. ▁The ▁I AU ▁is ▁affili ated ▁with ▁the ▁International ▁Council ▁of ▁Scient ific ▁Un ions ▁( IC SU ), ▁a ▁non - g overn ment al ▁organization ▁representing ▁a ▁global ▁membership ▁that ▁includes ▁both ▁national ▁scientific ▁bodies ▁and ▁international ▁scientific ▁un ions . ▁They ▁often ▁encou rage ▁countries ▁to ▁become ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁I AU . ▁The ▁Commission ▁further ▁see ks ▁to ▁development , ▁information ▁or ▁improvement ▁of ▁astronom ical ▁education . ▁Part ▁of ▁Commission ▁ 4 6 , ▁is ▁Te aching ▁Astronom y ▁for ▁Development ▁( T AD ) ▁program ▁in ▁countries ▁where ▁there ▁is ▁currently ▁very ▁little ▁astronom ical ▁education . ▁Another ▁program ▁is ▁named ▁the ▁Gal ile o ▁Te acher ▁Training ▁Program ▁( GT TP ), ▁being ▁a ▁project ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Year ▁of ▁Astronom y ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁among ▁which ▁H ands - On ▁Un iverse ▁that ▁will ▁concent rate ▁more ▁resources ▁on ▁education ▁activities ▁for ▁children ▁and ▁schools ▁designed ▁to ▁advance ▁sust ain able ▁global ▁development . ▁GT TP ▁is ▁also ▁concerned ▁with ▁the ▁effective ▁use ▁and ▁transfer ▁of ▁astronom y ▁education ▁tools ▁and ▁resources ▁into ▁class room ▁science ▁curr ic ula . ▁A ▁strateg ic ▁plan ▁for ▁the ▁period ▁ 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 2 0 ▁has ▁been ▁published . ▁ ▁Publications ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁the ▁I AU ▁contract ed ▁with ▁the ▁Cambridge ▁University ▁Press ▁to ▁publish ▁the ▁Pro ceed ings ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Astronom ical ▁Union . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 ,