Actions

Access and success

Activities

Equitable Access and Success in Higher Education has been one of IAU priority theme for the past five years. In 2008, the IAU General Conference adopted a new Policy Statement entitled Equitable Access and Success in Quality Higher Education (which has now been signed and endorsed by many university associations from around the world). Moving from statement to action, IAU has recently worked on a new project.

Background

In responding to the multiple imperatives that drive our global knowledge-based economy and society, national governments recognize the need for high quality higher education for all. Preparing its citizens for the 21st century by sustaining or developing a globally competitive research/innovation base and raising employability skills are goals pursued by most, despite different national contexts. Gaining access to learning, and successful participation in higher education is becoming essential for all.

Against this backdrop, and noting a renewed sense of urgency, IAU adopted the issues of Equitable Access and Success in Higher Education as one if its priority themes during the 69th IAU Administrative Board Meeting (Alexandria, Egypt, November 12-15, 2005). It mandated an international Task Force of experts, to further the work on this topic. During the three following years, the IAU Secretariat and the Task Force worked jointly on the design of a new Policy Statement and, in 2008, the IAU General Conference adopted Equitable Access and Success in Quality Higher Education as the IAU latest Policy Statement. To learn more about the preparation of this Policy statement please click here.

2011 - IAU Annual international Conference: Strategies for Securing Equity in Access and Success in Higher Education

The IAU 2011 International Conference was hosted by Kenyatta University (KU) in Nairobi, Kenya. It examined the extent to which government and institutional policies and programs around the world seek and succeed in responding to the imperative of increasing equitable access and success in higher education. The goals are clear and easily stated. Achieving the objectives is far more complex and requires clarity of purpose, shared commitment, adequate resources and expertise and time. To learn more about this conference, to glance through the programme and read some of the presentations, please click here.

2010 - IAU Pilot Project

Ten higher education institutions in Asia and the Americas joined the IAU pilot project on Equitable Access and Success in Quality Higher Education designed to learn more about and share lessons about institutional approaches to improving both entry and progression for students from under-represented groups.

Working in collaboration with members of its international Task Force, the IAU designed an Institutional Self-Assessment Instrument to enable institutions to examine their policies and programs for improving access and success for learners from usually marginalized groups. The questionnaire is also designed to help universities collect information and analyze their practices in this area. The ten pilot institutions are from ten different countries in the Americas and Asia and are quite diverse in profile. This pilot project received support from the World Bank. The results obtained allowed the IAU to produce a comparative review of access and success programs in the pilot universities.

Workshop participants On 18 and 19 November 2010, the International Association of Universities, the University of Arizona and The World Bank co-organized, with the support of Lumina Foundation (USA), a two-day workshop in Tucson (Arizona, USA) bringing together representatives of the universities involved in the IAU pilot project, as well as Members of the IAU Task Force and several other experts from the United States and the United Kingdom.

This workshop was designed to probe further the findings of the 10 universities which undertook a critical self-assessment of their policies and practices in regards with the issues of equitable access and success (retention). It also served as an opportunity for the participating HEIs to meet and learn from each other. How do institutions attract learners who are in one way or another marginalized in their nations? Who are these under-represented minorities? How do institutions assess their potential and how do they accompany these students’ progress were among some of the questions guiding the discussion over these two days.

The Workshop participants were Rectors, Vice Rectors, and senior leaders responsible for policy development in this area. They were also invited to critically review the Institutional Self-Assessment Instrument developed by IAU and applied by them in preparation for the Workshop. Testing this instrument among a highly diverse set of pilot universities was deemed a way to help IAU determine the potential for an even more generalized use of this tool around the globe.

Last but not least, this meeting was an opportunity for the IAU with its Task Force, partners and participating universities, to determine what next steps as well as other initiatives the Association could develop to pursue the ‘equitable access and success agenda’. A brief report of the workshop is also available.

If you would like to share information on Access and Success (upcoming conferences, articles, seminars, research papers, innovative policies, effective practices etc.) please contact: iau@iau-aiu.net

Outcomes

2010-2011 - Equitable Chances: IAU’s Actions to Promote Access and Success in Higher Education

Equitable Chances A new booklet, summarizing the IAU’s work on the theme of Equitable Access and Success in higher education was produced in 2011.

