Informatics : a vital factor in development

Unesco's activities in the field of informatics and its applications

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Published in 1980 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 7, place de Fontenoy. 75700 Paris Printed by Presses Centrales Lausanne S . A . © U n e s c o 1980 Reproduction authorized, subject to usual acknowledgement. Please send voucher copy to Informatics Section, S C / S E R , Unesco, 75700 Paris Printed in Switzerland

Foreword

T h e scientific, technological and educational aspects of informatics and their potential impact on societal development are of particular interest to Unesco. A s in other areas of its work, the Organization follows an integrated and multidisciplinary approach in its action related to areas such as the formulation of national policies for informatics, the establishment and management of computer centres, the development of software, the training of h u m a n resources, the logical and mathematical basis of information processing, research and education, information generation, storage and retrieval and the evolution of society as a result of its growing informatiza-tion.

Although the numerous activities undertaken by the Organization in this field cannot all be described in a short survey, it is hoped that the present publication, which includes some examples that are typical of recent activities, will give the reader an idea of the main lines of Unesco's programme in informatics.

Contents

1 What is informatics?

2 Unesco 's approach 13 Informatics in the life of a nation 14 Informatics at regional level 15

3 Unesco 's informatics programme 17 SPIN : Orientation of an international programme 17 International co-operation in informatics 18

Intergovernmental Bureau for Informatics (IBI) 19 International non-governmental organizations 19 Promotion of regional co-operation 21 Participation programme 21

Training and education in informatics 22

Training in informatics 22 Education in informatics at school level 23 Development of computer centres 24

Operational projects with strong informatics components 24

Education projects 24 Arabization project 26

Future orientation 27 Advisory Group of Experts in Informatics (AGI) 27 N e w actions 29

Specialized informatics applications 33 Application of informatics in education and social sciences 33

Computer-based instruction 33 Informatics for educational management 34 Project/Programme Management Information System (PMIS) 35 Educational Simulation Model (ESM) 36 Global modelling 37 Socio-economic indicators 37

Application of informatics in hydrology and seismology 37 Application of informatics in statistics 38 Application of informatics in the General Information Programme (PGI/UNISIST) 39 Application of informatics in the Unesco Documentation Service 41

The C D S / I S I S - C A N / S D I software 41 Unesco Computerized Documentation System (CDS) 44

Application of informatics to specialized information systems 44

Development of data bases in the field of science and technology policies 44 International Environmental Education Network (IEEN) 46 Marine Environmental Data Information Referral System (MEDI) 46

Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Information System (ASFIS) 47 Data Retrieval System for Documentation in the Social and H u m a n Sciences ( D A R E ) 48 Cultural development 48 Cultural heritage 49 Information System on Research and H u m a n Needs 49 Copyright data bank 49

5 Informatics systems at Unesco 51 Organization 51 Systems and services 51 Basic hardware and software 52

Appendix: List of abbreviations 55

1

W h a t is informatics?

T h e interrelations within contemporary society grow in complexity day by day, and one of the inevitable consequences is that an ever-increasing volume of data and information must be handled.1

Data and information have thus become a necessary component in the dynamics of social evolution and particularly so in societies where techno­logy and services play a significant role—as well as in relations a m o n g nations. They constitute a key element in decision-making at the most varied levels. A s knowledge advances and its applications become more diverse and call for further research, precise information concerning the state of a problem, and even of h o w it is likely to evolve, is necessary before action can be undertaken. Hence the rational utilization of natural and h u m a n resources, scientific and technological development as well as agricultural and industrial progress and the advance of culture and social welfare demand increasingly efficient data handling and access to the most diversified and comprehensive information.

Today, w e are witnessing the gradual emergence of a complex of scientific, engineering and other technological disciplines and management techniques which are helping us to cope with data and information more systematically, without losing sight of their wider social, economic and cultural contexts. This complex of disciplines is increasingly referred to as informatics, from the French term informatique.

Various definitions have been suggested for informatics. Generally speaking, it can be described as 'the totality of disciplines and technologies for the systematic treatment [particularly by computer] of data and information seen as the m e d i u m for knowledge with a view to its conservation in time and its communication in space'.:

In the present context, informatics encompasses fields related to design, construction, evaluation, use and maintenance of data processing, storage

1. The IF1P-ICC Vocabulary (North Holland. 1966), suggests that data are a representa­tion of facts or ideas in a formalized manner, whereas information is the meaning a h u m a n assigns to data by means of the known conventions used in its representation. In the Unesco Secretariat, the General Information Programme (PGI), which is discussed in Chapter 4, is distinct from the Informatics Programme.

2. Terminology of Documentation, Paris, The Unesco Press, 1976.

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Informatics: a vital factor in development

and communication systems including hardware and software, as well as organizational and h u m a n aspects. Thus informatics in this sense includes what is often called computer (or computing) science, its technological and theoretical foundations, as well as its applications.

T h e development of informatics has benefited from the convergent efforts of a large number of disciplines, especially but not solely within science and technology. If there is one field in which the interactions between the most abstract type of basic science, the most advanced technological inventions and applications, productive capacity and economic and social conditions are at once the most manifest and the most complex, it is undoubtedly that of informatics.

For the last twenty-five years, informatics has been applied extensively in support of public administration, business management, banking and marketing, for scientific and technological research, statistical and numerical computation, medical diagnosis, monitoring purposes, industrial process control, education, libraries and other documentation services. It plays an important role in remote sensing and telecommunications. These applica­tions are, to varying degrees, useful and even necessary in both developed and developing countries.

A n indispensable instrument in economic and social development, informatics permits the processing of information to suit the requirements of planners and decision-makers in all aspects and at all levels of activity, including production, research and services. T h e need to generate, process, store and transmit information brings about a parallel development of equipment and procedures which, in turn, enables the fast and economic handling of the huge volumes of data and information needed for societal development. The experience of the industrial countries in this field proved that informatics, which is born of progress, could, in turn, accelerate development : once mastered by the developing countries, it could, through improved management of resources, reduce the gap which separates them from the industrialized nations.

Through the continuing development of technology (for example, microelectronics, which led to the realization of microprocessors), informa­tics, even in its most sophisticated form, has become accessible to all countries. Widespread availability of hardware is opening up new areas of application for which the economics of information processing were hitherto unfavourable, and providing a fresh opportunity for developing countries to take a productive part in informatics technology.

T h e emergence of informatics represents a challenge for all nations. In the future, the most advanced m a y be those which seized the unique opportunity for progress offered by informatics, and were thus able to reap its immense potential benefits.

12

2

Unesco's approach

In 1968, the United Nations General Assembly, recognizing the implications of informatics development, called for the preparation of a comprehensive report o n the problem that the future evolution of informatics presents to countries following various patterns of development. In 1974 it decided

that the Commitee on Science and Technology for Development shall act as a focal point for activities concerning the application of computer science and technology for the benefit of the development of all countries and particularly that of the developing countries, in view of their specific problems, and that, to assist it in this work, it should rely principally on the expert services provided by an existing United Nations body or bodies, such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or the Advisory Committee on the Application of Science and Technology to Development, or by other intergovememental organizations, such as the Inter­governmental Bureau for Informatics.1

In the evolution of informatics throughout the world, two questions are of particular interest to Unesco , namely the role that can be played by science and technology and their applications, and the development of scientific and technological capabilities and infrastructures. It is necessary to approach these questions from the angles of research and development, the establish­m e n t of system and the design and production of hardware and software, as well as from that of the use of informatics for the socio-economic develop­m e n t of the developing countries in the spirit of the United Nations Conference o n Science and Technology for Development ( U N C S T D ) . 2

1. Thinking Ahead. Unesco and the Challenges of Today and Tomorrow. Paris, Unesco, 1977.

2. A list of abbreviations used in the text will be found in the Appendix.

13

Informatics: a vital factor in development

Informatics in the life of a nation

T h e effective use of informatics can further the process of socio-economic development. In the first place, informatics constitutes an essential tool for economic and social planning, making it possible to process a large volume of data, construct models, and keep track of the implementation of programmes and projects. In the second place, it provides a means of improving all the conditions pertaining to the management of enterprises and services of all kinds. Lastly, informatics can considerably increase the developing countries' chances of successfully installing systems of production which, while helping them to meet their o w n needs, will also enable them to compete on world markets. It is therefore in the interest of all countries to accord informatics a place of importance in their science and technology policies, both as a contribution to attaining self-reliance and to place in the service of their development objectives an instrument of unparalleled effectiveness.

The international scientific community has, for its part, to consider also two major problems of a general character. T h e first concerns the implica­tions of informatics for development. There is not yet enough knowledge concerning the processes whereby informatics m a y be integrated into societies which are ill-prepared to adopt it on account of their socio­economic and cultural characteristics. There is a need for studies drawing on the social sciences in regard to both general aspects and particular cases, in order to enable the developing countries to reach sound decisions concerning the implantation of informatics in circumstances which m a y differ widely from those in which it saw the day. T h e second problem concerns research on informatics, particularly on development of n e w and increasingly specialized or diversified hardware and software, or on the principles which m a y lead to existing techniques being used for n e w purposes.

In order to achieve rapid progress in informatics, there must be a substantial increase in the numbers of personnel qualified for this field. W h a t is involved is more than ensuring that the universities have access to computers adapted to their needs, and establishing education programmes for those specializing in informatics ; also involved is familiarizing all students with the use of computers and the basic concepts of informatics since they are proving to be applicable in virtually all branches of science, technology and economics. Informatics is a field which is changing very rapidly, and the intensive exchange of knowledge and experience among specialists is indispensable in order to guard against the premature obsolescence of related educational programmes. In the field of general education, a certain amount of work has already been done in providing secondary-school pupils with a

14

Unesco 's approach

grounding in the scientific concepts concerning computers. T h e acceptance of informatics and the appreciation of its social, cultural and economic implications make it essential that extensive awareness programmes are undertaken, particularly through the media.

