The participants started from Delhi at 8:00 am on April 17, 2009. After welcome by the GLOBE Country Coordinator Mr. Mehta, the participants were requested to make presentation in brief in the bus on the activities carried out in their countries. Each country coordinator made brief presentation on the activities carried out by their countries on the GLOBE Program. Dr. Teresa Kennedy, Deputy Director, GLOBE Program Office informed the participants about the new initiatives under taken and programmes of GLOBE. The bus arrived at the Holiday Inn, Agra at 1:45 pm.
Meeting at Conference Room, Hotel Holiday Inn, Agra:
The meeting started at 2:30 pm in the conference Room of the Hotel Holiday Inn, Agra with the welcome address from Mr. R. Mehta and Dr. Desh Bandhu, Asia –Pacific GLOBE Regional Office. Dr. Teresa Kennedy and Ms. Nandini Mcclurg also addressed the representative from the different countries.
After welcome address Dr. Teresa Kennedy, Deputy Director, GLOBE Program Office presented the GLOBE Programme Office overview. In her presentation she said that 9 countries out of 16 countries are participating in this meeting. The countries such as Palau and Micronesia could not participate due to difficulties in completing travel formalities.
Dr. Teresa Kennedy also informed the Country Coordinators regarding setting up of Asia – Pacific Regional Office of GLOBE at the Indian Environmental Society, Delhi. She also informed regarding the services which Regional Office will be providing to the countries in the region.
The services will include basic support services to all community members in the region;
to promote regional sustainability through identification and generation of external funding from sources within and outside of the region; and to translate relevant materials in the languages of the region and dissemination of information to community members (through email and Skype correspondences, newsletters, information posted on the region’s Web site and other communications); to work with countries within the region on recruitment efforts toward building strong community membership, to strengthen current GLOBE countries as well as help to bring new partner countries of the region, as well as to build the Alumni, Parent, and Scientist networks, to assist with logistical organization of Regional Events (such as regional meetings and training events, as well as regional student research campaigns); and to develop record keeping activities and to facilitate evaluation activities, including assisting countries as need to complete annual surveys.
For strengthening the GLOBE Program nationally and regionally by searching the sponsor in their country and region and by promoting their collaborating organizations and to develop training needs in the region.
She asked for creating GLOBE Alumni organisation and involves them in each activities of GLOBE. She informed about GLOBE Annual Meet will be held during August 2 -7, 2009 in Canada.
Mr. Raj Mehta, Country Coordinator, India & Chairman GIAC presented the report on the follow up of activities undertaken after the Regional Meeting in Philippins. In his presentation he said that following major issue were discussed by GIAC:
Setting up GLOBE Regional offices in each Region.
Raising of funds to make GLOBE programme self sustainable.
Focus on Inquiry Based Student Research.
Integration of GLOBE into school curriculum.
Cooperation between different Regions in terms of Research, exchange of information etc.
Organization of Climate Change Research and Education Workshop.
The four Earth System Science Projects taken up by GLOBE.
He also explained about the students research Project on Climate Change which will commence in 2011 and the final results to be presented at International Student Conference 2013.
GLOBE aims to involve more than 10, 00,000 students in Climate Research.
He also informed regarding the Climate Change Research and Education Workshop which was held during 25-28 January, 2009 at WMO Headquarters, Geneva and was attended by 43 Climate Scientists, Educators, Administrators and Students from different countries with goal to bring together the Climate Science and Climate Education Communities to establish and secure their commitment to the global Climate Research Campaign. He told that following three priority areas were identified for Climate.
Research:
: - Water, Weather and Climate
: - Carbon, Energy and Climate
: - Eco-systems, Biodiversity and Climate
Mr. Raj Mehta & Teresa Kennedy made a presentation on Regional Working groups with the regional Priorities as below
Promoting and strengthening regional and international implementation, activities and relations among students and teachers in GLOBE countries, especially those within the Asia and Pacific region.
Strengthening national implementation of GLOBE throughout the region.
Developing regional and international GLOBE projects and collaborations between countries and their schools.
Developing the regional Master Trainer Core to promote capacity building throughout the region.
Enhancing communication and information sharing among all GLOBE countries in the region and the GLOBE Program Office.
Developing a sustainability plan for GLOBE in Asia and the Pacific.
In his presentation Mr. Mehta said that The GLOBE Program Office and GLOBE International Advisory Committee member will serve as the Chair of the GLOBE Asia-Pacific Regional Consortium. The organization of the consortium will be closely aligned with the 6 identified regional priorities listed above. Working groups have been formed for each of 6 priorities according to the following guidelines:
Every member country of the consortium must participate in at least one working group, with participation not to exceed four working groups at one time.
Each country representative may be chair of only one working group at one time.
Chairs of each working group will serve two year terms.
Chairs are limited to serving two consecutive terms.
The priorities identified in the initial memorandum of understanding can be modified according to the GLOBE Asia-Pacific Regional Consortium as agreed upon by the region.
The GLOBE Asia-Pacific Regional Consortium Organizing Committee will consist of the following members:
The GPO GLOBE International Advisory Committee (GIAC) regional representative.
