RIS Summer School on International Trade Theory and Practices| 6-10 June 2016 | New Delhi, India

RIS Summer School on International Trade Theory and Practices| 6-10 June 2016 | New Delhi, India

Deadline: 7May 2016

Spotting #Predatory 'Scholarly' Conferences in the Wild >> Eight Points to Remember

Spotting predatory events in the wild

So how can you know if a conference is predatory? Here are a few questions worth asking:

1) Is a single group organizing conferences in completely different fields? Similarly, is the scope of a conference too wide or are a variety of conferences held together in the same hotel on the same weekend? For example, an "International Conference on Arts and the Humanities" would be little use to most serious academics but great for maximizing revenues.

2) Are submissions accepted too soon? Getting accepted to legitimately peer-reviewed conferences takes time. If a proposal gets accepted in a matter of days, or before the call for papers has closed, it's worth investigating further before paying the registration fee.

3) Is the conference marketed like a holiday in the sun? Predatory conferences are often held in tourist destinations, advertised through spam and websites resembling travel brochures, and offer tours.

4) Does the conference fee seem high? Do presenters have to pay more than attendees? Forcing presenters to pay extra to make a speech should be a red flag.

5) Who and where are the organizers? Predatory conferences might not list names of all the people involved, or falsely claim the involvement of legitimate scholars. They may also list phone numbers and addresses that are either nonexistent, private homes or virtual offices. The name of the organization might imply they are based in a Western country when in fact they operate out of a developing country. Or their website fails to mention any address at all.

6) Do conference websites try too hard to give themselves a veneer of legitimacy? Look for websites plastered with a plethora of partner organizations and their logos, especially Google Scholar. Long lists of directors, international members, liaisons, advisory board members and so on should also be examined particularly carefully.

7) Has the organization or conference already been identified as suspicious? Online searches may reveal complaints or suspicions.

8) Are fees sent to a separate private company or an individual rather than the organizer itself? Unfortunately many predatory conference organizers use PayPal, which makes it harder to see where the money is really going.

Further Details: 'Predatory conferences' stalk Japan's groves of academia | by James Mccrostie | 11th May 2016

Indian Cabinet approves National Intellectual Property Rights Policy | "Creative India; Innovative India: रचनात्मक भारत; अभिनव भारत"

Cabinet approves National Intellectual Property Rights Policy

"Creative India; Innovative India: रचनात्मक भारत; अभिनव भारत"

 

 

The Union Cabinet yesterday approved the National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy that will lay the future roadmap for intellectual property in India. The Policy recognises the abundance of creative and innovative energies that flow in India, and the need to tap into and channelise these energies towards a better and brighter future for all.

 

The National IPR Policy is a vision document that aims to create and exploit synergies between all forms of intellectual property (IP), concerned statutes and agencies. It sets in place an institutional mechanism for implementation, monitoring and review. It aims to incorporate and adapt global best practices to the Indian scenario. This policy shall weave in the strengths of the Government, research and development organizations, educational institutions, corporate entities including MSMEs, start-ups and other stakeholders in the creation of an innovation-conducive environment, which stimulates creativity and innovation across sectors, as also facilitates a stable, transparent and service-oriented IPR administration in the country.

 

The Policy recognizes that India has a well-established TRIPS-compliant legislative, administrative and judicial framework to safeguard IPRs, which meets its international obligations while utilizing the flexibilities provided in the international regime to address its developmental concerns.  It reiterates India's commitment to the Doha Development Agenda and the TRIPS agreement.

 

While IPRs are becoming increasingly important in the global arena, there is a need to increase awareness on IPRs in India, be it regarding the IPRs owned by oneself or respect for others' IPRs. The importance of IPRs as a marketable financial asset and economic tool also needs to be recognised. For this, domestic IP filings, as also commercialization of patents granted, need to increase. Innovation and sub-optimal spending on R&D too are issues to be addressed.