Following the adoption of the Policy Statement entitled Equitable Access and Success in Quality Higher Education (please see below), the IAU launched, in 2010, a pilot project on the issues of equitable access and success. Ten pilot HEIs from Asia and the Americas took part in the project designed to learn what approaches these institutions put in place to improve both entry and progression for students from under-represented groups (to learn more about this project, please click [here].

This booklet was produced and introduced on the occasion of the IAU 2011 International Conference in Kenya, and was disseminated to all the IAU Members in February 2012. It presents the actions and results the Association has achieved so far in regards to the twin issues of equitable access and success in higher education. This pilot project benefited from the on-going advice of the IAU international Task Force focusing on Access and success. The IAU also gratefully accepted financial and in-kind support from the World Bank, Lumina Foundation and the University of Arizona.

2008 - Policy Statement:

Equitable Access, Success and Quality in Higher Education: A Policy Statement by the International Association of Universities advocates a number of key principles upheld by IAU and includes recommendations for both higher education institutions and governments. It is the result of a broad-based consultation among IAU Members and experts, which probably explains the ease with which the Statement was approved and adopted at the 13th IAU General Conference, July 15-18, 2008 in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

This newest IAU Policy Statement has been widely disseminated to IAU Members as well as to all national, regional and international associations of universities, IAU invites endorsement of the Statement by those interested and committed to its principles. The Statement has also been sent to UNESCO in the hope that its substance may provide input to the deliberations and final outcomes of the World Conference on Higher Education, organised by UNESCO’s Higher Education Division for July 2009, in Paris, France.

The Policy Statement has been endorsed by the following:

  • American Council on Education (ACE)
  • American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
  • The Association of African Universities (AAU)
  • Association of Arab Universities (AArU)
  • Association of National Universities of Taiwan, China, Taiwan
  • Association of Universities of Bangladesh
  • Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU)
  • Association Suisse des Enseignant-e-s d'Université
  • European Access Network (EAN)
  • Heads of Universities Committee (HUCOM), China, Hong Kong
  • Universities Denmark
  • Universities Australia

Should your association wish to endorse this Policy Statement, please contact: iau@iau-aiu.net

Task force

Composed of experts from Asia, Europe the Caribbean and the USA, the IAU Task Force on Equitable Access and Success in Higher Education provides the Association with advice and expertise required to pursue the 'IAU Equitable Access and Success Agenda'. Previously consulted for each preparatory step of the preparation of the Equitable Access, Success and Quality in Higher Education Policy Statement, the Task Force has more recently worked with the Secretariat on the design of a Self-Assessment Tool for higher education institutions.


Terms of Reference of the Task Force (2009 to present)

  • Taking as the starting point the IAU policy statement entitled Equitable Access, Success and Quality in Higher Education (2008), assist the IAU Secretariat in elaborating and testing a flexible institutional self-assessment instrument which will help HEIs to assess their commitment to and achievements in serving learners from under-represented groups;

  • Identify the statistical, policy and programmatic areas to be covered;

  • Identify experts in various regions who could contribute to the discussion from a research and institutional policy perspective;

  • Examine possible actions that IAU could undertake to advance research and policy development in this area but also to serve its membership;

  • Contribute to development of the agenda for an international conference in 2011 on the topic of access and success in HE (general or specific focus);

  • Investigate the possibility of a moderated electronic discussion prior to the Conference or to share with a broader community the outcomes of the work of the Task Force and the Secretariat.


Task Force (2009 to present)

Chair

  • Manuel J. Fernós
    President, Inter American University of Puerto Rico, USA

Members

  • Jose Ferreira Gomes
    Professor and Head of Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal

  • Christina Lloyd
    Head of Teaching and Learner Support, The Open University, United Kingdom

  • Jacqueline E. King
    Director, Center for Policy Analysis, American Council on Education (ACE), USA

  • Morshidi Sirat
    Director, National Higher Education Research Institute, IPPTN, Malaysia

  • Shyam B. Menon
    Vice-Chancellor, Ambedkar University, Delhi, India

Documentation

Selected Bibliography on Equitable Access and Success in Higher Education1:

2010:

Access and equity: comparative perspectives / Heather Eggins. - Rotterdam : Sense, 2010 . - 169 p. References.Tables. - ISBN 9789460911842

