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International Association of Universities |
E-Bulletin
IAU: For a worldwide higher education community
Sharing information on IAU activities and higher education in the world
Vol. 5, No.3, April 2008
13th General Conference of IAU
 Higher Education and
Research Addressing Local and Global Needs15-18 July, 2008, Utrecht University, the Netherlands Last month to take advantage of the Early Bird registration fee! The Group rate (at least 3 persons from the same institution) will remain applicable until the closing of registrations. PROGRAMME Speakers from around the world have now confirmed their participation in the Opening Dialogue, Plenary and Workshop sessions. The Special Forum on Comparing, Classifying and Ranking HEIs will highlight the latest scholarly and policy reflection on the different ways to understand what is what among more than 17,000 HEIs around the world. The General Conference also includes the Association’s Business Sessions during which decisions about the Association’s current and future affairs are taken. Business Sessions are open to all Conference participants, but only IAU Members in Good Standing can vote. Over the next few weeks, all relevant information for the Sessions will be added to the website, including reports, names of candidates for election to the Presidency and Administrative Board and more. MEMBERS Final deadline for submitting Photographs and Music: April 15. Should you wish to submit a piece of music or a photograph to help celebrate 60 years of IAU, please send your contributions now and do not hesitate to contact us for further details. |
Other IAU activities
IAU Thematic Priorities
Higher Education and
Education for All (EFA)In 2006, IAU launched a pilot project to examine the contribution made by higher education institutions (HEIs) to meet EFA goals. The pilot generated much interest and positive feedback from both the higher education community and development agencies. It also revealed that little was known about these links. IAU therefore elaborated a larger project proposal entitled Strengthening linkages for improved education and research working for EFA and MDGs. The project centres around information sharing and capacity building activities. Development and implementation will be undertaken in collaboration, relying largely on advice and support from an expert Reference Group which is in the process of being constituted. For more information, contact: Nadia Kymlicka: iau3@unesco.org
3rd Global Survey on Internationalization
of Higher EducationCommitted to monitoring, analysing and reporting on trends in the internationalization of higher education, IAU is gearing up to conduct its 3rd Global Survey of Institutions and Associations. The first survey, published in 2003, was subtitled Policy and Practice; the second, disseminated in 2006, carried the subtitle New Challenges and New Directions. IAU has created a Task Force of several experts from HEIs in different countries to assist in the design of the survey instruments to be used in this 3rd Survey. The Vice-President of IAU and the Vice-President of ACE will chair the Task Force. IAU has invited Dr. Jane Knight to join the Task Force and collaborate with the Secretariat once again on the preparation of the report. For more information, contact Sylvain Charpentier: charpentier.iau@unesco.org
IAU Publications
Higher Education Policy 21/1The topic of the latest edition of HEP is World Class Universities. Examining the essential characteristics of the emerging global model of the research university, it features case studies on developments in China, Germany and Portugal, as well as an analysis of the effects of government funding on the University of California at Berkeley as well as changes in the new University of Manchester.
IAU Representation
OECD 2nd Global Forum on Education,
Dominican RepublicIAU, together with the Institutional Management of Higher Education programme of OECD, organized a Workshop entitled: Access, Success and Relevance in Higher Education during this event. The 2nd OECD Global Forum on Education had as its overall theme Improving the Effectiveness of Education. The IAU portion of the Workshop featured presentations by IAU Deputy Board member, Abdul Razak Dzulkifli, Vice-Chancellor of University Sains Malaysia and Janyne Hodder, President of the College of the Bahamas, an IAU member in one of the neighbouring countries.
An important feature of this and the previous Global Forum which was held in Chile, is that they bring together representatives of all levels of education. Taking part in the closing plenary designed to comment on how OECD could improve the next Forum, IAU Secretary-General stressed the need to do even more to improve policies focused on the linkages and intersections between various sub-sectors of the educational system.
http://www.oecd.org/site/0,3407,en_21571361_39572393_1_1_1_1_1,00.html
IAU Senior
Research and Policy Analyst represented the Association at: - Autonomy and Its Challenges in a World of Global Education, London, United Kingdom
The seminar compared, contrasted and critically analysed current trends in the area of governance, specifically as it relates to institutional autonomy. It was jointly organized by International Association of University Governing Bodies, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona and the Committee of University Chairmen, UK. The 3 working sessions were on autonomy, Board accountability and how university Governing Boards related to institutional leadership, governance codes and indicators.