Informatics at regional level

Informatics is at present one ofthe key areas of knowledge and, as such, one in which international co-operation m a y enable both its better use for the good of mankind, and the orientation of new research towards fields of potential benefit to all nations.

T o counteract the present disparity between countries where informa­tics is concerned—a disparity which cannot be measured solely by the number of computers possessed by each country and the people to use them, but also by a country's ability to apply informatics to the attainment of its national objectives—it is important to develop, at government level, a greater awareness ofthe concrete implications of informatics. Such awareness is a prerequisite if priorities and strategies are to become the subject of progressively more precise national policies and concerted efforts at regional and global level.

T h e level of development in informatics varies from region to region, and m a n y of Unesco's programmes require the grouping of countries so as to make efficient operations possible. Therefore, Unesco gives special attention to the regional approach, to programme design and implementation based on social, cultural, linguistic and economic identities within different levels of development.

Unesco is pursuing the regional informatics programmes through the following Regional Offices for Science and Technology:

Unesco Regional Office for Unesco Regional Office for Science and Technology for Science and Technology for Africa South and Central Asia P. O . Box 3 1592 U nesco House Nairobi Jor Pagh 17 (Lodi Road) Kenya N e w Dehli 110003

India

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Informatics: a vital factor in development

Unesco Regional Office for Science and Technology in the Arab States 8 Abdel R a h m a n F a h m y Street Garden City Cairo Arab Republic of Egypt

Unesco Regional Office for Science and Technology for Latin America and the Caribbean Casilla del Correo 859 Montevideo Uruguay

The future development of the informatics infrastructure in the developing countries will obviously hinge on the training of teachers and research workers. The general thrust of this training, the different levels at which it should be dispensed and the occupational requirements for which it should cater pose problems no less important than that of its content. Regional co-operation seems to provide the best means whereby different countries m a y define their o w n objectives, because of the examination of c o m m o n problems made possible by such arrangements. In the organization of training facilities which could also be to a large extent regional, one should not underestimate the fact that training for a career in informatics—be it for research in the field of software, development applications or the use of computers in management—requires prior scientific training which is not only of a fairly high level but also presents certain particular features. It is therefore important that this be taken into account in the establishment of science education programmes on the one hand and in that of research and education infrastructures on the other. It is consequently important that the development of informatics be integrated into policies relating to the development of national scientific and technological potentials.

Unesco Regional Office for Science and Technology for South-East Asia Jalan Thamrin 14 Tromol Pos 2 7 3 / J K T Jakarta Indonesia

16

3

Unesco's informatics programme

Unesco's traditional activities in the stimulation of international co­operation in its specialized fields, in operational assistance to M e m b e r States for social, cultural and economic development, and in the promotion of peace, h u m a n rights and mutual understanding have been deeply influenced by the profound evolution and swift advances in informatics. Furthermore, the effort made towards a new economic order calls for new approaches. Guidance in these and other aspects was provided by the First Intergovern­mental Conference on Strategies and Policies for Informatics (SPIN)1 held in Torremolinos, Spain, in 1978.

SPIN: orientation of an international programme

T h e S P I N conference was the culmination of several years' preparatory work by Unesco and the Intergovernmental Bureau for Informatics (IBI) to sensitize M e m b e r States to the growing significance of the discipline and application of informatics as an efficient and effective tool serving the development of all countries. The objectives were to exchange experiences in strategies and policies in informatics, especially those aimed at ensuring the development of endogenous capacities and the optimal utilization of resources; to identify ways and means whereby informatics can contribute to economic, social and cultural development, bearing in mind the particular needs of developing countries; to clarify the prerequisites for the elaboration of strategies and policies at the national level; and to draw up a programme of action for international co-operation and assistance in the field of informa­tics.

Delegations from seventy-six M e m b e r States of Unesco attended the conference, as well as observers from a n o n - M e m b e r State, and representa­tives and observers from other agencies of the United Nations system,

1. See 'Strategies and Policies for Informatics', Final Report of the conference.

17

Informatics : a vital /actor in development

intergovernmental organizations and international non-governmental organ­izations. T h e statements of the participants confirmed the importance of the objectives and the significance attached to the wide utilization of informatics in m a n y aspects of public and private life. T h e contribution of informatics to development was stressed, as well as the urgent need for developing countries to be able to share in informatics applications, which are becoming increasingly widespread. T h e sponsoring organizations were strongly advised to promote co-operation and to be of ever greater assistance to M e m b e r States, especially developing countries, in the fields of education, training, and in the exchange of information reflecting the rapidly changing advances in this field.

In particular, Unesco and IBI were requested to promote, and to provide the necessary financial, organizational and methodological assis­tance for the setting up of regional centres for the training (including further training) of informatics specialists. Training and research institutes in the developing countries should educate high-level specialists in informatics and research workers; encourage research workers; encourage research in informatics in fields involving c o m m o n problems; promote educational methods; set up mobile teams to provide training and refresher courses and, finally, provide assistance by making available the most appropriate resources. Unesco was invited to sponsor the organization of conferences, seminars, congresses, etc., held by non-governmental organizations such as the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) for the analysis and dissemination of all aspects of informatics, and to provide resources to enable a greater number of nations to be represented at these events, in addition to serving as a focal point within the United Nations system by promoting an integrated, multidisciplinary approach in accord­ance with the principle of self-reliance of nations. It was also suggested that Unesco and IBI exchange information and experience relating to informatics a m o n g M e m b e r States, and carry out multidisciplinary studies and forecasts on the social and cultural implications of informatics.

Thus, the informatics programme, as described in the following paragraphs, stresses the implementation of the S P I N conference recommen­dations.

International co-operation in informatics

Unesco's programme is developed in co-ordination with the work of other United Nations agencies, intergovernmental organizations and international non-governmental organizations, and through its o w n regional activities.

18

Unesco 's in/brmalics programme

Within the United Nations system, Unesco has participated in the work of the Advisory Committee on Application of Science and Technology to Development as well as the Economic and Social Council and of the Inter-organization Board for Information Systems (IOB); it has also contri­buted to the United Nations Secretary-General's first and second reports on The Applications of Computer Technology for Development, and taken part in various meetings on computer science organized within the United Nations family.

Intergovernmental Bureau for Informatics (IBI)

It is of special importance that the political, economic and social role played by informatics in the lives of nations be fully understood by decision-making bodies in the various countries concerned. Unesco was among the first to foster this awareness by assisting in the establishment in 1960 of the International Computation Centre (ICC), which later became the Inter­governmental Bureau for Informatics (IBI). IBI is an intergovernmental organization specializing in informatics, covering all its aspects, but in particular by advising, promoting and, when required, recommending action of a national or international nature concerning, inter alia, the adoption of national and international strategies and policies for informatics. IBI holds specialized meetings at global and regional levels, some of which are organized in co-operation with Unesco.

In particular, IBI collaborates with government officials in various regions in obtaining an overall and precise view of the implications of informatics. It has contributed to conveying the concept that informatics should constitute one of the principal elements in national science and technology policies. Certain developing countries in Africa and Latin America have already established national machinery to ensure a harmon­ized approach to informatics and have embarked upon studies relating to software and services.

Since the establishment of IBI, Unesco has participated in the meetings of its General Assembly, Executive Council and Technical Advisory Board, and taken part in its work.

International non-governmental organizations

The role of the regional and international non-governmental organizations is considered to be critical for the diffusion of knowledge and know-how, through congresses, seminars, workshops and the publication of proceedings and journals. Unesco supports these organizations and works in close association with them to promote the free flow of information and the

19

Informatics: a vital factor in development

movement of people for intellectual co-operation on a worldwide basis ; it has endeavoured to enlist their co-operation in the establishment of a new international economic order, striving for a wider and more meaningful participation of developing countries in the overall development.

Unesco collaborates with organizations such as the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP), already mentioned, the International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS), the International Federation of Automatic Control (IF A C ) , the Asia Electronics Union ( A E U ) , the Five International Associations Co-ordinating Committee (FIACC), the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Data for Development (DFD) , and the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) which includes various informatics-related unions and committees. Unesco also encourages regional associations such as the South-East Asia Regional Computer Confederation ( S E A R C C ) .

Specific mention should be made of IFIP—the largest specialized association—founded under the auspices of Unesco at the first world symposium on information processing convened by the Organization in 1959. IFIP is an international federation of scientific, professional and technical societies concerned with informatics. Currently, Unesco funding has been made available to encourage attendance by delegates from developing countries to IFIP events such as the Second Conference on H u m a n Choice and Computers held in Vienna, Austria, in 1974, Teleinfor-matics 79, an international conference organized in Paris, France, and the European Conference on Applied Information Technology (EURO-IFIP 79) in London, United Kingdom. Furthermore, Unesco has promoted the establishment of an IFIP Committee on Informatics for Development (ICID), which centres its activities on informatics in the developing countries. This group shows great promise for future interactions, counting, as it does, on the collaboration of Unesco and other international agencies. IFIP has also organized, among other activities, conferences on computers in education and is active in the field of curricula development.

Another professional society founded under the auspices of Unesco is the Asia Electronics Union ( A E U ) . The union was established in 1967 in response to a long-felt need for international co-operation in the region in the field of electronics. In particular, it collaborates with Unesco in organizing an International Training Course in Computer Technology.

Unesco has also begun to collaborate with Data for Development (DFP), a non-governmental international organization composed mainly of individuals working on a voluntary basis, which is very active in the field of informatics, especially in government data management. With Unesco 's support, D F D organized an international seminar in 1979 on Information Systems in Public Administration and their Role in Economic and Social

20

Unesco 's informatics programme

Development, held in Chamrousse, France, and attended by a number of participants from developing countries. The meeting recommended in particular the strengthening of international co-operation, a fuller use of the opportunities for development offered by the computer and communication technologies, and further collaboration between D F D and IFIP.

