Paris, August 1998

Original English

Drafted by: UNESCO Secretariat

. Mouvement International des Etudiants Cahtoliques (MIEC) - Mr Walter Prysthon Junior

. International Association of Agricultural Students (IAAS) - Ms Tanya Buzeti

. Association Internationale des Etudiants en Science Economique et Commerce (AIESEC) -

Mr Pedro Huerta

. National Unions of Students in Europe (ESIB) - Ms Katarine Vangen

Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l’Europe (AEGEE)

Jeunesse Etudiante Catholique Internationale (JECI)

Junior Association for Development in Europe (JADE)

European Democratic Students (EDS)

European Law Students Association (ELSA)

International Association of Dental Students (IADS)

International Students of History Association (ISHA)

International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA)

International Forestry Students Association (IFSA)

International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF)

International Union of Students (IUS)

World Student Christian Federation (WSCF)

World University Service - International (WUS)

This debate will examine the issues and concerns of students at the higher education level on the eve of the 21^st century. This follows a request by the Director-General of UNESCO, as part of the 50^th celebrations of the Organization, to solicit the student perspective on the quality and relevance of their instruction.

Traditionally, higher education has provided the wisdom and expertise which equip young people for their future roles as social leaders. This remains valid since higher education must uphold the education and values which mould socially responsible citizens.

However, today, the role and profile of students in higher education has become extremely varied. In response to the reality of mass demand, the necessity to diversify has become a challenge for every country. Issues such as access, quality, relevance and internationalization are under closer scrutiny and students are insisting on greater dialogue between the partners involved so that they may select courses which permit them to accede to acceptable levels of employment, hence to social development.

Students from all regions and disciplines will exchange views and make proposals to the WCHE for further action in which they are considered a vital partner.

The purpose of this paper is three-fold:

As students constitute the primary clients of higher education, ongoing dialogue with them is justified and necessary in order to define both the priorities facing this sector and an agenda for a new social order in the third millennium.

This dialogue is stimulated by several important components:

The Director General of UNESCO has placed special emphasis on the need to reappraise society's approach to youth issues, given that young people will assume important roles in the political, social and cultural life of the world community. To this end, in 1996 he commissioned a special report, entitled Higher Education in the 21st Century - A Student Perspective, to define the views of this group be undertaken as part of UNESCO's 50th anniversary reflection.

In seeking the student perspective on higher education in a changing world, UNESCO has emphasized its desire to listen to this community which is an important stakeholder in the future development of society as a whole. Since they will be tomorrow's leaders, it is essential that their opinions be articulated and widely disseminated amongst all partners concerned with development. Without the support of young people who feel positive about the principles and modalities chosen to advance this process, its future could be gravely compromised.

The student debates centred on three simple but basic questions -why young people were entering higher education, what they were learning and how this knowledge was being acquired. Their

reflection revealed a number of profound concerns, the most urgent of which was the need to strike a correct balance between education and training. This relates not only to the content of their courses but also to the quality of their professors, to the capacity of systems and institutions to meet the educational needs of special groups, and, above all, to the social and personal values promoted during the learning process.

The student community showed itself to be fully aware of the main issues dominating this sector today and of their complexity. While they understood that solutions were not easy to define, they insisted that attention be paid to the discrepancy between their aspirations for their studies and the reality encountered.

Moreover, the students readily acknowledged the reality of our knowledge-intensive society. It was noted that education policy-makers worldwide must rethink their approach to the new social order where the generation and availability of knowledge and know-how have undergone radical change. As well, the students recognized that knowledge has become a vital factor in the globalization process now taking place. Clearly, a top priority for any country is its access to global forces - i.e. those which shape societal change. The generation and availability of knowledge, its applications and the institutions which foster these processes are at the cutting edge of this challenge.

Support was strong for the creation of a new educational vision which might orient the renovation of educational policy and, in turn, influence the character of systems and institutions. Also, content and methods will be renewed so as to provide the skilled human resources needed by specific communities. To attain these objectives, due and proper respect for the status of the professoriate is an essential factor. Unless this profession enjoys the full support of a given community or nation, it cannot contribute to the education and training processes in the optimal manner.

In addition, the debates emphasized the potential to be derived from the internationalization of higher education. This phenomenon encourages contacts which help foster the human capacities to deal with cultural diversity which affects numerous aspects of social and economic development. However, for this to be successful, much depends on the willingness of partners to share their expertise and ensure its adaptation to different contexts.