 

The broad contours of the National IPR Policy are as follows:

 

Vision Statement: An India where creativity and innovation are stimulated by Intellectual Property for the benefit of all; an India where intellectual property promotes advancement in science and technology, arts and culture, traditional knowledge and biodiversity resources; an India where knowledge is the main driver of development, and knowledge owned is transformed into knowledge shared.

 

Mission Statement:

 

Stimulate a dynamic, vibrant and balanced intellectual property rights system in India to:

• foster creativity and innovation and thereby, promote entrepreneurship and enhance socio-economic and cultural development, and
• focus on enhancing access to healthcare, food security and environmental protection, among other sectors of vital social, economic and technological importance.

 

Objectives:

 

The Policy lays down the following seven objectives:

•         i. IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion - To create public awareness about the economic, social and cultural benefits of IPRs among all sections of society.
•       ii. Generation of IPRs - To stimulate the generation of IPRs.
•     iii. Legal and Legislative Framework - To have strong and effective IPR laws, which balance the interests of rights owners with larger public interest.
•     iv. Administration and Management - To modernize and strengthen service-oriented IPR administration.
•      v. Commercialization of IPRs - Get value for IPRs through commercialization.
•     vi. Enforcement and Adjudication - To strengthen the enforcement and adjudicatory mechanisms for combating IPR infringements.
•   vii. Human Capital Development - To strengthen and expand human resources, institutions and capacities for teaching, training, research and skill building in IPRs.

 

These objectives are sought to be achieved through detailed action points. The action by different Ministries/ Departments shall be monitored by DIPP which shall be the nodal department to coordinate, guide and oversee implementation and future development of IPRs in India.

 

The National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy will endeavor for a "Creative India; Innovative India: रचनात्मक भारत; अभिनव भारत".

 

Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=145338

 

****

Cabinet decision: Intellectual Property Rights policy cleared; sops for R&D, startups

By: ENS Economic Bureau | New Delhi | Published: May 14, 2016 | India's IPR policies are WTO-compliant, FM said in reply to concerns by developed nations on Section 3(D). The policy suggests making the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) the nodal point coordinate for IPRs in India.

The government on Friday unveiled the national intellectual property rights (IPR) policy to create a larger institutional framework to strengthen the IPR regime, with the slogan "Creative India, Innovative India". While the policy focuses on issues like expediting approval processes involving patents or trademarks and consolidating institutional mechanisms to create a robust IPR ecosystem, it refrains from suggesting any change to contentious provisions in the Patents Act, 1970, including Section 3(d) and compulsory licensing, despite concerns expressed by the US and pharma companies.
Nevertheless, the policy provides for constructive engagement "in the negotiation of international treaties and agreements in consultation with stakeholders" and likely accession to some multilateral treaties that are in India's interest. It also suggests tax incentives to boost R&D and the creation of a loan guarantee scheme to encourage start-ups and cover the risk of genuine failures in commercialisation based on IPRs as mortgageable assets.
The policy suggests making the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) the nodal point coordinate for IPRs in India, even though the onus of actual implementation of the plans of action will be on the ministries/departments concerned in their sphere of work. So, for instance, the administration of the Copyright Act, 1957 (now under the department of higher education) and the Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Design Act, 2000 (under the department of electronics and information technology) will be brought under the DIPP.
This, it is believed, will lead "to synergetic linkage between various IP offices under one umbrella". Interestingly, it seeks to protect traditional systems like Ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy — be it in oral or in codified form — from misappropriation, and also curb film piracy by suitably amending the Indian Cinematography Act, 1952.
Announcing the approval to the policy by the Cabinet, finance minister Arun Jaitley stressed that India's IPR policies are WTO-compliant. He added that one must encourage invention of life-saving drugs and at the same time "we must also be conscious of the need to make it available at a reasonable cost so that drug cost does not become prohibitive as has become in some parts of the world"
Responding to concerns expressed by developed countries like the US on Section 3(D) and compulsory licensing, Jaitley said: "We do believe that the balancing act which India has struck is responsible for lifesaving drugs available at a reasonable cost in India… So, our model seems to be both legal, equitable and WTO-compliant."
Section 3(d) prevents evergreening of drug patents. Apart from novelty and inventive step, the section provides for improvement in therapeutic efficacy a necessary condition for grant of patents when it comes to incremental inventions. Compulsory licensing allows domestic players to produce cheaper versions of patented drugs. The US and the EU have been pushing India to make appropriate changes to these provisions to boost innovation, R&D and foreign investment. Recently, releasing its annual 301 report, the US retained India on its priority watch list, citing "lack of sufficient measurable improvements" to the IP framework despite robust engagement and positive steps on intellectual property protection and enforcement by the Indian government in the last two years.
The finance minister said by 2017, trademarks can be registered within a month. Currently, in some cases, this process takes even a few years. FE
Source: http://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/cabinet-decision-intellectual-property-rights-policy-cleared-sops-for-rd-startups-2799565/

