CitizenScience.Asia Webinar on April 24, at 3:30 PM

CitizenScience.Asia Webinar

WHEN April 24, 2020, 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM IST

ABOUT: Celebrate Citizen Science Month! Learn about citizen science work happening in Asia around biodiversity, and how you can get involved.
Keynote Speakers:

• "WildMentor: Citizen Science Biodiversity app in Bangladesh" by Safiqul Islam of Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden, Germany
• "iNaturalist and City Nature Challenge in Taiwan" by Dr. Cheng-Tao Lin of National Chiayi University, Taiwan

HOW TO JOIN: Please register via zoom: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iloUqadgRaCFuviuNxuymQ

Further Details

Three Special Issues of RIS Diary on COVID-19

3rd Special Issue of RIS Diary on COVID-19

Volume 16, No.4 - April 2020

Table of Contents

• From Director General, RIS |  Sachin Chaturvedi | The debates are back on the table on the role of science and technology with regard to fighting COVID-19 which has thrown the entire world into an unprecedented health and safety crisis that is worsening day by day. All economic and social activities have come to a halt at global level. It is in these contexts, that RIS has come out with the Third Special Edition of RIS Diary on COVID -19. The issue contains articles on: "Harnessing Science, Technology and Innovation in India for Tackling COVID-19" by Arabinda Mitra; "Science, Technology and Innovation - Fighting the COVID-19 Outbreak" by Bhaskar Balakrishnan; "Science Diplomacy : Covid and Beyond" by Balakrishna Pisupati; "Global Governance of Technology, Institutional Architecture and Indian Response to COVID-19" by Sachin Chaturvedi; "Science, Technology, and Innovation in Indian Systems of Medicine: An Exploration in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic" by T. C. James and Apurva Bhatnagar; "Science, Technology and Innovation and the Challenge of Epidemic" by Krishna Ravi Srinivas; "Impact of COVID-19 on the World Economy" by Biswajit Banerjee; "Global Institutions and COVID-19" by Atul Kaushik. We hope that articles contained here and in the two previous special issues of RIS Diary would serve as useful references in the on-going discussions at different levels on issues related to the war against COVID-19. While hoping sincerely that humankind will come out of this dark tunnel soon to rejoin the normal course of various socio-economic activities, we would highly appreciate to hear from you about the contents of the Special Issues of RIS Diary.
• Harnessing Science, Technology and Innovation in India for Tackling COVID-19 | Arabinda Mitra | The Covid-19 epidemic has resulted in greater collaboration among scientists and innovation throughout the world.1 Many Academies of Science, including the Royal Society are actively engaged in providing policy advice, providing a voice to the scientific community and educating and informing the public on the scientific aspects in the fight against the epidemic and cautioning against undue fear and false claims and narratives.
• Science, Technology and Innovation - Fighting the COVID-19 Outbreak | Bhaskar Balakrishnan | The current COVID-19 outbreak (caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus) which began in Wuhan, China in late November 2019 has so far spread to 210 countries and territories and resulted in over 2 million cases and 137,000 deaths. It has led to socio-economic disruptions on a global and unprecedented scale. A global coordinated response to the outbreak was slow in taking shape.                          
• Science Diplomacy: COVID-19 and Beyond | Balakrishna Pisupati | If there is one time in the recent decades that science and scientists have received most attention, it is now! The novel corona virus that has brought the world to a standstill, eroding significant social and economic development gains in a matter of weeks, has proven to the world that countries are more inter-connected and dependent on one another now than before. Such lack of selfreliance is evident now when it came to use of science and its applications.                                            
• Global Governance of Technology, Institutional Architecture and Indian Response to COVID-19 | Sachin Chaturvedi | The origin and evolution of Corona virus is under intense debate at this point. Highly conflicting and polarising evidences, inferences and commentaries have appeared in scientific journals and across popular publications. There are also debates and discussions on whether it is a man-made virus or a naturally occurring one. When China reported about the spread of Corona virus and WHO declared it as a pandemic, scientific fraternity across the world started working on the genetic make-up of the virus.
• Science, Technology, and Innovation in Indian Systems of Medicine: An Exploration in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic | T. C. James, Apurva Bhatnagar | Times of stress are also times of creativity and innovation. Wars have spawned many scientific innovations or hastened the completion of on-going research projects. The Manhattan Project was an example. We are now living in difficult times. Such adverse situations can also bring out the best in the innovation front of the traditional medicine systems. Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) is also the path for Indian Systems of Medicine (ISMs) to progress.
• Science, Technology and Innovation and the Challenge of Epidemic | Krishna Ravi Srinivas | In a recent twitter talk Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) Professor K. Vijay Raghavan described some of the ideas used to tackle the innovation, including expediting review of proposals on innovative solutions and try to guide the prospective innovators on regulatory issues.1 He also talked about caution against over-interpretation of findings and need for more evidence for theories and hypotheses proposed on aetiology link between immunity and vaccination and enhancing immunity.
• Impact of Covid-19 on the World Economy | Biswajit Banerjee | The Covid-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc on the world economy. The global economic outlook was already fragile prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis. Initially, when the outbreak emerged in China, it was thought that the negative impact on the global economy would be small —mainly limited to the output contraction in China and its knock-on effect on global supply chains, tourism, and commodity markets.
• Global Institutions and COVID-19 | Atul Kaushik | In this era of 'missing in action' United Nations Organisation, a dysfunctional World Trade Organisation and now cash strapped World Health Organisation, lack of adequate global coordinated action against the new Corona virus reminds us of the need for robust institutions. Writing for The Economist on 15 April 2020, Kevin Rudd, former Australian Prime Minister and currently President of the Asia Society Policy Institute at New York opines that much of the complex web of national and global institutions established to deal with global pandemics and economic implosions has failed.

