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IAU Commission 46 (Astronomy Education and Development)

Terms of Reference, Rules & Guidelines

Commission 46 is a Committee of the Executive Committee (EC) of the IAU.

OBJECTIVES

The Commission seeks to further the development and improvement of astronomical education at all levels throughout the world, through various projects initiated, maintained, and to be developed by the Commission and by disseminating information concerning astronomy education at all levels.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (OC)

The OC is charged with the high-level planning and coordination of the activities of the IAU in the broad sphere of astronomy education and development. It is appointed at each IAU General Assembly, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee (IAU By-Laws §20b). The OC has the following composition, members being drawn from all fields of activity (reappointments allowed)

the present and past President and the Vice-President(s) of Commission 46
a member of the Executive Committee (EC), appointed by the EC
the chairs of all active Program Groups
other members of the Commission up to a total of 12.

The OC reports to the Commission and to the General Secretary (and from there as appropriate to the EC and the General Assembly) through the Commission President. The Commission President may delegate specific duties to the Commission Vice President(s). If the President of Commission 46 for any reason becomes unable to fulfill his/her duties in a timely manner, the Vice President(s) is(are) responsible for conducting the business of the OC.

Triennial nominations: At an appropriate time before each General Assembly, the Commission President (or designated Vice President), in consultation with the OC, shall prepare a slate of officers and members of the OC, and consultant members who will be willing to serve for the next term and present this list to the EC for appointment at the time of the General Assembly.

At the end of a three-year term, the President is normally succeeded by one of the Vice-Presidents. An individual may serve up to two consecutive terms as Vice-President. President and Vice-President(s) should be from different countries.

The business of the OC includes the items listed below as well as such others it may deem appropriate. It may conduct its business by correspondence, including electronic correspondence.

Under the responsibility of the Commission President or designated Vice-President, the OC will:

Prepare an annual Plan of Action, with a five-year Forward Look, for approval by the EC
Monitor the progress of ongoing activities and make appropriate adjustments if necessary. Termination of a budgeted activity will require prior approval by the GS
Prepare an annual Budget for its activities within the total amount assigned to it, and revise this budget if additional funds become available during the year
Appoint the Program Groups for the individual activities
Monitor the progress of ongoing activities and revise their budgets if necessary. Revisions amounting to more than 10% of the total budget assigned to the Commission will require prior approval by the GS
Submit brief, informal quarterly reports to the GS (email acceptable) and a summary report to the GS before the annual EC meetings on the progress of its activities
Prepare a summary report on its activities over the triennium for the Reports on Astronomy (Transactions A)
Provide such reports and budgetary documentation as requested by the GS for the accounts of the IAU and as may be required by any external sponsors.

PROGRAM GROUPS (PGs)

For each identifiable activity, a PG is appointed by the OC to plan and conduct the activity within the programmatic and budgetary terms defined by the OC. Each PG reports to the OC at intervals and in ways defined by the OC. Members of the PG are appointed by the OC for periods of up to three years (renewable) and include a Chair responsible for coordinating the work of the PG, plus a small number of additional members who actively contribute to the work of the PG. The Chair should be a member of the OC of Commission 46 while the others may be either IAU members or consultants. The membership and rotation schemes should be defined as appropriate for the long- or short-term nature of the activity.

Within the terms defined by the OC, the PGs will undertake all actions needed for the successful conduct of their activities. These include the selection of student and faculty participants as appropriate, allocating individual travel or other support within the PG budget, and serving as the primary source of advice or assistance for all involved. Any binding agreements with external institutions or other parties will, however, require the signature or other explicit prior approval of the GS (Working Rules 33). The PGs will provide regular programmatic and financial reports to the OC to enable it to fulfil the obligations listed above. Actual expenditures, if within approved budget levels and so identified, normally will be arranged directly between each PG Chair and the IAU secretariat.

The PGs are presently as follows (the first five having their own additional rules and guidelines).

PG for the Worldwide Development of Astronomy
PG for Teaching Astronomy for Development
PG for International Schools for Young Astronomers
PG for Exchange of Astronomers
PG for National Liaison on Astronomy Education
PG for Collaborative Programs; activities co-sponsored by UNESCO, COSPAR, UN, ICSU, etc. and interactions with other international organizations
PG for Commission Newsletter; an Editor plus perhaps 2 members
PG for solar eclipses; timely advice for countries that will experience a solar eclipse
PG for exchanges of books, journals, materials.

REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES

Regular review of ongoing activities is essential. In addition to the ongoing informal, self-reviews through the annual reports, the EC should commission an overall program review every 3-6 years, in consultation with the OC.

COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP

National Education Liaison: Every country adhering to the IAU should have an educator identified as liaison to Commission 46. The designated Vice-President will identify these liaisons in time for appointment as member of Commission 46 at the General Assembly. A liaison may be an IAU member or a consultant member. The advice of the National Committee or Adhering Body of each country may be sought. The National Committee or Adhering Body will be informed of the appointment. A liaison may also be appointed for a country not adhering to the IAU.
Members of Program Groups: Members of Program Groups are members of Commission 46 if nominated in time for approval at the General Assembly. Additional members may be co-opted by Program Groups on an informal basis as needed, but these are not necessarily members of Commission 46.

PG WORLDWIDE DEVELOPMENT OF ASTRONOMY (WWDA) (and relationship to TAD)

The role of this PG is to visit countries with some astronomical expertise at tertiary (i.e. post high school) level, which are probably not IAU member states, but which would welcome some development of their capabilities in teaching and/or research in astronomy. As a result of making initial contact and paying these countries a visit at the institutions with at least one astronomer, a report will be written for the Commission 46 President and sent to the IAU Executive Committee. If the conditions were deemed favorable, then follow-up work by TAD or other program groups of Commission 46 may be appropriate.

A longer term goal for WWDA in partnership with TAD could be to explore the possibilities of setting up a third-world institute for astronomy in a developing country, or to have a number of nodes to such an institute distributed through several geographical locations. The ICTP in Trieste could be a model.

To propose a project, the Chairperson of this PG should be contacted.

PG TEACHING ASTRONOMY FOR DEVELOPMENT (TAD)

TAD is intended to assist a country with currently little astronomy which wants to enhance its astronomy education significantly. TAD operates on the basis of a proposal from a professional astronomy organization or on the basis of a contract between the IAU and an academic institution, usually a university. The Chair of the Program Group TAD, with the advice of other members of the PG, helps to negotiate the proposal or contract so that the proposed activities fall within the financial and managing/supervisory capabilities of the IAU and have a good chance of being realized within a few years. An active local leader of the project must be clearly identified. But consideration should be given to supporting all the astronomical institutions in a country so that astronomy may progress on a national basis.

The membership of the PG is to include the Chairperson, the EC member of the OC, and advisors, including at least one advisor for each participating country. All persons participating in financial decisions must be IAU members.

The capabilities of the TAD program are limited to assistance with university-level activities, such as

the creation of university-level astronomy/astrophysics courses and the faculty training and equipment associated with the development and first offering of such courses
a basic, largely educationally oriented research capability for faculty and students
travel (i.e. transportation) costs of foreign visiting lecturers and of students invited for study at foreign universities, and
professional preparations needed as a prerequisite for plans to offer astronomy in schools and for the public. TAD can provide advice about education of school teachers, but not financial support. The training of school teachers and the actual performance of school teaching and public outreach is considered to be part of the national resources.

Progress of each project is to be reviewed regularly, at least annually in connection with preparation of the next year’s budget, and evaluated in reference to the annual and long-range plans expressed in the contract or original proposal. After three years, a review of long-range plans is expected that includes an estimate of the time, typically six to ten years after the beginning of the project, when the goals of the project are probably accomplished and support by the IAU TAD program may end. The long-range review should include an outline when or how continuing expenses (for journals, annual professional meetings, etc.) are to be taken over by local institutions.

When it becomes appropriate to consider new proposals from additional countries, this opportunity should be announced not only formally in the Information Bulletin but also by communication with astronomers in non-member countries, particularly those known to the PG for the Worldwide Development of Astronomy.

To propose a project, the Chairperson of this PG should be contacted.

