UNESCO launches Asia-Pacific science clubs network in Beijing

The Asia-Pacific edition of the UNESCO Science Clubs Network was launched recently in Beijing, aiming to bridge the digital divide, foster inclusive education and inspire young people to build a sustainable future.

"As we are already two years in the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024-33), our mission is clear: we must ensure that scientific advancement does not leave no one behind which means also society," said Shahbaz Khan, director and representative of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia.

"Today's launch of the UNESCO Science Clubs Network (USCN) Asia-Pacific Edition is a commitment to the 'nonformal' learning environments that are the heartbeat of innovation. While formal classrooms provide the foundation, science clubs are where curiosity is ignited and theoretical knowledge is translated into action," Khan said.

"By connecting isolated efforts into a powerful 'Network of Networks,' we are building an ecosystem where youth are not just consumers of knowledge, but active creators of it," he added, noting that the launch marks the establishment of a mechanism for cross-border cooperation, resource sharing and talent cultivation.

Wu Xiangping, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, described science as "a core engine" for social progress, emphasizing that public scientific literacy is the foundation of sustainable development.

"Across Asia and the Pacific, practical examples continue to emerge in terms of how science education and science popularization improve people's well-being," Wu said, citing China's mobile science and tech museums in Vietnam and Agastya's Mobile Science Labs in India as initiatives advancing equity and shared development.

He said the launch would support increased investment to promote equity, ensuring that children in remote mountainous areas and young people in major cities have equal opportunities in science education.

The event also featured a six-day workshop themed "Designing STEM Activities for the Future", hosted by UNESCO, the World Organization for Science Literacy, the China Science and Technology Museum and the Chinese Association of Natural Science Museums.

The workshop combined expert lectures, hands-on training, case studies, project-based learning, exhibition hall practice, achievement presentations and company visits. More than 40 Chinese science teachers and 15 science teachers from 12 countries in the Asia-Pacific region participated.