Survey on Astronomy in Africa
I have received this survey about astronomy in our country as part of understanding astronomy in Africa.
There are three main issues with four or five questions in each.
I would really appreciate your views and input on information about astronomy in schools, research and public.
I hope you can spend some time and give me a feedback so that I can combine them together for Tanzania. We will be using this information to generate a strategy for developing astronomy in Africa during a meeting in Cairo at the beginning of April. So your early reply will be appreciated.
Responses from other countries
Africa Astronomy Survey
Greetings to points of contact for Astronomy in Africa In taking astronomy forward there is a need to carry out a survey of the status of astronomy in each of our respective countries. The objective is to plan activities and projects that would help in the development of astronomy at all levels in each country.
The sooner you can provide input to this survey the better, especially considering the upcoming MEARIM meeting where countries' specific feedback can be discussed on a regional level.
At the end of the survey each country should self-evaluate and give themselves a status in each of the following areas:
1. Professional (Research) Astronomy
2. Public Understanding of Astronomy
3. Astronomy in Schools
The status of a country in each of the above 3 areas will be classified according to four “phases” of development:
1. “Phase 1” countries would be *well established* countries with links to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and functioning astronomy research and outreach communities.
2. “Phase 2” countries would have existing astronomy research and outreach communities but remain *in need of support* in order to get astronomy well established.
3. “Phase 3” countries would have a non-existent astronomy community but show *strong potential* in the form of physics/mathematics research and outreach communities who are willing to drive the development of astronomy.
4. “Phase 4” countries would have a non-existent astronomy community and would have *limited potential* for the development of such a community i.e. no research or outreach communities.
Please respond to the following questions in as much detail as possible so that you, together with the IAU, can establish the status of astronomy in your country. Feel free to provide references to more information and contact details of relevant organizations/individuals dealing with the subject.
1. Professional (Research) Astronomy:
(i) Number of universities offering Astronomy (and their names)
(ii) Number of universities offering Physics (and their names)
(iii) Number of academics who have been trained in Astronomy (ideally with their names and levels of qualification)
(iv) Number of astronomical facilities (observatories, telescopes, etc) and as much detail about each as possible (websites/contact details)
v) Self evaluation (according to the different phases above, how would you rate your country in terms of Professional Astronomy?
Please include any other relevant information to motivate your choice.)
2. Public Understanding of Astronomy:
(i) What governmental astronomy/science outreach programmes for the public take place (co-ordinated either by government departments or national facilities)
(ii) What non-governmental astronomy/science outreach programmes for the public take place (NGO activities or international programmes that your country is involved in)
(iii) Comment on the presence of astronomy in the media (TV, radio, newspapers). Is it very prominent? Are there specific programmes on astronomy? Is the media generally willing to publish news on astronomy?
(iv) Comment on the presence of astronomy/science in the general culture of the people. Are there any specific challenges or setbacks? Is astronomy a welcome subject of conversation?
(v) Self evaluation (according to the different phases above, how would you rate your country in terms of Public Understanding of Astronomy?
Please include any other relevant information to motivate your choice.)
3. Astronomy in Schools:
(i) What governmental astronomy/science education and outreach programmes for schools take place (co-ordinated either by government departments or national facilities)
(ii) What non-governmental astronomy/science education and outreach programmes for schools take place (NGO activities or international programmes that your country is involved in)
(iii) Comment on the presence of astronomy in the school curriculum. Is it part of the school curriculum? Is it very prominent? What age groups?
(iv) Comment on the status of astronomy/science in schools. Are there any specific challenges or setbacks? Sufficient number of students studying maths and science? General interest in maths/science/astronomy in schools?
(v) Self evaluation (according to the different phases above, how would you rate your country in terms of Astronomy in Schools?
Please include any other relevant information to motivate your choice.)
Any other general comments or information that you feel would be useful for this survey?
Thank You for participating in this Survey to improve Astronomy in Africa