- UNESCO Forum for Higher Education, Research and Knowledge: Trends in Post-graduate Education, Dublin, Ireland (for more information, go to the UNESCO section below)
IAU participated
in the jury of the European
Innovation Hopes, a prize organized in the framework of the
Innovact Forum in collaboration with L’Etudiant and AEF.info. More than
300 applications from 20 countries were received, from which 25 were
pre-selected to be discussed by the jury, chaired by M. Luuk Borg,
Director of the EUREKA Secretariat. The winners were students from the
School of Management of Lyon; the Catholic University of Leuven; and
the University of Franche-Comté.http://www.innovact.com/
Important dates:
• April 15, 2008: Final deadline for the submission of music/photograph for 60 years of IAU
• April 30, 2008: End of Early Bird Registration to 13th IAU General Conference.
• July 15-18, 2008: 13th IAU General Conference marking 60 years of the Association. The GC theme is: Higher Education and Research Addressing Local and Global Needs, Utrecht University (The Netherlands).
For detailed information on these
activities, contact us at: iau@unesco.org
Other News and Opportunities
UNESCO
UNESCO: 10th Anniversary of the L’OREAL-UNESCO Women in Science AwardsIn addition to granting a prize to five eminent women scientists, the other highlight of the 2008 edition of the L’OREAL-UNESCO Women in Science Awards was the celebration of the 10th anniversary of this distinction. On this occasion, 40 former laureates were invited to sign a Charter for Commitment For Women in Science to advocate for science and the cause of women throughout the world.
http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=42018&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
UNESCO Forum for Higher Education, Research and Knowledge: Trends in Postgraduate Education
All documents and presentations made at the Experts' Workshop on Trends in Post-Graduate Education held at the Dublin City University, Ireland, 5-7 March 2008, are now available. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and compare current trends and issues in post-graduate education at a global level from the perspective of educational actors and the labour market.
http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=55831&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS): Gender Parity in Education
On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, UIS released a fact sheet called Gender Parity in Education: Not Yet, based on the analysis of the Institute’s own data and on the 2008 EFA Global Monitoring Report. It provides information on the evolution of gender parity at all levels of education between 1999 and 2005.
http://www.uis.unesco.org/template/pdf/EducGeneral/UISFactsheet_2008_No%201_EN.pdf
Other international initiatives
Education International (EI): Staff and Student Mobility in EuropeThe Campaign for Staff and Student Mobility’s website was launched at the meeting of EI’s European committee on higher education and research held in Dubrovnik, Croatia, in February. It is a joint project of EI and the European Students’ Union (ESU) to provide a place where to exchange documents and knowledge; as well as experiences on staff or student mobility.
http://www.ei-ie.org/highereducation/en/newsshow.php?id=729&theme=highereducation&country=global
Distances and Access to Education: Set of References on Distance Education and Access
The Distance and Access to Education website presents the results of a call for papers on Distance education and the right – or access – to education. The call was launched by the six following scientific journals: Asian Journal of Distance Education; Distances et Savoirs; EURODL; Journal of Asynchronous Learning Network; IRRODL; Open Praxis.
http://www.distanceandaccesstoeducation.org/
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): Higher Education Quality
The OECD Education Working Paper No. 15, Assessment of Learning Outcomes in Higher Education: A Comparative Review of Selected Practices, is based on the study of 18 assessment instruments for Australia, Brazil, Mexico, United Kingdom and USA.
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/13/25/40256023.pdf
World Bank: Higher Education Projects
Four projects have been launched by the World Bank in the field of higher education.
- Colombia: Second Student Loan Support Project.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21671378~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html
- Jordan: Higher Education Reform for Knowledge Economy project.
http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2008/02/
20/000076092_20080221155352/Rendered/PDF/Integrated0Saf10Sheet1Concept0Stage.pdf
- Pakistan: Higher Education Support Program Loan.
http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2008/02/
11/000076092_20080212165154/Rendered/PDF/PID010Concept0Stage010Feb008.pdf
- Vietnam: Developing Advanced Institutions for Higher Order Capacity (DAIHOC) Program.
