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Programme

  • Parallel Session A-6
  • Panel

Developing Science Centres in Africa for Equality of Opportunity and Global Sustainability

Wednesday 15 Nov 2017
11:30-12:45
7F Jupiter

Session Concept:
The growth of the science centre field is necessary for equality of opportunity and global sustainability. This session focuses on collaborative projects to develop science centres in Africa with models relevant for science centre development elsewhere in the world. At the 5th Science Centres World Congress in Toronto, keynote speaker President Mohammed Hassan of the World Academy of Science (TWAS) made a heartfelt plea for help in developing science centres in Africa. This request was followed up at the 6th Science Centres World Congress in Cape Town with a capacity-developing workshop when a number of emerging projects were identified. Nine years on from the original request there has been some good progress and this session will reflect on current challenges and opportunities in African countries. The different models for start-up activity have relevance for science centre development in other regions including South East Asia, the South Pacific and Latin America.

Moderator

Susan Stocklmayer
Former Director, National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University
Australia

Speaker

Ronen Mir
Director, Weizmann Institute of Science, Schwartz/Reisman Science Education Centers
Israel
The development of a major network of Science Centres, High School Shared Campuses, Outreach Programmes and Science Museums, all supported by mentoring between Israel and Ethiopia, will be described.
Leapotswe Bantsi
Botswana International University of Science and Technology
Botswana
Graham Walker
Academic Coordinator Science Circus, National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University
Australia
Science Circus Africa is a capacity building program that has reached 75,000 people and trained hundreds of staff in 10 African countries, helping assess Africa’s science centre development needs.
Kenneth Monjero
Founder, Children’s Science Centre Kenya/ Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation
Kenya
There is shocking distribution of science centres in Africa despite their transformational power. East African countries are now seeking to establish a cooperative regional development program for science centre initiatives.