INTERNATIONAL KNOWLEDGE CENTRE FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY UNDER THE AUSPICES OF UNESCO

(IKCEST)

The International Knowledge Centre for Engineering Sciences and Technology (shortened as “IKCEST”) is a category 2 centre under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (shortened as “UNESCO”). IKCEST was established on June 2, 2014. The Chinese Academy of Engineering is responsible for the operation and management of the IKCEST.

IKCEST is a comprehensive and international knowledge centre devoted to the engineering sciences, technology and applied technology. IKCEST aims at connecting engineering sciences and technology institutions globally, assembling various digital resources relating to engineering sciences and technology, building up a public data service platform and corresponding service environment, and coordinating the building of various professional knowledge systems, thus providing knowledge-based services at a global scale in the form of consultancies, scientific research and education for policy-makers and engineering science and technology professionals in the world, with particular reference to the developing countries.

The specific tasks and functions of IKCEST are as follows: to establish an international engineering and technology resources hub; to establish a public data service platform, and to develop the technology for mining and analyzing knowledge from big data; to cooperatively build professional knowledge service systems, and to build capacity in developing countries; to foster interdisciplinary engineering talents with big data processing ability; and to assist UNESCO to fulfill its aims and support its action plans.

CHINESE ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING

The Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) is a national and independent organization composed of elected members with the highest honor in the community of engineering and technological sciences of the nation. Its missions are to initiate and conduct strategic studies, provide consultancy services for decision-making of nation’s key issues in engineering and technological sciences and promote the development of the undertaking of engineering and technological sciences in China and devote itself to the benefit and welfare of the society.

INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION CENTRE FOR SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION UNDER THE AUSPICES OF UNESCO

(ISTIC)

The creation of the International Science, Technology and Innovation, Centre for South-South Cooperation under the auspices of UNESCO (ISTIC) is a follow up of the Doha Plan of Action which has been adopted by the head of States and Government of the Group of 77 and China, during the meeting in Doha, Qatar, from 12-16 June 2005 on the occasion of the Second South Summit of the Group of 77.  The Summit urged UNESCO to develop and implement a programme for South-South cooperation in science and technology with the objective of facilitating the integration of a developmental approach into national science and technology and innovation policies, capacity building in science and technology through providing policy advice and exchange of experience and best practices, and creating a problem solving network of centres of excellence in developing countries as well as supporting the exchange of students, researchers, scientists and technologists among developing countries. ISTIC will act as an international platform for South-South cooperation in science, technology and innovation and make use of the network of the G77 plus China and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).  The overall goal of ISTIC is to increase the capacity for management of science, technology and innovation throughout developing countries.

CARISCIENCE

CARISCIENCE is a sub-regional network of scientists bent on upgrading the academic excellence of graduate, postgraduate and R&D programmes in the Caribbean. CariScience was launched in June 1999 in Jamaica and operates under the auspices of UNESCO. The network strives to strengthen theoretical and practical knowledge in basic and applied sciences in the Caribbean, to increase the number of postgraduate and R&D programmes, and foster ties between these programmes. It also fosters linkages with the productive sector. CariScience coordinates exchanges between researchers, teachers and students, organizes joint research projects and regional courses, and supports curriculum development and the training of science teachers. It is also supporting the development of an accreditation and evaluation system for postgraduate science programmes.

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES (UWI)

The University of the West Indies (UWI) is a well-established independent university that serves 17 countries of the Commonwealth Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, The British Virgin Islands, The Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, and the Turks & Caicos Islands.