http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2008/02/27/
000076092_20080228111017/Rendered/PDF/DAIHOC0PID0Concept0Stage.pdf
Regional initiatives
AfricaAfrican Union: Conference of the Minister in Charge of Youth
At the 2nd Ordinary Session of the African Union Conference of the Minister in Charge of Youth, the Ministers signed a Declaration urging “to develop and implement initiatives on youth internship, exchange and mobility programmes at the national and regional levels”. Article 13 of the African Youth Charter focuses on Education and Skills Development.
http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Conferences/2008/february/hrst/DOCS/Declar%20of%20COMY%20on%20YAY-final
%20ver%201Engl%20clean.doc (Declaration)
http://www.africa-union.org/root/UA/Conferences/Mai/HRST/Charter%20english.pdf (Youth Charter)
Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA): Call for Proposals: Comparative Research Networks (CRNs) – Call for Proposals
One of the themes of the call for the constitution of CRNs is Transitions in African Higher Education. Deadline: May 31, 2008.
http://www.codesria.org/Links/new_08/comparative_research_networks08.pdf
UbuntuNet Alliance: Better and Cheaper Connectivity for HEIs
The UbuntuNet Alliance for Research and Education Networking, a non-profit association established by the National Research and Education Networks of Kenya; Malawi; Mozambique; Rwanda and South Africa to improve and lower the price of the connectivity of higher education and research institutions, has updated its presentation. It explains what the Alliance stands for; how it was established and by whom; who can join and how; its aim; services and developments.
http://www.ubuntunet.net/documents/What_Is_UbuntuNet_v7.2.pdf
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA): Science with Africa
UNECA organized an international conference on Science with Africa in March 2008, in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, that gathered over 500 researchers in order to promote research for development. Workshops focused on innovation; policies; copyrights; patents and technology transfers; and international programmes.
http://www.uneca.org/sciencewithafrica/
Asia
ASEAN Universities Network (AUN): Regional Studies
A new Master in Korean Studies - co-hosted by the Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, and the Seoul National University - and an ASEAN Center for Korean Studies are to be launched at the Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, as part of the AUN-HUFS Korean Studies Project, jointly initiated by the AUN and the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in order to encourage and develop Korean studies in Southeast Asia countries, as well as Southeast Asian Studies in Korea.
http://www.aun-sec.org/activities_within_dialogue_2_3.html (Announcement)
http://www.grad.chula.ac.th/Korean (Programme)
Vietnam/Singapore: Centre for Educational Excellence
The Vietnam-Singapore Centre for Educational Excellence (VSCEE) described in the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Singapore’s National Institute of Education (NIE) and Vietnam’s National Institute of Education Management (NIEM) in October 2007 was launched on March 11, 2008. The Centre will aim at training Vietnamese school leaders and senior education leaders and administrators. The first training phase received financial aid from the Temasek Foundation, a Singapore-based non-profit philanthropic organisation that carries out initiatives in various domains, including education, to promote development in Asia.
http://www.moe.gov.sg/press/2008/pr20080311.htm
Europe
Bologna Process: Website on Qualification Frameworks
The web pages on qualifications frameworks in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) comprise information on overarching frameworks; national QF’s; QF’s outside EHEA and a glossary.
http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/qf/qf.asp
http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/ActionLines/recognition.htm
Council of Europe: Intercultural Dialogue in Higher Education
The Council of Europe organised a seminar in March on Intercultural Dialogue on the University Campus in Strasbourg, France, as part of its new project Promoting Intercultural Dialogue in the European Higher Education Area.
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/highereducation/InterculturalDialogue/Default_EN.asp#TopOfPage
European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP): Skills for 2015
The CEDEFOP has published its first forecast of skill needs up to the year 2015. It concludes that demands are being driven by the development of the service sector and technological changes.
