|
|
|
|
 |
ACA
Newsletter n° 35 Academic Cooperation Association Rue d'Egmontstraat 15, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium CONTENTS
1. News from the ACA Secretariat and ACA MembersFirst ACA “European Policy Seminar” warmly welcomed The announcement of the first seminar of the new ACA series, to take place in Brussels on 6 February, has been met by great success. Already in the first week of January all available places had been filled. The ACA Secretariat decided therefore to repeat the seminar "What’s New in Brussels: Recent Developments in European Policies and Programmes” again on 12 March, in order to give a possibility to a larger number of interested participants to take advantage of this opportunity, without having to compromise on the size of the seminar. Some places for the March edition of this first
European Policy Seminar are still available, but places are filling up
quickly. For further information to register, please consult:
With a view to the EU enlargement in 2004, it is of crucial importance for Hungary and the other acceding countries to be able to take advantage of the development resources available through the European Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund. The fundamental and most important precondition for this is the availability of properly qualified professionals and institutions for programme planning and implementation, as well as an adequate quantity of quality proposals. The implementation of these objectives requires comprehensive and nationally coordinated training of experts, and further training of applicants in the field of project planning and project management. The Government of Hungary has decided that the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Education should set up a ‘Structural and Cohesion Funds Training Centre’ (Strukturális és Kohéziós Alapok Képzoközpont – SAKK) under the Tempus Public Foundation, by broadening the activities of the European Social Fund Hungarian Training Centre, which has been functioning since 1999. SAKK is primarily involved in the dissemination of EU related information, including especially the handling of support provided by the Structural and the Cohesion Funds, and in the training of professionals. SAKK will also operate an international training network from 2004.
International student mobility – new research by IDP Education Australia New research undertaken by IDP Education Australia has developed a model to better understand and predict the drivers of global demand for international education, and the factors that influence international students’ choice of country to study. IDP’s “Global Student Mobility 2025: Global Competition and Market Share” research examines various future scenarios of international student demand for Australian higher education, using different combinations of forecast drivers. The forecasts range from a ‘growth scenario’ – representing an optimistic perspective of future demand – through to a ‘quality shock scenario’ – which paints a much bleaker picture and warns of what could transpire if Australia experienced a relative decline in attractiveness as a study destination. Under the ‘growth scenario’ forecast, the research predicts that international student numbers could rise from some 115,000 currently studying in Australia, to more than 850,000 by 2025, representing a compound annual increase of 10 percent. Related IDP research studies have also examined the potential for Australian universities to meet this future international demand, and under current circumstances the evidence suggests that international student demand would begin to outstrip the supply of higher education places in Australia by 2015. Under the ‘growth scenario’ forecast in the research, Australia’s growth in global market share of international students over the next 20 to 25 years would be at the expense of both Australia’s major competitors – the UK and the USA – as well as new competitors entering the market. However, the IDP forecasts indicate that demand for international education around the world will continue to increase and all major destinations will experience growth. The IDP research was presented at the 17th IDP
Australian International Education Conference late last year in Melbourne.