One of the major traditional roles of higher education has been the education of social leaders. In the past, advanced study was the hallmark of the elite. Thus, a university degree equipped one for executive functions by virtue of its exclusiveness. Today, in this regard, the situation is very different, due to the massification of systems which renders a tertiary credential commonplace.

Nevertheless, the need to educate and train citizens for their particular social era and its challenges remains valid. Moreover, at the end of the 20^th century, there is a feeling of confusion and even of pessimism regarding the future direction of society and the ability of mankind to resolve grave social issues. According to the report on Education for the Twenty-first Century, the four bases for action are: learning to be, to do, to know and to live together. However, given global problems, these objectives are not easy to attain.

Citizenship means, on one hand, possessing a sense of responsibility for one’s local community and, on the other hand, understanding the wider socio-cultural context of the global village. To achieve this duality, contact, information and education are three crucial means of acquiring the attitudes needed to live and work in a world which is increasingly diverse and multicultural but where sharing and solidarity appear to be less supported. The Human Development Report gives an annual picture of the indicators of progress: income, social inclusion, access to education and health services, living standards and poverty levels. Young people are usually disturbed by the inequalities of development and strive to remedy these through their choice of career and through their involvement in civil society.

Today, citizenship is both national and international in ambit. It requires moral courage and clearly defined values which are lived daily and commitment to an understanding and tolerance of others. Higher education can contribute very significantly to promoting citizenship through an international curriculum and the facilitation of academic mobility. Studies in fields such as the humanities, languages and international relations have much to contribute in this respect. This is also a main objective of many mobility programmes and of the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs programme.

Higher education can never be reduced to mere training as its purposes and perspectives are too broad. Students have great expectations of their post-secondary studies and seek debate and exchange on a number of issues crucial to the development of their societies and of themselves as young adults. Hence, the tradition of this sector to produce educated and curious minds not only remains valid but must be the goal of all institutions, even in systems where provision is diversified.

A new society will depend greatly - if not totally - on different attitudes and deeper understanding of difference. This is a special challenge for higher education in the third millennium and one which has the full support of UNESCO.

The arena of economic policy-making is central to any discussion pertaining to the development process. It is also crucial to an analysis of higher education and its links to the world of work. Thus, it is inevitable that the various partners concerned with such questions must consider the consequences arising from current economic trends. These include a global shift towards deregulated economies and reduced government responsibility in matters related to social policy, new patterns of wealth which will surely influence at least the early years of the next century, and changing social attitudes to wealth as a public or private good.

The ongoing volatility of the current economic climate has focused attention on the question of graduate employment. Depending on circumstances, this term can also cover the unemployment and under-employment of skilled people. For this reason, the issue must be studied in relation to the problems in the job market on a global scale.

Today, there is an estimated total of 35 million unemployed in OECD countries. Another 15 million are long-term unemployed or work only part-time. In the developing world, the Human Development Report, published by the UNDP, estimates that only 45% of the labour force has work -the vast majority in agriculture. Economists estimate that about 1 billion jobs (which is a virtually impossible target) need to be created as soon as possible to meet the global demand for employment. Young people -and especially those without education or training - are severely affected in such a climate. Moreover, even those with tertiary qualifications frequently experience difficulties in finding available or suitable career openings.

This difficult situation must raise the question as to what sort of education and training are needed to produce entrepreneurial people who are equipped with a dynamic approach to job creation and adaptation?

The availability of work and the security resulting from regular employment are certainly one primordial factor for sustained social and economic growth. Although these may be top priorities for citizens of all countries, they are proving elusive goals for too many governments which fear the long term consequences of unstable economic conditions.

Against this background, the dialogue between the higher education community and its partners in the world of work has emerged as an urgent and essential tool in helping to tackle present economic questions.

Today, the knowledge dividend has increased appreciably. In a changing world, education has become the essential passport to individual and social progress. In terms of sustainable human development, those without the necessary access to knowledge and know-how are at a distinct disadvantage and the gap in social and economic conditions between rich and poor countries is becoming alarmingly wider. Long term, such disparity will lead to more serious imbalances and even to situations of conflict. It is thus desirable to search for ways in which knowledge can be shared more equitably. In particular, advanced and complex knowledge must be adapted locally for the benefit of specific communities with respect for their own historical and cultural traditions.

Thus, knowledge emerges as a rich and complex commodity embracing information, expertise and - most importantly - wisdom. So, we return to the search for balance between education and training which was strongly advocated during UNESCO's reflection with the student community. The successful production of good citizens and trained human resources is ample proof of a sound return on a nation's investment - both social and economic - in higher education.

However, in realistic terms, countries have limited resources for education and training - hence the trend at post-secondary level to harmonize the various areas of skill acquisition to better meet development objectives. As a result, we see a closer link being forged between academic and other types of tertiary education. Such a trend is not without conflict because attitudes must change - often quite radically. Moreover, universities are being called to play a greater role in lifelong learning which, for many countries, has become a policy priority for ensuring the ongoing acquisition of skills which match the changing requirements of the job market.

The Commission on Education for the 21st Century, convened by UNESCO under the chairmanship of Jacques Delors, considered that, if education is to meet the challenges of the future, it must be based on four foundations: learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be. Furthermore, it urged countries to conceive education in a more encompassing manner and to be much less bound to the acquisition of knowledge solely through formal education systems.

Therefore, as we approach the new millennium, the return on knowledge via education has become a sine qua non for basic social and economic advancement. Not only is this a fundamental human right and essential tool for the development process, but also it has emerged as one of the most effective means of shaping the globalization phenomenon so as to promote a more just social order and the attitudes of mutual understanding and co-operation required for a conflict-free society.

By now, the main issues in higher education are well known:

As it is now certain that higher education will undergo major transformations in the coming millennium, these current issues must be seen in relation to the aims of the World Conference on Higher Education, namely:

In a globally dependent world, it is often difficult for governments to arrive at local solutions which help resolve their own most pressing and specific problems. It is the responsibility of all sectors of the community to contribute to these solutions - in this respect, higher education, youth and employers have a key role to play in relation to their immediate national and regional environments. The achievement levels of individuals and nations, though varied, depend greatly on the elaboration of social policy which eliminates discrimination and exclusion and offers equal access to priority areas such as health care, education and employment. These are the central concerns of all nations today since they affect the lives of citizens in so many fundamental ways - one of the most important being their ability to realize their personal and professional aspirations.

Because of the overall positive return on investment in tertiary education and training, it is generally held that higher education offers people the opportunity to improve their lives to a significant extent. To do this, it must meet perceived needs in a given society and be seen inside a particular regional context. Overall, the basic problems facing national and institutional policy-makers are similar. Yet, their prioritization and solutions differ to a considerable degree because attendant socio-cultural and economic factors come into play.

Regional solutions to higher education issues must take account of the following specificities:

.in Africa, ongoing development problems including social stability, strong donor focus on basic education, and policies to ensure that higher learning is not marginalized;

.in the Arab States, the dynamic to modernize and expand systems and structures to cater for student demand in a context of cultural diversity, economic disparity and social volatility;

.in Asia and the Pacific, the need to balance the strong market forces driving higher education reform with the reiteration of the social and cultural factors shaping sustainable human development;

. in Europe, the quest for balance between the traditional prestige accorded to academic teaching and research and pressures to further strengthen the links between higher education and the labour market; in Eastern and Central Europe, the urgent renovation of higher education to meet both the political and social demands resulting from the transition to market economies;

.in Latin America and the Caribbean, more effective management of the steadily increasing investment in human capital, in both public and private systems, as the role of the region in the global economy continues to grow.

In such an extremely diverse climate, a common commitment to the sharing of knowledge, resources and values emerges as a constant which can help guide all partners concerned with higher education towards mutually beneficial solutions.

In a world where the global economy is now a reality for an ever increasing number of countries, national decision-makers are assessing education, including higher education, in terms of state priorities for public expenditure. Furthermore, there is a significant - and often disturbing - shift towards the "user-pays" philosophy in all areas of social policy. As a result and with regard to higher education, students are now obliged to give much deeper thought to their choice of studies, and notably to the quality and relevance of these for the labour market. This should not, in any way, preclude the intrinsic value of higher education:

The main questions now at hand are different and quite new:

The human resources issue must always be studied in relation to labour market trends where current questions include:

In industrialized nations, these trends result from strong advocacy for the market philosophy; in developing countries, the increased emphasis on structural adjustment is designed to stimulate their economic growth but is often is having a grave impact on their ability to ensure steady progress towards endogenous socio-economic and cultural development. While we see evidence of social reaction to this economic approach (notably by the election of governments with a commitment to a stronger state role and social agenda) , the reality of the global economy suggests that this policy orientation will continue.