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/index.asp?section=3&read=3149
European Commission: Towards a Global Computer Network for Education and Research
GEANT2, the pan-European education and research network, links up to other computer networks in the Balkans; the Mediterranean region; Asia; Latin America and Africa to facilitate and enhance collaborative research.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/354&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=fr
European Commission: Research Infrastructures
The report Developing World-Class Research Infrastructures for the European Research Area (ERA) written by the ERA Expert Group focuses on priority setting; legal framework for; funding of; management and access to pan-European Research Infrastructures (RIs); e-infrastructure and RIs of global interest.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/infrastructures/pdf/ri_era-expert-group-0308_en.pdf
European Commission: European Institute of Innovation and Technology
The creation of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has been approved. It will encourage partnerships and cooperation between the business world, research and higher education across Europe and will function on the basis of Knowledge and Innovation Communities.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/414&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=fr
European Commission: University-Business Forum
The European Commission organised the first European University-Business Forum in Brussels in February. It analysed four topics: Curricular development, and how it can lead to greater employability and an entrepreneurial mindset among graduates; Continuing education, and how to improve cooperation between universities and companies in the provision of training/retraining programmes; The modernisation of governance structures within universities, with the help of business expertise; and Development of mobility, including student mobility, but also mobility of researchers and teaching staff, between academia and businesses, and vice versa.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/343&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
European Commission: Lifelong Learning and ICTs
The Learnovation Stakeholders Roundtable, supported by 9 European lifelong networks, held its first meeting in March. Representatives from 40 EU and national lifelong stakeholders and EC attended the meeting to discuss a new vision of innovation in learning that embeds ICT and lifelong learning in a future-oriented perspective and how to continue the Learnovation initiative. The Learnovation Manifesto was presented on this occasion.
http://www.elearningeuropa.info/files/media/media15079.pdf
European Education Policy Network: European Education Agenda
The presentations of the three conferences: Shaping the European Education Agenda; Advancing the European Education Agenda and Defining the European Education Agenda organised by the European Education Policy Network in 2007 are available.
http://www.educationpolicy.eu/papers/index.php/educationagenda/brussels-leuven2007/schedConf/presentations
European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR): Launch of EQAR
EQAR was launched in Brussels in early March. It was founded by the representatives of the E4 Group, comprising ENQA, ESU, EUA and EURASHE and will provide information on quality assurance agencies working in Europe. Quality assurance agencies will be able to apply for listing on the register as from summer 2008.
http://www.eqar.eu
European Students’ Union (ESU): E-Learning and Equity
ESU launched a project Equity through E-learning on 1st February. It will analyse why, in all European countries, a great number of groups in society that have the capabilities to start and complete a degree in higher education are excluded from doing so. It will also set up a European Student Trainer Network and use an E-learning platform to create an innovative learning experience.
http://www.esib.org/index.php/News/newsletter-student-voice/198-issue-2-feb/258-esu-launches-major-two-year-project-on-equity
Heads of University Management and Administration Network in Europe (HUMANE): Head of Administration’s Role
HUMANE held a seminar in March at the University of Salford, UK, on the Changing Role of the Head of Administration. Abstracts and power points are available.
http://www.humane.eu/Saldford.154.0.html
Inter-Regional Cooperation
Europe/Mexico: Joint Research Initiatives
The Fondo de Cooperación en Ciencia y Tecnología (Fund for Science and Technology Co-operation) was launched in February 2008 by the European Commission and the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología de México (Mexican National Council on Science and Technology (CONACYT)) to strengthen joint research initiatives between Mexican and European research institutions. First call for proposals: May 2008.
http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/latin-america/documents/foncicyt_en.pdf
http://www.conacyt.mx/comunicacion/Comunicados/04-08.html (in Spanish)
Thailand/France: Higher Education and Research Joint Programmes – Call for Proposals
The Joint Franco-Thai Committee launched a Call for Proposals for the Franco-Thai Cooperation Programmes in Higher Education and Research 2009-2011, an initiative to encourage joint projects in research and/or research training. Projects will have to involve four distinct partners - two from each country - and address one of the following topics: Basic Sciences, Science and Technology, Health, Agriculture/Agro-Industry, Environment, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Energy, Social Sciences, Humanities and Culture, or Tourism. Deadline: May 19, 2008.
http://www.inter.mua.go.th
United States/World: Business Education for Women
Goldman Sachs, a global investment banking firm, has launched 10,000 Women to increase the number of women in developing countries receiving a business education and improve the quality of business education around the world. The project includes universities in US and UK on one side and Afghanistan; Egypt; India; Kenya; Nigeria; Rwanda; South Africa; and Tanzania on the other.
http://www.10000women.org/
National and institutional initiatives
Australia: Research Quality and Evaluation SystemThe Australian Research Council (ARC) and Australia’s Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research are developing a new research quality and evaluation system, the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA). Intended to replace the Research Quality Framework, the new system will associate measurement tools and reviews by internationally renowned experts gathered in committees in order to allow international comparison and help extend the field of evaluation to less quantifiable disciplines, such as art.
http://www.arc.gov.au/media/releases/media_26Feb08.htm
Bahrain: Accreditation of Degrees Awarded by Private Universities
New regulations for the accreditation of degrees awarded by private higher education institutions in Bahrain have been recently issued and will come into force in September 2008.