More information is available at
http://www.idp.com/marketingandresearch/research/
2. European PolicyOn 1 January, Ireland took over the Council Presidency from Italy, which it will hold until the end of June, when the Netherlands take over. The Irish government has stated its Presidency aims in a work programme entitled “Europeans – working together” (see http://www.eu2004.ie). Overall priorities include a smooth accession of the ten new EU members (“making a success of enlargement”), initiatives sustainable economic growth and employment in the Union, and relations with the “wider world”, where Ireland attaches particular importance to a unilateralist approach involving the United Nations, and the improvement of transatlantic relations, which are named “uniquely important”. On the issue of the EU constitution, the paper cautiously announces that Ireland will “do all it can to take forward the work”. Education and research do not take too much space in the document. On research, Ireland promises to “advance the creation of a European Research and Innovation Area”, and in particular to work towards achieving the famous target of future investment at a level not under 3 per cent of GDP. The Irish Presidency also intends to facilitate discussions on “excellence in basic research” and the Union’s role therein. In the area of education, training and skills, the Presidency’s overriding theme is “building an inclusive and competitive Europe”, as Education Minister Noel Dempsey announced on 1 January. This entails, in the first place, a pledge to advance the education-related Lisbon Agenda, (where, as reported earlier in this newsletter, the Union is seriously behind schedule). The Presidency also wants to give special attention to the “Europass” initiative, in the hope that this will make “the National Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees of Irish students understood elsewhere”. The Minister also announced the launch of the “European Year of Education through Sport” on 29 and 30 January, which, we had so far believed, Commissioner Reding had already launched. There will also be a wide range of conferences and seminars (on, amongst others, special needs education, ICT and digital learning, vocational training, and higher education), among them an Informal Ministerial Conference on “Guidance and Counselling”. The Presidency has created its own website (http://www.eu2004.ie).
Europass - transparency and recognition of qualifications and skills in the enlarged Europe On 17 December 2003 The European Commission adopted a proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a single framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences (Europass). The proposal integrates various transparency-promoting instruments into a single framework, identified by the label "Europass". The urgent need to improve tools for the transparency of qualifications and competences has become even more pressing with the impending entry of ten new Member States. "With the European Union poised to expand from 15 to 25 Member States, and closer relationships being forged with the other countries of Europe, improving the transparency of qualifications and competences is essential in order to increase and improve transnational mobility and make lifelong education and training a reality", declared Viviane Reding, European Commissioner in charge of Education and Culture, at a press conference in Brussels on 7 January 2004. She went on to add: "This proposal gives concrete effect to a recommendation made in the Copenhagen Declaration and also fits in with the framework for action proposed by the Commission in its Communication: "The success of the Lisbon strategy hinges on urgent reforms"." The proposal for a decision incorporates into the Europass five existing documents which cover qualifications and competences in a lifelong-learning perspective, focusing on:
However, the Europass is an open framework to which more documents may be added in the future, in particular in order to address specific sectors or skills more specifically. Effective coordination will be needed both at national and at European level and ICT systems will need to be introduced at once. To this end, the proposal for a decision provides that all implementation activities shall be rationalised and coordinated by a single body in each country, within a European network. Preparatory work on the technological platform has already begun: Cedefop (the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training) and the Working Group On Transparency established by the Commission in connection with the Copenhagen Process have already developed a prototype electronic Europass which will be refined in the course of 2004. The proposal for a decision should be adopted by the end of 2004: discussions in the European Parliament and the Council will begin under the Irish Presidency and conclude under the Dutch Presidency. The official launch of the new Europass could therefore take place at the major conference on vocational education and training to be held in Maastricht in December 2004. More information can be found on the following website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/europass/index_en.html
