Convinced that the Year could play a crucial role, inter alia, in raising public awareness of the importance of astronomy and basic sciences for sustainable development, promoting access to the universal knowledge of fundamental science through the excitement generated by the subject of astronomy, supporting formal and informal science education in schools as well as through science centres and museums and other relevant means, stimulating a long-term increase in student enrolment in the fields of science and technology, and supporting scientific literacy,
深信国际天文年将在下列方面发挥关键作用：让公众进一步认识天文学和基础科学对可持续发展的重要性，利用天文学所激发出来的热情促进对基础科学普遍知识的了解，通过学校以及科学中心、博物馆和其他有关手段支持正规和非正规的科学教育，刺激科技领域招生人数的长期增长，支持科学普及活动，