http://english.bna.bh/?tim=10-02-2008&ID=66842
Canada: Education Priorities
At their meeting in Toronto, Canadian Ministers of Education agreed to measures to promote and enhance aboriginal education, literacy and postsecondary education.
http://www.cmec.ca/releases/press.en.stm?id=58
Canada: Comments on the 2008 Federal Canadian Budget
The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) and the Education Policy Institute (EPI) comment on the federal government investments in financial assistance to Canadian and international students, and in university research.
http://www.aucc.ca/publications/media/2008/budget_02_26_e.html (AUCC)
http://www.educationalpolicy.org/PR/PR_080226_CDN_Budget.html (EPI)
http://www.budget.gc.ca/2008/pdf/plan-eng.pdf (Budget)
Colombia: New Regulations for Entrance Examination to Higher Education
The resolution adopted by the Instituto Colombiano para el Fomento de la Educación Superior (Colombian Institute for the Development of Higher Education) defines new procedures for the prueba de Estado (state examination for admission to higher education)
http://w3.icfes.gov.co:8080/ktmllite/files/uploads/docs/arc_5211.pdf (in Spanish)
Germany: Link between Expansion and Equality in Higher Education
The private research institute IZA has released the Discussion Paper Does the Expansion of Higher Education Increase the Equality of Educational Opportunities? Evidence from Italy. It seems that if the enrolment and retention rates have increased, it has very little effect on the graduation rate.
http://www.iza.org/en/webcontent/publications/papers/viewAbstract?dp_id=3361
India: Implementation of Academic Reforms
The Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC) is encouraging Central Universities, State Universities and Deemed Universities to show the way and be the first institutions to implement the academic reforms defined in the Commission’s XI plan. Principal measures concern admission, the examination and grading system, student mobility, curricula updates and revision, and the harmonisation of the academic calendar.
http://www.ugc.ac.in/notices/academicreform.html
India: Uniform Academic Calendar
The University Grant Commission (UGC) is establishing a unique academic calendar at national level.
http://www.ugc.ac.in/notices/firstdegreegazzet.html
Mexico: Research and Continuing Education
The rector of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) emphasized the need to develop new projects in the fields of research and continuing education during the recent ECOES (Higher Education Common Area) meeting.
http://www.dgcs.unam.mx/boletin/bdboletin/2008_154.html (in Spanish)
Mexico: Reform of Higher Secondary Education
At the opening ceremony of Primera Jornada Nacional de Difusión de la Reforma Integral para la Educación Media Superior, the President of Mexico spoke in favour of a reform of the higher secondary level of education, including the reform of the Bachillerato (credential giving access to higher education).
http://www.anuies.mx/secciones/noticias/index2.php?clave=557 (in Spanish)
Mexico: Internationalization
At the meeting held at the Colegio de México in February 2008 on the theme La Internacionalización de la Educación Superior en América Latina (Internationalization of Higher Education in Latin America), the Subsecretario de Educación Superior of Mexico discussed the trends and policies of academic mobility and their impact in Mexico, USA and Canada.
http://www.sep.gob.mx/wb2/sep1/sep1_Bol048A0308 (in Spanish)
Netherlands: GATS and Higher Education
The Centre for Higher Education Policy Studies of the University of Twente has posted a preprint of GATS an the Steering Capacity of a National State in Higher Education: Case Studies of the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. The article concludes that the steering capacity of States is not affected directly.
http://www.utwente.nl/cheps/documenten/2008artikelGATS.pdf
New Zealand: Quality Assurance System
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) has posted the Report of the Quality Assurance Expert Advisory Group to the Minister for Tertiary Education, which describes the quality assurance evaluation system that is currently being developed in order to support the Tertiary Education Reform. It will rely on the principles of self-assessment and external evaluation and review, and will be phased in between 2009 and 2011.
