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Global Astronomy Survey

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If you are willing to do a translation of this survey into another language, please contact us.

 

The Global Astronomy Survey (GAS), conducted as part the Developing Astronomy Globally (DAG) cornerstone project serves as a means to identify a country’s strengths and weaknesses, a basis with which to develop improvement plans, and a baseline with which to measure change.

Each country is required to self-evaluate and give themselves a status in each of the following areas:

  1. Professional (Research) Astronomy
  2. Astronomy in Schools
  3. Public Understanding of Astronomy

The status of a country will be classified according to four “phases” of development:

  • “Phase 1” countries would be well established countries with links to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and functioning astronomy research and outreach communities/activites/programs.
  • “Phase 2” countries would have existing astronomy research and outreach communities/activites/programes but remain in need of support in order to get astronomy well established.
  • “Phase 3” countries would have a non-existent astronomy community/activites/programs but show strong potential in the form of physics/mathematics research and outreach communities who are willing to drive the development of astronomy.
  • “Phase 4” countries would have a non-existent astronomy community/activites/programs and would have limited potential for the development of these.

 

 

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 organisations or individuals dealing with the subject.

1. Professional (Research) Astronomy:

  1. Number of universities offering Astronomy (and their names)
  2. Number of universities offering Physics (and their names)
  3. Number of academics who have been trained in Astronomy (ideally with their names and levels of qualification)
  4. Number of astronomical facilities (observatories, telescopes, etc) and as much detail about each as possible (websites/contact details)
  5. 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:

  1. What governmental astronomy/science outreach programmes for the public take place (co-ordinated either by government departments or national facilities)
  2. What non-governmental astronomy/science outreach programmes for the public take place (NGO activities or international programmes that your country is involved in)
  3. 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?
  4. 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?
  5. 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:

  1. What governmental astronomy/science education and outreach programmes for schools take place (co-ordinated either by government departments or national facilities)
  2. What non-governmental astronomy/science education and outreach programmes for schools take place (NGO activities or international programmes that your country is involved in)
  3. Comment on the presence of astronomy in the school curriculum. Is it part of the school curriculum? Is it very prominent? What age groups?
  4. 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?
  5. 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.)

4. Any other general comments or information that you feel would be useful for this survey?

Please submit survey answers to both Mr Lolan Naicker and Mr Kevin Govender (See the "contacts" Menu Item for email address details)