ICSSR Call for Doctoral Fellowship (2016-17)

INDIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH (Ministry of Human Resource Development) Aruna Asaf Marg, New Delhi – 110 067
	CALL OF APPLICATIONS FOR  DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS  FOR THE YEAR 2016-17. ICSSR invites Applications for Doctoral Fellowship Grant provided to PhD scholars to pursue and complete their doctoral thesis in social science disciplines for the year 2016-17. The scholars who are registered for PhD can seek ICSSR financial assistance for doing their doctoral research under the following categories: 1. Full Time Centrally Administered Doctoral Fellowship for a period of two years. 2. Short Term Doctoral Fellowship for a period up to six months. 3. Contingencies Grant, a one-time consolidated grant  The candidates must have a confirmed registration for PhD, a Master's degree of a recognized university in any of the social science disciplines having secured minimum 55% marks or equivalent grade and should be below 40 years of age.  The eligibility criteria for SC and ST scholars are relaxed by 5 years in age and the minimum marks requirement is 50%. The applicant must specifically mention 'Application under SC or ST category' and a self-attested copy of the SC/ST certificate also needs to be submitted. Candidates who have earlier availed a full doctoral fellowship for a period of more than 3 years from any other public agencies such as UGC (JRF), shall not be eligible to apply.  Regular faculty members and permanent research staff, age not exceeding 45 years, employed in public funded universities, colleges and ICSSR funded / recognized institutes can apply under salary protection. The candidates must visit ICSSR website www.icssr.org for complete information, the Guidelines and prescribed format of Application and the mandatory annexures and enclosures to be furnished. All Application Forms must be submitted in hard copy along with two copies of the Research Proposal, duly forwarded as per the prescribed format to:  In-Charge, RFD Division Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) Aruna Asaf Ali Marg JNU Institutional Area New Delhi 110067 (Incomplete Applications and those not duly forwarded shall not be considered for Fellowship Grant. The ICSSR shall not be responsible for completion of the Application in any way). The Last Date of receipt of Applications is 31 July 2016.  The list of the shortlisted candidates for the Regular Full time Fellowship who are eligible as per the criteria laid down shall be uploaded on the ICSSR website in month of September 2016. http://icssr.org/adv%20Fellod.htm

ICSSR invites applications for Research Programmes, 2016-17

INDIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH (Ministry of Human Resource Development) Aruna Asaf Marg, New Delhi – 110 067
	CALL OF APPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH PROGRAMMES FOR THE YEAR 2016-17. ICSSR invites applications for Research Programmes for the year 2016-17 from Indian social scientists. The abstract of the study should be in the field of social science disciplines. Details about eligibility, terms and conditions, etc. can be accessed and downloaded as under: Research Programmes 1. Guidelines 2. Application Format The applicant must visit ICSSR website www.icssr.org under Research Projects for complete information. The Applicants will be required to submit the following: 1. Brief Abstract of the proposal in 1500 words. 2. Composition of the Research Team including Director/Co-Directors, Departments and/ or Collaborating Institutions.  3. CV of all lead researchers, and Institutional profile of institutions through which funding will be sought.  Candidates will need to provide profile/certificate to show that the institution through which the project is routed. All application forms must be submitted in hard copy and soft copy (E-mail:rpicssr@gmail.com) alongwith two copies of abstract, duly forwarded as per the prescribed format to: RP Division in-Charge Indian Council of Social Science Research Aruna Asaf Ali Marg New Delhi-110067 The last date for receipt of applications is 31 July 2016. ___________________________________________________________ Note: The advertisement is only for Research Programmes. For Research Projects (Major and Minor), advertisement may come in September 2016. No application for Research Project will be accepted prior to our advertisement.