The next 25 years : affirmative action in the United States and South Africa / David L Featherman, Martin Hall, Marvin Krislov, Eds. . - Ann Arbor : University of Michigan Press, 2010 . - 389 p. ISBN 978-0-472-03377-5
Abstract: This book explores the history and future place of affirmative action in higher education. Comparative essays describe debates in the United States and South Africa to elucidate the legal, political, social, economic and moral dimensions of affirmative action in higher education and its role in creating a more equitable society. While affirmative action policies have been restricted in the United States by the Constitution, in South Africa equity policies are legally required to address continuing disadvantage. The historic and legal contexts in which affirmative action arose in both countries is described and the key legal rulings concerning affirmative action policies at universities presented. The contribution of higher education participation to labour market access and social mobility is also examined. In South Africa, despite increasing participation by black students, a two-tiered higher education system persists. The book also explores research on the importance of student diversity on intellectual engagement, academic achievement and civic engagement. Finally, the book discusses whether there is a continued need for affirmative action.

The Perpetual Education Fund: providing higher education loans in the voluntary sector / Benjamin J. Lough . - In: International Journal of Educational Development, v. 30, no. 4, pp. 345-350, 2010 Incl. abstract, bibl. . - ISSN 0738-0593
Abstract : Although many strategies are proposed to reduce the opportunity gap in higher education between and within countries, student loans with cost recovery measures are often preferred during times of fiscal constraint. This study briefly reviews the benefits and challenges of student loans over other forms of financial aid and presents the case for voluntary sector involvement in contexts where government and market failures constrain effective solutions. It describes an innovative program that has emerged to meet this challenge - the Perpetual Education Fund. This program utilizes public-private partnerships, a large financial corpus, pre-existing administrative structures, personal relationships, local vocational schooling, and intergroup solidarity to administer loans and recover costs. Because voluntary sector participation in loan financing and administration is relatively new, the experiences and innovative survival strategies of this program have valuable implications for other emerging programs.
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/07380593

Should you wish to read more about the issues of equitable access and success in higher education around the world and/or find more references, please do not hesitate to consult the International Bibliographic Database on Higher Education (HEDBIB) or contact iau@iau-aiu.net

See the full bibliography

Selected Links on Equitable Access and Success in Higher Education

See more links

Related Initiatives

  • 17-19 September 2012, OECD Headquarters (France), IMHE General Conference 2012: Attaining and Sustaining Mass Higher Education - More information

  • 4-6 July 2012, University of Ulster, UK, FACE 2012 Annual Conference: Widening Access to Higher Education in ‘Divided Communities’ - More information

  • 27-29 June 2012, University of Zagreb, Croatia, The 21st EAN Annual Conference: Access to Higher Education: is it a right, a privilege or a necessity? (Affordability, Quality, Equity & Diversity) More information

  • 25-27 June 2012, University of Zagreb, Croatia, SiS Catalyst conference: Children as Change Agents for Science and Society: Putting Global Thinking into Action - More information

  • 12-18 May 2012, United-Kingdom, Adult Learners' Week
    Adult Learners’ Week is the UK’s largest and longest running learning campaign. Held each May, it encourages thousands of adults, whatever their age and background, to give learning a go. More information

  1. The different lists proposed below are neither exhaustive, nor representative. They serve as an interactive, dynamic listing of interesting projects, conferences, papers and/or organizations involved with access and success issues in several parts of the world. If you have recently attended an exciting conference on access, written or read an article/paper/dissertation or book on the topic and would like to share this, send us the information! ↩

Doctoral programmes


Activities

Development of Phase II of Changing Nature of Doctoral Programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: Progress Report

IAU is pleased to announce a dynamic stage in the evolution of the project Changing Nature of Doctoral Programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. After analysing the data reported throughout Phase I of the project, carried out with our partner pilot institutions - the University of Douala, Cameroon, University of Ilorin, Nigeria, Kenyatta University, Kenya, Université des Sciences et Technologies du Benin, Université Gaston Berger de Saint-Louis, Senegal, and the National University of Rwanda – we published a report of our findings on the IAU website. (Please click here for the full report).

Phase II of the project seeks to incorporate a larger number of sub-Saharan African institutions in the preparation and completion of the survey questionnaire to form a more robust report of trends and reforms affecting doctoral programmes on the continent. We hope to include a wide variety of institutions that represent the diversity of doctoral programme operation and implementation in sub-Saharan Africa in order to incorporate a wide range of perspectives and practices in our analysis.

