China, Association for Science and Technology (CAST)

The China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization of Chinese scientists and engineers, which is composed of 167 national professional societies and hundreds of local branches at various levels. The major tasks of CAST are: i) to promote the advancement of science by means of scientific exchanges; ii) to popularize scientific knowledge among the general public; iii) to safeguard the legitimate rights of scientists and engineers and organize them to participate in the political life of the state; iv) to award scientists and engineers with outstanding contributions; v) to provide decision-making advice and other services to the government and industry on science and technology-related problems so as to contribute to the nation’s economic development; vi) to develop cooperative relations with the international science and technology communities; and vii) to develop continued education through various training programmes. At present, CAST and its affiliated societies are members of more than 250 international scientific and engineering organizations.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons