31 mai 2013

PromoDoc event in South Korea (27 September-2 October 2013)
Within the scope of the EC-funded PromoDoc project, a series of targeted appointments will be organised between European higher education institutions and research institutes and potential doctoral candidates in South Korea, in both Seoul and Busan.
The event runs over four days (two days in Seoul and two in Busan) and will include information sessions in the morning and scheduled appointments between potential doctoral candidates and representatives from European higher education institutions and research institutes in the afternoon. A briefing session and networking reception will be held for institutional participants on 27 September 2013.
European higher education institutions are invited to apply for participation before 14 June 2013.
For further information, the draft programme, application forms and the eligibility criteria, please visit the event website.
For more information on the project, please visit the PromoDoc website.

On 16 May, the Council of the European Union adopted “Conclusions on the Social Dimension of higher education”, which include specific recommendations for different education sectors and for lifelong learning. The Council conclusions on the social dimension of higher education echo many of the commitments laid down in EUA’s Lifelong Learning Charter in 2008. As a contribution towards reaching one of Europe 2020’s targets for education – 40% of 30-34 year olds should have completed tertiary or equivalent education by 2020 –, the conclusions set out lines for future work to develop high quality education and training systems which allow equitable participation for all (“excellence and equity”).
The proposed recommendations include adopting national and institutional measures, such as strategies, for enhanced access, participation and completion, promoting cooperation between different education providers, developing permeability and better progression routes into higher education, diversifying learning opportunities, and exploring supporting funding mechanisms. EUA continues to encourage and support its members in developing and implementing their lifelong learning strategies through its diverse project activities. Given the increasingly diverse studentship, it will be of crucial importance to enhance the outreach of higher education towards graduates from both the school and vocational sector, and to develop multiple entry paths to higher education, enabling the participation of lifelong learners.
In its recent study, Tracking Learners’ and Graduates’ Progression Paths, EUA has documented and analysed how higher education institutions all over Europe are committed to improving the learning provision and the success prospects of learners during studies, and also after graduation, as they move into employment. The full Council of the EU conclusions can be downloaded here.

EUA Secretary General, Lesley Wilson, participated earlier this month in the French Rectors’ Conference (CPU) annual colloquium in Rennes, which had as its central theme human resources management in universities. In 2007, a French higher education law gave universities expanded responsibilities and competences in this particular area — and therefore has been, and continues to be, an important topic for French universities. The CPU conference was an opportunity for university presidents from across France to discuss a wide range of issues and challenges in relation to this topic, such as engaging staff, gender balance, the development of young researchers, staff mobility and training, social responsibilities, and the impact of new technologies.
Lesley Wilson was invited to provide a European perspective on the changing status of academic staff across Europe which also involved discussions on the importance of including human resource management issues in strategic discussions on mobility. The event concluded with twelve CPU proposals on this topic which can be viewed (in French) on the CPU website. These proposals included placing the training of staff at the heart of HR strategies; balancing centralised strategic vision with professional local management; and developing male-female equality and parity in institutions.

The first country workshop in the framework of the ATHENA project on fostering sustainable and autonomous higher education systems in the Eastern Neighbouring Area took place in Chisinau/Moldova this week. The ATHENA Workshop Moldova brought together around 60 representatives of Moldovan universities and public authorities as well as international experts to discuss reforms of university autonomy and funding in Moldova. The event was co-organised by EUA and the Moldovan project partners, the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, the Free International University of Moldova, Cahul State University B.P. Hasdeu, the Rectors’ Council of Moldova and the Moldovan Ministry of Education.
The discussions focused on the state of play of university autonomy and funding in Moldova and the ongoing reform process, notably the draft new Code of Education that is supposed to redefine the framework conditions for higher education in Moldova as well as the government decision that entered into force this year and changes the public funding allocation mechanism. The Moldovan Minister for Education, Maia Sandu emphasised that besides the legal changes to be made, universities needed to develop their own strategies to implement reforms, modernise management and diversify income streams and that the Ministry was willing to support them in these activities. Thomas Estermann presented EUA’s analysis of the current state of autonomy and funding in Moldova and highlighted which challenges need to be addressed to further develop and implement a more autonomous and financially sustainable system. Read more...