Download

• 3rd Special Issue of RIS Diary on COVID-19
• 2nd Special Issue of RIS Diary on COVID-19
• 1st Special Issue of RIS Diary on COVID-19

[apeid.higher_education.bgk] Invitation: Learning Never Stops – Higher Education Interregional Webinar on COVID-19 (28 April)

Dear Colleagues,

 

I hope you are keeping fit!

 

Attached, please find an exciting interregional webinar for higher education stakeholders. This will be an opportunity to work together to manage the impact of COVID-19 on higher education teachers and students in the Arab and Asia-Pacific regions. Please feel free to invite higher education officials and close partners to a lively Q&A session with experts from eight countries:

 

·         Arab Region: Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria and United Arab Emirates

·         Asia-Pacific: China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand

 

Time: 10:00-11:45 in Beirut (GMT+3)/ 14:00-15:45 in Bangkok (GMT+7), 28 April 2020

 

Registration: Click here to register via Zoom.

 

For any questions, please email Wesley Teter (wr.teter@unesco.org).

 

Thank you and best regards to all!

Libing

 

		Libing Wang, PhD Chief, Section for Educational Innovation and Skills Development (EISD) Head a.i., Executive Office UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization		Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary Building 920 Sukhumvit Rd., Bangkok 10110, Thailand Tel.: +66 23 91 05 77 Ext 212 Fax: +66 23 91 08 66 www.unesco.org/bangkok

 

 

 

TERI Webinar on Waste Management under COVID-19: Challenges and Solutions | 29 April 2020

Webinar | 29 April 2020         April 29 14:00 - 15:00 hrs IST       Speakers         Mr Sourabh Manuja Fellow, Centre for Waste Management, TERI       Dr Shyamala Mani Retd. Professor, NIUA, Expert on Biomedical Waste     Mr Akash Batra Chief Mentor and Coach Sakhi management Consulting (p) ltd.   Moderator         Dr Suneel Pandey Director, Environment & Waste Management, TERI       Webinar on 'Waste Management under COVID-19: Challenges and Solutions'       In view of COVID-19 outbreak, huge quantity of hazard medical waste generated across the hospitals in India need to be re-looked at. This webinar intends to cover policies and challenges of medical professionals, waste stream workers and recyclers.   Aim: To get answers to below questions and make yourself aware of waste management under COVID-19 situation:   Are our municipal waste generators, waste collectors and waste managers aware of the risks they are entering in?   Are our citizens aware on managing household medical waste in this COVID-19 situation?   Are cities ready with their waste management plans?   Are biomedical waste management firms ready to handle the extremely hazardous, heaps of biomedical waste our country is going to generate?     Register now

Webinar on From "Jugad" to "Systematic Adoption" of Technology: Be Prepared for the Future | 17 April

You are invited to a Zoom Webinar. Please download Zoom App on your Mobile or Laptop/Computer and Install It.

