Transcript Slide 1
1 Climate change & poverty are “The two defining challenges of this century.” There is hardly anything the Philippines can do to prevent climate change. Our survival chance is to focus on reducing poverty. 2. RP’s adaptive potential Indicated by S&T performance and National progress S&T performance is measured by number of papers published in peer-reviewed international journals (valid publication). Or ISI-indexed or covered in: Science Citation Index Social Sciences Citation Index Arts and Humanities Citation Index (3,770 journals) (2,700) (1,470) Low percentages of properly published studies Years Studies completed No. papers % valid produced publications 1987-92 UPV 214 8 1991-93 UPD 399 5 S&T performance National progress 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 Right and wrong ways of doing research Proposal Data gathering Publication (peer review) Journal article (verification) Project report or thesis Newsletters & proceedings articles (Gray literature) New teaching methods To understand the effects of vital issues like climate change, innovative education will play a critical role. • Innovative STEM teaching in the US. Entire department is the unit of change. • Inquiry-based science education in EU. • E-textbook: Online teaching & learning. Developing research universities For training faculty of other universities, which in turn will provide better prepared teachers at secondary and primary levels. Features • The principal criterion of faculty recruitment & promotion is research. • Emphasis is graduate education. Teaching and research The relationship between the two has long been established. • The two are positively correlated — teaching effectiveness benefits from research activity. • Research and teaching as joint activity is central to the idea of the modern university. • These two activities are so mutually reinforcing that they must coexist in the same institutions. PhD vs publication Graduate degree: indicator of capability. Valid publication: indicator of performance. The key is valid publication for the: • • • • • Evaluator to do evaluation Proponent to get research grant Researcher to get recognition PhD student to get the degree etc. Concluding statements Other public expenditure can be postponed, but delaying measures to mitigate climate impacts “is a high-risk, high-cost option.” Decisions on appointments, funding, and performance should be based on objective assessment. We should be prepared and do what must be done. We hardly have better alternatives. florlaca @ gmail.com