2026, News

South Africa Based International Office Drives Sustainable Development through Astronomy

20
Feb

Source: National Research Foundation

For immediate release
20 February 2026

The Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD), a partnership of the National Research Foundation (NRF) under the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), and the International Astronomical Union (IAU), is delighted to announce that 10 African projects have been selected to receive funding to advance sustainable development through astronomy. The 10 are part of 18 projects that will receive funding from the IAU and the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) project, which is funded through the UK’s International Science Partnership Fund via the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

Here is the list of funded projects, along with the details of the 10 African projects: https://astro4dev.org/funded-projects-in-2026/.

Located at the South African Astronomical Observatory (NRF-SAAO) in Cape Town, the mission of the OAD is to further the use of astronomy, including its practitioners, skills and infrastructures, as a tool for development. Since 2012, the office has deployed 1.5 million Euros from the IAU and partners to more than 250 projects, impacting thousands of lives in more than 100 countries.

The latest round of the grants program, concluded in December 2025, selected 18 new projects that will promote sustainable development through astronomy-based activities. In addition to Africa, the new projects will target countries in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.

These projects intend to utilise astronomy in various ways, such as foster critical thinking, creativity, and civic engagement amongst young people in punitive confinement in Argentina; address mental well-being at refugee camps in Uganda; strengthen local tourism ecosystems in rural Greece and Tanzania; challenge barriers to science for black girls in Canada, the deaf community in Mexico, and children with intellectual disabilities in Egypt; improve educational and social indicators in Venezuela, and more.

“The Office of Astronomy for Development reflects South Africa’s ability to host and lead globally relevant science partnerships that translate research excellence into societal benefit,” says Dr Mlungisi Cele, the Director-General of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation. “Through platforms such as the OAD, we are strengthening international collaboration, building institutional capability, and positioning science and innovation as integral components of sustainable development.”

Dr Angus Paterson, NRF acting Chief Executive Officer, welcomed the development. “We are thrilled about the projects receiving funding. The three South African initiatives will focus on bridging the gap between high school and university science; promoting astro-tourism for development through storytelling, science, and socio-economic growth; and inspiring township and rural learners by making science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) practical, creative, and connected to real-world challenges. All these are youth-focused, important topics. The projects across Africa are equally exciting. The initiative demonstrates how global collaboration plays a critical role in advancing society.”

Many of the new projects will focus on the OAD’s three flagship areas: astrotourism for socioeconomic development; astronomy to improve mental health; and the application of astronomy knowledge and skills for sustainable development.

The OAD’s Astrotourism flagship, in line with international policy such as the South African national astrotourism strategy, seeks to address the deep socioeconomic challenges in less developed regions by leveraging their unfettered access to dark skies. For instance, the Stars for the Future project will develop a community planetarium in Antímano, a vulnerable neighbourhood located west of Caracas, Venezuela. Thanks to the OAD’s contribution, the community will benefit and “those stars will shine”, according to project lead Dr Maximiliano Bandres from the Andres Bello Catholic University.

Astronomy is also being applied as a catalyst to help resolve the growing mental health crisis globally. Dr Trust Otto, lecturer at the Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Uganda, and lead of the IAU funded Stars Offering HOpe (SOHO) project says, “SOHO will improve refugee youth wellbeing by combining astronomy, storytelling, and creative learning into trauma-sensitive, peer-led activities. IAU funding will cover the core tools and training needed to run the programme safely and scale it across settlements.”

Multiple projects will address the goals of flagship 3, Astronomy Knowledge and Skills for Development, such as the East African Astronomical Society Workshop (EAASW), which aims to transform astronomy into a driver of regional development. The workshop will equip young scientists with high-value technical skills in data science and “astro-preneurship” to bridge the gap between academic research and the labour market. Dr Naftali K. Kimani at Kenyatta University, who is the project lead, says “IAU funding acts as the essential seed capital that unlocks regional support and covers critical workshop logistics, empowering East African researchers to transform their dark skies into a bridge for sustainable economic growth.”

Projects will also target barriers and inequities in STEM. Dr Thelma Akyea, project lead for Black Girls in Physics & Astronomy in Canada, says the project “uses astronomy as a tool to build confidence, positive identity, and strong leadership among black girls who are historically underrepresented in the field. Support from the IAU and OAD makes it possible to offer hands-on sky exploration, meaningful mentorship, and culturally affirming learning through community-rooted pathways into physics and astronomy.”

To know more about the impact of such projects, join the online Astronomy-for-Development session on February 20.

Links

Contacts
Ramasamy Venugopal,
IAU Office of Astronomy for Development,
Email: rv@astro4dev.org

Bongani Nkosi
Media Relations Officer
NRF Corporate Communications
Email: b.nkosi@nrf.ac.za / Cell: +27 61 477 3064

Ends.

 

About the NRF

The National Research Foundation (NRF) is an independent statutory body established in accordance with the National Research Foundation Act. Its mandate is to support and promote research through funding, human resource development and the provision of the necessary research facilities in order to facilitate the creation of knowledge, innovation and development in all fields of science and technology, including indigenous knowledge; developing, supporting and maintaining national research facilities; supporting and promoting public awareness of, and engagement with, science; and promoting the development and maintenance of the national science system and support of Government priorities, thereby contributing to the improvement of the quality of life of all South Africans.

Website: www.nrf.ac.za | Twitter: @NRF_News | Facebook: @NRFSouthAfrica

About the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development

The Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) is a partnership of the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and the International Astronomical Union, with the support of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI). The mission of the OAD is to further the use of astronomy, including its practitioners, skills and infrastructures, as a tool for development. Based at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in Cape Town, the OAD has administered more than €1,500,000 in grant funds, awarded to 260 projects across the world. Since its establishment the OAD has negotiated the establishment of eleven regional offices around the world (based in Armenia, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Jordan, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Thailand, USA and Zambia) with two of these offices serving as a joint language centre (Chinese and Arabic), and one serving as a dedicated language centre (Portuguese).

Website: www.astro4dev.org| Twitter: @astro4dev | Facebook: @astro4dev