UNESCO�

• India-UNESCO Science & Technology Cooperation

Introduction

India's cooperation with UNESCO in fields of education, science, culture and communication is the overall responsibility of Indian National Commission (INC) for Cooperation with UNESCO serviced by MHRD, Department of Secondary & Higher Education . INC is supported by five Sub-Commissions, namely, on Education, Natural Sciences, Culture, Social Sciences & Communication .

DST contributes to the agenda of INC by recommending Indian interests and needs for cooperation with UNESCO in natural sciences.

Secretary Department of Science & Technology (DST) chairs the Natural Sciences Sub-Commission of INC ; this Committee makes recommendations on the following for approval of INC presided by Hon'ble Minister for HRD:

• Recommends India's needs and interests to cooperate with UNESCO in the field of Science & Technology in relation to UNESCO Medium Term Strategy & Biennial UNESCO Programs ;

• Indian interventions ( including Draft Resolutions seeking amendments in UNESCO Actions) at periodic UNESCO General Conference(s) on UNESCO Major Program in Natural Sciences are also finalized by this Sub Commission;

• Prioritized requests in natural sciences from India for support under UNESCO Participation Program ; &

• Nomination of (i) Indian candidates for prizes in recognition of scientific excellence administered by UNESCO (ii) Indian Scientific Delegate(s) to International Conferences in the field of natural sciences; (iii) Indian eminent scientists & specialists to UNESCO Committees on scientific themes .

Areas of Cooperation

Indian interests in natural sciences vis-à-vis UNESCO Medium Term Strategy 2002-2007 / UNESCO Program & Budget 2003 onwards are focused on:

UNESCO's Human, Technical & Institutional Capacity Building in Sciences

• Mobilizing UNESCO to devise strategies for intellectual resources management-more symmetric mobility of S&T professionals, strengthening institutional capacities by establishing worldwide network of centres of excellence for research and education in basic sciences ( as evident from UNESCO's International Basic Sciences Program-IBSP & within it the IBSP Centres of Excellence recognized by UNESCO , in the offing)
  UNESCO cooperation is being requested by India in respect of Centres of Excellence in - Biotechnology, S&T Capacity Development in Climate Change, Earthquake Risk Evaluation Centre - risk assessment tools

UNESCO's Projects in cross cutting themes

• UNESCO's cooperation is desired in creating "Digital S&T Library & Information Resources" to be hosted in India to facilitate open & equitable access to scientific information , journals, technical books and research monographs for users to pursue world class research and augmenting science education in Asian region; UNESCO is expected to mobilize and negotiate frameworks whereby voluntary/discounted permission of publishers is secured for putting selected scientific publications on this Digital S&T Library ; this interest can be best related to UNESCO Project on cross cutting theme " Contribution of ICT to the development of education, science and construction of a knowledge society".

• Fostering equitable access to information and knowledge for development is a forte of UNESCO. Thus UNESCO action are desired to mobilize international consensus on reasonable interpretation of "Fair Use" clauses in International Copyrights laws which should provide a good balance between private profit and public good and allow pursuit of research and education.

• Sharing of Indian initiative with other countries on "Traditional Knowledge Digital Library -TKDL (hosted by National Institute of Science Communication & Information Resources, India) for retrieval of traditional knowledge related information by patent examiners to prevent grant of patents on the ground that the subject matter is already in public domain. This Indian offer best relates to UNESCO Project related to cross cutting theme on "Local & Indigenous Knowledge Systems (LINKS) in a global society "

UNESCO's Expert Panels, Multilateral Programs

• Intellectual contributions to the development of norms and declarations by UNESCO in the fields of human genome, human genetic data;

• Participation in bodies such as World Commission on Ethics of Scientific Knowledge & Technology (COMEST); Inter-governmental International Oceanographic Commission-IOC , International Hydrological Program-IHP , Man & Biosphere-MAB , International Geological Correlation Program -IGCP & actions under its aegis;

• UNESCO Science Prizes- Add on privileges

• Award of Ruchi Ram Sahni Chair ,allowing 2-4 week stay in India , to Kalinga Prize for Science Popularization awardee . Coordinated by DST, this is aimed at enriching Indian initiatives on science popularization , share experience on interpretation of science, research and technology to public and to seed collaborations. As Ruch Ram Sahni Chair holder, DST meets the international travel, board, lodging and Biju Patnaik honorarium of US$2000 for the period of visit to India.

Modes of Cooperation

UNESCO assumes the role of identifying important emerging problems/challenges in fields including natural sciences and enabling :

• Mobilization of international opinion ;

• Development of norms , standards, universal declarations & strategies to deal with such challenges;

• Gathering, sharing best practices and devising of innovative solutions in building human and institutional capacities in fields including natural sciences;

• Promotion of implementation of multilateral programmes & projects related to cross cutting themes;

• Conferment of prizes in recognition of scientific excellence including Kalinga Prize for Popularization of Science, L'OREAL-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science, Carlos J. Finaly Prize, Javed Husain Prize for Young Scientists, UNESCO Science Prize & Institut Pasteur-UNESCO Medal

• Financial support for national & regional projects fielded by Member States under Participation Program

Soliciting proposals for UNESCO Cooperation in Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences Sub-Commission of INC Members (Institutional & Individual Members ) identify India's interests and needs for collaboration with UNESCO in natural sciences for adoption by INC. As appropriate, these are taken up in UNESCO General Conference Session(s) / UNESCO Participation Program / reflected in responses of GOI from MHRD-INC Secretariat

Guidelines, Application Format/ Documents
These can be browsed on webaddress http://www.unesco.org

Contact Persons:
India:
Mrs. Sadhana Relia,
Scientist F (Director), International Cooperation,
Department of Science & Technology, Technology Bhavan New Delhi-110016
Tel: +91-11-26602189 Fax: +91-11-26862418 Email: [email protected]

Mr. C..Balakrishnan,
Joint Secretary (Policy & UNESCO),
MHRD, Department of Secondary & Higher Education,
C-Wing Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi
Tel: +91-11-23381096 Fax; 23381355 Email: [email protected]

Madam Neelam Sabbharwal,
Ambassador ,
Permanent Mission of India to UNESCO Paris
Fax No.+33-1-47345188: [email protected]

UNESCO

Dr. W. Erdelen,
Assistant Director General for Natural Sciences,
UNESCO Headquarters, 1 rue Miollis
75732 Paris Cedex 15, France
Tel: +33-0-145684078 Fax:+33-0-145685801 Email: [email protected]

Prof. M.Tawfik,
Director UNESCO New Delhi Office &
UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Communication & Information
UNESCO House B-5/29 Safdarjung Enclave New Dlhi-110029
Tel: +91-11-26713000 Fax: +91-11-26713001, 26713002
Email: [email protected]