When: April 17th, 2020 at 5:30 PM India

Topic: From "Jugad" to "Systematic Adoption" of Technology: Be Prepared for the Future

Moderator- Dr Ravi Gupta, CEO and Editor-in-chief, Elets Technomedia Pvt Ltd

Panelists-:

1 Hemant Sahal, Founder & CEO,Collpoll

2 Karan Kumar, Head - Information Technology, O.P. Jindal Global University

3 Dr. Prabhat Ranjan, Vice Chancellor, DY Patil International University and Former ED - TIFAC

4 Balakrishna Rao, Vice President & Chief Information Officer, Manipal Global Education Services

5 Abhay Karhade, Advisor to President SVKM, Chancellor NMIMS University for IT Services, NMIMS University

To attend, please click the following link and Register Now: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Qga1KS7ISIOsdAiwgFO4RA 

 
For Facebook Live :- https://www.facebook.com/digitallearningonline/  

Regards,
Md Iqbal

iqbal[@]digitallearning.in
www.eletsonline.com

THA Hèlice COVID-19 collection | Call for Short Articles

Hèlice COVID-19 collection

Short informal articles (2-3k words) will be collected and published in a devoted section in upcoming Hèlice issues. Articles should focus on:

• how authors' own institutions, or other close organizations they have learned about, have reacted to the COVID crisis (i.e., which measures they have implemented, which resources they have mobilized/offered to the local community, how they have interacted/cooperated with other local stakeholders, which barriers to cooperation, lessons learned, etc)
• how authors themselves have reacted to the crisis (i.e. impact on their family, job, social life, and related re-arrangements)

Articles can be sent by the following cut off dates

• 28 May 2020 for June 2020 issue
• 29 August 2020 for September 2020 issue

to Liana Kobzeva and Sheila Forbes

THA Future Events: THA (Triple Helix Association) is also working on our future Events in order to comply with the emergency measures put in place at international level against the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Respond to THA's online survey if you want to join/contribute to any of the above activities or wish to propose.

CfPs in Triple Helix Journal special issue “Triple Helix model of innovation to deal with COVID-19 pandemic and future societal crises”

Triple Helix Journal special issue "Triple Helix model of innovation to deal with COVID-19 pandemic and future societal crises"

Call for Papers

The Special issue is intended to indicate insights and viewpoints from scholars regarding short term normative model for policy making and  long term policy initiatives to stimulate the development of a civic culture for boosting bottom up/lateral/top-down Triple Helix initiatives for operations of large-scale systems on the COVID-19 epidemic.

