Chemical Education International, Vol. 1, No. 1, 11-14, Published in August 31, 2000

1-Introduction

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry holds a conference on chemical education biannually. The fourteenth conference, has been held in Brisbane, Australia. In view of the productive efforts which has been made with the international Union during the meetings of the general Assembly in Portugal and Britain it has been agreed that the following conference, the fifteenth, will be organized by Egypt and held in Cairo. For the first time. this conference is held in the African continent and in the Middle East. The motto of the conference is "Chemistry and Global Environmental Changes".

2- Conference organization and opening:

The 15th, International Conference of the International Union of pure and Applied chemistry (IUPAC) has been organized by the Department of chemistry, Faculty of science, Ain Shams University in cooperation with:

• The Unesco organization.
• The Academy of Scientific Research and Technology Cairo.
• Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency,
• The Arabian Group for Development. (AGD).

The conference was held during August (9-14) 1998, in the Cairo International convention center, Nasr City, under the auspices of:

• Prof. Dr, Kamal EI-Ganzoury, Prime Minister
• Prof. Dr. Mofeed Shchab, Minister of high Education and state minister of scientific research
• Prof. Dr. Hassan Ghallab, President of Ain Shams University.

The conference was presided by Prof. Dr. A.F.M Fahmy, Chairman of the Chemistry department, Faculty of Science, and the organizing committee was headed by Prof. Dr. S. S, Hassan, professor of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University.

An international exhibition for the technology of environmental protection organized by the Arabian Group for development was affiliated with the conference.

Opening speeches have been given by:

• President of the Academy for scientific research, and technology.
• The Unesco representative.
• President of the American Chemical Society.
• Ex- President of the international union for pure and Applied chemistry.
• Head of the organizing committee.
• President of the conference.
• Vice president of Ain Shams University.
• Representative of the Ministry of high education and scientific research.

3 - Activities and general Content.

These include:

• An opening lecture entitled "Chemistry in Culture" by the Nobel prize laureate; Prof. R. Hoffmann (USA).
• Nine Plenary lectures.
• Sixteen workshops.
• Eighteen symposia.
• Twelve sessions for oral presentation. (40 papers)
• Two poster sessions for 60 posters.

4 - Cores and general theme

The plenary lectures have covered the following titles:

• Chemical Education and the pharmaceutical industry.
  by A. E. Fischli, Ex-president of (IUPAC).

• The use of systemic Approaches for teaching and learning chemistry for the 21st Century.
  by A. F. M. Fahmy *, and J.J. Lagowski.

  *Chairman of chemistry department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University (Egypt).

• The Role of Distance learning in chemical education.
  by J. J. Lagowski; professor of chemistry. University of Texas Austin (USA).

• A skills taxonomy Driver for Distance learning Course Design in Environmental chemistry.
  by: S. W. Bennett; The Open University, (UK).

• New Teacher Professional competencies for New Times: Development Beyond 2000.
  by: W. Beasley: Queensland University. (Australia)

• Radio Luminescent sources for optical chemical sensors.
  by: M. A. Arnold; University of Iowa, (USA).

• The tension between Rellgion and Science: Hostile Environments?
  by: H. Bouma: vice chairman of the Chemistry Teaching Committee, (CTC -IUPAC) (Netherlands).

• Hands-on Practical chemistry for all.
  by: J. D. Bradley, chairman of the (CTC- IUPAC). (south Africa)

• Novel Teaching Materials by means of the internet.
  by: Y. Takeuchi Kanagawa University. (Japan) H. Hosoya Ochanomizu University. (Japan) M. M. Ito Soka University. (Japan) H. Yoshida, Hiroshima University. (Japan)

  The symposia and workshops: have covered the following topics.

  • Materials for Distance learners
  • Environmental chemistry
  • Chemical Education
  • Recycling and treatment of waste
  • Use of computer in teaching chemistry
  • Multimedia and teaching of chemistry
  • Self evaluation methods
  • Science fiction as a means for teaching chemistry
  • Use of TV nets in Educatio
  • Use of "internet" in teaching
  • Laboratory experiments for teaching environmental chemistry
  • Integrated approaches in teaching chemistry
  • Environmental culture
  • Chemistry and Industry
  • Micro-chemistry
  • Chemical education : the relationships between a different branches and their impact on pollution
  • New methods in teaching and learning chemistry
  • Clinical and Medicinal Chemistry
  • Rallying support and Funding for chemical Education
  • Low cost apparatus
  • Pollution detection
  • Design of courses for environmental chemistry
  • Industrial education
  • Industry and pollution
  • Teaching chemistry of organometallics
  • Training of teachers
  • Production of historic articles and monuments
  • Concept mapping in general chemistry

5-Participants.

The number of Participants amounted to about (370) from the National Universities,, Research centers and the Ministry of Education, Representatives from 11 Arab countries namely., Yemen, Syria, Qatar, Lybia, Algeria, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Emrates and Jordon, as well as representatives from 32 other countries: USA, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Slovenia, Hungary, South Africa, Australia, Romania Switzerland, China, New Zealand, Russia, Turkey, India, Japan, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Israel, Taiwan, Panama, Iran, Singapore, Argentina, Finland, Sri-Lanka, Venezuela, Sweden, Armenia, Canada and Vietnam.

6 - Social Events.

• Visits to the Pyramids and the Egyptian museum.

• Two Nile-cruise dinners.

• Optional visits to famous touristic places in upper Egypt arranged by the (AGD).

7 - Recommendations:

The following recommendations have been made:

• Chemistry teachers around the world, should consider., in teaching chemistry, the relations between this subject and global environmental changes. Courses should be planned such that they take these relationships into account.

• Chemistry courses should make use of students skills and help develop them to meet recent explosion of knowledge.

• Enhancing the interaction and inter communication between Arable speaking chemistry teachers on one hand and chemistry teachers around the world on the other hand.

• Care should be taken in planning of curricula and assessment methods such that to meet the challenges of the coming century,

• Using of all available modem technologies such as multimedia, internet and space stations to up grade environmental culture as well as students mental aptitudes and skills.

8- The coming conference:

The sixteenth conference for chemistry teaching will be held in Budapest, Hungary in the year (2000).