CfPs: Graduate Student Paper Competiton-2016: Abstract Last Date 15 May 2016

CALL FOR PAPERS for the REDUCING URBAN POVERTY – 2016. Graduate Student Paper Competition, Policy Workshop, and Publication Grand Prize Winner will attend Habitat III in Quito.

Abstracts due: May 15, 2016.

Background: To encourage a new generation of urban policy makers and promote early career research, Cities Alliance, IHC Global, USAID, the Wilson Center, and the World Bank are co-sponsoring the 7th annual paper competition for graduate students, seeking abstracts on urban poverty in the developing world. Winning papers will be published and selected authors will be invited to present their work in a policy workshop at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. The grand prize winner will receive a travel stipend to attend the United Nations Habitat III Conference in Quito, Ecuador, in October 2016. Papers must be linked to one of the following sub-topics:

• Climate Change
• Cities are grappling
• Arrival Cities: Responding to Migrants and Refugees
• Innovation in Urban Planning
• Financing Sustainable Urban Development

 

Process and Timeline

♦ Eligibility

This call for papers is directed at PhD students and advanced Masters Students. To be eligible, applicants must be currently enrolled in a degree program as of May 15, 2016. Papers can be co-authored, if each author is a graduate student. In this case, only one author will attend Habitat III and present at the Washington policy workshop.

 

♦ Abstract Submissions

• Abstracts (max 500 words) and a brief CV must be submitted to the selection committee by May 15, 2016. Submissions should be sent to UrbanPaperComp@WilsonCenter.org
  
• Abstracts should contain a title, paper description, author name and affiliation, and specify which of the sub-topics listed above the paper will address.

 

For more details please visit the site http://solutionexchange-un.net.in/ftp/drm/resource/Res_12051601_Student_Paper_Competition.pdf  

 

For more information, please contact UrbanPaperComp@WilsonCenter.org

 

Re-Published| Hill, A.V. (1944). A Report to the Government of India on Scientific Research in India | with a Bibliography of Publications Citing the Report

[Apologies for the cross posting]

Hill, A.V. (1944). A Report to the Government of India on Scientific Research in India. (Annotated Edition, 2016 with a Bibliography of Publications Citing the Hill's Report).

Abstract:     

Nobel laureate Professor A. V. Hill was invited by the Government of India (GoI) in 1943 to visit the country and to advice on the organization of scientific and industrial research as a part of India's post-war reconstruction plan. After visiting the lengths and breadths of the country for more than three months beginning on 16th November 1943 till 5th April 1944, Hill submitted a detailed report titled "A Report to the Government of India on Scientific Research in India." This report later became a valuable sourcebook for the history of science and technology in modern India. UNESCO in its 1972 document "National Science Policy and Organization of Scientific Research in India" recognized contributions of the Hill Report in shaping S&T roadmap, infrastructure and institutional frameworks in India as well as in South Asia. This paper contains a Bibliography of publications citing the Hill's Report, and the full-text of the report titled "A Report to the Government of India on Scientific Research in India".