PG INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS FOR YOUNG ASTRONOMERS (ISYA)

Educational activities are one of the essential tasks of the Union. The International Schools for Young Astronomers is a project within IAU Commission 46, Astronomy Education and Development. The Chair of the Program Group, through the President of Commission 46, should request from the General Secretary a budget for generally two ISYA during any triennium between IAU General Assemblies. The financial support is only for travel, both international and within the host country. The host institution must obtain the funds to cover expenses during the ISYA.

ISYA seeks the participation of young astronomers mainly, but not exclusively, from astronomically developing countries. Participants should generally have finished first degree studies.

ISYA seeks to broaden the participants’ perspective on astronomy by lectures from an international faculty on selected topics of astronomy, seminars, practical exercises and observations, and exchange of experiences.

There should be a wide regional (multi-country) representation of both lecturers and students. Participation in ISYA by women is encouraged both as student and as teacher.

For countries with a national astronomy program, part of the school should take place at an observatory site for training in observational techniques and if possible in data reduction.

The ISYA Chairperson should correspond with the Director of the school so that the proposal follows the working rules and guidelines for the ISYA currently in force. The correspondence should include the duration of ISYA, generally about three weeks, the range of topics to be accommodated in that time, the academic level of the lectures, the importance of faculty who have teaching experience and who can remain for the entire duration of the school, the opportunity of practical exercises including observing and data reduction, the time allotted to individual presentations by participants, the actual dates and location, practical arrangements for room, board, and academic facilities, the associated budget, and the adequacy of the host institution’s plans to obtain the needed funding.

The approval of an ISYA proposal, agreed to by the Director of the School and the ISYA Chairperson, may be done in two steps. First, the ISYA Chairperson, via the President of Commission 46, seeks approval by the EC of the theme and outline of the scientific program of the ISYA and its venue and dates. Second, the final approval of the ISYA detailed program and lecturers rests with the President of Commission 46. The latter should resolve any disagreements developing during the planning process and, if deemed necessary, may cancel the ISYA.

Approval will depend on the identification of a capable local organizer (not necessarily the Director of the school) who, with the support of the ISYA Chairperson, can complete all arrangements in time for the ISYA.

The list of recipients of IAU travel grants is worked out jointly by the Director of the school and the ISYA Chairperson. At least one third of the participants should be foreign.

During the school, the ISYA Chairperson and/or Vice-Chairperson will act as academic coordinator for the faculty and participants and for the program of lectures.

The ISYA Chairperson should write two reports.

Immediately after the school, generally written with the help of the Director of the School, a first report should summarize the program of the activities, lectures held, the list and addresses of the participants, the list of the speakers and lecturers and the highlights, strengths and weaknesses of the school.
Two to four years after the ISYA has been held, a second report should give information on the scientific or educational activities of the ISYA participants together with their new addresses. The ISYA Chairperson should communicate both reports to the EC for information and to the President of Commission 46 for review at the next GA. A summary report should be published in the IAU Information Bulletin.

PG EXCHANGE OF ASTRONOMERS (formerly Commission 38)

The PG makes travel grants to qualified individuals in order to enable them to visit institutions abroad where they may interact with the intellectual life and participate in the research of the host institution. It is the objective of the program that astronomy in the home country be enriched after the applicant returns. The PG publishes, both on the IAU web site and in IAU Information Bulletins, all the information needed to apply for a grant under the IAU Exchange of Astronomers program.

The chair is responsible for requesting the needed funds as part of the budget for Commission 46 and for timely coordination with the President of Commission 46. Normally the Chair serves from one General Assembly to the end of the next General Assembly, and the Vice-Chair succeeds the Chair at the end of the latter’s three year term. All persons participating in financial recommendations must be IAU members.

Information on How to Apply for Grants for Exchange of Astronomers may be found here.

PG NATIONAL LIAISON ON ASTRONOMY EDUCATION

The exchange of information about astronomy education in different countries is an important project of Commission 46. The exchange of information takes place primarily through the triennial national reports on astronomy education and through conferences organized by Commission 46. The main duty of the National Liaison on Astronomy Education is

to write the triennial national report such as to be a valuable resource for countries wishing to enhance their astronomy education, and
to transmit to the educators of his/her own country the insights that they might glean from the reports and conferences of Commission 46.

The (one) Vice-President of Commission 46 shall normally be the Chairperson for the PG for National Liaison on Astronomy Education.