWAS Inaugural Meeting of theTWAS Arab Regional OfficeAlexandria, Egypt, 2-3 June 2005
Overview • TWAS and Partners • TWAS Regional Offices • TWAS-ARO
Overview • TWAS and Partners • TWAS Regional Offices • TWAS-ARO
TWNSO(1988)160 member organizations TWOWS(1989)2,718 individual members TWAS(1983) 765 individual members IAP(1993)92 member academies IAMP(2000)57 member academies TWAS and Partners
TWNSO(1988)160 member organizations TWOWS(1989)2,718 individual members TWAS(1983) 765 individual members IAP(1993)92 member academies IAMP(2000)57 member academies TWAS and Partners
TWAS: Establishment • Founded 1983 in Trieste, Italy, by Abdus Salam and 40 other eminent scientists from the South (incl. 10 Nobel Laureates) • Inaugurated 1985 by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Javier Perez de Cuellar
TWAS: Headquarters • Located at the Enrico Fermi Building of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy
TWAS: Administration • International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - until 1990 • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
TWAS: Membership • 643 “Fellows” in 72 countries in the South • 122 “Associate Fellows” in 17 countries in the North • 15 Nobel Laureates
TWAS: Action • Recognize, support and promote excellence in scientific research in the South • Respond to the needs of scientists working under unfavourable conditions • Support South-South and South-North scientific exchange and collaboration
TWAS: Promoting Excellence • Academy membership granted to the most distinguished scientists in the South • TWAS prizes given for significant contributions by scientists in the South • Prizes for young scientists awarded on behalf of TWAS by organizations in the South • Trieste Science Prize (since 2005) • Sergio H. Ferreira, Brazil, Biological Sciences • T.V. Ramakrishnan, India, Physics & Astronomy
TWAS: Responding to Needs • Merit-based competitive research grants in basic sciences given to young scientists • TWAS research units in LDCs • Spare parts for scientific equipment supplied to laboratories in need
TWAS: Supporting Exchanges • Postgraduate and postdoctoral fellowships for young scientists (250 annual fellowships offered by Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Pakistan) • Associateships for senior scientists for regular visits to centres of excellence in the South (TWAS-UNESCO). Agreement signed with 120 centres.
TWAS: Supporting Exchanges • Support visits of internationally renowned scientists to institutions in the South (with ICSU, UNESCO and UNU/IAS) • Support international meetings held in the South
TWAS Conferences and Meetings • Review status and prospects of science in South and promote strategies for South-South and South-North cooperation • China (1987) • Venezuela (1990)- Kuwait (1992)- Nigeria (1995)- Brazil (1997) • Senegal (1999)- Iran (2000) • India (2002) • China (2003) • Egypt (2005)
20th Anniversary Celebrationin Beijing, China, October 2003 TWAS Conferences and Meetings
TWAS: Supporting Science Since 1986 TWAS has provided support to more than 3000 researchers in over 100 countries, spending some US$ 15 million.
Directorate General for Development Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italy Department for Research Cooperation (SAREC), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) OPEC Fund for International Development TWAS Endowment Fund (largely contributions from governments in the South) TWAS: Main Sponsors
TWNSO(1988)160 member organizations TWOWS(1989)2,718 individual members TWAS(1983) 765 individual members IAP(1993)92 member academies IAMP(2000)57 member academies TWAS and Partners
TWOWS • Established in 1993 with the help of TWAS, TWOWS today unites nearly 2400 women scientists and more than 80 institutions in 87 developing nations and 27 countries in the North. Trieste Conference 1988 Cairo Conference 1993 Cape Town Conference 1999
TWOWS: Action • Postgraduate fellowships for young women scientists from sub-Saharan African and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) at centres of excellence in the South • Over 200 fellowships have been offered to students in 37 countries.