This survey dually functions as an institutional self-assessment tool that was developed and tested in the first phase of the project and which proved to be extremely effective for information gathering and for promoting reflexion on policy issues and ways to improve the quality of doctoral programmes. Institutions were able to review and, where needed, adjust their data storage and collection mechanisms, which enhance their ability to develop evidence-based strategies and responses to the challenges facing doctoral programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. The information and data collected from these six pilot institutions have also played a large role in determining the content and structure for an interactive portal that is currently under development with IAU members and partners ACUP – the Catalan Association of Public Universities, and UOC – the Open University of Catalonia, with the financial support of the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).



Phase I of Changing Nature of Doctoral Programmes in sub-Saharan Africa

In 2009, the IAU secured funding support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) to work on The Changing Nature of Doctoral Programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the context of globalization and internationalization, and noting the constantly evolving higher education landscape, the purpose of this two year pilot study was and is to identify what changes are taking place in doctoral programmes in sub-Saharan Africa; to analyse the impact of these changes on training for research in six Anglophone and Francophone higher education institutions (HEIs) in sub-Saharan Africa; to understand if and how institutions have developed their institutional practices and how this impacts on and improves the management and functioning of their doctoral programmes; and to identify the challenges or difficulties encountered and solutions being tested in different institutions.

The six pilot institutions selected to take part in the pilot study were:

  • University of Douala, Cameroon;
  • University Ilorin, Nigeria;
  • Kenyatta University, Kenya;
  • Université des Sciences et Technologies du Benin, Benin;
  • Université Gaston Berger de Saint-Louis, Sénégal;
  • National University of Rwanda, Rwanda.

An additional purpose of the study was to stimulate focused debate on models of Doctoral training that have proven to be most appropriate to developing nations or those that need yet to be tried, and to offer a new and dynamic networking opportunity to a small set of HEIs to facilitate joint elaboration of comparative approaches and answers to the challenges they individually face. The study considered programmes in several branches of science, namely: the life sciences, the applied sciences, the social sciences and the humanities. The project WebPages provide details about the project, related actions and outcomes.

For further information, please contact: Dr. H. van’t Land, Director Membership and Programme Development

Outcomes

Development of Phase II of Changing Nature of Doctoral Programmes in sub-Saharan Africa

Implications and Usefulness of Survey Results

The responses provided in this pilot questionnaire have served as a true foundation for all other endeavours undertaken by the project. Phase II of the project will therefore look for a broader distribution of an updated survey questionnaire and the realization of an online interactive portal, informed by the needs and demands of sub-Saharan African institutions as determined through this project. With the diffusion of the 2012 survey, IAU seeks to continue the mission of Phase I by helping sub-Saharan African institutions determine the aspects of doctoral program development and implementation that require attention in order to improve their doctoral programmes. The format of the survey also allows institutions to organize their data management systems related to doctoral programmes, which allows them to better trace their growth and progress. By producing this survey and sharing the results with various stakeholders, the responses provided by participating institutions help to form the basis of recommendations for reviews and reforms in areas such as programme delivery, institutional organization, access to information related to doctoral program development and implementation, and doctoral student and staff retention. Better staff retention possibilities, for example, are one of the keys to developing skills in domains related to national growth and development, and thus, can have a profound impact not only on higher education, but on society as a whole. The preparation of the questionnaire in and of itself allows for concentrated reflexion by participating institutions on this pivotal dimension of higher education.

The challenges faced by higher education institutions reported within the framework of this survey, combined with institutional and programme details will help sub-Saharan African institutions facing similar contextual challenges to formulate appropriate solutions and to target specific sectors for policy reform. Assessing the nature of doctoral programmes and their evolution over time will also allow all stakeholders in doctoral education to identify the origins of certain reform policies and better evaluate their outcomes to direct their potential adoptability.

If you are involved in doctoral education in an institution of higher education in sub-Saharan Africa and wish to participate in the project and take advantage of the 2012 survey questionnaire as a data management and self-assessment tool, please contact Hilligje van’t Land, Director of Membership and Programme Development at h.vantland@iau-aiu.net.



New : the IAU Report on the Changing Nature of Doctoral Studies in sub-Saharan Africa - Challenges and Policy Development Opportunities at six universities in Sub-Saharan Africa is now available.

