International Symposium by LAMAP Foundation on “one decade of international cooperation in favour of science education in the world” held in Paris. President ECOSF attended as an Invited Speaker

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The one day International Symposium was organized by LAMAP Foundation at the Fondation Del Duca of the Academy of Sciences of France, Paris on 21 June 2019. IBSE experts, members of International Advisory Committee of LAMAP and leaders from across the global network of LAMAP including Prof. Bruce Alberts (USA), Prof. Lee Yee Cheong (Malaysia), Prof. Rosa Deves (Chile), Prof. Guillermo Fernandez (Mexico), Prof. Hideaki Koizumi (Japan), Prof. Fritz Hahne (South Africa),Dr. Amadou Kone (Mali) and Prof. Soomro (Pakistan) spoke in the International symposium and shared their experiences and testimonies. Purpose of the symposium was to review and recall the history of IBSE in the world and initiation of La main a la pate in France and beyond in the French speaking as well as in other networked friendly countries.

The symposium was opened by the President of LAMAP Prof. Daniel Roun who welcomed the participants of the 10^th  LAMAP seminar and the members of International Advisory Committee and briefly shared the milestone of LAMAP. Afterwards, one of the co-founders of LAMAP Prof. Pierre Lena made a power point presentation on the establishment and the phase-wise development of the IBSE-LAMAP programme in France. He also spoke on the legacy of the Founder Prof. Georges Charpak and subsequent progress of the programme including its expansion outside France. Subsequently, Dato Lee Yee Cheong, Chairman of International Advisory Committee, the former President of National Academy of Sciences of USA Prof. Bruce Alberts and many other experts including Prof. Manzoor Soomro presented their experiences, ideas and thoughts. Copy of the programme is attached.

Prof. Manzoor H. Soomro mainly presented his synthesis of the concluded international LAMAP seminar and a brainstorming session as well as his own testimony and experiences in the symposium as highlighted below.

Participants of the 10^th LAMAP seminar were mainly the alumni of the annual training seminars. Prof. Soomro joined the last plenary session of the seminar on 20^th June 2019 at CIEP and brainstormed with participants with respect to their original participation in the seminar and their consequent actions in their countries to implement IBSE in schools as well as their feelings after the 2019 seminar.

The following recommendations were derived and together with testimony of his own experience of implementing IBSE-LAMAP in ECO region, Prof. Soomro shared the following synthesis and recommendations in international symposium.

The following points/actions were reported by the participants in the session.

1. Development of international and regional collaborations and partnerships as well as internationally funded projects
2. Development of partnerships and networks with stakeholders
3. Development of professional development programmes on IBSE:
   1. In-service programmes, and
   2. Pre-service programmes
4. Setting-up of schools networks for mutual learning
5. Mobilization of stakeholders especially the policy/decision makers
6. Sharing/transferring with stakeholders/programme implementers in the field, the results of research in education
7. Development of on-line training courses [distance learning]
8. Continuous development/adaptation/offering of new class resources
9. Development and spread of other complementary programmes
10. Avoiding reinventing the wheel
11. Development of a pilot/small scale project initially
12. Reinvest locally the workshops and resources discovered/developed during the seminar
13. Follow-up after training sessions
14. Organization of other complimentary events, such as Science Fairs
15. Conducting research on various aspects of IBSE in terms of adoption, sustaining etc.
16. Advocating IBSE as an approach and the projects
17. Communication on what is developed and/or achieved

Experience and Testimony/Thoughts of Prof. Manzoor H. Soomro for the success and Sustainability of an IBSE Programme:

1. Avoid project mode, instead remain in programme mode
2. Need data to secure patronage and financial support of the policy makers and funders/donors
3. Develop and strengthen the evaluation and assessment system but more importantly the Quality Assurance system(s)
4. Promote IBSE impact studies [quite a challenge!]
5. Ensure Resource Centres and Fabrication labs
6. Involve working scientists in developing IBSE activities and resources
7. Promote research in IBSE by qualified scientists and educationists (university faculty) especially in pedagogy and teaching/learning approaches; but also benefit from any existing research results available to modify your programmes accordingly
8. Streamline and harmonize curricula and IBSE pedagogy
9. Organize add-on complementary activities and events such as; forums, seminars, science fairs and festivals, TV & radio shows on science education by bringing all stakeholders [educationists, scientists, policy makers/politicians, industry, teachers, student communities and media) to observe and experience IBSE first-hand and to mobilize the stakeholders especially the policy makers to support the programme
10. Promote on TV, radio and Newspapers the articles by and interviews of teachers and pupils
11. Train and retrain the trainers and teachers
12. Promote establishment of IBSE Teachers Association for mutual learning and motivation of other teachers
13. Promote among public- voters, the Science Education as an election issue