Deadline for submission: 30 November, 2020

Further Details

FICCI Webinar on Cybercrime in the work from home scenario | 10 April, 15.00 IST

Join the Webinar on Cybercrime in the Work from Home Scenario

Time: Apr 10, 2020 03:00 PM India

Meeting Link https://us04web.zoom.us/j/143401965

Meeting ID: 143 401 965

CyberEDU 2020 | Call for Papers

CyberEDU  2020  Call for Papers
There is an increasing need to better understand the human factor in the cyber ecosystem, however much of the existing research is either entirely technical or it sees humans only as component (often as a risk) of the wider cyber ecosystem. This however is an idea which is increasingly challenged and there is need to produce a more substantial body of research and knowledge that shows to positive and active role of the human factor in cybersecurity.  In particular there is a need for shifting the narrative from the human factor to that of the human actor, with a proactive role in facilitating and supporting cybersecurity with also reference to the role of the end-user. The CyberEDU 2020 Call For Papers invites contributions that can advocate for positive consideration of human actors in the cyber ecosystem and seeks papers that can contribute to this message: the Human Element as the last line of defence in cyber! CyberEDU invites contributions in general and specialized topics like cybersecurity training and awareness where security tra ining and awareness are understood as the multitude of frameworks, methods and new ways of educating the human element. We seek a wide range of potential contributions including, but not limited to: case studies, empirical research papers, theory driven contributions and more. In 2019 the focus of CyberEDU was on the sharing of best practices between the Romanian and Finnish Presidencies of the Council of the EU, awarding best papers with presentations in the CyberShare conference, the Awareness Symposium of APWG EU and a journal publication. The 2020 CyberEDU will seek to promote the submitted papers in a similar way and invite to attend  a new project 'The international cyber lab at the Black Sea' in 2021.

Submission Guidelines
Please submit an abstract of one/1 page pdf with main ideas including author name and affiliation, by 18/05 /2020 through Easychair or simple email:  training[at]dunaredu.org. Submissions must be drafted in English and need to comply with the Springer LNCS style guide, which can be found here and here. All submissions will be reviewed by 2 PC members and receive feedback. Accepted Papers will:
1. be promoted through presentations in conferences like CyberShare conference, APWG Awareness Summit, round tables and workshops;
2. be published in a journal similar to 2019 call;
3. be invited to attend 'The international cyber lab at the Black Sea' in 2021;

Examples of Topics

• AI in cyber training;
• Cyber exercises and their learning impact;
• New ways to measure usefulness of training;
• Innovative technologies in cyber education;
• Mind the gap: certifications;
• Threat landscape for CyberEDU;
• Your approach on building up a cyber awareness programme;
• Use of Hands on training;
• Best practice in legislation supporting the cyber education field;
• Introduction of gamified elements in cyber training;
• Cyber education, training and exercises in developing countries.

Committees - General Co-chairs
Dr. VISHIK Claire, INTEL
Dr. IKONOMOU Demosthenes, ENISA
Dr. DE PAOLI Stefano, Abertay University

Contact: All questions about submissions should go through training@dunaredu.org  ATTN D. Catalui. To stay up-to-date with CyberEDU news you can also follow the hastag CyberEDU on social media channels or become a member of this collection on JoinUP platform.

Further Details

PSA Advisory on Use of Homemade Protective Cover for Face & Mouth

Advisory & Manual on Use of Homemade Protective Cover for Face & Mouth

Issued by the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India

April 3, 2020 

UNESCO experts urge collective responsibility to protect vulnerable persons in global battle against COVID-19

UNESCO Press Release No.2020-32

UNESCO experts urge collective responsibility to protect vulnerable persons in global battle against COVID-19

Paris, 7 April — UNESCO's International Bioethics Committee (IBC) and World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) have issued a joint statement to guide policy makers and inform the public about essential ethical considerations that need to be addressed during the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Statement on COVID-19: Ethical Considerations from a Global Perspective draws attention to a range of issues of particular importance as public health authorities battle the pandemic. It notes that the pandemic may generate aggravated psychological stress among vulnerable and marginalized people and groups in all parts of the world and even more so in developing countries.

"At a time of uncertainty, when societies across the globe take rapid and radical measures against the pandemic, I am concerned about potential threats to human rights, privacy and ethical standards, especially towards the most vulnerable. This crisis calls for the best in humanity with ethical principles as our compass," stated UNESCO Director General, Audrey Azoulay. 

The statement highlights the importance of recognizing the vulnerability of those affected by poverty, discrimination, violence, gender, pre-existing illness, loss of autonomy or functionality, age, disability, racism, incarceration, migration and the specific difficulties faced by refugees and stateless persons.

Moreover, it recognizes the particular plight of those deprived of basic resources such as water and soap to maintain elementary hygiene, and draws attention to the difficulty of social distancing in overcrowded conditions prevailing in slums and refugee camps for example. The report also draws attention to the heightened risk of domestic violence in conditions of confinement and isolation.

