SEAQIS attended the Belt and Road International Science Education Consortium (BRISEC) 2024 Annual Meeting on 24 July 2024 at the Howard Johnson Lakeview Hotel, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. The meeting was attended by 37 experts, scientists, policymakers, and science instructors from various organisations around the world that are members of BRISEC. The meeting was held to present reports on the programmes and activities of BRISEC members during November 2023 to July 2024. Additionally, there was discussion regarding proposed cooperative activities among BRISEC member organisations.
Mr Zuhe Safitra (SEAQIS Acting Director) and Mr Rizwan Darmawan (Head of Human Resources and General Affairs Division) are the representatives from SEAQIS in this meeting. They presented several SEAQIS programmes related to teenage science education and the development of science instructor capacities in Southeast Asia, including the International Science Technology and Engineering Competition (ISTEC) 2024, a collaboration event with the Indonesian Scientific Society (ISS); the 3rd SEAQIS Wide Games Competition; the Holistic Science Teaching Fellowship and Workshop, conducted in partnership with World Science Collaborative Ltd; and In-Country Training on Science Learning Innovation for Teachers of Sekolah Indonesia Kota Kinabalu.
They also mentioned that SEAQIS supported the implementation of the 8th Teenager Maker Camp and Teacher Workshop by inviting teachers and students not only from Indonesia but also from Cambodia and Lao PDR to participate in the camp conducted in Kunming, Yunnan. Additionally, SEAQIS will invite teachers and students from Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam to attend the Teenager Maker Camp and Teacher Workshop in Nanning, Guangxi, scheduled for September 2024.
The meeting also presented proposals for future programmes, some of which were put forward by the BRISEC Secretariat. These proposals included: 1) establishing a network of student science clubs under the Belt and Road Initiative umbrella; 2) building a global mentorship platform to connect top global scientists with youth; and 3) organising short-term exchanges and long-term cultivation activities.
The proposals received full support from all BRISEC members, who believe it will enhance the competencies of young people and teachers in the fields of science, technology, and culture. SEAQIS, which is mandated to develop science education in Southeast Asia, is committed to continually encouraging the active participation of students and teachers from the region in various BRISEC activities.
Writer: Rizwan Darmawan
Proofreader: Ayu Intan H.