Download Full-text PDF          |      SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2778434

[apeid.higher_education.bgk] 18th UNESCO-APEID International Conference - Call for papers

18^th UNESCO-APEID International Conference

In Pursuit of Quality Education: The Past, Present and Future

26-28 October 2016, Bangkok, Thailand

 

Call for papers

Providing access to education for all (EFA) had been a global agenda for the past 15 years. Most countries in the Asia and Pacific region made remarkable gains in expanding access to education at all levels. However, progress on improving the quality of the education, particularly in terms of student learning and related teaching and learning conditions, was less impressive, resulting in this recommendation in the Report Card 2000-2015 for EFA Goal #6 on the quality of education: "Must try harder". The Sustainable Development Goal 4-Education 2030 agenda – ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all – reinforces the growing consensus about quality being at the heart of education to measure (i) learner's cognitive development and (ii) education's role in promoting values and attitudes of responsible citizenship and in nurturing creative and emotional development.

 

UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education in Bangkok, Thailand, is organizing the 18^th UNESCO-APEID International Conference, In Pursuit of Quality Education: The Past, Present and Future to facilitate leading-edge discussions about the quality of education, and to identify gaps where more research and efforts are needed to achieve inclusive and quality education by 2030.

 

Sub-themes of the Conference

1. Getting the Big Picture: Concepts and Frameworks of Quality Education

• Defining the quality of education in the past, present and future

• Investigating factors and inputs that lead to quality education

• Reviewing the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders to ensure the quality of education

• Examining platforms and channels for effective dialogues about quality education

   

1. Putting into Practice: Innovations for Increasing the Quality of Education

• Promoting good practices that impact stakeholders of quality education (learners, teachers, school leaders, policy makers, families, communities, private sector, development agencies)

• Developing effective and appropriate curricula, contents, and teaching and learning materials

• Enhancing innovative learning processes, pedagogies, technologies and tools for quality education

• Optimizing supportive environment, infrastructures, facilities and resources for quality education

   

1. Keeping Track: Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation of Quality Education

• Establishing standards and competencies frameworks for quality education

• Identifying indicators, approaches and tools to measure and monitor the quality of education

• Exploring alternative models for the assessment and evaluation of quality education

• Building the capacity to assess, monitor and evaluate the quality of education

   

1. Sustaining the Commitments: Effective Policies and Strategies for Quality Education

• Formulating evidence-based policies and strategies for the effective governance and management of quality education

• Empowering leadership to foster and improve the quality of education

• Determining gaps and weaknesses in the provision of quality education for further research

• Strengthening partnerships, collaboration and networks to enhance the quality of education

 

Submit your abstracts

The organizers invite papers on the Conference sub-themes. Submit abstracts (in English), no longer than 200 words, at www.apeidconf.org by 15 July 2016.

 

Registration

Register online at www.apeidconf.org, or contact the Conference Secretariat at apeidconf@unesco.org for further information.

 

Conference fees

International participant         US$ 350

Early bird*                              US$ 250

Full-time student                    US$ 150

Resident of Thailand              US$ 150

Group registration**               US$ 250 each

* Payment for Early bird registration must be received by UNESCO Bangkok by 15 September 2016.

** For 5 or more individuals from the same organization/institution.

 

Send bank draft payable to "UNESCO" at the following address:

UNESCO-APEID International Conference Secretariat

UNESCO Bangkok

920 Sukhumvit Road

Bangkok 10110, Thailand

 

Important dates

Submission of abstracts                              15 July 2016

Notification of abstract acceptance             15 August 2016

Payment for early bird registration fees      15 September 2016

Payment of registration fees                        21 October 2016

 

 

For more information, contact:

 

UNESCO-APEID International Conference Secretariat

UNESCO Bangkok

920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong

Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Tel: (66-2) 391 0577

Fax: (66-2) 391 0866

Email: apeidconf@unesco.org

Website: http://www.unescobkk.org/education/apeid/apeid-international-conference/2016

 

 

"The right to a quality education is, I believe, the perfect path to bridge the gap between different cultures and to reconcile various civilizations. Without such a right, the values of liberty, justice and equality will have no meaning." - Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned

Brainstorming Discussion Meeting on Science Diplomacy | 12th May | at IIC Annexe, New Delhi

Trans-disciplinary Research Cluster on Sustainability Studies
&
Climate Change Research Institute & TRCSS, JNU

