Speakers
Description
For over a century, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has promoted and safeguarded astronomy worldwide through its Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD), hosted in South Africa by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and supported by the South African Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI). The OAD has established a network of 11 regional offices globally and pursues a bold vision: astronomy for a better world. This talk discusses the work of the OAD, which has awarded over €1.5 million in grants to 254 projects, reaching over 2 million people in 113 countries by mobilising astronomy as a tool for human development. We outline the OAD's annual Call for Proposals and the OAD's evolving partnership model, before turning to three flagship programmes that translate astronomy into tangible impact: Astrotourism, which links dark skies and heritage to economic growth and cultural preservation; Astronomy for Mental Health, which harnesses awe and perspective to expand access to wellbeing support; and Astronomy Skills for Development, anchored by the Hack4dev data-science hackathon initiative that builds technical capacity across communities. Drawing on projects spanning access and gender equity to skills training and socio-economic development, we show why astronomy for development is ultimately about people, not just the stars, and how you can get involved.
Beyond programme implementation, the OAD’s growing body of global practice has created important opportunities for research. Evidence generated through projects, partnerships, and regional networks is increasingly informing questions around impact evaluation, science engagement, capacity development, innovation ecosystems, and the role of scientific knowledge in society. This has contributed to the emergence of astronomy for development, and more broadly, science for development, as a developing interdisciplinary research field that connects the physical sciences with development studies, policy, education, and social science methodologies.
By positioning science, and astronomy as a powerful exemplar, within the broader development landscape, this work demonstrates its potential as a cross-cutting, interdisciplinary tool capable of contributing meaningfully to sustainable and inclusive development.