avril 2017

The Australian Government's National Innovation and Science Agenda identified science as one of the critical elements for Australia to deliver new sources of growth, maintain high‑wage jobs and seize the next wave of economic prosperity. Science—including the natural, physical and life sciences, medical and health sciences, mathematics, engineering and technology–related disciplines—already plays an important role in today's workforce, and will become increasingly important to job creation opportunities in the future. More...

Working was most common in connection with university and university of applied sciences studies. Fifty-five per cent of university students and 54 per cent of university of applied sciences students had an employment contract while studying. Close on one-half of students attending upper secondary vocational education were employed during their studies. In 2015, the share of employed students in university education decreased most, by around one percentage point from the year before. More...

The steering group proposes seven packages of actions:
1. International attraction through renewal of science and leading edge research: We will launch a programme to attract increased international interest in Finnish research. It will strengthen and give visibility to leading-edge research in Finland and enhance the impact of research in economy and society.
2. Finland, the home of high-quality education. We will strengthen the quality and pioneer spirit in higher education as well as reinforce internationally attractive clusters of competence. We will also highlight a positive country brand through RDI learning environments and work-life-oriented development efforts.
3. Momentum for the export of Finnish competence. The marketing of Finnish education services will be entrusted on a common operator. This will enhance the visibility of and demand for Finnish higher education and education services globally.
4. Welcome to Finland! We will simplify the processes of seeking education and employment in Finland to facility entry into Finland. We will give a service pledge: In Finland you will be served in English.
5. Making Finnish messages heard in international discussion. We will launch a joint national discussion about how to make our higher education and research more international.
6. Bridgeheads in the world. We will establish a Team Finland Knowledge network to represent Finnish higher education and research in selected countries.
7. Calling expat experts and alumni! We will invite expatriate Finns with higher education and alumni of Finnish higher education institutions to join our networks. More...

Foreign language proficiency is a key skill for U.S. diplomats. For example, it helps the State Department effectively process visa applications and address security concerns. Yet, we've found that State has persistent shortfalls in this area—23% of its overseas positions that required foreign language proficiency were filled by staff that didn't meet the requirements (as of September 2016).
State developed a strategic plan to address this issue, and it has implemented a number of actions in its plan. However, it hasn't evaluated if these efforts are effective at improving its foreign language capabilities. We recommended they do so. More...

High-performing countries use various mechanisms to select the best candidates to the teaching profession. In Finland, Hong-Kong (China), Macao (China) and Chinese Taipei, students who wish to enter teacher-training programmes must pass a competitive entry examination. In Japan, teaching graduates must pass a competitive examination to start teaching and in Singapore, they must complete a probation period. These requirements, however, are also found among some low-performing countries suggesting that early selection, while important, is not enough to ensure a highly qualified teaching force. More...

The reform of copyright law drafted by the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection and currently under discussion is emphatically welcomed by the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) and the German Library Association e.V. (dbv). The research-friendly changes envisaged are an appropriate response to the increasing digitalisation of research, teaching and methods of lifelong learning, the resultant innovative usage possibilities and new technical conditions. More...

This project concluded in December 2016. Through a collaboration with a research team led by Sheffield Hallam University, we published:

• a final report on the development of a set of tools to help universities evaluate the impact of their financial support packages, including a set of survey and interview questions (appendix 2 and 3)
• an accompanying technical workbook written to guide universities in the pilot stage of the project through the process of implementing the statistical model developed by the team.

We are now developing guidance for universities and colleges to support them in using the outcomes of this project to improve evaluation of the impact of their financial support packages and this will be published soon.
There is a pressing need to improve evidence and understanding about the role that financial support plays in widening participation, as discussed in chapter 1 of the national strategy for access and student success. Universities and colleges invest substantially in financial support packages for students each year, and it is important that this money is being used effectively and in an evidence-led way. More...

La transformation pédagogique constitue l’une des clefs de l’évolution de l’enseignement supérieur, notamment en regard des objectifs de réussite des étudiants et de développement de la formation tout au long de la vie. Pour répondre aux enjeux, le rapport sur la stratégie nationale de l'enseignement supérieur (StraNES) préconise de prendre appui sur la recherche pour faire évoluer la pédagogie et les processus d’apprentissage.
L’Institut français de l'Éducation organise, à la demande de la Direction générale de l’enseignement supérieur et de l’insertion professionnelle (DGESIP) et en collaboration avec la Direction générale de la recherche et de l’innovation (DGRI), un séminaire de consensus sur les questions de pédagogie dans l’enseignement supérieur. S’adressant à tous les acteurs de l’enseignement supérieur, il a pour ambition de questionner l’apport des recherches en éducation (sociologie, psychologie, philosophie, sciences de l'éducation, sciences de l’information et de la communication, etc.) pour étayer la réflexion et soutenir les transformations pédagogiques en cours dans l’enseignement supérieur. Voir l'article...

Dans la perspective du renouvellement des équipes présidentielle et gouvernementale, Qualité de la science française a rédigé un document programmatique, intitulé « Pour une refondation de l’espace de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche », synthétisant un certain nombre d’idées phares qu’il défend depuis des années. Voir l'article...

QSF vient de prendre connaissance du projet de décret statutaire concernant, entre autres, la mutation des enseignants-chercheurs.
Ce projet de décret vient d’être modifié après être passé devant le comité technique des personnels enseignants titulaires et stagiaires de statut universitaire (CTU). Le texte est encore plus inquiétant que ce que l’on pouvait craindre. Il comprend deux dispositions qui sont selon QSF scandaleuses. Voir l'article...