This report is the result of the pilot project IAU developed on the Changing nature of doctoral programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. Convinced that strong knowledge systems and research based knowledge are central to national development, IAU created an international Task Force and invited six of its Member institutions from across the African continent to take part.

A research question was developed, an institutional self-assessment instrument developed, institutional teams created and institutional self-assessments undertaken and complemented by institutional site visits. The institutions described the current state of their doctoral programmes, how they are shaped, organised and transformed. The data collected show how important doctoral programmes are for each institution and for their countries; the growing enrolment rates at doctoral level are telling, as are the changes that are being envisaged or implemented.

During a study and research seminar held in November 2010 (in Nigeria) and a data gathering and strategic planning seminar held in March 2011 (in Cameroon), the issues raised in the draft report were discussed, notes and experiences exchanged with colleagues from other pilot HEIs, and recommendations were made for the future.

The major conclusions presented in the report focus mainly on three areas: 1. the link between doctoral education and the institutional research strategy; 2. doctoral supervision and career development; and 3. the internationalisation of doctoral education, strategic planning and the crucial role of data collection and management.

Contact: Dr H. van’t Land, IAU Director Membership and Programme Development

The Report is one of the outcomes of the IAU project which included a number of interlinked actions, as listed below:

• Creation of an IAU international Task Force – this Task Force was composed of IAU Board Members and international experts, and provided advice and guidance to IAU throughout the project.

• Development of an institutional self-assessment tool – The project started with the development of an in-depth self-assessment questionnaire by IAU, the Members of the Task Force and with input from other experts and institutional team leaders. The questionnaire covered the following: A. the context in which the institution is operating; the country’s research system and the institutional profiles; the nature of doctoral studies and characteristics of students and supervisors associated with the doctoral programmes. B. The key challenges institutions face in doctoral programme delivery, management and organisation; C. Identification and analysis of policy reform areas for the improvement of the delivery of doctoral studies at institutional and national levels. Data collection was managed by the institutional teams and completed during institutional site visits by IAU team.

• A pilot of six IAU member institutions was created –pilot institutions were selected according to the following criteria and had had to:

  • be a Member of IAU in good standing and come from countries and regions of sub-Saharan Arica;
  • be a Public institution - or private with public interests;
  • illustrate innovation towards research policy development;
  • offer doctoral programmes in several disciplines;
  • show experience in developing research agendas;

• Creation of Institutional teams - At the institutional level, the Rectors, Vice-Chancellors or Presidents appointed an Institutional Team with which the IAU project team worked in close collaboration. To ensure comprehensive coverage and a genuine institutional approach, and full involvement of IAU Member institutions in the process, the teams were composed of individuals representing the following institutional levels / positions / areas:

  • Senior University Officer (Rector/President/Vice Chancellor/Deputy Vice-Chancellor / Academic Research Deans)
  • Dean of Graduate School / Studies
  • Faculty Member
  • Junior Academic
  • Doctoral Student or Post-Doctoral Fellow
  • A key contact person for IAU was designated.

• Institutional site visits: these took place in June and July 2010 at Kenyatta University, Kenya; University of Ilorin, Nigeria; National University of Rwanda, Rwanda; Université des Sciences et Technologies du Benin, Benin; Université Gaston Berger de Saint-Louis, Senegal.

• Reporting, three steps: draft report on initial findings; debate on the initial conclusions during IAU Study and Research Seminar (University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria); final report submitted to pilot institutions and Members of the Task Force; submitted for publication.

• Three Seminars :two in Nigeria and one in Cameroon:

a. IAU Study and Research Seminar, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria, November 2011: the Seminar focused on : 1. The Place of Doctoral Programmes in Institutional Research Strategies 2. Doctoral Student’s Supervision and Career Development and Monitoring 3. Internationalization of Doctoral Education and Strategic Planning and the Role of Data Collection. Key conclusions of the seminar are presented on the Documentation pages.

b. Special Session for Nigerian HEI leaders - following up on the University of Ilorin Seminar, a special session was hosted by and held at the University of Ilorin for Nigerian HEI leaders and other Nigerian colleagues involved and interested in the changing nature of doctoral programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. The results of the Seminar and of the initial phase of the project were presented to them and this led to a good discussion on the status of doctoral education in Nigeria. Outcomes: 1. The Nigerian Higher Education Institutions who attended the Workshop are investigating whether they can undertake a self assessment of their own Doctoral programmes, using the IAU tool; 2. the Association of African Universities (AAU) expressed interest in pursuing this project with their members.

