OAD@15 Astronomy for a Better World Symposium | 15–17 February 2027

Celebrating 15 years of the International Astronomical Union’s Office of Astronomy for Development (IAU-OAD).

Join us in Cape Town and online as we reflect on the journey, impact, partnerships, and lessons from fifteen years of the OAD, and explore how astronomy can continue contributing to sustainable development and broader societal advancement.

More information coming soon.

About the OAD

The Office of Astronomy for Development is a joint project of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) with the support of the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI).

The OAD was officially opened on 16 April 2011 at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in Cape Town, South Africa. As of 2026, the OAD has administered more than €1,500,000 in grant funds, awarded to 250 projects across the world. Since its establishment the OAD has negotiated the establishment of eleven regional offices around the world (based in Armenia, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Jordan, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Thailand, USA and Zambia) with two of these offices serving as a joint language centre (Chinese and Arabic), and one serving as a dedicated language centre (Portuguese).