The Capacity and Network Project (CANP) is a major development focus of the international bodies of mathematics educators and mathematicians (International Commission on Mathematical Instruction, ICMI and International Mathematical Union, IMU). The project has received support by UNESCO and the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU), now International Council of Science (ISC) as well as regional governments and institutions.
The project is a response to Current Challenges in Basic Mathematics Education (UNESCO, 2011), which includes a call not just for mathematics education for all, but for a mathematics education of quality for all.
The Capacity & Networking Project is a international initiative in the mathematical sciences in the developing world to help:
across those targeted regions.
The project is focused on providing teacher-educators in developing countries with enhanced mathematical and pedagogical expertise, based on the idea that continued updating and development in mathematical knowledge and contemporary pedagogical research and techniques will be the basis for continued collaborative activity. It is aimed primarily at mathematics teacher-educators, but also includes mathematicians, researchers, policy- makers and teachers.
CANP aims to enhance mathematics education at all levels in developing countries so that their people are capable of meeting the challenges these countries face. Key aim is to develop the educational capacity of those responsible for mathematics teachers, and create sustained and effective regional networks of teachers, mathematics educators and mathematicians, and linking them to international partners.
Structure:
Each programme starts with a two-week kick-off workshop of 40-50 participants, approximately half of which are drawn from the host country and half from regional neighbours. Each kick-off workshop had associated activities such as public lectures, satellite workshops for students and exhibitions.
CANP Activities and Regions
The first program CANP 1 Edi Math started in Mali with participants from across Sub-Saharan Africa in September 2011 and was supported by UNESCO, CIMPA and ICIAM.
CANP 2 Central America and the Caribbean started in Costa Rica in August 2012. The two-week workshop was supported by the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC), UNESCO, ICIAM and CDC.
The third CANP 3 South East Asia kick-off workshop was held in Cambodia in 2013 and was supported by CDC, RECSAM, SEAMS.
CANP 4 East Africa was held in Tanzania in September, 2014.
CANP 5 Andean Region and Paraguay was held in Lima, Peru in February, 2016.
In oder to ensure sustainability of CANP, a two- day a CANP future workshop with members of the ICMI EC and key stakeholders from each CANP was held in May 2018 in Taipei. As a result of the workshop the EC decided in 2018, to start an a ‘consolidation and expansion’ stage and so Phase 2 of the CANP Project, supporting each of CANPs 1 – 5 for a further three years (2019-2021). Due to Covid-19 the project phase was extended to 2022.
In the 2023 a workshop was held in Bangkok, Thailand with 2 stakeholders from each CANP to disucss the status of each project and future plans. A report about the 2023 workshop can be found here.