c. Douala Seminar on Data collection and management for improved governance of doctoral programmes - Follow-up on one of the conclusions of the project, namely that better data collection on all operations relating to doctoral programmes would allow institutions to develop evidence based strategies for improving their doctoral programmes. IAU partnered up with the Douala University, Cameroon and with the University of Ottawa, Canada to organize a seminar on data collection and management. It took place at the University of Douala in March 2011. The seminar gathered 50 participants from seven state universities in Cameroon. Outcomes: the participating universities are evaluating their respective doctoral programmes using the IAU self-assessment tool in order to make recommendations for improvement to the Cameroonian Rectors Conference to take place later in 2011.

Task force

Terms of reference.

Role of The Members of the Task Force for the project Changing Nature of Dctoral Programmes in sub-Saharan Africa

  • Assist in the overall elaboration of the project framework, determining the most appropriate (possible) countries to select, the key questions upon which to focus the comparative study, the rationale to use for identifying the specific English and French speaking African university programmes which to include and the kind of information that should be gathered;
  • Advise IAU on the best manner to conduct the study with participating universities (selection of African HEIs or open call for proposal; detailed questionnaire sent to all or interviews by consultant, etc.), and what would be, in addition to analytical and comparative reports, other, most useful outcomes of the project;
  • Provide suggestions with regard to disciplinary focus, specific aspects of Doctoral programmes to consider, experts to contact;
  • Identify and share previously undertaken studies and research this area to inform the IAU project;
  • Advise on any similar project currently underway in other parts of the world or in Africa so that IAU can liaise with project leaders;
  • Help identify experts to act as consultants in the project and/or partner organizations that might be interested in contributing to the overall IAU project;
  • Review and comment on reports elaborated by participating institutions and take part, as appropriate, in meetings/group discussions/Seminars organised by IAU.

The task force members are:

Chair: Is-haq OLOYEDE, Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Members:

  • Patricia POL, Policy Advisor for European and International Affairs, Agence d’évaluation de la Recherche et de l’Enseignement Superieur (AERES) , Former VP International, Université Paris 12 - Val de Marne, France - Université Paris 12
  • Goolam MOHAMEDBHAI, Former Secretary General AAU, Former President IAU, IAU Board Member, Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Mauritius
  • Piyushi KOTECHA, CEO, Southern African Regional Universities Association, SARUA
  • Wisdom TETTEY, PhD, Professor and Dean, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, Arts Building, Room 268, University of British Columbia, Canada
  • Phyllis FREEMAN, JD, Professor Emerita, University of Massachussetts, Boston, USA, Co-Editor, Journal of Public Health Policy
  • Inger LUNDGREN, Research Advisor, Division for Research Cooperation, Dep. for Global Cooperation, Swedish international development cooperation agency, Sida, Sweden
  • Gilles BRETON, Ecole supérieure d’affaires publiques et internationales, Ancien Vice-recteur associé aux études (international) et ancien directeur du Bureau international, Université d’Ottawa, Canada
  • Aboubacar BARRO, PhD, Sociologist, Dakar, Sénégal

IAU Project Coordinator: Dr Hilligje van’ t Land, Director Membership and Programme Development, IAU (h.vantland@iau-aiu.net)

Documents

IAU Study and Research Seminar, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria – Seminar Programme, List of Participants and Initial Conclusions

Initial Outcomes

References on Doctoral Programmes

IAU Seminar on Doctoral programmes related data collection and Management, University of Douala, Cameroon, March 2011 – Seminar Programme

EFA/MDGs

General Points

Higher Education for Education For All (EFA).

2011-2015 Project:

IAU has been successfully advancing the idea that higher education and research should be considered as a major actor for reaching EFA and education-related MDGs. In March 2011, IAU was instrumental to have higher education and research officially recognized for the first time by the EFA High-Level Group responsible for setting the global agenda.

