Presentation by Valério Ribeiro

1. Astronomy in the Developing World:
Mozambique as a case study
Valério A. R. M. Ribeiro
(vribeiro@ast.uct.ac.za)
SA SKA Fellow, Department of Astronomy, University of Cape Town
Auxiliary Professor, Department of Physics, University Eduardo Mondlane
Leiden
19th June 2012

2. Outline
Developing World
Mozambican statistics
Background
Astronomy outreach
Future Plans
Conclusions
Source: CIA World Factbook

3. Developing World
The Least Developed Countries represent the poorest and weakest segment of the
international community. They comprise more than 880 million people (about 12 per
cent of world population), but account for less than 2 percent of world GDP and
about 1 percent of global trade in goods.
The countries identified as Least Developed Countries by the UN
(www.unohrlls.org/en/ldc/164/):
gross national income per capita ($307) -- 3 year-year average < $905.
human assets index (27.5) -- percentage of population undernourished,
mortality rate for children aged five years or under, the gross secondary
enrollment ratio and adult literacy rate.
economic vulnerability index (48.7) -- population size, remoteness,
merchandise export concentration, share of agriculture, forestry and fisheries
in gross domestic product, share of population living in low elevated coastal
zones, instability of exports of goods and services, victims of natural disasters
and instability of agricultural production.
These are 48 countries, 33 in Africa, including Mozambique (1988).

4. Mozambican Statistics
Population 23,049,621 (2011)
44.5% 0-14 year olds, 52.7% 15-64 year olds and 2.8%
65+ year olds
Language: Portuguese; 32 other language
Education is free however, compulsory until year 12
In Primary school (years 1-7) 5 million (2009)
In Secondary school (years 8-12) 430,000 (2009)
There are 2 state and 11 private Universities and 7
Superior Institutes
University undergraduate degrees: 4 years for
licenciatura

5. Background
Early 1900s Portuguese Military personnel made
astronomical observations of the solar eclipse
1907 - Frederico Oom tasked with acquiring
material and building the then Lourenço
Marques Observatory
Around the same period, Captain Gago
Coutinho observed the night sky
Not really sure what happened after this period

6. Background
There was an inactive telescope on top of one of the
buildings at Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM)
1997 an academic at UEM and students tried to
create conditions for astronomy, unsuccessfully!
2004/2005 plans drawn by students from the
Physics Department at UEM and the Portuguese
Superior Technical Institute
2007 UNESCO announces 2009 as the International
Year of Astronomy

7. Astronomy Outreach
Planned activities:
Seminars and observations in schools, by local and
international speakers about astronomy - March,
June and October
Exhibitions at the Ministry Science and Technology
Promote Astronomy with TV, radio and articles to
be written in national newspapers and magazines
Create conditions for an Amateur Astronomy
Society

8. Night with planets
Seminars at the university level

9. UNAWE

10. Galileo Teacher Training Program

12. Future Plans
Near Future
Establish an Amateur Astronomical Society - SLOWLY
Investigate history of astronomy in Mozambique - SLOWLY
Further improve links with other countries - IN PROGRESS
Secure funding for the long term - NOT YET
3 lectures at UEM have been successful in applying for PhD (2) and MSc (1) program with the South
Africa - Brazil partnership - IN PROGRESS
UEM arranging a visiting lectureship program for two months of the year to teach introductory
astronomy -- DONE
Build a small dome on roof of the Physics Department at UEM for a small telescope - AWAITING
FUNDING
Work in partnership with the Ministry of Science and Technology in order to include astronomy in the
Maluana Science Park - SLOWLY
Long term
Implement further courses at university - IN PROGRESS
Study potential sites for a research observatory (optical?) - SLOWLY
Fully integrate astronomy into the society - IN PROGRESS
SKA dish - IN PROGRESS???

14. Future Plans
Near Future
Establish an Amateur Astronomical Society - SLOWLY
Investigate history of astronomy in Mozambique - SLOWLY
Further improve links with other countries - IN PROGRESS
Secure funding for the long term - NOT YET
3 lectures at UEM have been successful in applying for PhD (2) and MSc (1) program with the South
Africa - Brazil partnership - IN PROGRESS
UEM arranging a visiting lectureship program for two months of the year to teach introductory
astronomy -- DONE
Build a small dome on roof of the Physics Department at UEM for a small telescope - AWAITING
FUNDING
Work in partnership with the Ministry of Science and Technology in order to include astronomy in the
Maluana Science Park - SLOWLY
Long term
Implement further courses at university - IN PROGRESS
Study potential sites for a research observatory (optical?) - SLOWLY
Fully integrate astronomy into the society - IN PROGRESS
SKA dish - IN PROGRESS???

15. Conclusions/Thoughts
IYA2009 has been an excellent opportunity to put astronomy in the
mind of our peers in Mozambique
Astronomy is well on its way in to the University system, we need to
start thinking about school system
How long will the momentum last?
How many more people can we bring into Astronomy?
We should explore further partnership with countries with well
established astronomy communities and learn from those that are
new and recent
We need to get the different groups with interest in astronomy to talk
with each other to create closer links (UEM - MST - UP)
It is a long road ahead

16. “Kanimambo”
http://astromozaia2009.weebly.com