UNESCO, National Instruments & Singapore Advance STEEL Partnership

The UNESCO, National Instruments, and Science Center Singapore today launched a flagship initiative to popularize science, technology, and engineering in Southeast Asia.

AsianScientist (Sep. 7, 2011) – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), National Instruments, and Science Center Singapore today announced the launch of a flagship initiative to popularize science, technology, and engineering in Southeast Asia.

Called the Science, Technology and Engineering Exchange Laboratory (STEEL), the program aims to build the competencies of education officials, technical and vocational teachers, and students in Southeast Asian countries through hands-on laboratory workshop and curriculum development training.

It is jointly funded by UNESCO and National Instruments, and backed by the Science Center Singapore in training expertise, venue, and overall workshop management.

“UNESCO’s vision for STEEL is to popularize science, technology, and engineering, and transfer knowledge to emergent communities,” says Dr. Hubert Gijzen, Director of Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, UNESCO.

Dr. Gijzen, whose Jakarta bureau covers a region with more than 50 percent of the world population, added that a strong science and technology foundation would help to drive sustainable human resource and industrial development in the region.

Earlier this year, UNESCO and Science Center Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Science education enhancement programs in support of capacity building across Asia-Pacific.

Commenting on the partnership, Associate Professor Lim Tit Meng, Chief Executive of the Science Center Singapore, said:

“Singapore has built a strong foundation in Science and Technology over the decades and is poised to lead the region in new technologies and advancements. We are eager to share our knowledge and expertise in biotechnology, engineering and information technology with the region,” he said.

Over 40 teachers and government education officials from Indonesia, Thailand, and Timor-Leste, as well as participating educators from Singapore are attending the inaugural event, taking place from September 7 to 9 this week at the Science Center.

At the workshops, the delegates will learn how to conduct outreach programs, organize national events, and develop relevant content for Science, technology and Engineering education in their communities. They will be introduced to software from National Instruments, including LabVIEW and MyDAQ.

Delegates will also visit the Senoko Power Plant and a local school, Woodgrove Secondary School. Woodgrove was the recipient of the Watermark Award 2010 and the President’s Award for the Environment in 2011.

——

Source: Science Center, Singapore.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

Asian Scientist Magazine is an award-winning science and technology magazine that highlights R&D news stories from Asia to a global audience. The magazine is published by Singapore-headquartered Wildtype Media Group.

Related Stories from Asian Scientist