Invite you to
Brainstorming Discussion Meeting on Science Diplomacy
12th May, 2016 (Thursday) at 14:00 Hrs.
at Lecture Hall-II, IIC Annexe, New Delhi

WED 2016 "Join the race to make the world a better place"

PROGRAMME
14:00 Hrs.    Registration
14:30 Hrs.    INAUGURAL SESSION
-  Welcome by Dr. (Mrs.) Malti Goel, President, CCRI and Former Advisor, DST
-  Address by Prof. D.P. Agrawal, Former Chairman, UPSC and Chairman GC, CCRI
-  Keynote Address by Prof. Pranav N. Desai, Project Coordinator, TRCSS & Director SASH&KN, JNU

15:10 Hrs.    PANEL DISCUSSION SESSION
Chairman    -  Prof. Pranav N. Desai, JNU    
Distinguished Panelists
-  Dr. D.N. Raina, President, ENTECSOL INTERNATIONAL
-  Dr. Kavita Sharma, President, South Asian University
-  Shri A.K. Jain, Ex-Commissioner (Planning), DDA
-  Shri A.B. Agrawal, Executive Director, NHPC
-  Shri R. K. Sharma and Dr. Rita Gupta, Scientists 'E', DST
-  Prof. Amit Kumar, Regional Programme Advisor, REEEP, TERI University*
 Q&A
17:00 Hrs.    High Tea
Coordinators:  Dr (Mrs) Malti Goel and Shri Gautam Sen
* to be confirmed

New Book | Grassroots Innovation: Minds on the Margin Are Not Marginal Minds | by Anil K. Gupta

New Book
Grassroots Innovation: Minds on the Margin Are Not Marginal Minds
by Anil K. Gupta. Penguin India, June 2016, Paperback, 288 pages, ISBN: 9788184005875

About the Book
A moral dilemma gripped Professor Gupta when he was invited by the Bangladeshi government to help restructure their agricultural sector in 1985. He noticed how the marginalized farmers were being paid poorly for their otherwise unmatched knowledge. The gross injustice of this constant imbalance led Professor Gupta to found what would turn into a resounding social and ethical movement the Honey Bee Network bringing together and elevating thousands of grassroots innovators. For over two decades, Professor Gupta has travelled through rural lands unearthing innovations by the ranks from the famed Miticool refrigerator to the footbridge of Meghalaya. He insists that to fight the largest and most persistent problems of the world we must eschew expensive research labs and instead, look towards ordinary folk. Innovation that oft-flung around word is stripped to its core in this book. Poignant and personal, Grassroots Innovations is an important treatise from a social crusader of our time.

About the Author
Professor Anil Gupta is the Executive Vice Chair of the National Innovation Foundation, and is also the founder of the Honey Bee Network. He has been a professor at the Centre for Management in Agriculture, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, since 1981. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2004. He won the Asian Innovation Award (Gold) in 2000. (less)

Publish Your Review

Request for comments / suggestions on draft “The Geospatial Information Regulation Bill, 2016”

Note to all Stakeholders and Citizens

Request for comments / suggestions on draft "The Geospatial Information Regulation Bill, 2016"

To regulate the acquisition, dissemination, publication and distribution of geospatial information of India which is likely to affect the security, sovereignty and integrity of India, a draft "The Geospatial Information Regulation Bill, 2016" has been prepared. Copy of the draft "The Geospatial Information Regulation Bill, 2016" is attached herewith for comments/suggestions. The comments/suggestions on the draft Bill may be forwarded to the Joint Secretary (Internal Security-I), Ministry of Home Affairs, North Block, New Delhi at email id: jsis@nic.in within 30 days.
Date: 04th May, 2016

Download

Related News:

• Wrong India map can earn seven-year jail term, Rs100 crore fine
• Up to Rs 100 cr fine, 7 yrs in jail for wrong depiction of India map

[apeid.higher_education.bgk] Wenhui Award for Educational Innovation 2016 - Call for nominations

Wenhui (文晖) Award for Educational Innovation 2016

Innovative Partnerships for Quality Inclusive Education

 

 

Call for nominations

Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel Prize winner, said, "Access to quality education has enabled me to reach far beyond the Bangladeshi village I grew up in."