European Year of Education through Sport 2004 welcomed by sportsmen and musicians Throughout 2004 the European Union will be encouraging the promotion of the educational value of sport and reinforcing the links between the worlds of sport and education in all fifteen EU Member States, the ten accession states as well as in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The aim is to sensitise young people in these 28 countries to the diverse aspects of sport (competition, health promotion, socialisation) as well as to the values associated with sport (tolerance, team spirit, fair play, and strength of character). "I look forward to seeing a proliferation, over the coming months, of initiatives promoting these values that contribute to the education of young people” explains Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Education and Culture. "Sport is far more than mere physical exercise and its influence on society cannot be rated highly enough. In particular, regular participation in sport makes an important contribution to the integral development of young people. Sports facilities are meeting places that promote integration and reinforce social relationships. They are places where individuals can learn about their strengths and weaknesses in group and competitive situations." Funds totalling € 6.5 million have been allocated for projects which highlight the role sport plays in formal, civic and social education. Many European sport federations, media and educational institutions were recruited in order to place the campaign on a social basis that was as broad as possible from the very outset; they include the European Olympic Committee, the International School Sport Federation, the International Ski Federation and the pan-European sport broadcaster Eurosport. With their commitment they increase the visibility of the campaign in the European media and - most importantly - make it clear that the goals of the European Year for Education through Sport (EYES) are in the interest of society as a whole. The EYES was launched on January 1st 2004 by the world's most famous ski jumpers at the Four Hills Tournament in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany) together with a young amateur athlete, dressed in a suit with the official EYES logo. Just a few hours earlier, the famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra had dedicated at their traditional New Year's Concert Josef Strauss’ polka "Eislauf" ("Ice Skating") to EYES. Interestingly, also the Irish Department of Education is announcing, as one of one of their major events during the Irish Presidency of the EU, the launch of the European Year of Education through Sport in Croke Park, Ireland, on the 29th and 30th January 2004. More information on the EYES: http://www.eyes-2004.info
In December 2003 the European Commission announced the first results of the new EU-funded €148 million ERA-NET scheme. The objective of the ERA-NET scheme is to step up the cooperation and coordination of research activities carried out at national or regional level in the Member States and Associated States. The scheme will contribute to the creation of the European Research Area by facilitating practical initiatives to co-ordinate regional, national and European research programmes in specific fields, and to pool fragmented human and financial resources in order to improve both the efficiency and the effectiveness of Europe's research efforts. In the first wave, 32 cross-border initiatives were selected for funding. The co-operation and co-ordination of national R&D funding schemes in the framework of the ERA-NET enable the national schemes to address issues they would not be able to tackle independently. The scheme also provides an incentive to national administrations to launch joint research projects, with the EU co-financing a part of the initiative. 422 funding agencies have been involved in the submission of proposals so far. This positive response to the initiative shows that there is a real commitment to transnational co-ordination among national ministries, research councils and national and regional funding and management agencies. Ultimately, ERA-NETs are expected to lead to significant collaboration, including the strategic planning and design of joint research programmes, the reciprocal opening of national research programmes to researchers from other member countries, the organisation of joint calls for proposals, and the launch of jointly funded, fully transnational programmes. However both networking and mutual opening require a progressive approach. The ERA-NET scheme has therefore a long-term perspective that must also allow for the different way that research is organised in different Member States and Associated States. The European Commission is willing to support new ERA-NET projects in research fields not yet covered. Further evaluations of proposals will be carried out following deadlines set for 2 March 2004, 5 October 2004, 2 March 2005 and 4 October 2005. A total of €148 million has been allocated to the ERA-NET scheme for the life of FP6. http://www.cordis.lu/coordination/era-net.htm http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/03/1707|0|RAPID&lg=EN&display=