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/for-providers/tertiary/docs/eag-final-report.pdf
New Zealand: University Objectives
Education Counts has released the publication University objectives: An analysis of university annual reports 2002 to 2006, which examines how the objectives of institutions have evolved since the introduction of the first Tertiary Education Strategy as well as the links between universities’ characteristics (in terms of student size, research size and financial status) and the chosen objectives.
http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/19226/Final_version_of_report_web.pd
New Zealand: Monitoring and Funding Research
Education Counts has released:
- Monitoring research: a synthesis of Ministry of Education analyses of tertiary education research 2004-2008, a report that amalgamates the outcomes of ministerial studies on the performance of New Zealand’s tertiary education sector as regards research and the consequences of the Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF). Topics addressed are: PBRF funding allocations, PBRF results and of factors influencing PBRF performance, impact of weightings in the PBRF Quality Evaluation, PBRF funding incentives, Establishing baseline data to monitor the effect of the PBRF on research impact, impact of the PBRF on retention of doctoral students and on research in the social sciences/humanities.
http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/tertiary_education/18788/Research_synthesis_report.pdf
- How the PBRF has shifted research funding, a fact sheet showing how the PBRF changed the repartition of funding between the different types of institutions conducting research, with a focus on universities, and between the areas of research.
http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/18848/Funding_factsheet.pdf
New Zealand: Pacific People in Higher Education
Education Counts has released:
- Pacific peoples in tertiary education in New Zealand, a fact sheet presenting the distribution of tertiary education students - by qualification level, field of study, programme type, age, gender,…- for Pasifika ethnic groups in 1996, 2001, 2005 and 2006.
http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/18699/06-pasifika-factssheet-18695.pdf
- Pasifika tertiary education students by ethnicity, a fact sheet detailing the repartition of tertiary education students - by qualification level, field of study, programme type, age, gender,…- for each Pasifika ethnic group in 1996, 2001, 2005 and 2006.
http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/18707/06-pasifika-ethnic-factssheet.pdf
South Africa: Amendment Bills
The Government has called for comments on the National Qualifications Framework Bill; the Higher Education Amendment Bill; the General and Further Education and Training Amendment Bill; and the Skills Development Amendment Bill.
http://www.che.org.za/documents/d000159/index.php
http://www.saqa.org.za/show.asp?include=docs/policy/skills_dev.html
South Africa: Tuition Fees
Higher Education South Africa (HESA) has released Tuition Fees, a report which discusses the tuition fees and more generally the funding of higher education in South Africa and provides recommendations to the Ministry of Education on the subject.
http://www.hesa.org.za/resources/HESA%20TT%20Report%20%20-%2027%20Feb%202008%20(2).pdf
South Africa: Racism in Higher Education
HESA has decided to establish a working group to report on racial and other forms of discrimination and to advise on mechanisms to monitor and promote good relations on South African campuses.
http://www.hesa.org.za/resources/Press%20Release%20-%207%20March%202008%20-%20HESA%20to%20form%20working%20group%
20on%20racism%20(2).pdf
Spain: ICTs in Higher Education
The Conferencia de Rectores de las Universidades Españolas has published Universitic 2007: Las TIC en el Sistema Universitario Español which describes the situation of ICTs in higher education institutions and proposes support projects.
http://www.crue.org/BOLETINES/BOLETIN_N23/Boletin23.htm#publicaciones
Spain: Open Scientific Portal
The Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (FECYT) and the Red de Bibliotecas Universitarias have developed the RECOLECTA portal to offer open access to Spanish scientific archives.
http://www.recolecta.net/buscador/
Switzerland: Research and Innovation Budget
The Federal Chambers have voted credits for 21.310 billion Swiss francs in the framework of the Message concerning the promotion of training, research and innovation in the years 2008-2011 (Message relatif à l'encouragement de la formation, de la recherche et de l'innovation pendant les années 2008 à 2011). The purpose is to improve training and to stimulate competitiveness and growth in the fields of research and innovation.
http://www.sbf.admin.ch/bfi2008/index_fr.html (in French)
Togo: Reform of Secondary-School Leaving Diploma
Inspectors and school directors met in Lomé to evaluate the results of the reform of the Baccalauréat that took place two year ago and propose improvement in its organization.
http://www.republicoftogo.com/central.php?o=5&s=47&d=3&i=1685 (in French)
United Kingdom: Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
From April to June, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) will consult higher education providers and stakeholders on a draft second edition of The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Deadline: May 9 2008.
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/FHEQ/CIDG08/default.asp
United Kingdom: Doctoral Programmes
The summary analysis of the QAA discussion paper about doctoral programmes is now available. It shows that there is great satisfaction with the current qualification descriptor and a sense of responsibility to maintain the academic standards of doctorates.