 

Imagine the potential impact on society worldwide when we multiply Mr. Yunus' accomplishments by 7 billion (the number of people in the world) if EVERYONE has access to quality education!

 

Unfortunately, statistics tells a different story with nearly 58 million children still out-of-school and 781 million adults being illiterate. Even for those who attended school, 250 million children were not learning basic skills. Such data in tandem with persistent shortages of trained teachers, teaching materials, facilities and resources led to this recommendation �C "Must try harder" �C in the report card for Education for All Goal 6 on the quality of education at the end of 2015.

 

The 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, commits all governments to provide quality education to all irrespective of their sex, age, race, ethnicity, including persons with disabilities, migrants, indigenous peoples, children and youth, and at all levels �C early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary, technical and vocational training. To do so, effective partnerships and engagement at all levels and in all areas is therefore a priority.

 

The Wenhui (文晖) Award for Educational Innovation, established by the National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO, and coordinated by UNESCO Bangkok, aims to recognize the contributions of educators and institutions which have optimized the potential of education and the human innovative spirit to address and resolve pressing issues and problems facing our world today.

 

For 2016, the theme of the Wenhui Award is Innovative Partnerships for Quality Inclusive Education to recognize innovative and strategic partnerships that have helped to provide and enhance quality learning opportunities for all, particularly to those most disadvantaged, vulnerable and marginalized.

 

Two individuals or institutions from the Asia and Pacific region will be selected by a jury of distinguished educators. The winners will each receive a Certificate of Excellence and prize money of US$ 20,000. Certificates of Merit may also be awarded to individuals or institutions that have demonstrated commendable innovative practices. The results will be announced through a variety of channels to share the achievements of the winners and awardees.

 

 

Who is eligible for the Award?

Individuals or institutions from UNESCO Member States in Asia and the Pacific region that have designed and implemented significant educational innovations leading to improved access to, and quality in, education and skills development will be eligible for the Award.

 

More specifically, the Jury will be looking for educational innovations that have:

 

・         demonstrated their ability in developing practices that have contributed to the quality of education for all through innovative partnerships;

・         verified the positive impact of their innovative partnerships in education bringing about noticeable changes enabling learners to contribute towards peaceful, just and sustainable world;

・         proven their commitment in promoting and supporting the principles of inclusive and lifelong quality learning for all; and

・         established that their innovative practices are current and relevant to the educational issues of the 21^st century.

 

 

How to apply for the Award?

Applications can be submitted by government agencies, educational institutions, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and individuals in UNESCO Member States in the Asia and Pacific region. All applications should reach the Award Secretariat at UNESCO Bangkok through the National Commissions for UNESCO, UNESCO Offices and other organizations associated with UNESCO, using an official Award Application Form available online at the Award website.

 

More details about the Award, including the list of UNESCO offices and associated institutions, evaluation criteria, application process and conditions of entry, are available at the Award website: http://www.unescobkk.org/education/apeid/wenhuiaward/2016.

 

 

Important dates

Closing date for nominations                            29 July 2016

Selection of shortlisted nominations                  2 September 2016

Final selection and announcement of winners    End of September 2016

Award ceremony                                              To be confirmed

 

 

For further information, contact:

 

Wenhui Award Secretariat

UNESCO Bangkok

920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong

Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Tel: (66-2) 391-0577

Fax: (66-2) 391-0866

Email: apeid-award@unesco.org

Website: http://www.unescobkk.org/education/apeid/wenhuiaward/2016

IDSA Monograph | Nanotechnology: The Emerging Field for Future Military Applications | 2015