The statement expresses UNESCO's conviction that the war on COVID-19 requires collective recognition of these emerging and growing vulnerabilities to ensure that health and social policy responses all around the world leave no one behind.

Pandemics highlight the interdependency of States in making protective equipment available, formulating public health policies and boosting scientific research of the highest standards. In their statement, the IBC and COMEST call for action to tackle worsening conditions of vulnerability and urge countries to develop strategies to address them.

The experts also appeal to governments and the international community to take urgent action through international cooperation in the spirit of solidarity, underlining the responsibility of rich countries to help poor nations. In such emergencies, political decisions need to be grounded in science and guided by ethics. Stigmatization and discrimination must be avoided to ensure effective public health measures while scientific research and health measures need to overcome political, geographical and cultural divides.

UNESCO, the World Health Organization and national bioethics and ethics committees have worked closely together to assist Member States in developing sound policies on ethical issues. This cooperation is being stepped up to address the challenges of the present crisis. The IBC and COMEST Statement on COVID-19 will be a central reference in this undertaking and be used by UNESCO and its partners as a tool for capacity building.

****

Media contact: Roni Amelan, r.amelan@unesco.org

• Read the full IBC-COMEST statement
• More on the International Bioethics Committee (IBC)
• More on the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology COMEST
• COVID-19 - Protecting human health and dignity, respecting universal values

See also:

• Report on the Bioethical Response to the Situation of Refugees (IBC, 2017)
• Principle of Respect for Human Vulnerability and Personal Integrity (IBC, 2013)

UNESCO, 7, place de Fontenoy, PARIS, NA FRANCE France

ISC Webinar "Transforming Science Communication for Transformations to Sustainability" | 15 April

ISC Webinar "Transforming Science Communication for Transformations to Sustainability"

Wednesday, April 15, 2020 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM IST

Online Register

Science communication is being transformed by the emergence of digital and social communications platforms, and researchers are increasingly being asked to demonstrate impact and engagement through continuous communication activities and outputs, including for non-academic audiences, such as the press. For transdisciplinary research projects involving diverse groups of non-academic stakeholders, questions around which voices get heard in science communication, the ethics of communication practices, and how to maintain trust between research participants at the same time as documenting and reporting on ongoing research become crucial.
This webinar will look at why developments in science communication matter for transformations to sustainability, communicating about ongoing transdisciplinary research with new audiences in an inclusive and ethical way, and how today's communications tools can be used to foreground voices that are frequently marginalized in climate change debates.

Speakers:
- Susi Moser, Director, Susanne Moser Research & Consulting
- Emily Polk, Lecturer, Program in Writing and Rhetoric, Stanford University
- Ochieng' Ogodo, Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Coordinator, SciDevNet

The webinar will include time for questions and comments from participants.

Art in the Time of Corona: ICCR Global Painting Competition“United Against CORONA- Express Through Art”

Art in the Time of Corona: ICCR Global Painting Competition "United Against CORONA- Express Through Art"

 

The COVID-19 pandemic around the world has taken the world by storm touching the lives of every human being on Earth! Bringing out the best and worst of human emotions – empathy, sympathy, kindness, concern, anger, frustration, social cohesiveness and bravery among others. Since ages, emotions of this nature has driven creative thought across the world,  with people coming out with innovative ideas and ways to deal with these turbulent times. 

2. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) with its focus on building cultural links with countries around the world and connecting people to people through Cultural and Educational exchanges, calls on Indians and citizens of the world to express these emotions through a competition entitled United against CORONA- Express through Art.  

3. This competition is open to all amateur and professional artists from India and the world over in all age categories. The event encourages submissions of artistic expressions to present their emotions, feelings, ideas and innovative thoughts on the COVID-19, social distancing, quarantine and the fight against the virus through the following media: 

• Paintings – on Canvas/Paper – oil, water colours, pencil, crayons 
• Digital Art – Graphic Posters & Paintings

4. The expressions of artists are categorized into the following:

• Contemporary Art
• Folk & Tribal Art 
• Cartoons & Illustrations 
• Digital & New Age Art

5. Entries from India and all over the world are sought in following categories:

        i.            Professional Artists

     ii.            Amateur Artists

   iii.            Children & Students – Below age of 21

6. Participants are required to send high resolution photos (upto a maximum 10MB) of their work to ICCR by 1st May 2020. A high level jury consisting of eminent artists and cultural persons will select the best works. Attractive prizes shall be given to winning entries. 

