La Conférence des Recteurs Francophones d'Afrique et de l'Ocean Indien (CRUFAOCI) a pour but d'établir et de proposer aux Gouvernements et au Conseil des Ministres des pays dont les universités sont membres de la CRUFAOCI des programmes d'action. Elle établit des liens solides d'échange entre les responsables des Universités et des Institutions membres. Elle favorise une concertation permanente entre ses membres et le CAMES. Elle renforce la coopération régionale en vue de l'intégration africaine en matière de recherche et de formation dans le supérieur. Elle constitue un organe de consultation pour l'identification et la mise en place de pôles régionaux d'excellence au sein des Universités et les Institutions d'enseignement supérieur. The link address is: http://www.crufaoci.bf.refer.org/
Call to produce employable graduates
By Wagdy Sawahel. Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has called on the government to build skills and tailor higher education graduates towards fields and businesses required in the labour force and for national development. The call was made on 20 August in the king's speech marking the 60th anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People. Higher education in Morocco faces numerous challenges. In the World Economic Forum’s 2012-13 Global Competiveness Report, out of 144 countries Morocco was ranked 116 for university-industry collaboration, 104 for quality of research institutions, 101 for higher education and training, 97 for innovation, 75 for technological readiness, 53 for quality of maths and science education and 38 for availability of scientists and engineers. More...Instituto Internacional para la Educación Superior en América Latina y el Caribe (IESALC)
El Instituto Internacional para la Educación Superior en América Latina y el Caribe (IESALC) es un organismo de la UNESCO dedicado a la promoción de la educación superior, contribuyendo a implementar en la región latinoamericana y caribeña el programa que, en materia de educación superior, aprueba bianualmente la Conferencia General de la UNESCO. Su misión fundamental es contribuir al desarrollo y transformación de la educación terciaria afianzando un programa de trabajo que, entre otros propósitos, procure constituirse en instrumento para apoyar la gestión del cambio y las transformaciones a fin de que la educación superior de la región sea promotora eficaz de una cultura de paz que permita hacer viable -en una era de mundialización- el desarrollo humano sostenible, basado en la justicia, la equidad, la libertad, la solidaridad, la democracia y el respeto de los derechos humanos. The link address is: http://www.iesalc.unesco.org.ve/
Students and guardians reject new British visa bond
By Tunde Fatunde. There is palpable anger and disappointment among Nigerians who have gained admission to British universities for the upcoming academic session. Students already in UK institutions are also unhappy about a new ‘visa bond’ scheme to be implemented against ‘high risk’ visitors by the David Cameron administration. The measure has already sown confusion among British admission agencies in Nigeria, who have worked hard to convince wealthy Nigerians to send their children to universities in the UK, and has thrown students interested in studying in the UK into a quandary.
The new visa scheme will impose £3,000 (US$4,740) in charges on unspecified visa applicants thought to be ‘high risk visitors’ from Nigeria, Ghana, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. More...
International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP)
The International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) was created by UNESCO in 1963. It is a centre for training and research - specialized in educational planning and management to strengthen the capacity of countries to plan and manage their education systems. The link address is: http://www.iiep.unesco.org/
Opposition promises A$100 million ‘New Colombo Plan’
By Geoff Maslen. As part of its goal of winning government next weekend, Australia’s federal Opposition has promised A$100 million (US$89 million) over five years to create a ‘New Colombo Plan’ that will offer 300 undergraduate Australians the chance to study for one or two semesters in the Asian region each year. The scheme would be the reverse of the original Colombo plan, in which 40,000 future leaders from Asia came to study in Australia through the 1950s to the 1980s. More...Nordic Association of University Administrators (NUAS)
The aim of the Nordic Association of University Administrators (NUAS) is to enhance contacts and to establish networks between the Nordic universities at all administrative levels. NUAS cooperates with the Nordic Council of Ministers, other organizations and authorities in order to promote the Nordic educational community. The link address is: http://www.nuas.org/web/page.aspx?sid=4221
Government proposes changes to research fund
By John Gerritsen. Eleven years after the introduction of the country's NZ$250 million (US$195 million) research fund for tertiary institutions, the New Zealand government is proposing only minor changes to it. The Performance Based Research Fund, or PBRF, has evaluated the quality of research at institutions that provide degrees and postgraduate qualifications three times since it was introduced in 2002 and is now under review. The government has published a discussion document and is now consulting on possible changes to the scheme, which will be worth NZ$300 million (US$234 million) a year by the 2016-17 financial year. More...Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA)
The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) was established in 1973 as an independent pan-African research organisation primarily focusing on social sciences research in Africa. CODESRIA’s mission required the emergence of a pan-African community of researchers, the protection of their intellectual freedom and autonomy in performing their duties and the elimination of barriers regarding language, discipline, region, gender and generation. The link address is: http://www.codesria.org/
Industrial PhDs score high on employment and income
By Jan Petter Myklebust. Industrial PhD graduates in Denmark have been scoring higher than those with conventional doctorates in terms of employment and income, according to a new report by the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation.The recent report, titled The effect of the Industrial PhD Programme on Employment and Income, uses extensive Danish government registers to compare industrial and other PhD candidates. More...