Royal Academy of Science International Trust

at the heart of Socio-Economic Sustainable Development Since 1968



Science Café



developing menu for your mind



The Science Café



At a time when so many international decisions are being made based on science, it is becoming increasingly important to inform the public about the issues at stake.

Based on RASIT’s Executive Director, HRH Princess Nisreen El-Hashemite, collective data on science, education, research and public knowledge in the MENA Region The Science Café was signed into being in 2006 as an international Program of RASIT for the Popularization of Science and Innovation.



Vision





“Popularization of Science and Innovation for Socio-Economic Sustainable Development”



Mission





"To define and broaden the sustainability science approach in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."



Objectives





promote scientific culture & knowledge
revitalize Science Education
stimulating science & technology vocations among young people
campaign for science to business
increase access to the best Science knowledge and Communication and
advocate for science and diplomacy.



Added Value





To be an influential platform bringing together and enhancing the interaction of scientists and scientific institutions with the public to improve the understanding of science, working across science education, to empower scientists to catalyze the innovation and creativity we need for sustainable development.



our work



The main objective of the Science Café Program is to generate scientific temper among the masses and make the people think, scientifically at every stage and happening in their day-to-day life to make their life easy and simple. This can be achieved by encouraging spirit of enquiry among younger generation, create awareness about new scientific approaches/ technologies, foster creativeness and many more methods by organizing carefully drawn activities and events.



Seminars



Building knowledgeable communities in science by creating ties among diverse groups of scientists and the public. In the Science Café seminars, the public find people who played an important part in developing and improving their lives, both behind the scenes and in the spotlight.



Magazine



Science Café Magazine creates a new horizon for the Science mediatization process that UNESCO Introduced in its World Report of 2005. The Magazine reports captivating developments in sciences, technology, and innovations, with clear focus on its impact on the sustainable development programs.



Children’s Café



A monthly seminar series committed to involving school students in learning more about and debating science. Each month, a Science Café Program is organizing a scientist visit to a school in his / her and invite teachers and students to visit the scientist area of work: laboratories, universities, etc.



Essay Contest



This is a contest to popularize critical thinking about science through a short essay. The International Short Essay Contest is an initiative that is part of the Science Café Program for the Popularization of Science and Innovation.



Science in Focus Contest



Science in focus is an international photography contest on science and technology issues. The contest awards prizes to photographic works related to science, technology and innovation and its applications for sustainable development in participant’s home country.



STRATEGY AND WORK PLAN




Building on the Science Café Program achievements, the 2020-2025 work plan is structured around four outcomes, one special project and one cross cutting activity, which will enable the Science Café Program to make significant contribution to achieving its Vision and Mission, as set out below:



Outcome 1:

Accelrate acheiving the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).



Outcome 2:

Achieving RASIT’s Development Goal 4 “Popularization of Science & Innovation for Sustainable Development”, by expanding activities at international, regional & national levels to reach out more societies.



Outcome 3:

Develop partnership with civil society, science related institutions and private sector for popularization of science and innovation.



Outcome 4:

Equality in Science: education, employment, research funding and involvement in decision-making.



Special Project:

Science to Business for Socio-Economic Sustainable Development.



Cross-cutting Projects:

  1. International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly.
  2. Girls in Science 4 SDGs International Platform
  3. Value Veda Initiative


“All human rights issues have sustainable development dimensions…
To achieve sustainable development, We need to promote the excellence in education and science and its influential role in socio-economic policy and development”.
-- 17 April 1968



HRH Prince Mohammad bin King Faisal (I) bin El-Sharif Hussein El-Hashemite

RASIT’s Founder President


Science Café
Towards Knowledge Societies





by
HRH Princess Dr. Nisreen El-Hashemite



Popularization of science is an endeavor to image scientific concepts in such a way that every person (especially non-scientists) can understand the fundamental objectives and have an idea of what science in essence is. Although many scientists are renowned and their fingerprints are so clear in scientific research that led industrial development worldwide, unfortunately a great number of the public cannot tell exactly what 'science' is all about. In fact, the gap between scientists and Societies seems to be huge.


Science Knowledge & Culture to every common person were and remain to be narrowed to those only studying at universities and to graduates from academic institutions. Further, the academic tutors in scientific subjects kept their communication with a very minimal slice of the communities within campuses of universities. And the share of scientific knowledge between the academic tutors and every person outside the academic campuses remains to be almost nil.


Is it possible to popularize scientific subjects at various levels? And if it is possible to popularize science within societies, to what extent will the public accept knowledge of Science? And how will the knowledge of science play a role in the human persons day to day livings and culture?





To answer these questions knowingly the poor knowledge of the majority of peoples in science due to the lack of interest in reading scientific publications and books and due to the unfamiliarity of other languages (such as English & French languages) that most of the scientific publications, journals, and books written with and due to the lack of community educational programs. Therefore, RASIT introduced “Science Café” in order to interactive the relationship between academic tutors and public.

Yes, it is possible to popularize science to a great extent, by means of raising awareness of how it touches our everyday life. How? this depends on choosing subjects, fields of public interest, speaker, presenter, place, and the form of delivering it, and the forum of delivering the seminar/talk in society’s language by way of defining the scientific terms too.

Through “Science Café’, RASIT managed to break the academic campuses boundaries that encouraged the public interest in learning more about science. Yes, it is possible to popularize all specific scientific ideas and concepts from mathematics, chemistry, biology, medicine to geology and nanotechnology, as long as it can be effectively explained one at a time in a very simple language that every person can understand. It is important that the public should have a basic general understanding of science and appreciation to its impact in their lives. Only “Science Café” can popularize science in any society. And “Science Café” has proven to be platform for scientists to share their knowledge with the public as social educational forum.

Thirteen years for the Science Café program, we serve our audience and scientists in an excellent way. We are grateful to every scientist (Popularizer) who took efforts to present science objectively to the public via “Science Café”.



Since 1968, RASIT has been an organization with an infinite vision into the future and will continue this tradition of measureless services for the benefit of mankind.



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