By Nohad Topalian. Arab countries are working with UNESCO to develop a strategy to advance higher education in the region.To this end, Beirut recently hosted a three-day workshop to explore the countries' individual needs and enhance co-operation with higher education agencies and networks in the region and comparative approaches to higher education.
The "Regional Workshop on Establishing and Enhancing a Culture of Quality in Higher Education Systems for the Arab States", held May 12th-14th, was organised by UNESCO's Regional Bureau for Education in the Arab States, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Directorate General of Higher Education in Lebanon.
More than 35 quality assurance officials from higher education institutions and ministries in Arab countries attended, along with representatives from UNESCO, the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, the World Bank, the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, and international consultants.
Discussions focused on problems facing higher education in Arab countries, largely due to a lack of quality assurance and enhancement standards and an absence of legally binding legislation. Read more...

By Leslie Brody. In a report issued Thursday, a Trenton-based public policy group urged New Jersey to invest far more in higher education to create jobs and boost the economy while helping students pay for college.
The group, New Jersey Policy Perspective, argued that instead of considering Governor Christie’s proposal for $1.6 billion in income tax credits over four years, leaders should add $325 million to tuition assistance grants and $400 million to the operating budgets of the state’s public colleges and universities during that period. It also recommended that $180 million be used to start public-private partnerships to innovate in science, biogenetics and technology. Gordon MacInness, an author of the report who sits on Rutgers University’s board of governors, said the first year of Christie’s proposed tax credit would put an average of about $1.96 in the pockets of eligible households – or the “price of a Whopper Jr. plus sales tax.” Read more...

While the majority of students aren’t suffering from a sense of academic entitlement, for the ones who are, there can be serious negative consequences both during school and after they leave, according to a group of graduate students in sociology who studied the issue.
A group of students from the Master’s in Social Data Analysis program studied the findings of a survey of 1,025 university students, who were asked about 90 questions regarding their sense of academic entitlement, academically dishonest behaviours, and workplace entitlement. Academically entitled students are those who, for example, might believe it's acceptable if they leave class early, that exams should be rescheduled if they conflict with their personal plans, or believe they should get marks simply if they demonstrate that they're trying hard, according to Katrina van Wieirngen, one of the group of students who analyzed the data. Read more...

The General Directorate of Foundations has approved the establishment of the Mesopotamia Foundation, which plans to open a university to offer education in the Kurdish language. The General Directorate of Foundations has approved the establishment of the Mesopotamia Foundation (Mezopotamya Vakfı), which plans to open a university to offer education in the Kurdish language.
A decision to approve the establishment of the foundation was published in the Official Gazette earlier this week. Among the founding members of the foundation are Şivan Perver, a Kurdish folk singer who currently lives abroad, and several rights advocates, businessmen and academics. The foundation will be based in Diyarbakır, a mainly Kurdish-populated province in Turkey's Southeast. According to a report that appeared in the Star daily on Thursday, the foundation has already begun preparations for the opening of a university that will offer courses primarily in Kurdish. The university will be named Amed University, using the Kurdish name for Diyarbakır. The university will also offer courses in Turkish, English, Armenian and Syriac. Read more...

The United States has much to offer in terms of diverse and highly recognized colleges and universities, and the experience of studying at any of them can be life changing. For many students around the world, studying in America is a dream – and with the right preparation, it can become a reality.
It can take almost a year to go through the process of passing entrance exams like the SAT for undergrads and the GRE for grad students, as well the TOEFL for nonnative English speakers, applying to colleges and getting accepted before you finally land in the U.S. Read more...