In terms of higher education, these trends have provoked profound changes. One of the key missions of higher education has traditionally been its role in and contribution to the world of work, because a nation's most highly skilled human capital has been taught and trained in this sector. In the past, manpower planning has regulated access to various areas of education and training so as to meet national requirements. However, today, when a degree or diploma in a particular field can be commonplace (and often over-subscribed), a number of new questions must be pondered:

Already, a number of suggestions have been advanced regarding the typical profile of the graduate in the new society of the 21st century. This person will have acquired:

In addition, the graduate should demonstrate motivation and commitment to his or her chosen field as well as a high level of resilience and perseverance to meet the challenges involved.

While this may be the desirable check-list, it is far from evident whether these capacities can be guaranteed by the education and training offered in each and every higher education institution for a number of valid reasons. These include not only a lack of financial and human resources to meet the increasing expectations and demands of students, but also - and perhaps, most importantly - the absence of vision which is necessary for that particular institution to operate in and contribute to the new society of the 21st century.

Already, there is active debate amongst educationalists as to what, exactly, this new paradigm should be. For example, Dr Unna Huh of Hanyang University, Republic of Korea, suggests that the educational process will move from:

What is very clear is that this inevitable process of change should - and indeed must - be driven by the higher education sector itself. If this is not the case, then grave consequences could result as higher education will risk being shaped and manipulated by market forces which focus on short-term returns rather than long-term benefits. The UNESCO Policy Paper presents proposals for the pro-active institution which possesses all the attributes necessary for this challenging task because it:

Most importantly, there is a very clear and new emphasis on the role and responsibilities of the student community in this effort. Students are now the prime clients of higher education and, as such, their views merit full appropriate consideration when the relevance and quality of teaching, training and research are under scrutiny. The report, Higher Education: A Student Perspective states that " successful higher education in the next century must open itself to a process of helping young people to better understand the world and be educationally empowered to contribute to society." (UNESCO:34)

Going further, the 1997 5th NGO Collective Consultation on Higher Education, debating the theme of Graduate Employment, identified four major challenges for this sector in the future:

To achieve this transformation, a whole range of issues will require close scrutiny: for instance, institutional profiling, anticipatory leadership and management, constant innovation in teaching, training and research capacities, the provision of essential services such as career counselling, graduate placement and tracer studies (i.e. how students enter the workforce after graduation), structures to ensure gender equity, recognition of cultural diversity and the inclusion of marginalized social groups, to name but a few.

Today it is important for each country to listen to the opinions of its students concerning the future directions of higher education and its potential as a force for positive change. This must be a priority aim which is realized through effective strategies and will result in enhanced student participation in the renewal process.

This objective is particularly important given the present paradoxical social climate where:

These are, in fact, the specific objectives identified by the Student Forum for Sustainable Human Development and Graduate Employment.

In terms of strategy, the Professional Development Round Tables held under the aegis of the Student Forum, have already yielded rich data with regard to how, exactly, different professions (inter alia, law, medicine and community health, engineering, agronomy, commerce) articulate their aspirations and concerns in relation to the ongoing search for quality and pertinence in higher education.

Moreover, the book entitled Graduate Prospects in a Changing Society gives clear indications of the principal developments in various professions and the major strategies required to meet these. Some current examples are:

In terms of strategy, UNESCO believes that these issues must be debated and tackled by the stakeholders involved - by experienced professionals and by students themselves who are the specialists of the future. Through such debate and joint action, the renewal of higher education will certainly be based on quality and relevance.

Strategies which are essential to renovate certain key educational tools include continuously updating of the curriculum, interactive teaching, career counselling, dialogue with employers and opportunities for interface between studies and work experience, contacts with peers from different cultural backgrounds, initial training and adequate provision for lifelong learning.

Furthermore, such strategies clearly acknowledge that students are amongst the main stakeholders in higher education and that they possess the vision, the responsibility, the intelligence, the skills and the conviction to be full partners in the future of this domain.

At the Round Tables organized to date (by the medical, agricultural and pharmacy and law students respectively), the profile of the ideal professional in these various fields was defined with extreme care. In all cases, it was clear that the overarching objective must be the professional's responsibilities towards his or her social context.

Of particular significance was the fact that the expressed desire for greater flexibility in professional life to deal with a constantly changing environment was never stated as an end in itself. Rather, it should be the key requirement for the ethical exercise of one's profession in a spirit of dedication. As such, one might serve one's society to optimal effect.

The commitment to this goal amongst student NGOs has been indeed impressive to witness.