Promotion of regional co-operation

In general, Unesco has facilitated the treatment of c o m m o n problems along regional lines. Having established regional groupings, the M e m b e r States have met to discuss and work out recommendations for co-operation in policy areas including science and technology, communication, education and culture. Structural reorganization, involving increasing decentralization to strengthen regional offices and the establishment of centres and networks, has furthered co-operation in a wide range of disciplines.

With a view to action on the recommendations and conclusions of the SPIN conference, five regional meetings of directors of computer centres were organized. The Regional Meeting of Computer Centre Directors in Latin America and the Caribbean was held from 2 to 6 October 1979 in Montevideo, Uruguay, while that of South and Central Asia was convened in Katmandu, Nepal, from 29 October to 1 November 1979. These were followed in 1980 by a Meeting of Directors of Computer Centres in Africa, held from 14 to 18 April in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania. T w o others are planned : one for Arab states, and one for South and Central Asia. The meetings dealt with the implementation of a software exchange programme as well as hardware, procurement and c o m m o n maintenance arrangements. They provided an opportunity for discussing needs in informatics within each region, and an initial result has been the firm proposal to establish a Regional Network of Computer Centres in South and Central Asia. The main findings of all the meetings will be summarized at a consultation with the rapporteurs at Unesco Headquarters at a later date, and lines of action will then be recommended.

Participation programme

Under the participation programme, through which M e m b e r States request collaboration from Unesco in specific areas, a number of fellowships have been granted, expert and consultant services have been provided, as well as advice on development of informatics policies, establishment of new centres, and project definition. The exchange of scientists has been promoted so as to open the research organizations and computer institutes to researchers from developing countries, which would in turn invite scientists for lecturing.

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Informatics: a vital factor in development

Training and education in informatics

Training in informatics

It is clear that the availability of appropriate m a n p o w e r is prerequisite for the effective use of informatics :

Possession of a computer may at first create as many problems as it solves. In the hands of competent users computers can be both useful and effective. But their tasks must be set and their capabilities applied by human beings. Their effectiveness depends upon the skill and understanding of those w h o plan, approve, implement, manage, monitor and evaluate activities in which the computer is involved.1

T h e shortage of appropriate m a n p o w e r in the various fields of informatics has often been pointed out; it is especially acute in developing countries. A n increasing need is foreseen for the future, obviously with differences as to number and type of professionals required according to national situations.

Moreover, the need is widely recognized for a general 'informatics culture' a m o n g all citizens w h o , sooner or later, directly or indirectly, will be in contact with the spreading implementation of computer technology and will be involved and affected by its applications.

It is clear that needs can be met only through appropriate and extensive education. It seems, however, that the very rapid spread of computer use, with a rate of growth which is somewhat similar in both developed and developing countries, has not been accompanied by sufficient creation and expansion of educational structures in the broad field of informatics, particularly in developing countries. Hence, education and training for the application of computer technology to the process of economic and social development remains a high priority for all countries, developed and developing alike.

T o help solve this problem and to promote the comparison of experience and the exchange of ideas a m o n g nations, Unesco sponsors long-term postgraduate training courses in computer science and technology, organized by internationally acknowledged institutions. Courses include the following: Training Course in Computer Technology, in Tokyo , organized by the Asia

Electronics Union and the Japanese Government . International Postgraduate Dip loma Course in Computer Sciences, at the

University of Lagos, Nigeria.

1. United Nations Secretary-General, The Applications of Computer Technology for Development, Second Report, p. 8, 9, N e w York. United Nations, 1973.

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Unesco '.y informatics programme

International Postgraduate Training Course in Mathematics and Informatics Applied to Reseach, at the University of Bucharest, Romania.

International Training Course in Computer Management Studies, at the University of London, United Kingdom.

Within the framework of some projects financed by the United Nations Development Programme ( U N D P ) , for example, the National System of Engineering Education for Industry in Caracas, Venezuela, and the C o m ­puter Centre of Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt, Unesco provides the services of international experts and places fellows for advanced training abroad in order to strengthen postgraduate education in computer science and techno­logy.

In a number of U n e s c o / U N D P projects, technical assistance has been provided to improve the training of engineers in the use of computers. For example, consultants have collaborated with the Higher School of Mining Engineering in Oviedo, Spain, on the use of computer methods in mining geology and exploitation, and with the Mechanical Engineering Research and Development Organization in Durgapur, India, on the application of computers to mechanical engineering design.

Within the long-term project concerned with research on comparative cross-national studies in social sciences, Unesco has organized five inter­national courses for the training of advanced students in the use of computers in sociology, social psychology and demography.

T h e choice of curricula is an essential aspect of informatics training. Thus Unesco has requested a report to be prepared by IFIP on curriculum development for informatics, including a description of major current work on curriculum development as carried out by computer societies and educational establishments, a definition of a modular structure in which major subject areas, syllabuses and associated prerequisites (such as labora­tory and computer facilities) are described, and recommendations on h o w such curricula can be adapted to the needs of developing countries. This curricular recommendation is expected to be completed in 1980.

Education in informatics at the school level

The modernization of school curricula in order to render them more responsive to the rapid development of science and technology is a constant concern of Unesco. Unesco assisted IFIP in a conference on informatics and mathematics in secondary schools (Varna, Bulgaria, 1977) which examined ways in which the school curriculum might be adapted to take advantage of contemporary ideas in informatics. The consensus ofthat meeting was that informatics education at school level should be integrated into existing school subjects, especially mathematics, and not taught as an independent sub­ject.

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Informatics: a vital factor in development

In collaboration with Unesco and IBI, IFIP organized two major conferences on Computers in Education, in Amsterdam in 1970, and in Marseilles in 1975. A third conference is to be held in Lausanne in 1981 and will discuss, as part of its theme, the application of computers to help solve educational problems in developing countries.

Development of computer centres

Several UNDP-financed projects devoted to the development of computer centres are implemented by Unesco, as for example, the Polytechnic Institute, Bucharest, R o m a n i a ; the Universities Computer Centre, Rangoon, Burma ; and the Automated Centre for Scientific and Technical Information, Sofia, Bulgaria. These three centres are serving three different purposes. T h e first is aimed at developing training and research facilities within the existing faculties of the Polytechnic Institute; the centre in Rangoon is the first devoted to training in all aspects of computer applications and the introduction of this new technology into key enterprises in the economy. T h e third project has introduced computer techniques in the processing, storage, retrieval and distribution of information in Bulgaria.

Operational projects with strong informatics components

In addition to the foregoing activities whose main content is informatics, certain operational projects with a strong informatics component are being implemented jointly by Unesco and U N D P , or Unesco and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). Projects of this kind which are n o w being undertaken in M e m b e r States are described in the following paragraphs.

Education projects

In Afghanistan, U n e s c o / U N D P in collaboration with the Ministry of Education undertook the project on educational planning and management. The project includes the development of elementary educational research and statistical data bases, the automation of basic administrative functions (payroll, accounting) as well as study and progressive implementation of an educational management information system.

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Unesco 's informatics programme

In Indonesia, one U n e s c o / U N D P project concerns the development of national education programmes and includes national education planning, evaluation and curriculum development. A n important component of the project is the design and development of an overall integrated educational management information system responding to specific national require­ments. This component involves installation of data processing facilities, progressive automation of all basic administrative functions, creation of an educational research and statistics data base, and training of staff concerned with the above fields.

In Malaysia the U n e s c o / U N D P project on the strengthening of national capacity in data processing for educational planning and research is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. The project involves the design and development of an educational research information system by integrating existing operational subsystems covering both administrative and documentary aspects.

In Pakistan the U n e s c o / U N D P project is on reform of educational administration in the provinces. T h e project includes installation of data processing facilities, automation of all basic administrative functions, and progressive development of an educational management information sys­tem.

In Morocco there is a U n e s c o / I B R D education project on overall analysis of the educational administrative system. It includes progressive rationalization and automation of basic administrative functions, installation of data processing facilities and development of an educational management system.

In Algeria one U n e s c o / U N D P project in technical co-operation with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research includes design and development of an educational research management information system. T h e system is to cover all basic administrative functions as well as research projects and staff.

In Benin one U n e s c o / U N D P project is on planning and implementa­tion of the educational reform. T h e project includes rationalization of basic administrative procedures and progressive mechanization of personnel files at national level through existing data processing facilities.

In Singapore the U n e s c o / U N D P project on information services for educational planning and development is at an advanced stage of prepara­tion. It will include the integration of existing computerized administrative and statistical educational subsystems, as well as progressive design and development of an advanced on-line educational management and research information system.

In Hungary one U n e s c o / U N D P project is on development and application of modern educational methods and technologies in the field of

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Informatics: a vital factor in development

computerized information processing. The project, which is also in an advanced stage of preparation, involves the Central Statistical Office, the International Computer Education and Information Centre.

Arabization project

T h e Arabization project undertaken by the Moroccan Government in various sectors of national life has a very important informatics component. In order to facilitate the Arabization process, the Institut d'Études et de Recherches pour l'Arabisation (IERA) implements the informatics c o m p o ­nent in its overall programme with assistance from U n e s c o / U N D P .

I E R A , created in 1960, has the basic aim of providing the government with the necessary assistance for a progressive linguistic reconversion. So far, it has devoted its research activities to the following fields: Normalization of the Arabic alphabet in order to overcome technical

difficulties that hamper its utilization in all printing, telex and data-transmission equipment (e.g. informatics, telecommunications, typing).

