What is the Office of Astronomy for Education?

The OAE an office of the International Astronomical Union. Our mission is to use astronomy to support primary and secondary school education world-wide. We help teachers to bring astronomy into their classrooms, and we help astronomers to support teachers and educators. When you were at school, would you have been interested in learning what a black hole is, or what happened during the Big Bang, or whether there is other life out there in the cosmos? Many school students are – and that makes astronomy an ideal starting point for exploring the worlds of science, technology, engineering and mathematics!

What is the International Astronomical Union, then?

The IAU is the umbrella organisation for professional astronomers world-wide. It has more than 12,000 active members in more than 100 countries. The IAU|s mission is to promote and safeguard astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, through international cooperation. It is also the internationally recognised authority for naming celestial objects and their surface features. The IAU’s Strategic Plan 2020–2030 provided for the establishment of an Office of Astronomy for Education – that's us!

Where is the Office of Astronomy for Education located?

We are hosted at Haus der Astronomie (HdA) in Heidelberg, Germany, and managed by the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy. HdA’s hosting the OAE was made possible through the support of the German foundations the Klaus Tschira Foundation and the Carl Zeiss Foundation. The annual Shaw Prize-IAU Workshops on Astronomy education that OAE organizes are funded by the Shaw Prize Foundation. In addition to the central office, there are several OAE Centers and OAE Nodes in different countries.

How does OAE interact with different countries world-wide?

The OAE has established a worldwide network of National Astronomy Education Coordinators (NAECs). The NAEC teams are the links between each country's astronomy education stakeholders and the OAE.

What are the OAE Centers and Nodes?

OAE Centers and Nodes are semi-independent branch offices of the OAE based at partner institutions around the world. All OAE Centers and OAE Nodes have an international scope, and are not regional offices. They collaborate with astronomy educators worldwide, including the OAE’s network of National Astronomy Education Coordinators (NAECs). The difference between an OAE Center and an OAE Node is one of size with Centers commiting more staff and resources to the OAE's work than Nodes.

What are the OAE's objectives?

The OAE's objectives are:

• Professionalize astronomy education
• Provide access to good resources
• Promote astronomy in curricula
• OAE Networking
• Spread the news

You can find more about these here.

Steering committee

The work of the IAU OAE is supervised by a Steering Committee with members chosen by both the IAU and the OAE host institution.