Nonetheless, it’s too premature to stop raising awareness and advocating for higher education participation. Consequently, this latest project will continue the work initiated within the 2008-2011 project and build on, improve and promote the information tools and capacity building sessions previously set up. More precisely, its objectives are to:

  • Renew and reinforce the Reference Group to pro-actively advocate for higher education for EFA within and beyond the higher education sector;
  • Enhance the IAU Portal on Higher Education and EFA (otherwise known as HEEFA) and its Newsletter to better identify and disseminate projects/experts and related information;
  • Draft a model for capacity building sessions, previously piloted, and implement a series of sessions adapted to local contexts and needs;
  • Follow up on already-held capacity building sessions to contribute towards systemic inclusion of higher education in EFA.

Read full project here.

Members of the 2008-2010 Reference Group have validated the project document and provided comments, some of which have been directly included in the text, others - which can be viewed here - will be used for further discussion later on.

2008-2010 Project:

In January 2008, IAU launched the project, entitled Strengthening Linkages for Improved Education: Higher Education and Research Working for EFA and education-related MDGs. It was developed on the results and conclusions from the IAU Pilot, Higher Education and Research to Meet Education For All Goals, and an Experts' Seminar, held in Maputo, Mozambique and organized in the framework of the pilot.
Embracing both EFA and education-related MDGs, this project was developed around two principle activities: capacity building and information tools. The activities included:

  • Networking and creation of a Reference Group of Experts;
  • A Portal to map, facilitate and promote HEI involvement in EFA-MDGs movements, including an Experts' Database and an electronic bulletin;
  • An international multi-stakeholder meeting in 2010 to discuss the findings and the future of the project;
  • A series of capacity-building activities to develop awareness and implementation skills in how HEI and researchers could be engaged in the EFA-MDGs movements.

Their outcomes of the project are described briefly in the Summary of Outcomes.

2005-2007 Pilot :

Carried out from 2005 to 2007, the pilot's aim was to examine the contribution made by higher education institutions to meet the EFA goals, in particular the outcomes of inter-university linkages and research cooperation between institutions in industrialized and developing countries. It was developed from IAU's belief that:

  • there is insufficient knowledge about the involvement of higher education in EFA-related activities,
  • that this involvement is greater than what is currently acknowledged, and
  • whatever may be the level of activities, these need to be reinforced if countries are to reach the EFA programme's goals in a sustainable way.

Generating positive feedback and interest by both the higher education community and development agencies, findings revealed that little was yet known and more light still needed to be shed on this topic.

For further information: Nadja KYMLICKA, Junior Consultant; Isabelle TURMAINE, Director, Information Centre and Communication Services and Project Director

Outcomes

Innovation Conference

(December 2010).

As the 3-year IAU project on higher education and EFA came to a close, IAU organised an Innovation Conference on Higher Education/Research and EFA/education-related MDGs and end-of-project Meeting. The aims were to evaluate the progress made for improved inclusion of higher education/research in EFA and related MDGs, review this project's outcomes, discuss issues and constraints, and explore ways forward. Parallel sessions included the themes of Research for EFA and Community Services/Knowledge Diffusion for EFA. It closed with a special plenary session to explore what are the links between higher education and the other sectors of education to respond to needs in a natural disaster, starting from an examination of Haiti with first-hand accounts from Haitian and Caribbean universities.

Conference programme

50 experts and representatives from international organisations, NGOs and development agencies were invited. The Conference was conducted in French and English with simultaneous interpretation being provided.

IAU Capacity Building Project

Higher education needs to be drawn more effectively into EFA strategies and activities and recognised as a concrete partner in this process. Its expertise should be engaged and actively sought out by Ministries, local educational administrative bodies, NGOs, schools, etc. But higher education also needs to see itself as a viable and invaluable partner and to examine its own instruction, research and outreach activities and how these could relate to EFA and related MDGs.

It is the IAU belief that information sharing and capacity building activities could reinforce partnerships between higher education and other stakeholders. It is for this reason IAU has designed this locally driven capacity building project which directly targets national higher education and research entities and a country's key EFA stakeholders, to involve them collectively in an intensive exercise of developing concrete tools to strengthen higher education participation at the local level.

The first capacity building session was organised with the University Autonoma del Estado de Morelos, at the invitation of Alejandro Chao Barona, an expert from our Reference Group on HE and EFA. It was held in Cuernavaca, Mexico on 25-26 May 2010, bringing together over 100 local stakeholders representing the higher education community, governmental educational bodies, teachers, NGOs and students.