Establishment of European Research Council requires research A rigorous analysis of how science is funded in Member States should be made before a decision is taken to establish a European Research Council (ERC) – this is the main message of a working paper published by the UK's Royal Society. The working paper was published on 15 January. It follows up on a report by the European Research Council expert group advising European research ministers to establish such a body. The scientific academy’s concern is that for some countries it would be counter productive to raise such funds by diverting resources from national research programmes. Nevertheless, the Royal Society accepts that basic research could benefit from financial support at EU level. More pressing than the issue of centralised public funding for fundamental research, the Royal Society believes, is the gap in levels of private sector research funding between the EU and the US. Lastly, the paper argues that setting up a research policy at EU level is made more difficult or even counter productive, considering the lack of consistent data about how research funding is distributed in Member States. Cordis Rapidus Newsletter, 16 January 2004 3. Public Tenders and Calls for Proposals in the EUThe launch of the present call for proposals is part of the SOCRATES action "Observation of education systems, policies and innovation" and provides financial support to a series of activities aimed to improve and facilitate the exchange of information and experience in education among the countries participating in this community programme (projects should actively involve establishments from at least five countries taking part in Socrates and at least from one Member State). This call for proposals is intended to provide financial support for projects, studies, comparative analysis, and other appropriate activities on three priority key issues of the Report on the future objectives of education and of training systems in Europe, as adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2001: 1) mobility and exchanges in the European educational area; 2) making school, studies and learning attractive; 3) teaching of culture and sport in school education in Europe (for more details, please see text of the call for proposals). The contracting
authority: European Commission Further information: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/observation/call_en.html
eEurope 2005 benchmarking: open call for tender ‘e-learning policy indicators’ The objective of this study is to obtain estimates for the indicator on e-learning 'number of pupils per computer with Internet connection (broadband/non broadband)’ [Definition: only computers used for teaching purposes to be included] and a measurement of ICT usage in schools regarding the incorporation of ICT in the curricula and the development of new learning methods. The contracting
authority: European Commission
The Commission is planning to award individuals contracts to carry out five studies on 'monitoring progress towards gender equality in the Sixth Framework Programme'. The call for tenders comprises the following five lots, each lot being a separate contract: lot 1: priority 1 'Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health', priority 5 'Food quality and safety' and sub-priority 6.3 'Global change and ecosystems' (including the policy-oriented research related to these areas); lot 2: priority 3 'Nanotechnologies and nanosciences, knowledge-based multifunctional materials, and new production processes and devices', priority 4 'Aeronautics and space', sub-priority 6.1 'Sustainable energy systems', sub-priority 6.2 'Sustainable surface transport' (including the policy-oriented research related to these areas) , as well as Euratom activities (excluding those implemented by JRC) ; lot 3: priority 7 'Citizens and governance in a knowledge-based society' (including the policy-oriented research), 'Support for the coherent development of policies' and 'Science and society'; lot 4: 'Research to explore new and emerging scientific and technological problems and opportunities' (NEST), 'Horizontal research activities involving SMEs [small and medium sized enterprises] ', 'Coordination of research activities', 'Support for the coherent development of policies', 'Research and innovation' and 'Research infrastructure'; lot 5: 'Human resources and mobility' (Marie-Curie actions) and 'Specific measures in support of international cooperation' (INCO). The contracting authority: European Commission Deadline: 1 March 2004 Further information: nicole.dewandre@cec.eu.int, http://ted.publications.eu.int/static/doccur/en/en/220257-2003.htm
Asia-Link Programme - Third Call for Proposals (Europeaid/117867/C/G) The Asia-Link Programme is designed to foster co-operation in the field of higher education between the European Union and South and South-East Asia and China. The Programme comprises the following three strands for which grant support may be offered: Partnership projects; Information Support and Studies; Capacity-Building Actions. Two identical information sessions on the third Asia-Link Call for Proposals are scheduled to take place in Brussels on Monday 23 February 2004. Emphasis will be placed on the new programme strands, on feedback from the second Call under the Asia-Link Programme, and on best practice for potential applicants. The information sessions are primarily intended for representatives of networks, associations and other multiplier organisations in contact with higher education institutions. The agenda and registration form may be requested via the Asia-Link functional mailbox (europeaid-asia-link@cec.eu.int). The deadline for registration is Monday 16 February 2004. The contracting