Reviewing the contemporary Arabic vocabulary, particularly in scientific and technical fields, in order to perfect a precise and functional terminology and provide translators with adequate tools in the form of lexicons as well as bilingual and trilingual dictionaries.

Teaching the Arabic language, translating and interpreting as techniques of linguistic communication as well as popularizing modern knowledge of Arabic in order to renew and modernize training in this language and improve professional and socio-cultural development.

Since the printed word is at the root of every practical endeavour to Arabize, I E R A has devoted itself primarily to developing the V S A - C O D A R system (Vowelled Standard Arabic—Arabic Coding), which consists of a group of standardized and vowelled characters (VSA) comprising a binary codification (Arabic coding or C O D A R ) which allows the Arabic alphabet to be introduced into computers and telecommunication networks. This system is intended to serve as a technical support to the Moroccan Government's Arabization projects and constitutes the necessary means for pursuing I E R A ' s other work.

Parallel to this activity, I E R A has set up a card-index of Arabic terminology comprising more than 900,000 translations of terms drawn from bilingual or trilingual lexicon dictionaries, glossaries and various works. This stock of translations, which has been used for perfecting lexicons required for Arabization in various fields (Maghrebian fauna, uniform practical M a g h -rebian vocabulary for primary schooling, administrative vocabulary for Morocco's public administration), should serve as a basis for creating a

26

Unesco 's informatics programme

terminology bank which would render it practicable on a larger scale. O n a longer term, it would serve in the preparation of a dictionary of modern uniform Arabic, an indispensable reference tool in the scientific, technical and cultural fields.

The results obtained by I E R A concerning development of the V S A -C O D A R system are of two kinds: the first category has to do with technical achievements; the second involves the support given the system by high-ranking inter-Arab and international organizations with a view to its officialization and homologation.

A s regards printing, various devices utilizing the system are being employed in Morocco, and several publications including national daily newspapers are also being printed with this system.

In the field of informatics, a computer terminal with a Latin-Arabic bialphabetic screen has been developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). Series production of the terminal is planned. Moreover, V S A - C O D A R has been adapted to a standard mini-computer with the idea of installing an autonomous informatics system at I E R A for the project.

In respect of the second category concerning inter-Arab and inter­national recognition of the V S A - C O D A R system for eventual homologation, all bodies concerned (ISO, IBI, A T U , the Arabization bureau, A L E C S O ) participated in a meeting organized by Unesco in June 1978 at its Headquarters. The result of this meeting was the establishment of a specific strategy for the homologation of V S A - C O D A R , of which the first step was the creation of a technical committee in Morocco which led to the recognition of this set of characters at the national level.

Future orientation

Advisory Group of Experts in Informatics (AGI)

The Advisory Group of Experts in Informatics (AGI), set up by the Director-General in accordance with the recommendations of the SPIN conference in 1978 and as authorized by the General Conference of Unesco at its twentieth session, met at Unesco Headquarters in Paris from 17 to 19 September 1979. The group brought together outstanding informatics specialists from both developing and industrialized countries. T w o inter­governmental organizations, O E C D and IBI, and a non-governmental organization, IFIP, were also represented.

The agenda included the following items: (a) the importance of informatics, informatics policies and social aspects—a general review following the SPIN conference ; (b) major informatics issues for industrialized

27

Informatics: a vital factor in development

countries in the 1980s—informatics industry, m a n p o w e r development, research and education, applications, and Unesco's role; (c) major informa­tics issues for developing countries in the 1980s infrastructure for informatics, education, technology transfer and adaptation, information about informa­tics, the impact of microprocessors and Unesco's proposed direct action programme; (d) Unesco 's role in informatics and that of other international (governmental and non-governmental) organizations.

T h e A G I agreed on the following broad subjects which require the immediate attention of international organizations and agencies: Training and education, at higher and basic levels, both to alleviate shortages

of specialists and to increase general awareness of the importance of the technology at all levels, including senior policy-makers.

Effective transfer of technology, including the transfer between countries of successful projects and programmes. T h e acquisition of informatics technology is to be encouraged with due regard to the level of development of each country and national priorities.

Co-ordination of the requirements and experience of particular countries, including areas in which informatics is peripheral but not central to a particular activity, in order to compensate for dependence on overseas suppliers.

Development of the necessary action on standardization, in co-operation with the international governmental organizations, including the Inter­national Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Creation of an International Fund of Projects, possibly including computer networks, and of programme products for general purposes (taking into account the portability of programmes) for the use of different countries, with arrangements for the continuing support and develop­ment of the fund.

Statistical comparisons of the use of informatics in different countries on a quantitative basis. T h e group agreed that there were two fundamental principles that must be accepted and implemented if an action programme in line with its recommendations was to be successful. T h e first of these is that, owing to variations in the level of development in informatics from region to region, special attention should be given to a regional approach to programme design and implementation based on social, cultural, linguistic and economic identities within different levels of development. The second principle is that the rapid advance in technologies and their profound impact on societies m a k e it imperative that international organizational structures be adapted dynamically, having full regard to the need to co-ordinate efforts between agencies and to avoid waste of resources. Within the United Nations family, the group considered that Unesco should assume a primary responsibility

28

Unesco 's informatics programme

for developing policies in informatics, and for orienting appropriate actions at governmental level.

New actions

Following the S P I N recommendations and those of the A G I meeting, as well as the regional meetings of computer centre directors, Unesco has planned to restructure its Informatics Programme for 1981-83 by concentrating on the following programme actions.

Manpower development and training. A s pointed out by the SPIN conference and the Advisory G r o u p of Experts in Informatics (AGI), there is a crucial need to establish education and training programmes in informatics to alleviate the widespread shortages of specialist personnel that exist in this fast-expanding field, and which are particularly acute in developing coun­tries. Unesco will encourage the establishment of computer science pro­grammes in tertiary education by assisting in fields such as curriculum development and adaptation to particular cultural environments. Postgrad­uate courses for informatics teachers will also be supported. There is a pressing need for short-term courses to meet urgent staff requirements, and also for continuing education to keep abreast with rapid technological advances. The list of short-term training courses already planned includes the following: International Training Course in Computer Technology, Tokyo , Japan; Computer Applications in Industry and Management, Patras, Greece; a training course at the Institut Africain d'Informatique (LAI), Libreville, G a b o n ; and a training course in informatics in China.

Unesco will organize training courses jointly with a host institution or competent organization and will assist in creating training centres. A regional approach will be adopted so as to encourage the development of centres of excellence in informatics education and training to serve national and regional requirements. A fellowship programme will be evolved for young informaticians.

Education and training at more basic levels will be encouraged, with particular emphasis on the education of the young.

Unesco will support informatics awareness programmes, including appreciation of the social, cultural and economic implications and their importance for development.

Effective transfer and adaptation of technology. T o improve the endogenous informatics capability in developing countries, joint research projects will be supported which will be undertaken co-operatively by several national research institutions. Funds will be m a d e available to permit regular

29

Informatics : a vital factor in development

exchange of staff and short visits for the implementation of a joint research programme.

With the help of public research and development centres and the computer industry, projects in informatics applications aimed to support development will be identified and implemented, particularly in countries at the lowest tier of informatics development. Y o u n g computer professionals or new graduates from industrialized countries will be encouraged to work in the field on these projects, with the support of their o w n countries.

Recognizing the importance of the rational utilization of the existing technology and its catalytic effect on development, seminars and workshops will be organized in developing countries which will concentrate on the application of advanced technology in informatics, such as microprocessors, computerized data communication networks, data bank management, process control, computerized commercial and administrative data pro­cessing, including distributive data processing. The participation of infor-maticians from each region will be supported. For each of the regional seminars, excellent speakers and the best possible equipment will be m a d e available.

Networks of co-operating institutions will be established in each region so as to achieve more concentration and effectiveness in the transfer of technology. Feasibility studies for the establishment of regional computer networks will be undertaken. (For programme and project execution, one informatics professional per region will be assigned, using Unesco or other resources.)

Advice to M e m b e r States on policies for informatics will be provided upon request.

Enhancement of international co-operation. T o achieve tangible results and a strong impact in the all-pervasive field of informatics, it is essential to mobilize and concentrate the resources of international governmental and non-governmental organizations. Unesco's role in informatics will be m a d e more visible to other United Nations Specialized Agencies so that projects of these agencies in informatics m a y be effectively co-ordinated within the framework of one comprehensive policy, and in particular to U N D P and other funding agencies for execution of their projects. Co-operation with intergovernmental organizations in informatics will be pursued. Collabora­tion with the Intergovernmental Bureau for Informatics (IBI) will be strengthened.

Relationships with relevant international non-governmental organiza­tions ( N G O s ) such as IFIP will be enhanced so that their activities will be more oriented towards the needs of developing countries. Unesco will organize, jointly with relevant N G O s , conferences, seminars, workshops and

30

Unesco 's informatics programme

short courses in developing countries. Regional informatics activities will be co-sponsored with N G O s .

Information on informatics. Information will be compiled on centres of information for informatics, education-training establishments and courses offered, research and development institutions and research opportunities in informatics, as well as fellowships.

Direct action programme in microprocessors and minicomputers.* T h e objective of this programme is to assist the introduction of microcomputer applications in developing countries to ensure that the informatics gap is not widened by the fast-moving microprocessor technology.

A pilot project will be set up to establish microprocessor laboratories in certain countries, particularly those in the initial stage of informatics development. The project will comprise the purchase of equipment, transportation, installation and training of staff. Following a three-year period, the host institution will take full charge of the installation. Initially, one installation will be placed at Unesco Headquarters for training and evaluation purposes. It is expected that the direct action programme in microprocessors will serve as a model to be followed by others with help from extrabudgetary resources.

