Global
honor of the Research Institute for Earth Sciences in winning the first
UNESCO Chair in the field of earth sciences in the country on Coastal
Geo-Hazard Analysis
Hamid Nazari
The
final approval of the first UNESCO Chair in the field of geosciences on
Coastal Geo-Hazard Analysis on December 3, 2021 with the ref. ED / FLI /
21/160 by the Education sector of the UNESCO was officially announced
to the Research Institute for Earth Sciences (RIES), Geological survey
of Iran (GSI) for a period of four years (renewable) under the
chairmanship of Dr. Hamid Nazari (Chair holder).
In
accordance with the procedure for applying for a Chair in the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) the
supportive proposal entitled:
Persian Carpet: Coastal Geo- Hazard Analysis: (Persian Gulf, Oman Sea and Caspian Sea)
From
the RIES as the academic arm of the GSI and according to the agreement
and announcement of comprehensive financial and operational support of
the former heads of the GSI and the RIES in November 2018 and the
efforts of the colleagues in the international affairs of the GSI were
presented to the National Commission for UNESCO in Iran.
The
process of evaluating and approving UNESCO Chairs is always time
consuming and has special technical complexities at the international
level that in this particular case coinciding it with the pandemic of
COVID 19 and the country’s managerial shifts was further aggravated.
so
that the application process took two years until the approval and from
the approval until its final notification by the National Commission
for UNESCO in Iran on December 8, 2021 in letter No. 1794/17 took one
year more too.
Considering
the international background and research nature of the activities of
the GSI and the existence of a unique educational-research platform such
as the RIES in its structure, obtaining a UNESCO chair as a national
honor in the world shows the ability and high scientific position of the
Research Institute and the Geological Survey.
The
RIES which was established in 1994 with the permission of the High
Council for the Development of Postgraduate Studies of Iran, has
accepted more than 400 undergraduate and doctoral students in 23 courses
until 2018 from national exam.
In
addition to educational activities, RIES conducts many applied national
and international projects in geology such as Active Tectonic/
Paleoseismology and Natural hazard assessment, Paleoclimate and
environmental geology, Mining exploration and design and preparation of
new protocol for integrated server-based thematic mapping.
Nevertheless,
a proper understanding of this great event in obtaining the UNESCO
Chair, given the international and structural capabilities of the UNESCO
Chair/ UNITWIN network in structural reconstruction, development and
modernization, can be a turning point in Scientific guidance and blowing
the spirit of hope in the body of the Iranian geological community.
UNITWIN
is the abbreviation for the university twinning and networking scheme.
This UNESCO programme was established in 1992, in accordance with a
resolution adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO at its 26th
session (1991). The UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme consists of the
establishment of UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks in higher education
institutions.
This
UNESCO programme serves as a prime means of building the capacities of
higher education and research institutions through the exchange of
knowledge and sharing, in a spirit of international solidarity. Thus, it
promotes North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation as a
strategy to develop institutions. These institutions work in partnership
with NGOs, foundations and public and private sector organizations and
play an important role in the field of higher education. The
UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme opens avenues for the higher education
and research community to join forces with UNESCO to contribute to the
implementation of its programme and the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals.
The
UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme covers training, research and exchange
of academics and offers a platform for information sharing in all fields
within the competence of UNESCO. The majority of the projects are
interdisciplinary and intersectoral and involve all the programme
sectors of UNESCO, with the active cooperation of its field Offices,
Institutes and Centres. National Commissions play an important role by
helping to promote the programme nationally, facilitating its execution
and evaluating its impact. Because it is totally ultidisciplinary in
nature, the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme is one of the Organization’s
most intersectoral programmes. Relevance, anticipation and
effectiveness are among the prime goals of the UNITWIN Programme. So far
UNESCO Chair and UNITWIN Network projects have proven useful in
establishing new teaching programmes, generating new ideas through
research and reflection, and facilitating enrichment of existing
university programmes while respecting cultural diversity.Because of the
nature and flexibility of the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme,
universities can respond more readily and with greater autonomy to the
demands for new learning and research in a world undergoing rapid
economic, social and technological change. The Guidelines and Procedures
for the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme constitute a set of basic rules
to be followed in order to maximize the benefits of the programme. The
Guidelines and Procedures aim at clarifying and defining the criteria
and procedures governing the establishment and functioning of a UNESCO
Chair or UNITWIN Network.