authority: European Commission 4. Other SourcesAustralian parliament finally approves education reforms Universities will be able to increase their tuition fees by up to 25 percent, and up to 35 percent of Australian students will have to pay for their higher education themselves – these are the main outcomes of the higher education reforms that the Australian government has finally succeeded in getting through the parliament. However, after six months of debate and strong opposition from academics and students, the government had to accept significant amendments to the legislation. Fees and loan schemes are at the very heart of the reforms. Under the new legislation, universities will be able to add top-up fees to the charges imposed under the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS). Within the HECS scheme, the government subsidises courses but students must pay between a third and a half of the cost, depending on the degree. Universities that increase the HECS charge by the new, government-set maximum of 25 per cent will add AUS$4,000 (€2,450) a year to the cost of a science degree, bringing the total cost to students for a three-year degree to about AUS$20,000 (€12,250). Furthermore, the number of full-fee places Australian institutions can offer to national students will be raised from 25 to 35 of Australian students enrolling on any one course. In turn, the government will offer more scholarships for disadvantaged students, as well as more low-interest loans. Borrowers will have to repay only the portions of the loan that exceed AUS$ 35,000 (€21,400) The government had to agree to a number of changes to the reforms and, for instance, had to drop a link between university funding and labour law reform. It also promised additional funding: AUS$400 (€ 245) million in base funding, as well as an extra AUS$122 (€ 74,6) million over four years to support regional campuses, AUS$250 (€153) million non-taxable scholarships to cover education and accommodation costs, and AUS$188 (€115) million to support teaching and learning, including the establishment of a national institute for teaching and learning. http://www.thes.co.uk, 12 December 2003 http://chronicle.com, 19 December 2003 Finland: Internationalisation high up on the higher education agenda for 2003-2008 The Finnish education system will face many challenges in the next years. In years 2006-2015 about 660,000 people will leave the work force and at the beginning of the next decade the young age-classes will not be able to fill the need of new educated workforce. The ageing of the workforce together with the aim of increasing employment call for flexibility of the education system. Also the changes in the social and cultural environment, as well as the increasing internationalisation call for renewal of the education system. The Development Plan for Education and University Research for 2003-2008, adopted by the Finnish Cabinet on 4 December 2003, includes the key qualitative, structural and quantitative objectives in education and research, as well as the principles for developing student financial aid. The starting point for the development plan is to assure the basic right to education throughout the entire education system and to prevent social exclusion by early intervention. Priorities include the improvement of the efficiency of the education system, support and guidance for children and young people, improvement of learning opportunities for adults, and development of research activities. Strengthening the international character of Finnish universities and Finland's competitiveness on the international higher education market are a key goal for the coming years. The development plan sets as a target to raise the number of foreign students studying for degrees at Finnish institutions of higher education to about 12,000 by the year 2008. Currently more than 7,000 foreign students are studying for a degree in Finland. Although there has been a steady increase, the proportion of foreigners among Finnish students has remained modest - about two percent of the total student population. Interest has grown considerably, though, and in autumn 2003 nearly 3,500 foreigners - about 1,000 more than in 2001 - applied to study in Finland. Another goal for higher education is to double the number of exchange students to about 28,000. Also teaching in other languages than Finnish and Swedish should be increased. The Development plan is based on the educational targets set in the government programme and the strategy paper of the Government. The implementation of the goals will be evaluated in 2005 and 2007. The Development plan: http://www.minedu.fi/opm/koulutus/asiakirjat/kehittamissuunnitelma041203.pdf
Centralised application to Finnish universities on the way In his interim report to the Finnish Minister of Education Tuula Haatinen, rapporteur Sakari Ahola proposes a common application procedure for all universities in Finland. The proposal has its base in the need to simplify and improve the student selection system, develop selection co-operation, and ultimately to speed up the access of high-school leavers to higher education. The key idea of the report is to create a national organisation for common application to universities. An essential part of the new application procedure would be the use of electronic application forms. The idea is that the applicants could use one application form to apply simultaneously for several courses according to their preferences. The system covering all university education would be taken into use in spring 2007. The hope is that a well functioning common application system would also encourage wider selection co-operation. This may not be entirely unproblematic, and indeed Ahola foresees some resistance, as universities consider selection an important component of their autonomy. The interim report was handed to the Minister of Education on Friday 12 December 2003. A more detailed proposal for the implementation of a common application will be presented in the end report, due at the end of February 2004.