Support will be given to institutions in developing countries interested in establishing minicomputer centres, especially in teaching/research insti­tutions. Consultancy services will be provided to M e m b e r States, on request, for project specification to establish minicomputer centres, which will include the definition of needs and purpose, minicomputer system hardware and software specifications, procurement, installation, management and staff aspects.

Details of the activities mentioned in this section can be obtained from Unesco Headquarters, as indicated below: On most of the activities: Informatics Section, S C / S E R , Science Sector. On education in informatics at school level: Science Education Section,

E D / S T E , Education Sector. On education projects : Operational Programmes Division, E D / O P S , Educa­

tion Sector. On the Arabization project: Cultural Studies Division, C C / C S , Culture and

Communication Sector.

I. See Y . Paker, Minicomputers: Guidelines for Developing Countries. London, Mini-consult, 1978.

31

4

Specialized informatics applications

Application of informatics in education and social sciences

During the last decade, applications of informatics in the educational system have been essentially limited, apart from research, to planning and manage­ment and, more sporadically, to testing and achievement measurement. The implantation of the computer as a teaching device has been hampered by the difficulties of developing appropriate programmes and the cost involved. Unesco's efforts in this sector have followed several directions, including computer-based instruction, informatics for educational management, edu­cational simulation models, etc.

Computer-based instruction

Unesco has tackled computer-based instruction (CBI) from the point of view of possible applications in developing countries, including C B I teacher training projects. These programmes have been developed since 1970, in general through international consultations and meetings which have (a) provided guidelines for educational authorities ; (b) defined areas of transfer of C B I technology to developing countries which would benefit from inter­national co-operation; (c) identified contributions of C B I to fostering a new way of thinking and to providing large-scale individualized instruction ; and (d) made recommendations for international action. A National Centre for Research for Educational Development (which is, inter alia, active in the field of CBI teacher training) was established in Spain in 1971 under a Unesco/ U N D P project.

Studies have been undertaken in Colombia, India and Yugoslavia to obtain information on possible models involving the use of computers in education, particularly for instructional purposes. Diffusion of results would encourage the preparation and adaptation of techniques appropriate to the economic and cultural conditions of developing countries.

Trends such as the reduction of cost and size of computers compared to its capability are providing n e w opportunities for computer-based instruc-

33

Informatics: a vital factor in development

tion. T h e impact of these developments is the subject of discussion in international forums. For instance, during a European Regional Expert Meeting on Systems Analysis and Computers in Education held in Budapest in 1979 in co-operation with IFIP and the Hungarian National Centre for Educational Technology, participants identified the different computing systems used for instructional purposes. The range covers computer-managed instruction, computer-aided instruction, drill and practice, tuto­rials, problem-solving and simulation. It was felt that, especially in higher education, the computer has an impact on all other disciplines by stimulating the emergence of n e w concepts.

Following the recommendations of the SPIN conference, Unesco is considering further activities in the field of computer-based instruction, such as stimulating research, especially as to the relationship between computing and curriculum and the development of low-cost instructional materials for self-learning. Exchange of information, experience and personnel at regional level among educational institutes will also be promoted.

Informatics for educational management

In response to the wishes expressed by several countries before and during the SPIN conference and by the General Conference of Unesco at its twentieth session (November 1978), the necessary technical competence has been acquired to promote co-operation in the field of modern management techniques, making large use of computerized data processing, applied to national educational systems. About a dozen technical-support and project-preparation missions have been carried out in Latin America, Arab states, Asia, Africa and Europe with this objective in view and several others are foreseen.

Indeed, as the numbers involved in each national education system (teachers, students, administrative staff) rise in proportion to the level of development of a country, increasingly complex issues arise almost auto­matically in the fields of planning, organization, administration, control, statistical analysis and documentation. The complexity and amount of data involved make it increasingly necessary to resort to modern techniques in informatics for the management of systems too heavy to be handled by traditional methods.

Unesco thus aims at providing systematic technical co-operation to increase both the operational efficiency and overall effectiveness of national educational systems. Consequently, within the framework of each national educational reform, Unesco is promoting technical co-operation in informa­tics (including all management and information generation aspects) by providing, upon request, impartial advice and by analysing the operational mechanisms particular to each national educational system.

34

Specialized informatics applications

A n audio-visual package whose purpose is to promote the use of modern management techniques and of data processing to improve manage­ment procedures of national educational systems will soon be made available by Unesco. T h e package, with a technical supporting document, is also aimed at increasing the awareness of national authorities in this field. It will be produced in four languages: Arabic, English, French and Spanish.

Project/Programme Management Information System (PMIS)

T h e use of the computer in the management of operational projects, first envisaged in studies undertaken in 1975, is starting to be operational in Unesco's Education Sector.

The Project Programme Management Information System aims at: 1. Providing a modern and efficient approach in the collecting of

project-related information and its circulation to all Secretariat staff concerned in the planning, management, administration and evalua­tion of projects. T h e information network established is an open one, allowing for easy access by all staff concerned to the project information needed.

2. Making readily available, in a systematic way, the data which are necessary for taking prompt, coherent project/programme decisions.

3. Providing the link between Unesco's regular programme and the operational programme, ensuring a two-way feedback.

4. Establishing an institutional m e m o r y of all operational activities which can be readily consulted at any time.

5. Improving and updating the expertise of Unesco staff involved in project management so that their modern managerial experience can be reflected in their relations with national authorities in the planning and implementation of future projects.

Based on the financial and budgetary computerized system and using tailor-made and existing softwares, such as CDS/ISIS, P M I S covers the operational activities of the Education Sector financed by all extrabudgetary resources. Data is being collected and entered into the computer files on some 450 projects. Information is distributed to those concerned in monthly print-outs and can be obtained through on-line interrogation by terminals. It is presented according to basic management criteria and can equally be sorted by descriptors indicating for instance relevant fields of education specializa­tion. A s an example, valuable assistance is provided to all Unesco projects through the computerized Personnel Profiles Retrieval module by which information on specialists in many different fields is m a d e available to all concerned.

The P M I S was evidently designed to meet the needs of the Secretariat but it takes into account the needs which have been so far identified by the

35

Informatics: a vital factor in development

U N D P and the Inter-organization Board for Information Systems (IOB). A set of documents has been prepared providing directions for users and for staff training in computer-assisted management.

Educational Simulation Model (ESM)

During the last few years, Unesco has been active in the field of mathematical modelling for use in educational planning and analysis. This activity is devoted to the development, application, promotion and training in the use of the Educational Simulation Model (ESM) , for which various versions of data-processing systems have been prepared.

T h e model was first developed at the regional level in connection with the Unesco Conference of Ministers of Education and Economic Planning of M e m b e r States in Asia, held in 1965 in Bangkok. This experience, together with similar applications in other regions, led to the development in 1970/71 of an E S M for use at national level, together with its data-processing system. This model is intended to assist in decision-making and planning by quantitative evaluation of alternative education strategies. Since this first effort, various data-processing systems and versions have been developed to extend and improve the simulation methodology and the computer options involved.

The E S M has been used in twenty-one M e m b e r States, and in some of them several times. The main educational problems tackled and the relevant issues considered varied widely from country to country. These applications were carried out as a service to M e m b e r States, or in the context of programmes of Unesco and other international organizations (ILO, U N I C E F , and especially the World Bank).

Activities in training and the promotion of the E S M have been undertaken in the last few years to strengthen the capacity of M e m b e r States in educational analysis and planning. A manual for the E S M data-processing system has been published, and training courses on the use of the E S M have been organized at national and regional levels for educational planners.

It is thus on training and the promotion of the use of the E S M that current and future efforts will be focused, especially in organizing national seminars for demonstration and training in the E S M . T w o were held in 1979 ; they included training and practical use of software. Training and promotion of the use of the model and the software will also be encouraged through participation in operational projects for which assistance could be provided to M e m b e r States.

36

Specialized informatics applications

Global modelling

In the context of studies undertaken on the adaptation of global models to planning, the software of the Latin American World Model, developed by the Bariloche Foundation, was tested in 1977/78 on the Unesco computer.

Computer activities on global models are anticipated in support of current work of the United Nations agencies on long-term development objectives, and more particularly for 1979/80 within the U N I T A R / I L O / U n e s c o / E C L A project on interrelationships between technology, income distribution and other socio-economic issues.

Socio-economic indicators

In the context of a broad study on h u m a n resources indicators undertaken by Unesco, the software of a statistical classification method (Wroclaw taxon­o m y ) was developed in 1973 and used in a number of other studies involving international comparison.

Application of informatics in hydrology and seismology

Within the context of hydrology, computers are applied in the fields of data storage, processing and retrieval; statistics; forecasting; floodwave transfor­mation calculations; water resources control; and in analysing specific hydrological models such as water-balance models, rainfall runoff models and hydrodynamic models of groundwater flow.

In co-operation with the Committee of Mathematical Models in Hydrology of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS), Unesco has assisted in organizing international symposia in the United States and Poland which were devoted to the use of computers in hydrology.

Computers were used extensively to analyse the hydrodynamic behav­iour of the large aquifers in the U n e s c o / U N D P project, 'Survey of Ground­water Resources in the Northern Sahara, in Algeria and Tunisia'.

In collaboration with the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior (IASPEI), Unesco was instrumental in the creation of the International Seismological Centre established in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. This centre collects seismological data from approximately eight hundred observatories throughout the world, and analyses these data in order to determine the location, magnitude and other parameters of approximately 1,000 earthquakes each month.

37

Informatics: a vital factor in development

Application of informatics in statistics

Statistical information is recognized as an indispensable element in the regional planning of economic and social development as well as in the assessment of progress towards established goals in education, science, culture and communication at the national, regional and world levels.