TWNSO(1988)160 member organizations TWOWS(1989)2,718 individual members TWAS(1983) 765 individual members IAP(1993)92 member academies IAMP(2000)57 member academies TWAS and Partners
TWNSO • Founded in Trieste in 1988 at the initiative of TWAS, TWNSO today has 160 members in 78 nations of the South: • 39 ministries of science and technology and higher education • 48 science academies • 42 national research councils • 31 other S&T organizations
TWNSO: Action • Build joint political support for science-based economic development • Identify leading research and policy institutions in developing countries and publicize their work • Develop thematic networks of centres of excellence • Support joint research
TWNSO: Build political support • Biennial meetings of ministers of science and technology in the South • Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS)
TWNSO: Identify leaders • Profiles of TWNSO Members • Profiles of Centres of Excellence in the South
TWNSO: Establish networks • Conservation, management and sustainable use of water resources in the South • Application of innovative renewable energy technologies in the South • Sustainable utilization of biodiversity in arid and semi-arid lands • Sustainable use of medicinal and indigenous food plants in developing countries
TWNSO: Support joint research • Merit-based and peer-reviewed grants to institutions in the South for joint research projects (at least one cooperating institution in a LDC). TWNSO Joint Research Project:Biological Control of Schistosomiasis Morbidity• Fac. of Medicine, Riberão Preto, Brazil• Natl. Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt• Natl. Lab. for Public Health, Bissau, Guinea-BissauAbove: Schistosoma mansoni; Below: Biomphalaria glabrata
TWNSO Partners • Global Environment Facility (GEF), Washington • Special Unit for South-South Cooperation (SSC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), New York • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Nairobi • World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Geneva • OPEC Fund for International Development, Vienna • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Paris
TWNSO(1988)160 member organizations TWOWS(1989)2,718 individual members TWAS(1983) 765 individual members IAP(1993)92 member academies IAMP(2000)57 member academies TWAS and Partners
IAP • Launched in 1993, the InterAcademy Panel on International Issues is a global network of 92 science academies worldwide. • IAP promotes: • cooperation between member academies on science-related issues of global concern • the role of academies as independent, credible advisors to governments on policies and decisions based on S&T
IAP: Action • Assists academies in developing countries to build their capacities (NAS, TWAS) • Helps transform academies from static 'clubs of old men' to dynamic 'boundary organizations'
IAP: Action • Helps scientific communities to establish new merit-based academies • Supports regional networks of academies in Africa, Asia, Latin America and OIC countries • Issues statements on topics of global concern
TWNSO(1988)160 member organizations TWOWS(1989)2,718 individual members TWAS(1983) 765 individual members IAP(1993)92 member academies IAMP(2000)57 member academies TWAS and Partners
IAMP • Established in 2000, the InterAcademy Medical Panel is a global network of the world's medical academies or the medical divisions of science academies. • The 57 members of IAMP seek to: • Improve global health, especially among the world's poorest nations. • Build capacity of academies to address health-related issues. • Provide independent scientific advice to national governments and international bodies for the promotion of health science and health care policy.
Overview • TWAS and Partners • TWAS Regional Offices • TWAS-ARO
Beijing Chinese Academy of Sciences AlexandriaBibliotheca Alexandrina Bangalore J.N. Centre for AdvancedScientific Research Nairobi African Academy of Sciences Rio de Janeiro Brazilian Academy of Sciences TWAS Regional Offices
Regional Offices: Objectives • Promote regular activities of TWAS and its partners in the region and assess their vitality and effectiveness • Strengthen collaboration between TWAS Members and facilitate their contacts with young scientists in the region • Promote public awareness and understanding of science in the region
Regional Offices: Activities • Disseminate information about TWAS programmes throughout the region. • Identify outstanding scientists in the region (especially women) and nominate them for TWAS prizes and membership. • Identify leading research and training institutions in the region for participation in TWAS South-South exchange programmes. • Organize periodic meetings of TWAS Members in the region and scientific events in conjunction with these meetings.
Regional Offices: Activities • Establish a regional award for young scientists in recognition of their scientific achievements. • Establish a website for the regional office and an electronic newsletter. • Facilitate contacts between TWAS Members and young talented scientists in the region, including recipients of TWAS research grants, postgraduate and postdoctoral fellowships.
Regional Offices: Activities • Encourage and facilitate participation of TWAS Members in public debate, science policy and public understanding of science. • Collaboration with IAP in strengthening science academies in the region and in introducing appropriate reforms. • Encourage TWAS Members and leading scientists in the region to establish new science academies in countries with no such bodies.
Overview • TWAS and Partners • TWAS Regional Offices • TWAS-ARO
TWAS-ARO • Headquarters: Bibliotheca Alexandrina • Director: Ismail Serageldin
TWAS-ARO: Arab World Regional: Arab Academy of Sciences, Jordan
Mohamed H.A. HassanExecutive Director, TWASmhassan@twas.org www.twas.org Thank you for your attention