Germany aims at competing with Ivy League – or does it? Germany’s ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) has created its own 2010 agenda in education and research: If Chancellor Gerhard Schröder had his way, Germany would have up to ten elite universities by 2010, able to compete with the likes of Harvard and Stanford. The pledge is to "change the landscape of higher education in order to establish top universities and research institutes that can compete in the global [education] premier league". The proposal is part of a larger effort by the party to launch an “innovation initiative” in 2004 and was put forward at a party retreat in the German city of Weimar in early January. The plan, which initially foresaw the creation of at least one elite institution, but has since grown to include as many as ten, could, according to some observers, cost as much as 60 to 100 million Euro per year. No specific measures were named in the plan. However, the sudden enthusiasm of the traditionally egaliatarian SPD for "elite universities" has drawn the attention to the university sector in general, widely seen as in need of more competition, deregulation, efficiency and extra funds. At a time when Germany’s existing universities are struggling financially and many students have been out on strike, the plan proved controversial among the SPD’s own members, their coalition partners, the Greens, and the Christian Democratic opposition party, the CDU, and created quite a stir in the media. After the party retreat, Chancellor Schröder invited industry and university representatives to discuss the proposal at an “ideas summit” on 15 January 2004. The participants founded an “initiative for the promotion of innovation” that is to ensure Germany’s future position on global markets. Press releases do not mention the term “elite university” anymore. More or less unnoticed, the idea of the German Ivy League disappeared in a much more general “innovation through technology, research and education” discourse. The money issue, the Chancellor stated, had deliberately not been addressed in the first place. Understandably - the talks would otherwise probably have been over before they started. Observers also pointed out that the Federal Government is hardly in a position to see through any such plans. Under the German constitution, education, in terms of legislation as well as funding, is a matter for the regions (Länder), with the Federal government having limited influence. This is of particular importance since Social Democratic politicians stressed the “elite universities” were not to be new creations, but to be developed out of existing institutions, all of which are Länder-run. It is also hard to see how, under the current legislation with its high degree of regulation, the entrepreneurial spirit of Harvard or Yale could ever develop.
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,282066,00.html http://www.spiegel.de/unispiegel/studium/0,1518,280666,00.html http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1432_A_1079526_1_A,00.html
UK: Higher Education Bill published The delayed Bill was introduced in parliament on 8 January. The Bill seeks to enact the proposals regarding the partial deregulation of student fees contained in the White Paper The Future of Higher Education published in January 2003. From the academic year 2006-07, universities in England and Wales will be free to charge between £0 and £3,000 per annum for a degree programme. The Bill ensures that the maximum fee cannot be raised above inflation unless the Government secures the approval of Parliament by a vote in both Houses. A university wishing to charge in excess of the present fee of £1,125 for one or more of its degree programmes will be required to conclude an agreement with the Director of Fair Access, for which provision is also made in the Bill, regarding its planned outreach work to help raise the aspirations of, and number of applications from, disadvantaged students and the level of bursary it will provide for these students. It is no exaggeration to say that the Labour Party is in turmoil over this Bill, and the Government has been forced to make a range of concessions in an attempt to ensure it is enacted. The level of earnings at which graduates begin to repay tuition fees has been increased from £10,000 to £15,000 per annum and any amount outstanding after 25 years will be wiped out. To protect students from poorer backgrounds, the proposed higher education grant has been increased from £1,000 to £1,500; the proposed fee remission of £1,200 might now be paid as an upfront grant and universities charging £3,000 for a programme will be required to provide bursaries of a minimum of £300 to students from low income backgrounds. Taken together, these measures mean that students from the poorest backgrounds will not have any additional outstanding debt from paying tuition fees. It remains to be seen whether these measures are sufficient to persuade enough Labour backbench rebels to support the Government. Most of them view it as a matter of principle whether market forces are introduced into higher education by the introduction of variable fees. Although at least three-quarters of institutions will probably charge a fee of £3,000 because it has been set so low (a maximum of £5,000 was planned until a concession the week before the publication of the White Paper), they believe that, once the principle has been conceded, the allowed maximum will increase significantly at leading universities to the detriment of poorer students. Students from other EU countries will be charged the same deferred fee as UK students, although they are not eligible for the higher education grant or a student bursary. The Government remains silent about how it intends to collect EU students’ outstanding tuition fees debts. The Bill less controversially paves the way for the establishment of an Arts and Humanities Research Council with the same powers and responsibilities as the established research councils and for an independent body to review student complaints not related to academic matters. For a more detailed account of the Bill’s provisions see: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2004_0005
