CARING COMMUNITIES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY REMARKS BY EAMON M. KELLY, CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD FEBRUARY 10, 1999 (as presented) I've been asked to speak to you today about the impacts of science, technology and education on the developing world, with a particular focus on the impact of longevity factor society. First, however, I want to commend the work of the International Council for Caring Communities, and its efforts to gain the attention of universities, government agencies, the private sector, NGOs and the UN agencies to focus on global initiatives to develop, adapt and replicate design and community planning solutions for all ages. It is important work. To begin, I have to confess to a feeling of real optimism that the growth in the proportion of people in the higher age groups will be a good change in many ways, a potential gift of more useful years during an era when productivity will be more and more dependent on a commitment to lifelong learning. Life expectancy has risen sharply in this century and is expected to continue to rise. While older people are often viewed as a homogeneous group from developed countries the truth is far different. There are currently 580 million older people in the world with 355 million in developing countries. By 2020 there will be 1 trillion with 700 million in developing countries. Perceptions of age are as diverse as different cultures, it is important to recognize that aging is not an affliction but a great opportunity to make use of resources acquired over the course of a lifetime, and that older people can be a tremendous asset to families and to the community at large. Personal longevity has been achieved in great measure through the "green revolution" in agriculture and great advances in medical sciences. Amazingly, in the industrialized countries, we have enjoyed an increase of 25 years of life in this century. Nonetheless, many have expressed concern with the demographic shifts that will--in the not very distant future--result in a unprecedentedly large proportion of our population in the "older" age classification. The good news is that the viability of systems for supporting and integrating a growing "aging" population is supported by the rapid advances in science and technology. These rapid technological advances contribute to a longer average life span and will also contribute to the solution of possible problems that may arise in our efforts to create environments that are conducive to creating caring communities for all ages. In the 20th century, the significance of science and technology in the global context has grown dramatically and the substantial expansion of government sponsored scientific cooperation is even outpaced by private sector cooperation in science and technology. The global economy that emerged in the second half of the this century, resting on rapid transportation and a highly articulated communication and information infrastructure, increasingly relies on knowledge and innovation for its growth and for its core processes. With the benefits and growth from innovation, there are also problems. The benefits are not equally shared and the gap between the poorest nations, and those in a position to benefit from the global knowledge based economy, has grown. The use and consumption of resources and the explosion of the world's population, resulting from technical advances in disease control and agricultural productivity, have put unprecedented stresses on our planet. The complex systemic, ecological, and social problems of the years ahead will demand more information, more participation by the scientific communities of all nations, and more cooperation between these communities and political decision-makers. In the 21st century quality of life will depend in large measure on the generation of new wealth, safeguarding the health of our planet, and on opportunities for enlightenment and individual development. The contributions of research and education in science and engineering make possible advances in all these areas. Moreover, in contrast to the toll taken on the environment by 19th and 20th century industrial development, the knowledge-driven industries and processes of the 21st century offer the potential for sustainable human development on a global scale, and may allow developing countries to leap over longer and more environmentally destructive stages of economic infrastructure development. Through ever cheaper communication systems and data networks, information technology will bring the peoples of the world in closer connection and increase opportunities for understanding and cooperation, and will enable the emergence of a global culture that bridges the centrifugal and often conflicting forces of national and ethnic identities. How positive and effective the role of science will be in easing societal adaptations to profound changes brought about by technology hinges on the ability of scientific communities, working through institutions, to act with a sense of civic and social responsibility. Science and technology not only can but must contribute both to the generation of new opportunities and benefits, and to the solution of problems. The new revolution in information and communications is facilitating the diffusion of knowledge and ideas. These new tools, now broadly available, contribute to personal initiative and a responsible citizenry by decentralizing decision making and opening vast information resources to the general population and for people of all ages. This same revolution is also transforming educational delivery systems and putting education within the reach of greater numbers of individuals who would otherwise be limited by geographic isolation or financial constraints. The university sector, working with international agencies and NGOs--like the International Council for Caring Communities--has a special responsibility for contributing to the expansion of opportunities for learning. I would like to share with you some of my observations of how the role of universities throughout the world is changing, as well as how