7. Best of the expressions will be exhibited in leading galleries in India and abroad. A permanent online exhibition will also be on display. A grand event will be held in New Delhi with a cultural extravaganza and prize giving ceremony, dates for which will be fixed depending on resolution of the COVID crisis. 

8. ICCR believes that Art gives us hope, purpose and a desire to see beyond the problems of these difficult times. This competition is an effort to develop solidarity among the peoples of the earth and to bring together expressions of similar emotions being experienced in all countries. Over centuries, humanity has shown great resilience in overcoming unsettling times and we would like to capture this moment, record this period through the pure expression of Art. The hand of the artist freezes time and for eternity captures the essence of the emotions of society in that moment. 

9. Social distancing, self-isolation, quarantine have separated people physically but in a unique way this has brought people even closer with a great appreciation of humanity's common fate. In this time, virtual space can serve as an analogue to the physical space providing a platform for the intermingling of ideas and Art. That is why ICCR is holding this competition in cyberspace, a place where can be together while being apart. 

10. For any query, please write to:  iccr4art[@]gmail.com

Participation Details and Guidelines |   Submit Your Entry 

OASPA Webinar: What is Scholarly Communication & Publishing in the 21st Century? Today at 7:30 pm IST

OASPA Webinar: What is Scholarly Communication & Publishing in the 21st Century? Today at 7:30 pm IST

The next OASPA webinar takes place  on Thursday, April 2 at 7:30 pm IST. 

Register now.

What is scholarly communication and publishing in the 21st Century and what should our priorities for, and values of, scholarship be now? The extent to which researchers and publishers are now making data and articles about COVID-19 openly available, for example, is testament to the impact of the change and the widespread understanding of the benefits of openness and collaboration to accelerate research. This is beginning to reap real benefits for science and society.

Governments around the world are taking an increasing interest in open access and open science because they see direct benefits for society. In the US, open access is now actively under consideration by the White House. We are delighted, therefore, to have secured three US-based experts to explore publishing's role in service to 21st-century scholarship.

Heather Joseph (Executive Director of SPARC), Kathleen Fitzpatrick (Director of Digital Humanities and Professor of English at Michigan State University) and John Wilbanks (Chief Commons Officer at Sage Bionetworks) will each provide their own perspective and then we will open up the webinar to questions from the audience.

More information and speaker biographies can be found on our blog at https://oaspa.org/webinar-what-is-scholarly-communication-and-publishing-in-the-21st-century/

This event is free and is open to everyone. A recording will be made available following the event. We welcome a lively interactive question and answer session following the talks.

Best wishes,
Bernie


Bernie Folan
Events and Communications
OASPA, Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association
bernie.folan@oaspa.org

[apeid.higher_education.bgk] IIOE Co-launch today: 2 April 2020 at 17:00 o'clock Bejing time (GMT+8)

Dear Colleagues,

 

Warm greetings from UNESCO Bangkok – we send each of you our best wishes during challenging times.

 

Today we are pleased to share very timely news from the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO-ICHEI). To facilitate international collaboration in online higher education for developing countries, ICHEI and UNESCO are co-launching the International Institute of Online Education (IIOE) today at 17:00 o'clock Bejing time (GMT+8) via this link: http://iioe.ichei.org/web/live/co-launch.  

 

Please feel free to share the news and join in to learn more!

 

Wishing ICHEI the very best for this exciting new initiative,

 

Wes

 

 

	Wesley Teter, Ph.D. Senior Consultant for Higher Education Section for Educational Innovation and Skills Development (EISD) Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education   Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary Building 920 Sukhumvit Rd., Bangkok 10110, Thailand Tel.: +66 23 91 05 77 Ext 371 www.unesco.org/bangkok