UK: Funding Council commissions study of student mobility The relatively low rates of participation by UK students in EU programmes has been a matter for adverse comment for some time. Concern has increased in recent years as the number has declined further. Administrators of EU programmes tend to view it as a reflection of UK students’ relatively poor language competence, but other international officers suggest that it is equally difficult to fill quotas for exchange programmes in other Anglophone countries. Conscious that lack of international experience might increasingly disadvantage students in an age of globalisation, the Higher Education Funding Council for England has commissioned a study by a team led by Professor Russell King of Sussex University of the influences on the take-up of study abroad opportunities. The study comprises three parts. Following a desk-based review of literature and data on student mobility, a questionnaire survey was sent to all universities requesting information on their exchange programmes and the number of students participating in them. It is hoped that this, for the first time, will give a reliable indication of the degree of student mobility to non-EU countries. Finally ten universities have been selected for more intensive study, by means of interviews with selected staff and a questionnaire of first- and final-year students. The final report is expected in March. Every endeavour
will be made to publicise the results widely, both through ACA and using
other channels. 5. PublicationsReviews of National Policies for Education - South Eastern Europe: Volume 1: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, OECD 2003, 380 p. / ISBN 9264100717, paperback € 67, also available in French
Volume 2: FYROM, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, OECD 2003, 420 p. / ISBN 9264104828, paperback € 72, also available in French The aim of the Stability Pact is to strengthen countries in South Eastern Europe in their efforts to foster peace, democracy, human rights, social development, economic prosperity and a favourable environment for sustainable security, in order to achieve stability in the region. Educational work is a key element for both human capital formation and the promotion of peace and democratic values. It has therefore been identified as one of the priorities of Working Table I of the Stability Pact. The OECD was asked to be Co-ordinator for “General Education Policy and System Change” within the Education and Youth Task Force, and to carry out “Thematic Reviews of Education Policy” in the countries of the region. The main outcome of this project is a series of reports which provide both country overviews and a regional overview. These reports offer an analysis of the education system and address issues and barriers to reform and recommendations. The recommendations are designed to be of use for national policy-makers and to assist Stability Pact partner countries and institutions target regional assistance in order to achieve the goal of supporting South Eastern Europe towards European integration. These reports are part of the OECD’s ongoing co-operation with non-member economies around the world.
Internationalising the Campus: A User’s Guide, Madeleine Green and Christa Olson, American Council on Education, 2003, 114 p., paperback $34.95 This publication from the American Council on Education is a practical guide for higher education administrators and academics engaged in internationalising their institutions. Offered as a resource for campus leaders, Internationalising the Campus: A User’s Guide draws on literature in the fields of organisational change and international education, as well as the experience of the American Council on Education with diverse institutions around the country. It begins with definitions and purposes of internationalisation and the main discussion concerns strategies for internationalisation on individual campuses. While the content relates to the United States, the insights may be relevant also elsewhere.
The University, Globalisation, Central Europe, Marek Kwiek (ed.), Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang, 2003, 260 p. / ISBN 3361508131, paperback This volume - a collection of essays focusing on issues relevant to higher education development in Central and Eastern Europe - considers such topics as academic freedom, accreditation, the role of the nation state in higher education policy, cultural politics and higher education, the role of the disciplines, and the role of liberal education. The authors of this collection reflect a variety of national perspectives.