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/doctoralProg/PrelimAnalysisMarch08.asp
United States of America: Higher Education and Development
The results of the Synergy Workshop 2007: A Decade of Higher Education Collaboration in Development which was co-organized by the Higher Education Development (HED) programme and the United States Agency for Development (USAID) to mark the tenth anniversary of HED are available.
http://www.hedprogram.org/tabid/225/itemid/148/2007-Synergy-Workshop-Report.aspx
United States of America: Comparison of Education Systems in China and India
The RAND Corporation, a non-profit research and analysis institution, has released the Occasional Paper Education and the Asian Surge, which focuses on all levels of education. It describes the historical developments in both countries; provides information on access; financing; quality and delivery of education; and concludes with strengths; challenges; opportunities and future directions.
http://rand.org/pubs/occasional_papers/OP218/
United States of America: Funding of Scientific Research
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Chief Executive Officer’s testimony to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Innovation stresses the importance of basic research to U.S. competitiveness, and the need to increase support to all scientific fields.
http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2008/0311testimony.shtml
United States of America: Evolution of Higher Education Charitable Funding
The Council for Aid to Education (CAE)’s annual Voluntary Support of Education (VSE) survey analyses the evolution of charitable contributions to colleges and universities in the U.S.
http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/VSE%202007%20Survey%20Press%20Release.pdf
United States of America: Higher Education Institutions and Global Warming
The annual meeting of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) on Colleges and Universities Lead the Way in Addressing the Challenges of Global Warming discussed how higher education institutions can address the topic on their campuses.
http://naicuam08.blogspot.com/
United States of America: Study Abroad
The study College-Bound Students' Interests in Study Abroad and Other International Learning Activities, published by the American Council on Education in collaboration with the Art & Science Group and the College Board confirms the interest of U.S. college students in study abroad and international learning.
http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=International&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=25764
United States of America: Code of Ethics for Education Abroad
The Forum on Education Abroad has published the Code of Ethics for Education Abroad to help institutions and organizations develop their own policies and practices in the field.
http://www.forumea.org/documents/ForumonEducationAbroadCodeofEthics.pdf
United States of America: Economic Mobility
The Economic Mobility Project has released Getting Ahead or Losing Ground: Economic Mobility in America. It includes chapters on Immigration, wages, education and mobility and Education and economic mobility.
http://www.economicmobility.org/assets/pdfs/Economic_Mobility_in_America_Full.pdf
United States of America: Minority-Serving Institutions
The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), in collaboration with the Building Engagement and Attainment for Minority Students (BEAMS) project, has published a report on Increasing Student Success at Minority-Serving Institutions: Findings from the BEAMS Project.
http://www.ihep.org/publications/publications-detail.cfm?id=96
United States of America: ICTs and Higher Education
The New Media Consortium and EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative have released the 2008 Horizon Report which focuses on ICTs’ linked areas that will impact on higher education in the next 5 years. These areas are: grassroots video; collaboration webs; mobile broadband; data mashups; collective intelligence; social operating systems.
http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/CSD5320.pdf
Venezuela: Access to Higher Education
The Consejo Nacional de Universidades (National Council of Universities) has approved the creation of the Registro Único Nacional de Ingreso a la Educación Superior - RUNIES (single national register for admission to higher education). This type of register is intended to facilitate access to higher education institutions.
http://www.cnu.gov.ve/noticias/index.php?scroll=3¬icia=1&id=440&fecha_desde=&fecha_hasta=&palabra_clave= (in Spanish)
Vietnam: Bilateral Cooperation Agreements
Vietnam is seeking to improve the training of its Doctorate students through agreements at the Asian-Pacific level:
- A five-year agreement on education co-operation was signed with the Australian Government, as well as Memoranda of Understanding with six Australian Universities, to reinforce Vietnamese PhD students’ training; a memorandum of understanding on education co-operation was also signed with New Zealand’s Education Minister and discussions were engaged in order to obtain New Zealand’s support in helping to boost English language skills for teachers and postgraduate training, while agreements were signed with the country’s eight first universities.
http://vietnamnews.vnanet.vn/showarticle.php?num=01EDU290208
- the Republic of Korea agreed to contribute to the training of up to 500 Vietnamese Ph.D. students over the coming 12 years mostly in the field of medical equipment research, development and production; and to increase the number of scholarships and the amount of technological and financial support.
http://vietnamnews.vnanet.vn/showarticle.php?num=02EDU270208
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