By Brian Keeley. One of the more memorable characters from British television in the 1990s was Tim Nice-But-Dim – a “thoroughly nice bloke” with good manners, money in his pocket and a job in the City. Tim was also as thick as a plank, but he sailed through life thanks to one thing – his family were rich. More...
Creating cultures of integrity
By Rolf Alter. It’s hard to imagine government doing its job well without a commitment to basic levels of integrity. Imagine if every administrative process required a bribe to this official or that to accomplish it. Or imagine seeing your tax money wasted on lavish buildings or useless infrastructure because of collusion between public officials and private investors. More...
When businesses are bad, who you gonna call?
By Carly Avery. Most businesses are good. They pay their taxes, they create employment, they abide by the laws, and they generally contribute to the societies in which they operate. But unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. And when businesses behave badly, the human consequences can be devastating: factories collapse killing thousands; workers, often children, are treated like slaves; rivers, lakes, and even seas are rendered lifeless, and entire species are threatened. More...
Last chance to win a trip to Mexico in our data viz contest: Helpful tips
Too small to “productively” use skills at work?
By Glenda Quintini. Human capital is key for economic growth. Not only is it linked to aggregate economic performance but also to each individual’s labour market outcomes. However, a skilled population is not enough to achieve high and inclusive growth, as skills need to be put into productive use at work.
Skills used at work are extensible measured in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC, 2012). Basically, individuals are asked the frequency at which they perform certain tasks at work, ranging from (1) “never” to (5) “everyday”. In Chapter 4 of the OECD Skills Outlook 2013, indicators related to the use of information-processing skills (reading, writing, numeracy, ICT skills and problem solving skills use at work) as well as other generic skills (task discretion, learning at work, influencing skills, co-operative skills, self-organising skills, gross physical skills and dexterity) were identified and analysed in detail across countries. Additionally, Quintini (2014) shows how skills use, not only proficiency, affects a number of key labour market phenomena. More...
Tanzania works towards a new education sector plan
In order to realize Vision 2025 – its vision for a sustainable learning society – Tanzania is currently developing a ten-year Education Sector Development Plan (ESDP), which will run from 2016 to 2025. More...
CONFINTEA Scholarships - April 2015
During his stay at UIL, Mr Peter Björkman drafted a case study for LitBase, the UIL database of effective literacy and numeracy practices. For this case study, he collected best practice examples from members of Literacy for All, a European library network that Mr Björkman helped establish in June 2014. More...
The new UNESCO Recommendation on Adult Learning and Education (ALE): how much impact will it have?
Members of the Network on Between Global and Local: Adult Learning and Development ‒ one of the networks making up the European Society for Research on the Education of Adults (ESREA) ‒ reviewed the process of revising the 1976 UNESCO Recommendation on Adult Learning and Education when it gathered for a conference entitled ‘Perspectives on Community Practices – Living and Learning in Community’. More...
Updating the training of educators in Mali
UNESCO is working with the Government of Mali to reinforce the country’s capacities in the training of educators with a view to achieving the Education for All goals. The chief objective is to strengthen the institutional capacities of ministries in charge of education as well as those of structures and institutions responsible for the initial and continuing training of educators. More...
United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) passes resolution on the right to education
On 2 July, the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) passed Resolution 29/14 on the right to education, which calls on States to take responsibility to protect higher education from attack.
Through the Resolution, the Council clearly recognises for the first time States’ responsibilities under existing international legal standards to protect higher education from attack, including by investigating attacks and holding perpetrators accountable. More...