El difícil equilibrio: La educación superior como bien público y comercio de servicios, Carmen García Guadilla (ed.), Paris: Programa Columbus 2003, 143 p. / ISBN 9972451534, paperback A discussion of the implications of GATS (General
Agreement on Trade in Services) on higher education and its implications
for the public good, this volume features analyses by authors from around
the world. Among the topics considered are the commercialisation of
educational services, internationalisation in Europe and Latin America,
the role of higher education as a commercial service, and the implications
of GATS and related developments for Latin America. 6. Upcoming ConferencesJanuary 22- February 2 Management of Higher Education Institutions Israel National Commission for UNESCO/ Galilee College Tivon, Israel
January 26-28 Council for Higher Education Accreditation annual conference: Decision Paths for Accreditation Marina del Rey, California, United States
February 1-5 21st ICDE World Open Conference on Open Learning and Distance Education Hong Kong, China http://www.ouhk.edu.hk/HK2003/
February 2-6 Fourth International Congress on Higher Education “UNIVERSIDAD 2004" Ministry of Higher Education and the Universities of the Republic of Cuba Havana, Cuba http://www.universidad2004.cu/
February 6 “What’s new in Brussels: Recent developments in European policies and programmes” ACA seminar Brussels, Belgium
February 6-7 EUA / Irish Universities Quality Board Joint Conference: "Learning in the Europe of Knowledge" National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
February 18-19 eLearninternational 2004 Summit Edinburgh, Scotland http://www.elearninternational.co.uk/
February 20-22 "The Future Reloaded" - Trends in Higher Education Conference 2004 The School of Advanced Studies of University of Phoenix Phoenix, USA http://www.phoenix.edu/trends2004/
February 25-27 “Early stage research mobility in Europe: meeting challenges and promoting best practice” Lisbon, Portugal http://www.mariecurie.org/esrm2004/
February 26-27 First European University-Industry Forum for Sustainability Copernicus Association Bonn, Germany
February 27-28 "Human Resource Policies in Universities: Which competences are needed? Which tools should be deployed?" EUA / efmd Workshop Dublin, Ireland
March 01-06 SITE 2004--Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference AACE--Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education Atlanta, Georgia, USA http://www.aace.org/conf/site/
March 04-06 Third EDEN Research Workshop: Supporting the Learner in Distance Education and E-Learning Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany Contact: eden@eden.bme.hu
March 06-07 18th Asian Student Fair Sri Lanka International Education Exhibition The Colombo Plaza Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka http://www.educationexhibition.com/
March 12 “What’s new in Brussels: Recent developments in European policies and programmes” ACA seminar Brussels, Belgium
March 17-20 9th North American Higher Education Conference CONAHEC Guadalajara, Jalisco, MEXICO
March 18-20 "Small Presses: Big Issues", IASP 7th International Conference on Scholarly Publishing Leuven, Belgium http://www.eua.be/eua/jsp/en/client/item_view.jsp?type_id=2&item_id=624
April 01-03 EUA Conference "Universities and Society: Engaging Stakeholders" Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France http://www.eua.be/eua/en/eua_events.jsp
April 25-28 ”The Europe of Knowledge 2020 – A vision for University-based Research and Innovation” Liège Convention Centre, Belgium http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/research/conferences/2004/univ/index_en.html
May 07-09 Visions for the Future: towards a national strategy for the global dimension in ITET GMB College, Manchester, United Kingdom
May 22-25 Workshop on Educational Systems in Asia and Europe: A Comparative Approach Shenyang Normal University, China Contact: xuguiging@yahoo.com
May 29-June 01 Annual Congress of SCEE: The production of knowledge in the community of researchers on education University of Manitoba, Canada www.scee.ca/Congres/2004/Congres 2004.htm Internet: www.aca-secretariat.be, Phone +32 2 513 2241, Fax +32 2 513 1776 Questions and replies to info@aca-secretariat.be
If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, please send a message to |
|
|