Since 1971, Unesco has been engaged in the development and implementation of an automated statistical data bank. This work was undertaken in order to provide for the computerized storage and retrieval of statistical information used by Unesco, and to facilitate the preparation of statistical reports and studies, particularly the Statistical Yearbook.

T h e Unesco statistical data bank is a computerized system for handling macro-data in the areas of education, science and technology, culture and communication. T h u s no provision is m a d e for treating data such as, for example, on individual students or schools; rather the educational data include such items as the total enrolment in primary education in country X for year Y or the number of female teachers in pre-primary education in country Z for year A . At the outset, therefore, the system differs markedly from those statistical systems designed primarily for micro-level data, such as are collected in surveys, or voting or population registration systems.

In addition to providing a powerful working tool for the production of statistical reports (including the Statistical Yearbook), the data bank has greatly facilitated access to statistical data for a wide variety of purposes. In particular, the existence of parametered programmes which can be easily used has m a d e it possible to rapidly provide users with statistical tables on a wide variety of subjects, with a few restrictions on format, and with the assurance that the tables produced contain the latest data available, both n e w information as well as data which m a y have been revised for any reason.

Development of the statistical data bank continues, particularly as concerns teleprocessing. In this regard, a number of data-interrogation routines have been prepared using a macro-language called F I R S T (File Integration and Retrieval System through Terminals), developed at Unesco, which permits the interrogation of data files simply and with a m i n i m u m of programming, thus making certain data accessible to terminal users through­out the Organization. Another operation foreseen is the development of a "logical edit' programme to control automatically the consistency of data items which have been independently entered into the bank.

In connection with the development of the statistical data bank, the implementation of specialized statistical software packages and programmes

38

Specialized informatics applications

for various kinds of statistical analyses such as multiple regression, analysis of variance, factor analysis and typology analysis, is in progress.

Software facilities currently in use for quantitative studies include, in particular, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), OSIRIS, and specialized programmes developed by the Statistical Institute of the Univer­sity of Paris for correspondence factor analysis and dynamic typology.

O n e good example of the application of these statistical software facilities is the recent study. Estimation of Human and Financial Resources Devoted to R&D at the World and Regional Level. This study, the first in a series aimed at assessing the world situation in research and development activities, is centred on the estimation of total R & D expenditure and the number of scientists and engineers engaged in R & D at the regional and world level—so as to provide a reliable general data base with a sufficiently complete coverage on the world scale.

Application of informatics in the General Information Programme (PGI/UNISIST)

In view of the vital importance of scientific and technological information1

in the development of nations, a long-term intergovernmental programme entitled U N I S I S T was initiated by Unesco in 1973 following an Inter­governmental U N I S I S T Conference and a five-year joint study with the International Council of Scientific Unions. U N I S I S T is recognized as the only information programme within the United Nations system designed to provide a general conceptual framework for information system develop­ment. In general, its programme activities are designed to facilitate access to the world's information resources, particularly for the developing countries, and to create the necessary conditions for information system interconnec­tion and compatibility.

With the maturation of the U N I S I S T programme and the extension of U N I S I S T principles to information work in the social sciences and other fields, the General Conference of Unesco decided in 1976 on the integration of U N I S I S T into a single Unesco General Information Programme which covers the fields of information, archives and records management, docu-

I. Within the context of this programme, 'information' is defined as 'the content or message of a written or oral communication or discourse'.

39

Informatics : a vital factor in development

mentation, and library science. Within this framework, U N I S I S T pro­gramme activities are being gradually extended to promote information transfer in all fields of knowledge serving social and economic develop­ment.

Rapid advances in informatics, communications and related informa­tion-handling technologies are becoming an important factor in the design and implementation of information systems and services. In the years since the initiation of UNISIST , the number of computerized data bases, both bibliographic and non-bibliographic, has increased dramatically. Equipment manufacturers have m a d e spectacular advances in computer storage of information, drastically reducing its costs. Interactive man-machine dialo­gue or 'on-line' searching has prevailed over the 'batch-processing' methods of information retrieval. Practical experience has been gained in information dissemination via telecommunication networks connecting remote viewing consoles with centralized computers across national boundaries and even oceans. Computers and tele-informatics have been successfully applied to the management of libraries, archives and other information centres.

The actual and potential advances of information technology are of great interest, particularly to developing countries, because they represent a long-range investment which contains the promise of quick, inexpensive access to large stores of information all over the world, as well as efficient management of nationally produced information.

Informatics-related activities for the promotion of computerized techniques of information handling are therefore becoming an increasingly important aspect of the Unesco General Information Programme, an orientation which was confirmed by the Second U N I S I S T Conference (Intergovernmental Conference on Scientific and Technological Information for Development, UNISIST II), convened by Unesco in 1979.

Present Unesco activities intended to promote appropriate application of information technology fall within four major orientations: 1. Information policy and planning. Strategies and policies for the

application of technology to information systems are developed at the international level through studies, conferences and consultations. At the national level, co-operation is developed, in the field of information technology policy, with governmental agencies responsible for infor­mation policy (national information focal points) and UNISIST National Committees which exist in more than sixty countries.

2. Norms and standards. Standards for computerized information-handling procedures are developed, in co-operation with the Inter­national Organization for Standardization (ISO), and available stan­dards and guidelines are disseminated to information centres in M e m b e r States. Major accomplishments have been achieved in the

40

Specialized informatics applications

areas of machine-readable communication formats and of computer­ized information processing and retrieval procedures.

3. Information infrastructure. Technical assistance is provided to M e m ­ber States, international bodies and specialized information systems wishing to study alternatives for computerization of information handling or to implement computerized information services. At the regional level, pilot projects are sponsored to promote the introduction of modern information techniques such as computerized information retrieval services and library automation. For example, with the help of the Canadian Government, computerized 'selective dissemination of information' (SDI) services were set up in Argentina, India, Mexico and Nigeria. These are continuing to provide current bibliographic infor­mation to scientists in the host countries as well as in neighbouring countries. In n e w activities, particular emphasis is given to application of new technological developments such as tele-informatics and mini-/micro-computers.

4. Training and education. M e m b e r States are assisted in training information specialists, such as archivists, documentalists and librar­ians, in the planning and use of computerized information-handling procedures. This assistance includes organization of international training courses aimed particularly at specialists from developing countries, publication of curricula and teaching materials, and advice in development of national training programmes. Other activities are oriented towards training existing and potential users of information as an important aspect of modernization and use of information systems.

Application of informatics in the Unesco documentation service

The CDS/ISIS-CAN/SDI software

In 1975, Unesco developed a software package, the CDS/ISIS (Computerized Documentation System/Integrated Set of Information Systems). This is a generalized computer-based system for information processing, storage and retrieval usedbyUnesco's specialized information system and within various national and international organizations. This package is based on the ISIS originally developed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

41

Informatics: a vital factor in development

CDS/ISIS has a comprehensive collection of programmes for input, management and output, running in batch or on-line modes. The key to the system is the file structure, consisting of a number of computer files which are logically related but physically distinct. The structure allows users to add, modify or delete all or parts of records in batch or on-line m o d e , keep the data base current through updating of the master and other files, and search for and retrieve information in either m o d e through the use of search terms and Boolean expressions. T h e file structure also allows users to gain access to the master file via any element in the data base; build indexes from key words, thesaurus terms or free text; specify sorting and printing instructions and create a variety of print formats for specialized types of output such as reports, catalogues, indexes or special forms. In addition CDS/ISIS supports data exchange in the format established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). T h e system runs on I B M 360, 370 or 303X, and on R I A D 1035, 1040, 1060 computers.

Since 1978 a module for selective dissemination of information from data bases received on magnetic tape has been integrated within CDS/ISIS. The module which is k n o w n as C A N / S D I (Canadian Selective Dissemina­tion of Information) was integrated within the package in agreement with the National Research Council of Canada.

In response to interest shown in the C D S / I S I S - C A N / S D I , Unesco is making the package available to organizations in M e m b e r States and within the United Nations 'family' without charge. T o date, CDS/ISIS has been installed in the following national and international organizations:

Austria: United Nations Industrial Development Organization ( U N I D O ) , Vienna.

Brazil: Ministerio da Agricultura, Biblioteca Nacional da Agricultura (BINAGRI) .

Bulgaria: Central Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI).

Canada: Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce ; Library of the University of Calgary; Ontario Ministry of Education.

Hong Kong: The Chinese University. India: Center for Development oflnstructional Technology (CENDIT) , N e w

Delhi; Government of India, Department of Science and Technology, N e w Delhi; Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore.

Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), R o m e ; Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa.

Malaysia: Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang. Peru: Petróleos del Peru. Philippines: Institute of Library Science, University of the Philippines.

42

Specialized informatics applications

Poland: Institute for Scientific, Technical and Economic Information (IINTE); Management Organization and Development Institute ( M O D I ) ; Technical University of Wroclaw.

Senegal: Centre National de Documentation Scientifique et Technique ( C N D S T ) .

Singapore: National Library. Thailand: Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bangkok. United States: Princeton University, Population Index. USSR: U S S R State Public Library for Science and Technology (SPLST). Yugoslavia: National and University Library, University Computing Centre,

Zagreb.

Following agreement to transfer CDS/ISIS and prior to the actual installa­tion, project personnel of the receiving institution are familiarized with the operation of the system, normally through a three-week training course that has been organized for a number of years by Unesco in the spring (April/May) and autumn (October/November), usually in Paris. The course is designed to enable the trainees to install and begin using the package in a relatively short period of time. Hence a considerable portion of the time is spent in guided practical work, touching upon all the major system components.

After installation of the system and initial operations, usually carried out by the project personnel with the assistance of a short evaluation mission of an expert from Unesco, the new installation should be autonomous and require no more direct assistance. Unesco ensures close contact, however, with CDS/ISIS users concerning maintenance and updating of the system. All users are regularly kept informed of system developments by circular letters. Unesco maintains a special CDS/ISIS System Maintenance Data Base ( S M D B ) where all system changes are recorded; listings and indexes of this data base are regularly sent to all users.

