IUCr 1993 Triennial Report - ICSU Committee on Science and Technology in Developing Countries (COSTED)

The purpose of this Committee is to promote science and technology in developing countries. Its organizational structure comprises an Executive Committee and a Plenary formed by National Members and some ICSU Bodies. The Central Secretariat of COSTED is located in Madras, India, and is headed by a Scientific Secretary. Regional Secretaries are located in Asia (Madras) and Latin America (Caracas). Efforts are under way to locate suitable centres in other regions of the developing world.

The major plans of COSTED are:

(1) Identifying a few high priority areas such as the environment, biotechnology and its applications, global change studies.

(2) Recognizing the importance and impact of scientific manpower generation in national development. In this respect, emphasis is placed on the ICSU-UNDP project on Strengthening Scientific Training and Research in the Third World.

(3) Curriculum development activities in selected scientific areas such as the environment, biotechnology, sustainable energy sources etc.

At its Annual Meeting in February 1992, the COSTED Executive Committee decided to collect information for a booklet describing the activities of the various ICSU bodies for developing countries. In this context, information has been given about the substantial financial support the IUCr gives to organizers of crystallographic meetings, specifically to assist young scientists (often from developing countries) to attend these meetings, Schools and Workshops. The IUCr Visiting Professorship Programme has been introduced, under the responsibility of the Teaching Commission, to enable developing countries to develop crystallography. Information was also given about journals, tables, books and teaching pamphlets published by the IUCr, crystallographic databases and International Congresses of Crystallography.

30 March 1993                                M. NARDELLI, Representative

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