universities can contribute to the "larger picture" of international development and quality of life over the next decade. First, the political realities should be acknowledged-that the traditional development assistance approach to infrastructure building and technology transfer is no longer appropriate. Being largely donor-driven, it is too costly in terms of both human and financial resources. And many developing countries now have increasing resources of their own which they are committing to the development process. As a consequence, developing countries are becoming a dominant force in determining how international health and development should proceed. Key factors in this trend include: * The failure of most donors to recognize that partnering--not development assistance-is what most countries seek * The need for technology transfer, whether equipment or skills, to be culturally and socially appropriate and reflect the capability of developing countries to effectively utilize it * Recognition that the magnitude of the training and service needs in many countries far exceed the capacity of higher education institutions, which, until recently, have not received sufficient attention from donors. On this last item, it seems obvious to me from my work as Chairman of both the Association of American Universities and the Board of the National Science Foundation that there is a clear opportunity to expand the role of our universities in this process. American universities are a vital resource, recognized the world over for their excellence. In the coming years, the faculty of our universities can play an even greater role in showing politicians and educators, as well as industry, that information technology, properly used, can lead to the most efficient solutions to many of the problems facing society, including adaptations to a longer average life span. The impact of making the latest scientific information available through the Internet is enormous. Not only will this elevate the quality of the information transferred, but it will also for the first time afford faculty and students from any country equal and regular access to vital new information, allowing them to participate in the cutting edge research and education in their fields. And we need to expand access so that education can be pursued by those in remote areas. This can be accomplished through Internet connections, expanded "technology enhanced learning," and access to digital libraries even in rural areas. Expanding access to resources for learning will open up opportunities for self improvement for individuals of all ages and provide tools to teachers at all levels to enrich their programs. As a consequence, I believe that there is a need to change the way international health and development assistance is delivered, funded and evaluated; and the ways that higher education and training of international health and development students are conducted. At Tulane University, we introduced a new graduate program, the Master of Applied Development and Health, MAD for short, as well as an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program. International agencies can take great pride in their role in improving health throughout the developing world through applications of advances in science and technology in medicine and agriculture. But today we face another challenge. With the world economy changing rapidly, we need to bring more of our world's citizens into the modern era, which requires increasing levels of education, particularly in scientific and technological areas, for full participation. We have an obligation to develop ways of enabling learning throughout the life cycle, in the widely different societal contexts of our world community. And in doing so, we can expect the investment to be repaid by the enhanced ability of individuals to contribute to their own societies, and their own quality of life. The economic viability of individuals as they age can be extended, if the resources are provided for lifelong learning. The Internet offers the delivery mechanism that promises both to reduce the cost of education and expand access at the same time for those who are willing and able to take advantage of it. I urge you now to seize this new opportunity offered by science and technology to work with countries and universities to develop tools tailored to local needs for education. I believe we can do no less. For our aging population in both the industrialized and developing countries, the benefits are twofold: 1. For those who develop a sophisticated insight into information technology, the quality of life and personal productivity will increase dramatically; 2. With their new skills, they can make an enormous contribution in the developing world. Science and technology will soon overcome the hardware barriers for access to the Internet in the developing world---through Internet II and satellite cellular phones. The educational delivery system will be in place. What is lacking is educational software to make this huge information resource useful. This waste of a unique and valuable resource is almost wholly unnecessary. With a one week or two week training program, depending upon a person's background, the skills can be learned for developing educational software tailored to the needs of a targeted population. Such an effort would result in both substantial personal fulfillment and a contribution to the needs of the developing world. If you are willing to make a commitment to meeting these needs, I guarantee that the universities would be interested in joining you. We have gained much by sharing the benefits of medical and agricultural advances throughout the world. It is time to take advantage of the Information Technology revolution to enhance the quality of longer lives by sharing with each member of our world community the tools for lifelong learning. I appreciate your listening to these ideas, and I know that the efforts of this conference will stimulate fruitful insights concerning the impacts of longevity on communities and individuals. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Thank you. 2 1