The Chairs of each of the 6 working groups.
Together, this group, not to consist of more than 7 representatives, will be responsible for taking forward and developing the priorities of the GLOBE Asia-Pacific Regional Consortium. The six working group were formed based on the priorities mentioned above. The detail of these working groups as given by Mr. Mehta is given below with members of the group:
Promoting and strengthening regional and international implementation
Chair: India
Members: Fiji, Mongolia, New Zealand, Palau, Philippines, Thailand
Developing implementation models to be shared throughout the region.
Identifying and involving GLOBE Alumni in regional priorities and initiatives.
Exploring possibilities of exchange visits for GLOBE trainers and teachers to other countries within the region.
Promoting collaboration with other regional consortia.
Strengthening national implementation
Chair: Philippines
Members: Bangladesh, Maldives, Marshall Islands, *Pakistan, Palau, Sri Lanka
Developing strategies to encourage community participation in GLOBE activities.
To include GLOBE to the school teachings (educational activities) as well as textbooks in each country (E.g. GLOBE integration into national curricula of each country in the region).
Developing training, implementation and school mentoring models for sharing throughout the region to facilitate the organization of training and refresher courses for GLOBE teachers and to develop mechanisms to support the infrastructure of CCs across Asia and the Pacific.
Developing regional and international GLOBE projects and collaborations
Chair: Thailand
Members: Bangladesh, Fiji, *South Korea, Nepal, New Zealand, Sri Lanka
Establishing process for regional project development, dissemination, implementation and documentation of results.
Identifying mechanisms for involving scientists in the region in GLOBE student research activities.
Identifying mechanisms to increase the activities of GLOBE teachers and schools including, but not limited to, GLOBE games, other regional competitions related to GLOBE protocols and projects.
Developing the regional Master Trainer Corps
Chair: Maldives
Members: India, Fiji, Mongolia, Palau, Philippines, Thailand
Monitoring the Regional Master Trainer Program.
Supporting and facilitating the organization of regional TTT workshops.
The time frame agreed was upto six months to finalise the training programme.
Enhancing communication
Chair: New Zealand
Members: *Australia, Maldives, *Micronesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka
Establishing a mechanism for regional communication (E.g. regional newsletter).
Identifying mechanisms to communicate regional activities to community members (E.g. promotional materials that can be used nationally and regionally to highlight GLOBE).
Developing a regional sustainability plan
Chair: Nepal
Members: India, *Japan, Maldives, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Thailand
Seeking sponsors for national and regional GLOBE activities.
Identifying regional equipment suppliers.
After this presentation, Chair of each working group was asked to make presentation about their task accomplished. First Mr. Raj Mehta, Country Coordinator, India & Chair of Group for Promoting and strengthening regional and international implementation gave the progress report of his group as below
Identifying and involving GLOBE Alumni is under process
Documentation of implementation model is to be done
Youth Forum on Climate Change & Global Warming is a move forward for the exchange visit for GLOBE trainers and teachers to other countries of region
For promoting collaboration with other regional consortia we are in touch with others and some project have been done
Ms. Monica, Country Coordinator, Philippines and Chair of Group for strengthening national implementation in her presentation said the following
Efforts are made to involve Schools along with community, professional groups, staffs of different agencies Education system is closed and any things can not be align easy
The Philippines is composed of lots of islands so training , implantation and school mentoring models is not easy Will follow the Thailand Model for implementing the GLOBE Program in country
At a single centre school teachers will be trained and instrument kits will be provided By next meeting we will give a concert mechanisms to support the infrastructure of CCs across Asia and the Pacific. She agreed to send the Globe Model before May 4, 2009. The time frame agreed was till July 15, 2009 to complete all remaining activities.
Dr. Charlie, Representing Country Coordinator, Thailand and Chair of Group for developing regional and international GLOBE Project and Collaborations informed as below
Have developed 51 project for primary schools and 95 project for the secondary schools in Thailand He wanted time for accomplishing the work allotted
The time frame agreed was six month to complete the activities.
Mr. Ibrahim Naeem, Representing Maldives Country Coordinator and Chair of Group for Developing the Regional Master Trainer corps informed as below
No master trainer programme since 2002 Individual countries are doing but not on regional level
Willing to increase master trainers in Maldives. The time frame given was upto August to identify the training needs and other details.
Ms. Rebecca Goffin, Country Coordinator, New Zealand and Chair of Group for Enhancing Communication said these things in her presentation Quarterly newsletter along with some online text for spreading GLOBE program is distributed in schools in New Zealand
GLOBE material to be pasted on net in each regional language The time frame agreed was two months to complete the activities.
Mr. Binod Shrestha Country Coordinator, Nepal and Chair of Group for developing a regional sustainability plan informed as below
Do not find response from countries of the region Identification of list of regional equipment suppliers are under process. The time frame agreed was two months to complete the activities.
Ms Watcharee Ruairuen The Chair of Globe Alumni made presentation on the activities of Alumni and invited other country coordinators to nominate more alumni from their countries.
The meeting ended at 6:30 pm. |