Follow-up is provided in one or more of the following ways: visits of Unesco experts to the various installations ; technical advice by mail, telex or telephone ; regular shipment of new system releases and related up-to-date documentation to every installation.

A complete set of system documentation, which is also used as support material during CDS/ISIS training courses, consisting at present of six technical manuals, is distributed.

All manuals are maintained in machine-readable form and regularly updated as new features. They are stored on the system's tape together with the CDS/ISIS programmes and catalogued procedures. In addition to the manuals, Unesco also issues technical notes to cover specific topics, guidelines and procedures concerning the system.

43

Informatics: a vital factor in development

Unesco Computerized Documentation System (CDS)

T h e Unesco Computerized Documentation System (CDS) was established in 1971 to provide information to M e m b e r States on the Unesco programme as reflected in its documentation; to facilitate access to data bases for Unesco experts and professional staff; as well as to act as a demonstration and training centre for the application of advanced computerization techniques in information processing, storage and retrieval.

The system covers field mission reports, meeting reports, working and main series documents, Executive Board and General Conference docu­ments, periodical articles and monographs issued by Unesco, its regional offices and affiliated institutes. Also included are the acquisitions of the Unesco library and a selection of United Nations system documents and publications.

On-demand search of the data base as well as Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) services are provided to M e m b e r States (universities and research institutions, governmental bodies, depository libraries, National Commissions for Unesco and Permanent Delegations); organizations of the United Nations system and Unesco experts and professional staff. T h e C D S system uses the CDS/ISIS.

Application of informatics to specialized information systems1

In addition to its General Information Programme activities and its Computerized Documentation System, Unesco is developing, within the conceptual framework of UNISIST, a number of specialized information systems. These specialized information systems, which are in the areas of education, science, social sciences, culture and communication, are des­cribed below.

Development of data bases in the field of science and technology policies

T h e Unesco programme of science and technology policies is contributing, through the SPINES (Science and Technology Policy Information Exchange

1. Details of United Nations information systems, including those of Unesco, m a y be found in the Directory of United Nations Information Systems and Services, produced by Inter-organization Board for Information Systems (IOB), 1978.

44

Specialized informatics applications

System) Pilot Programme, on the one hand to the development of national information services for science and technology policies in interested M e m b e r States and, on the other hand, to developing international factual data bases on science and technology policies and research management.

The main aim of the S P I N E S Pilot Programme is to facilitate the management and exchange, by M e m b e r States, of documents and factual data (numeric and nominal) that have a direct bearing on the formulation, implementation and monitoring of national science and technology policies, not only at the governmental level but also at the level of the institutions executing scientific and technological activities or involved in technology transfer.

T o achieve this aim, the S P I N E S Pilot Programme is contributing to the creation or reinforcement in M e m b e r States, particularly in developing countries, of compatible national information services for science and technology policies. In addition, in connection with the international global information network called for by the United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development (Vienna, August 1979), it is studying an appropriate international mechanism by which the national information services mentioned above m a y exchange the information at their disposal.

T h e following methodological manuals are being prepared for publi­cation in 1981 : (a) guidelines for the setting-up of national bibliographic data bases for science and technology policies; and (b) the revised version of the manual for surveying national scientific and technological potential (pub­lished by Unesco in 1969)—this is a methodology for developing factual data bases on national scientific and technological resources.

These two manuals propose, among other things, the utilization of CDS/ISIS software, for information processing, and the SPINES Thesaurus and Subject Categories.

The SPINES Thesaurus, published in English by Unesco in 1976, is a controlled and structured vocabulary of over 10,000 terms and 74,000 semantic relations covering all fields of science and technology, socio­economic development, policy-making and management. It enables the indexing, at the national or international level and in computerized or manual systems, of documents dealing with development whether from a scientific and technological or a socio-economic point of view. It also enables the description of ongoing research projects and expert profiles for the use of decision-makers. The French and Portuguese versions are nearing comple­tion, and the Spanish version is expected to be started in 1980.

The objective of the international factual data base on science and technology policy under development at Unesco is to improve the network of personal contacts and oral information of decision-makers and specialists active in the field of science and technology policy. Data files on institutions,

45

Informatics: a vital factor in development

specialists, courses and research projects in the field of science and technology policy exist or are being introduced. The base uses CDS/ISIS software on the Unesco computer.

The contents of the data file on courses and research in the field of science and technology policy will be published in 1981 in printed-directory and magnetic-tape form.

Also worth mentioning is the International Comparative Study on the Organization and Performance of Research Units conducted by Unesco, designed to collect factual data and experience which are internationally comparable on the management of research units, and to promote the efficient management of these units at national level. The study uses OSIRIS software for data cleaning, manipulation and statistical analyses. T h e data collected in six European countries (Austria, Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Poland, Sweden) during the first round on the study are deposited in computerized archives accessible to research workers from all countries, at cost, at the Belgian Archives for Social Sciences, Louvain-la-Neuve B - 1 3 , Belgium.

International Environmental Education Network (IEEN)

Under the U n e s c o / U N E P Environmental Education Programme, I E E N was established to develop the exchange of information and experience in the field of environmental education. Its aim is to link institutions and specialists working for environmental education in a network and to process and disseminate information, thereby facilitating the development of environ­mental education at the international, regional and national levels.

The network is largely computerized ; it uses CDS/ISIS software and the Unesco computer. The main components in existence or being introduced are data files on institutions, specialists, programmes and activities in environmental education, identification and analysis of periodicals and bibliographical material of interest to environmental education, study of subject classification and use of descriptors for information processing and retrieval and co-operation with the Specialized Agencies of the United Nations system on environmental education and training.

Marine Environmental Data Information Referral System (MEDI)

T h e objective of the M E D I Referral System is to solve the problems of access to the vast amount of marine environmental data on a wide variety of subjects stored under the auspices of various international, regional and national organizations. A n automated, systematic method for recording and retrieving information about marine environmental data files that exist in international, regional and national centres associated with an international network,

46

Specialized informatics applications

M E D I provides the marine community with referrals to the availability, location and characteristics of marine environmental data so as to meet their specific needs and marine science's sectoral needs within the general framework of U N E P ' s international referral system, I N F O T E R R A . The development of the M E D I Referral System has been supported by U N E P and W H O . The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Inter­governmental Océanographie Commission (IOC). United Nations Environ­ment Programme ( U N E P ) , International Hydrographie Organization (IHO), International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the European Oceanic Association ( E U R O C E A N ) have agreed to participate by furnishing inputs to M E D I . The M E D I Referral System is operated by the M E D I Co-ordination Centre at the Intergovernmental Océanographie Commission (IOC) of Unesco. Products and services currently available from the M E D I Referral System include: catalogue and index showing details of marine data holdings of all participating centres; computerized retrieval system ; special­ized indexes for broad subject areas ; geographic plots of worldwide data distribution.

Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Information System (ASFIS)

ASFIS, a computer-based international information system for the exchange and transfer of scientific and technological information on the marine and freshwater environment, is jointly sponsored by F A O , I O C and the United Nations Ocean Economics and Technology Office.

The system has n o w achieved a state of development and operation which makes it very effective and comprehensive for information exchange and technology transfer in the marine sciences. Over 4,500 serial journal titles, reports, books, monographs and pamphlets, and information from seminars, workshops and conferences all over the world are scanned and processed for bibliographical data and abstracts by the ASFIS centre as input to the system.

Products and services currently available from ASFIS include: the monthly abstracting and indexing service, Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA) ; monthly current-awareness services reproducing contents pages of important journals, such as Marine Science Contents Tables ( M S C T ) ; Freshwater and Aquaculture Contents Tables ( F A C T ) ; World List of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Serial Titles, providing bibliographical information on relevant publications; computerized registers, maintained and used to prepare a variety of printed directories of experts, institutions and projects; ASFIS register of marine institutions and ongoing international research projects and programmes ; on-line search services for ASFIS in some areas.

47

Informatics: a vital factor in development

Data Retrieval System for Documentation in the Social and Human Sciences (DARE)

The D A R E computerized data bank is operated by the Unesco Social Science Documentation Centre which plans and supports certain initiatives for the improvement and development of social science information activities in the M e m b e r States. The contents of the data bank, built up since 1974, includes records on : social science research, advanced training and scientific institu­tions, professional societies and groups, including their organizational structure and fields of specialization (the first edition of the World Directory of Social Science Institutions was published in 1977, the second in 1979); research in progress or completed within the last two or three years, and research 'products' ; social science specialists and experts, based on profes­sional curricula vitae; social science periodicals, and publications reporting research findings, giving full bibliographical details (the fourth edition of the World List of Social Science Periodicals was published in 1974 and the updated fifth edition will appear in 1980); social science data services, including international and major national libraries, documentation centres, archives, data banks (the International Inventory of Social Science Data Services will be published in 1980).

The D A R E data bank has three major subsystems: indexing, updating and retrieval. Identical elements of the records, such as n a m e of the institute, its subject area and location, provide linkages between files to facilitate quick retrieval and updating of data. These data are collected through question­naires distributed directly to institutions and specialists, or with the assistance of Unesco National Commissions or national focal points. T h e CDS/ISIS operational system provides automatic on-line retrieval capability for DARE.

T h e data bank provides a question-and-answer service : inquiries can be made directly by visit, as well as by telephone or correspondence. U p o n request of the users, selective print-outs and displays or records are produced.

In building up the D A R E data bank, special emphasis is placed on information relevant to Unesco's social science programme, particularly studies on socio-economic development, social science policy, transnational corporations, the problems of h u m a n environment, population, youth, h u m a n rights and peace problems, the impact of science and technology on society, and the teaching of social sciences.