IDSA MONOGRAPH SERIES

Nanotechnology: The Emerging Field for Future Military Applications

by Sanjiv Tomar

IDSA Monograph Series No. 48, 2015

Nanotechnology is an area of science and technology that holds highly promising prospects for military applications, considering its wide applicability in defensive as well as offensive operations. Given the research and development (R&D) efforts being made in this field by a large number of countries, new products with much superior properties in terms of performance and durability are likely to be realized very soon. The most important aspect of nanotechnology-enabled products is the miniaturization of devices and the diverse functionalities that can be integrated within a singular system. Accordingly, the most profound applications in the future will be realized for the war fighter. Whether it is a battle suit integrated with sensors for nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapons protection, bullet injuries and monitoring of vital body parameters, nanotechnology will find its application in camouflage and concealment, weapons, communication, and situational awareness in the battlefield. This monograph traces the R&D initiatives being undertaken in this field, followed by specific applications which are relevant for the Indian defence forces. It also attempts to foresee how nanotechnology-enabled applications are likely to impact the future battlefield.

About the Author

Sanjiv Tomar, an alumnus of Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, is currently serving in the Indian Army. He was commissioned into the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers in 1989. He has had varied operational and service experience of over 26 years in operational and maintenance management of a wide range of military equipment. Col. Tomar has commanded three Specialized Workshops in various sectors. He has held a Grade I General Staff appointment in Electronics and Mechanical Engineers School, Vadodara and has also served as Joint Director (Planning) at Directorate General of Quality Assurance (Electronics), New Delhi. He is a member of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), USA.

Download Monograph [PDF]

Art and cinema industries in India : Norms, workers and territories | 6th May | New Delhi

Art and cinema industries in India : Norms, workers and territories

From Friday 06 May 2016 -  09:30am To Monday 06 June 2016 - 05:30pm

Location: Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Saket, New Delhi

Contact: christine@csh-delhi.com

"The Other Thought  French-Indian Encounters on Creativity and Innovation" presents the international workshop :

Art and cinema industries in India : Norms, workers and territories

6^th May, 2016  at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Saket, New Delhi

 

The participation of cultural industries to sustainable development has been increasingly acknowledged in the past decades and the necessity to bring forward its potentials in India is urgent. The question of Indian cultural industries, policy and economy remains hardly addressed despite a contribution estimated to 30% of employment and 14% of the country GDP. The abysmal lack of official statistics on the cultural industries pointed out ten years ago by the Taskforce for Creative and Cultural Industry (2006) as not been filled. Workers and territories are emerging from behind veils of unrecognition while international laws are becoming more accurate. More broadly, there is a lack of understanding of the social, political and economic role that cultural industries can play in the development the country and in South Asia.

In the line of recent studies on norms and standardization process in cultural industries (Bouquillion et al. 2013), this workshop explores the articulation between norms and cultural industries in the Indian globalization context. The two sectors at the heart of the analysis will be cinema and visual arts. Among the issues that will be discussed : to what extent have these standards transformed the activities related to visual arts and cinema ? who are the actors producing these norms, working for their implementation or adaptation ? How to take into account the importance of informal system in the production and distribution of cultural goods ? What are the conflicts and forms of resistance encountered with the local socio-economic realities? The aim of this workshop is to shed light on the evolution and impact of norms in cultural policies, on art workers and local territories, the integration the informal systems, and tensions with socio-economic realities.

The workshop will be structured by 4 sessions :

• Norms and Normalization in cultural industries : Theoretical and methodological approaches
• Framework for Art and Cinema statistics in India
• Toward new industrial dynamics  : experiences and contributions of workers and entrepreneurs
• Art and Cinema territories in recomposition

This workshop will bring together specialists in policy making, economics, cultural industries, art market and professionals from the art and film industries. The objectives are to boost awareness, research and proactive policy development for cultural industries in India as encouraged in the Jodpur Initiatives. In a long term perspective, the intent is to strengthen Indo-French scientific cooperation on cultural industry research and enhance a transdisciplinary, international and interprofessionnal research group on cultural industries, policy and economy in India.

(Christine Ithurbide and Soraya Hamache, April 2016)

Find the programme here

To register, please contact christine@csh-delhi.com