These outcomes illustrate that the student community is thus advocating the construction of solid partnerships with other members of the higher education community. This will ensure that decision-making takes into account the interests of all stakeholders. Furthermore, in this way, the desire of young people to share knowledge, resources and values may be clearly expressed and effective ways found for its effective implementation.

It is possible to summarize the recommendations of this group as follows:

Together, the implementation of these strategies would ensure that higher education is indeed attuned to the socio-cultural and economic challenges of the 21st century.

1. Provide for student presence in institutional decision-making bodies (senates, university councils etc.)
2. Provide for the presence of students in:

• assessment and evaluation mechanisms;
• curriculum development ;
• management of higher education institutions so as to ensure the quality and relevance of academic credentials.

1. Provide for the involvement of students in the reflection processes leading to national reforms of higher education systems (think tanks, commissions, Green Paper mechanisms etc.) including the renewal of systems and institutions to meet the needs of lifelong learning.
2. Provide for the participation of students in regional and international organizations which contribute to the global reflection on higher education.
3. Recognition of extra-curricular activities (e.g. involvement in NGOs, development and cultural blossoming etc.) in the framework of study, and consideration for the possibility of credit points for students; on the other hand, institutional support, for instance through reports that could be presented by students to professors or to a specific committee.
4. Provision, by professional bodies, for establishing closer dialogue with students at national, regional and international levels (the Student Forum should be extended to these levels).
5. Encouragement and establishment of National Students’ Councils (where these do not exist) to express the views of students to educational authorities and professional bodies.
6. Provision for protection of student rights and conditions (e.g. social insurance to be provided at low rate or even free, new approaches to financial support schemes for students, especially for those who do not come from wealthy backgrounds, consideration for the needs of disabled and minority students) in the Youth and Education policies of each country.
7. Commitment by relevant bodies and organizations to produce in-depth research and graduate surveys on Student Issues: status, conditions, expectations regarding higher education and life in general, professional development.
8. Further investigation to set up specific legal instruments, such as a Student Charter, to protect student rights.
9. Promotion/adoption of an International Student Charter to promote and protect the status of students abroad (same benefits as local students, conditions for reintegration and participation in development issues in their countries of origin, etc.).
10. Application of mechanisms which promote the recognition of qualifications (diplomas + practical experience + experiences of planning and sharing curricula among different universities).
11. Assistance to NGOs to strengthen/professionalize their advocacy capacities for student rights, conditions and participation in decision-making.
12. Establish mechanisms of constant evaluation of higher education (teaching staff, course content, etc.) involving all higher education stakeholders in order to assure its quality.
13. Involvement of the private sector in higher education in order to guarantee its preparation for the world of work. Nevertheless the independence of higher education should be assured, especially in the field of research. For this, public funding of universities should also be guaranteed.
14. National Days on higher education to be organized by National Commissions and student bodies in order to generate a debate on the priority needs of the country as follow-up to the WCHE.

1. Training

1. Support to student NGOs which promote leadership training (social or professional) to help their members to carry out research and training.
2. Strengthening of schemes to promote the exchange of both people and knowledge (via CITs) so as to render the mobility principle more equitable (only 5% students now benefit).
3. Commitment by higher education institutions to support mechanisms which assist professional development: e.g. establishment of career orientation services, placement for work experience during studies and graduate placement offices to assist employment opportunities.
4. Encouragement of interactive teaching/learning via problem-oriented teaching, where, accompanied by professors, students (individually and in teams) find for themselves the information and knowledge that is relevant to the proposed problems; also, the promotion of inter-disciplinary approaches and programmes.
5. Guarantee a certain flexibility in curriculum in order to consider the changing nature of the world of work and also to allow more adaptation and choice for students on "drawing" their formation and personal projects through endowing their skills.

Provide programmes that enable/facilitate the lifelong-learning process for postgraduates and professionals.

1. Strengthening of research and training capacities via centres of excellence for both north/south and south/south mobility (the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme).
2. Widen the access of students to research programmes as a privileged opportunity for apprenticeship and participation in higher education.

• Every country should include the student voice in its national body responsible for reflection related policy-making in higher education;
• Increase the access of the 18-24 year old cohort to post-secondary education by a specific percentage, e.g. at least 30% higher than is currently the case;
• Establishment, in each country, of a specific mechanism to permit dialogue between students and national employers’ bodies, and the inclusion of the student voice in existing structures;
• By 2005, an agreement should be reached with the national authorities on the International Student Charter and/or the Charter for International Students.

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