Cultural development

Data on 300 institutions for documentation and research on cultural development were integrated in 1978 into D A R E Social Science Institutions

48

Specialized informatics applications

records, with a special code number, recording the same identical elements and benefiting from the same services, i.e. on-line retrieval and print-out of the recorded information.

Cultural heritage

The Unesco-supported Documentation Centres of the International Council of M u s e u m s ( I C O M ) and the International Council of Monumen t s and Sites ( I C O M O S ) , together with the International Centre for Conservation ( C C R O M ) have decided to harmonize their documentation activities. They are n o w preparing a thesaurus of descriptors for subjects concerning the preservation and presentation of movable and immovable cultural property. It is expected that computer facilities will be m a d e available so that the data base can be indexed within Unesco's Computerized Documentation Sys­tem.

Information System on Research and Human Needs

During the next phase of the programme contributing to the determination of research priorities linked to h u m a n needs and societal goals, special emphasis will be placed on information and documentation. A s a first step, a pilot project on a computer-based information system is being established. Once the system is fully operational, it will provide a network of data banks and documentation centres with information on research programmes and activities oriented towards meeting h u m a n needs and social goals. Its services will be accessible to M e m b e r States and the world's scientific community, and a clearing-house will be established at Unesco Headquarters.

The information system will be established in co-operation with the Algerian Commissariat National à l'Informatique, the Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), the Italian National Research Council, the Institute for Systems Studies in M o s c o w , the Committee on Science and Technology in Developing Countries ( C O S T E D ) , I C S U , the International Federation of Institutes of Advanced Studies (IFIAS), as well as with other interesed United Nations agencies.

Copyright data bank

Special attention is being given to the establishment of a computerized documentation data bank on copyright legal theory, legalization and jurisprudence in order to provide necessary information to national autho­rities, institutions and other interested parties. It is expected that the data bank will start operating on a selective basis in 1980.

49

Informatics: a vital factor in development

For further information on the activities mentioned in this chapter, please contact the following units at Unesco Headquarters, Paris:

Application of informatics in hydrology and seismology : S C / HYD

Application of informatics in statistics: S T / S T O

Aquatic Science and Fisheries Information System (ASFIS): IOC

Computer-based instruction: E D / S C M

Computerized Documentation System/Integrated Set of Information Systems (CDS/ ISIS) software package: L A D

Copyright Data Bank: C P Y Cultural development : C D Cultural heritage: C C / C H Data Retrieval System for

Documentation in the Social and H u m a n Sciences ( D A R E ) : IDS/SS

Development of data bases in the field of science and technology policies: S C / S T P

Educational Simulation Model : SS/SEA

General Information Programme/ U N I S I S T : P G I

Global modelling: SS/SEA Informatics for educational

management: E D / O P S Information System on Research

and H u m a n Needs: S C / S E R International Environmental

Education Network (IEEN): E D / S T E

Marine Environmental Data Information Referral System (MEDI): IOC

Project/Programme Management Information System (PMIS): ED/OPS

Socio-economic indicators: SS/ SEA

50

5

Informatics systems at Unesco

Organization

Unesco computerized systems include those mentioned in the previous chapter plus a number of integrated administrative and management systems (finance, budget, accounting, personnel, payroll, publications, fellowships, inventories) which will not be described here because of their logistic nature.

All the systems (with the exception of ISIS and the statistical data base) have been designed, developed, implemented and maintained by the Bureau of Data Processing (DTP) which is also in charge of operating the computer facilities. The bureau has available computer specialists (project managers, analysts/programmers, system engineers) w h o are in charge of application softwares, operating systems and special-purpose softwares.

During the past three years, teleprocessing has been introduced. This allows users to access and/or update data in real time, to use the facilities of remote job entry and text processing, in addition to permitting interactive communication.

Systems and services

S o m e of the systems and services provided through the Bureau of Data Processing are the following: technical assistance to 'direct' users (Library, Archives and Documentation Division, Office of Statistics); statistical analyses; surveys; M E D I system for the Intergovernmental Océanographie Commission; philatelic system; terminology system; purchase-order pric­ing; fellowship management system; publications management system; participation programme management system, budgerary, financial and banking system (for all sources of funds) ; personnel management system ; payroll; pension; M B F (Medical Benefits Fund) ; Unesco Staff Savings and Loan Service system; Management of inventories; and the Project/ Programme Management Information System (PMIS).

51

Informatics: a vital factor in development

Other services include training courses and hand-on experience to users and trainees from the Secretariat and from M e m b e r States, real-time services, on-line query systems, text processing facilities and data capture services.

In addition specialized packages such as SPSS, OSIRIS (an integrated collection of computer programs for the management and analysis of social science data), F I R S T , CDS/ISIS, and W Y L B U R (A text-processing software developed by the University of Stanford) are implemented and maintained for users. SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) is widely used to produce statistical analyses of surveys, including those carried out by Unesco experts in the field. OSIRIS is also used for processing statistics, while F I R S T (File Integration and Retrieval System through Terminals) is used for data retrieval. These packages are used for developing new applications and can sometimes be m a d e available for operational projects.

Apart from its main role as a documentary data-retrieval system, CDS/ISIS has been used to create some components of the Programme Management Information System and the computerized roster system. W Y L B U R was used to create the M E D I data file and the hydrological data file.

Courses in general informatics and the above-mentioned packages are regularly given by the bureau to Unesco staff and occasionally to trainees from M e m b e r States through the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP).

Basic hardware and software

The basic hardware includes: A n I B M 3031 central processing unit with an internal m e m o r y of 2,048

Kbytes. External storage comprising 5 disc drives (10 spindles) allowing direct access

to 3,170 Kbytes, 6 tape units handling data densities of 800/1,600/ 6,250 b.p.i. (bytes per inch).

A card-reader. T w o line printers (2,000 lines and 1,200 lines per minute); and a telepro­

cessing system including line controllers, m o d e m s and approximately 110 terminals ( C R T , printers and typewriters).

The basic software system includes: O S / V S 1 operating system (also V M ) , V S 1 utilities and R E S (Remote-Entry

System).

52

Informatics systems at Unesco

Language compilers (Assembler, Cobol (VS), PL1 (optimizer), Fortran (TV-),' Ulysse, A P L ) .

Teleprocessing Customer Information Control System (CICS); Mathema­tics/statistics (SPSS, OSIRIS, SSP).

Text processing ( W Y L B U R ) . Others such as P A C (analysts-programming), P L A N TV (job accounting),

Look (real-time monitoring).

Figure 1 illustrates the general configuration of the basic computer hardware in December 1979.

Further information concerning Unesco's informatics systems and services may be obtained from the Bureau of Data Processing Services (DTP) at Unesco Headquarters.

53

1 card-reader

10 rotating spindles

A "A

26 terminals

Bonvin and Miollis

Fig. 1. General configuration of the Unesco computer

54

List of abbreviations

AEU Asia Electronics Union AGI Advisory Group of Experts in Informatics A L E C S O Arab Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization ASF A Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts ASFIS Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Information System A T U Arab Telecommunications Union CBI Computer-based instruction CCROM International Centre for Conservation C D S Computerized Documentation System C E A S Co-operative Educational Abstracting Service CICS Customer Information Control System C O S T E D Committee on Science and Technology in Developing Coun­

tries DARE Data Retrieval System for Documentation in the Social and

H u m a n Sciences DFD Data for Development E C L A Economic Commission for Latin America E C O S O C Economic and Social Council (United Nations) ESA European Space Agency E S M Educational Simulation Model E U R O C E A N European Oceanic Association FACT Freshwater and Aquaculture Contents Table FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations F I A C C Five International Associations Co-ordinating Committee FID International Federation for Documentation FIRST File Integration and Retrieval System through Terminals I A E A International Atomic Energy Agency I A H S International Association of Hydrological Sciences LAI Institut Africain d'Informatique IASPEI International Association of Seismology and Physics of the

Earth's Interior IBI Intergovernmental Bureau for Informatics I B R D International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ICC International Computation Centre ICES International Council for Exploration of the Sea

55

Appendix

I C O M International Council of Museums ICOMOS International Council of Monuments and Sites ICSU International Council of Scientific Unions IEEN International Environmental Education Network I E R A Institut d'Études et de Recherches pour l'Arabisation IERS International Educational Reporting System IF A C International Federation of Automatic Control IFIAS International Federation of Institutes of Advanced Studies IFIP International Federation for Information Processing IFORS International Federation of Operational Research Societies I H O International Hydrographie Organization IIASA International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis H E P International Institute for Educational Planning ILO International Labour Organisation I N F O T E R R A International Referral System of U N E P for Sources of Environ­

mental Information IOB Inter-organization Board for Information Systems IOC Intergovernmental Océanographie Commission ISIS Integrated Set of Information Systems ISO International Organization for Standardization IVTC Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas MEDÍ Marine Environmental Data Information Referral System MSCT Marine Science Contents Tables PGI General Information Programme (Unesco) PMIS Project/Programme Management Information System SDI Selective Dissemination of Information S E A R C C South-East Asia Regional Computer Confederation SMBD System Maintenance Data Base SPIN Conference on Strategies and Policies for Informatics SPINES International System for the Exchange of Information on the

Application of Science and Technology to Development SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences UNCSTD United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for

Development UNDP United Nations Development Programme U N E P United Nations Environment Programme U N E S C O United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organiza­

tion UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization U N I C E F United Nations Children's Fund UNISIST Programme of International Co-operation in Scientific and Tech­

nological Information UNITAR United Nations Institute for Training and Research WHO World Health Organization WMO World Meteorological Organization

[C]SC.80/D.112/A

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CORRIGENDA

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Unesco: Informatics: a vital factor in development