Report on the Project Scoping Meeting

Impacts of science centres: learning from best practice

A meeting to scope the APEC Science Centre Impact Project was held on 4 December 2004 at the Hong Kong Space Museum. This meeting attracted delegates from 16 economies: Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; China; Chinese Taipei; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; New Zealand, Philippines; Singapore; Thailand and USA.

This meeting discussed the types of impact and best-practice areas that would be beneficial and timely for the science centre and museum sector to investigate, providing direction for the three year project.

Plenary Session

Panel speaker 1:

Dr Mamoru Mohri

Dr Mamoru MOHRI, Director, National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Japan

Summary: The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) continually strives to bring the amazing world of science and technology to all people. This presentation addresses the purpose behind this mission, the methods employed in order to achieve that purpose, and the impact, both recorded and desired, in which these efforts have resulted. Miraikan's ongoing quest is to weave science and technology into the fabric of culture, thereby showing how science touches each person's life on a daily basis. The driving force behind Miraikan is people and what we call the "humanization of science" and how we utilize that power in innovative national and international ways.

Download Dr Mohri's presentation (pdf, 23 kb)

Panel speaker 2:

Ms Lesley LEWIS, Director General & CEO, Ontario Science Centre, Canada & Vice President, Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC)

Ms Lesley Lewis

Summary: For 35 years, the Ontario Science Centre has enjoyed a range of partnerships. Traditionally, what we called partnerships were really funding or sponsor relationships. In the past few years, we have changed our approach to partnerships to help ensure that our partnerships are deep, bring strength to our organisation, show a positive return for our partners and lead to long term, ever expanding relationships. In Agents of Change, our major renewal program focused on innovation, partnerships are more important than ever before. Our goal is to create and nurture a culture of innovation in which to grow the next generation of leaders. We will only succeed if we work in partnership with others. The principles that guide our behaviour and decision-making regarding partnerships are outlined.

Download Ms Lewis' presentation (pdf, 34 kb)

Panel speaker 3:

Dr Paul Y S CHEUNG, Lead Shepherd of APEC Industry Science & Technology Working Group (ISTWG), Managing Director of Versitech, and Associate Professor in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong

Dr Paul Y S Cheung

The APEC Industrial Science and Technology Working Group (ISTWG) is one of the eleven working groups of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) tasked with the mission to coordinate, promote and advance science and technology for industry in the region. At the most recent Science Ministers Meeting held in March 2004 in New Zealand, four key policy areas were identified as the focus for ISTWG in the next few years.

They are:

1. Human capacity building;
2. International science and technology networks;
3. Connecting research and innovation;
4. Technological cooperation and strategic planning.

Under these themes, the APEC ISTWG has approved and sponsored the study project on Science Centre Impacts. This presentation examines how science centres/museums play a pivotal role in assisting ISTWG's work in the four focused areas.

Download Dr Cheung's presentation (pdf, 367 kb)

Roundtable Discussion Groups

Groups were formed, each facilitated by a chairperson and rapporteur:

Group 1

Chair: Prof Graham DURANT, Director of Questacon, Australia
Rapporteur: Ms Nahoko ANDO, International Development Officer, Miraikan, Japan

Group 2

Chair: Dr Tuan Chiong CHEW, Chief Executive, Singapore Science Centre, Singapore
Rapporteur: Ms Ganigar CHEN, Foreign Affairs Division, National Science Museum, Thailand

Group 3

Chair: Mr Herudi KARTOWISASTRO, Director, Science & Technology Centre of Indonesia
Rapporteur: Mrs Gaye HAMILTON, Director, Museum Operations, Museum Victoria, Australia

Group 4

Chair: Ms Tengku Nasariah IBRAHIM, GM/CEO, Petrosains, Malaysia
Rapporteur: Mr Joe HASTINGS, Director, Museum Partnerships, Exploratorium, USA

These groups discussed current activity in evaluating impacts and identified impacts that need further research, as well as best-practice approaches that would be useful for science centres to know about.

Group 5

A fifth group discussed issues of particular relevance to small science centres and museums:

Chair: Mrs Leticia MORAN-ZERDA, Director, Philippine Science Centrum, Philippines
Rapporteur: Mr Neville PETRIE, Head, Oil & Gas Discovery Centre, Brunei Darussalam

Rapporteurs reported the outcomes and recommendations of their group discussions, followed by general discussion of issues raised.

The Way Forward

Brenton HONEYMAN, APEC Science Centre Impact Project Coordinator and Moderator of the Scoping Meeting, outlined how the meeting inputs would be used to develop a three year workplan.

Download the Action Plan (pdf, 100kb).