Goals and Objectives

Goals, Objectives, Evaluation

The major goals of IYA2009 are to:

Increase scientific awareness.
Promote widespread access to new knowledge and observing experiences.
Empower astronomical communities in developing countries.
Support and improve formal and informal science education.
Provide a modern image of science and scientists.
Facilitate new networks and strengthen existing ones.
Improve the gender-balanced representation of scientists at all levels and promote greater involvement by underrepresented minorities in scientific and engineering careers.
Facilitate the preservation and protection of the world's cultural and natural heritage of dark skies in places such as urban oases, national parks and astronomical sites.

IYA2009 will be evaluated by a qualitative and quantitative analysis of how well each objective, as implemented in hundreds of national, regional and global activities, has been reached. Data will be collected by online questionnaires after the completion of each activity. The IYA2009 Secretariat will coordinate the evaluation. A rigorous evaluation procedure will follow each of the four phases of the project:

I. Planning (2006-2007).
II. Preparation (2008).
III. Implementation (2009).
IV. Closing, follow-up, evaluation (2010).

Goals To:	Objectives To:	Evaluation estimator
1. Increase the scientific awareness among the general public through the communication of scientific results in astronomy and related fields, as well as the process of research and critical thinking that leads to these results.	• Make astronomical breakthroughs more visible in the daily lives of billions of people through all available means of c ommunication (TV/radio documentaries, newspapers, web pages, exhibitions, stamps, blogs, web portals, advertising campaigns etc). • Facilitate individual astronomical observing opportunities.	• The number of people "touched". • Number of press clippings and readership. • Number of people visiting national, regional and global webpages (webstats). • Number of activities. • Number of new products etc.
2. Promote widespread access to the universal knowledge of fundamental science through the excitement of astronomy and sky-observing experiences.	• Enable as many laypeople as possible, especially children, to look at the sky through a telescope and gain a basic understanding of the Universe.	• Number of laypeople, especially young people and children, viewing the Universe through a telescope at street astronomy events, star parties, professional observatory webcasts etc. • Number of "cheap" new telescope kits produced, assembled and distributed.
3. Empower astronomical communities in developing countries through the initiation and stimulation of international collaborations.	• Involve astronomical communities of the developing nations in the Year, thereby providing examples of how outreach and education is carried out in different parts of the world.	• Number of participating developing nations as measured by the establishment of National IYA Nodes. • Number of new international partnerships and joint programs formed. • Number of people reached by new initiatives.
4. Support and improve formal and informal science education in schools as well as through science centres, planetariums and museums.	• Develop formal and informal educational material and distribute all over the world. • Conduct focused training of event leaders and presenters.	• Number of participating teachers and schools. • Number of educational materials distributed. • Number of new event leaders and presenters trained.
5. Provide a modern image of science and scientists to reinforce the links between science education and science careers, and thereby stimulate a long-term increase in student enrolment in the fields of science and technology, and an appreciation for lifelong learning.	• Popular talks by scientists of all ages, genders, races. • Facilitate portraits - on TV, in web blogs, biographies - of scientists that break with the traditional "lab coat view" of scientists, showing the excitement of scientific discovery, the international aspect of scientific collaborations and portraying the social sides of scientists.	• Number of popular talks. • Number of scientist portraits. Public response questionnaires. • Evidence for penetration of astronomy into popular culture (media, web, TV, radio talk shows...)
6. Facilitate new, and strengthen existing, networks by connecting amateur astronomers, educators, scientists and c ommunication professionals through local, regional, national and international activities.	• Connect as many individuals (named "IYA ambassadors") as well as organisations (amateur and professional) in networks, for instance by creating of new internal and external electronic communication infrastructures. These networks will become part of the heritage of IYA2009.	• Number of National IYA Nodes. • Number of new networks and partnerships formed.
7. Improve the gender-balanced representation of scientists at all levels and promote greater involvement by underrepresented minorities in scientific and engineering careers.	• Provide access to excellent role models and mentors, formally and informally, and publicise them. • Provide information about the female "dual-career" problem and possible solutions.	• Number of active new role models and mentors. • Number of new international partnerships, projects and activities.
8. Facilitate the preservation and protection of the world's cultural and natural heritage of dark skies in places such as urban oases, national parks and astronomical sites, through the awareness of the importance and preservation of the dark skies and astronomical sites for the natural environment and humanity heritage.	• Involve the dark-sky community in the IYA2009. • Collaborate on the implementation of the UNESCO and IAU "Astronomical and World Heritage" initiative. • Lobby the organizations, institutions, as well as local, regional and national governments to approve preservation laws for dark skies and historical astronomical sites. • Bring the issues of natural environment and energy preservation to the agenda of decision makers.	• Number of activities and events related with the night sky protection. • Number of countries/cities with the laws or guidelines for dark sky preservation. • Areas protected by dark sky laws. • Number of historical astronomical sites identified and protected under the UNESCO's World Heritage Convention.