1

Roundtable Meeting on the Preparation of the Science, Technology, Innovation and Global Assessment Programme

(STIGAP)

UNESCO Report, “Engineering: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities for Development”

Implications for the assessment of engineering, science, technology and innovation

UNESCO, Room XVI, 4-5 JULY 2011

Dr Tony MarjoramFormer Head of Engineering, Division of Basic and Engineering Sciences,

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation

2

Overview … science, technology, innovation …

… one word missing from title of this meeting … engineering

Invited to discuss the UNESCO Engineering Report, with reference to the following points and topics:

Target audience of the ReportThematic scope of the ReportProduction method (how authors, texts/topics selected)Theoretical and analytical approach (vision behind the report)Findings and conclusions of the Report

I will cover these points, with particular reference to the findings and conclusions of the Report and to indicators of SETI

3

ISBN 978-92-3-104156-3, 215 x 280mm, 400 pages, 26.00 Eurohttp://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001897/189753e.pdfDownloading and selling well – flagship pub!

4

UNESCO Report, “Engineering – Issues, Challenges and Opportunities for Development”

Produced by UNESCO in conjunction with the three main international engineering organisations:

World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO)International Council Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS) International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC)

Eight sections/chapters, 400 pages (started as 250), 1.25kg,with 120 contributors from 40 countries

Introductory statements by the Director-General of UNESCO, Presidents of WFEO, CAETS and FIDIC

Introduction and soft launch at WEC2008, publication and hard launch October 2010

5

UNESCO Engineering Report - Contents

Foreword, Preface, Statements, Executive Summary1. Introduction2. Engineering and human development3. Engineering: emerging issues and challenges4. An overview of engineering5. Engineering around the world6. Engineering for development: applications and infrastructure7. Engineering capacity: education, training and mobility8. Afterword: engineering for a better world

Thematic scope – engineering, development (and nearly everything)Production method – little budget, lots of contributors (honourary)Approach, vision and objectives of Report – see below

6

Word cloud of words in Engineering Report

7

UNESCO Engineering Report: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities

One of the main challenges for the UNESCO engineering programme over the last 2-3 years has been the production of this Report.

This is the first ever international report on engineering, intended to:

identify issues and challenges and opportunities for engineeringpromote better public understanding of engineering and its role

in society, andhighlight ways of making engineering and engineering

education more attractive to young people, esp women

The report is for decision-makers, engineering community and public to better understand and address these issues and challenges.

8

The UNESCO Engineering Report

The Report is intended as:a platform for the presentation and discussion of the issues, challenges and opportunities for engineering, with particular reference to development

Overall global issues and challenges include:the need to reduce poverty, promote sustainable social and

economic development and address the other UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and climate change,

Poverty and sustainable development relate particularly to access to knowledge and technology to address basic needs – which relates particularly to engineering and the need to bridge the digital and broader technology divide

9

Engineering, innovation and development

Innovation and engineering applications:Not just hi-tech, or IT, but focused on technologyIncludes introduction of technology that is new to the user and

user-groupfor example – new water pump for African farmers:

10

Main findings of the Report, need to:

Emphasise the role of engineering as the driver of innovation, social and economic development,

Develop public and policy awareness and understanding of engineering,

Develop information on engineering, highlighting the urgent need for better statistics and indicators on engineering

Promote the transformation of engineering education, curricula and teaching methods to emphasise relevance and problem-solving

More effectively apply engineering, technology and innovation to global issues and challenges such as poverty reduction, sustainable development and climate change

Development of greener/sustainable engineering and technology

11

Emerging issues and challenges

Particular emerging issues and challenges include:climate change mitigation and adaptation and the urgent need

to move to a low-carbon future, and the consequences of the recent global financial crisis, and calls for increased investment in infrastructure, engineering

capacity and associated research and development

At the same time, many countries are concerned about:the apparent decline of interest and enrolment of young people,

esp young women, in engineering, science and technologythe effect this will have on capacity and developmentthese issues are compounded in developing countries by the

brain-drain of engineers (particularly to Europe and North America)

12

The Report shows that:

Many of these issues, challenges and opportunities are connected as possible solutions

For example, a clear finding is that, when young people, the wider public and policy-makers see information and indicators showing that engineering, innovation and technology is part of the solution to global issues, their attention and interest is raised and they are attracted to engineering

The Report is an international response to the urgent need for the engineering community to engage with these wider audiences and the private sector in promoting such an agenda for engineering – and for the world

13

Implications for the assessment of science, technology and innovation

Relate particularly to that missing word …

What is engineering? What are engineers …… technologists, technicians …

How does engineering relate to science?pure and applied?

What is science? What and who are scientists?

How does engineering relate to technology? What is technology? Increasingly synonymous with IT/ICT

What is innovation? Technology to new users and user groups …The linear model, the myth of Vannevar Bush?Innovation is more often the result of engineering than science

14

Implications for the assessment of science, technology and innovation …

How can we better measure science, engineering, innovation?

Science – R&D (Frascati manual)Education, human resources in S&T, workforce/labour data

‘stocks and flows of S&T personnel’ (Canberra Manual)

But – science/engineering, scientists/engineers lumped together

Innovation (Oslo manual)IP - patents, copyright, papers publishedbut – is ‘knowledge’ accurately reflected in patents and papers?

Better to measure science and engineering, needs and numbers …… applications of science and engineering in development

15

We need a new look at science, engineering, innovation

How does science and engineering contribute to development?

How can we better measure science and engineering? better disaggregation …

How many and what scis and engs do we need?

What scis and engs will we need in 50 years?

How can we promote awareness of sci and eng?

How can we attract young people into sci and eng?

more relevance, problem/project-based learningreview the ‘fundamentals-first’ Humboldtian model of university

education (apologies to Wilhelm Von Humboldt)

16

Possible project activities

Engineering Needs and Numbers for AfricaProject on “Engineering Capacity, Capacity Building and Indicators in the Southern African Development Community”Project with SA/DST/NRF/SAICE, based on “Numbers and Needs: Addressing Imbalances in the Civil Engineering Profession”

Innovation Needs and Numbers for AfricaStudy on innovation and associated indicators for developmentProject proposal for the SADC region, Africa and elsewhere

Next edition of the UNESCO Engineering Report?Family of reports - specific issues in greater depth

UNESCO toolkit on “Innovation for Development”

17

Other publications include: UNESCO Toolkits of learning/teaching materials

Major forthcoming publications:“Innovation for Development”“Engineering Education for the 21st Century”

18

19