During two days, participants exchanged ideas, brainstormed and identified ways on how to strengthen higher education's engagement for EFA. The session successfully ended with the adoption of the Cuernavaca Declaration (in Spanish) that recognized the importance of EFA and the need to greater implicate higher education in EFA and the creation of several committees, linked to EFA priorities identified by participants, which are assigned to map out steps forward.

The second session immediately followed on 8-9 July 2010 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in cooperation with the University of Ouagadougou and the Ministry of Basic Education and Literacy. Invited representatives from the Universities of Ouagadougou and Koudougou and the Université Polytechnique de Bobo-Dioulasso worked collectively for the first time with different local EFA stakeholders. 40 participants were challenged to "think out of the box" and see universities in a new light in order to strengthen higher education's contribution in Burkina Faso's efforts to achieve EFA.

Other participants included representatives from the Ministry of Basic Education and Literacy, primary and secondary schools, parent and student associations and the Director of the Regional UNESCO Office who is also a member of the IAU Reference Group on Higher Education and EFA.

Working in groups, participants reflected upon and exchanged ideas regarding a questionnaire developed by the IAU on links between higher education and EFA. The workshops were carried out in three steps: first, a thesis was developed on how to reinforce higher education in EFA, followed by an anti-thesis which included counter arguments and new propositions, and then a synthesis of the two previous workshops. A final consensus on the replies was reached during the plenary session which fostered the development and validation of recommendations for future actions to draw higher education more closely in EFA.

Download the working documents for Mexico and Burkina Faso (in French) to read more about the programme, results and participants.

Portal on Higher Education/Research and Education For All/related MDGs

Fall 2009

The Portal on Higher Education/Research and EFA/related MDGs, HEEFA (http://www.heefa.net/) in short, is now available online.

HEEFA is an open access Portal to disseminate information of the work being undertaken by higher education in EFA-related fields and to build up a like-minded community. Visitors can search for projects and experts, contribute by entering projects and enrolling experts, subscribe to the HEEFA newsletter and participate in fora.

The uniqueness of this Portal is it attempts to raise awareness among those working in higher education and all other interested stakeholders (Intergovernmental organisations, NGOs, Ministries of Education, school administrators and teachers) on the important role that higher education can play and is achieving in EFA and related MDGs.

Launched at the 2009 World Conference on Higher Education, HEEFA has thus far started off modestly. It includes some projects that experts from the Reference Group have been engaged in. Designed as collaborative tool, it relies on a grounds-up approach to develop the Portal content and online community.

Send us your feedback to improve the Portal to n.kymlicka@iau-aiu.net or to Isabelle Turmaine, Project Director at i.turmaine@iau-aiu.net

IAU Information Kit

IAU Information Kit, Why and How Can Higher Education Contribute to All Levels and Types of Education?

July 2009

This Information Kit clearly and concretely answers the essential questions of what, why, how, where, and who to enhance the awareness of higher education institutions of the need for a greater/better involvement of the higher education sector in these initiatives. It highlights cases of how higher education and research is and/or could be engaged.

The Information Kit is the first outcome of the IAU project "Strengthening Linkages for Improved Education: Higher Education and Research working for EFA and related MDGs"

It has been realised with funding from the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) (which is funding the overall project), the Association of African Universities (Working Group on Higher Education of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa), UNESCO's Participation Programme (PP), with special thanks to the UNESCO Delegations of Chile, Japan and Mozambique for endorsing the IAU's request for PP funding.

Acknowledgements also go to the IAU Reference Group.

Final Report on Pilot

This final report has served as a tool to support the development of the next phase and to propel IAU work on the intersection of higher education and the EFA movement. Divided into three sections, it provides detailed information on 1) the project methodology, data collection and treatment on the responses from development agencies and universities, 2) the organisation of the Experts' Seminar, held in Maputo, Mozambique and 3) an outline of the steps forward that came forth from the Seminar and the pilot's conclusions.

IAU Experts' Seminar

Higher Education and Education For All : The Case of Two Solitudes ?
Maputo, Mozambique, January 25-26, 2007
Hosted by Universidade Eduardo Mondlane

Experts' Seminar, Maputo 2007

10 project leaders from 10 countries, from the North and the South, as well as representatives of major agencies and associations of higher education institutions met in Maputo, Mozambique on January 25-26, 2007 to discuss the inter-relation and the involvement of higher education in EFA.
The seminar was divided into two main parts: one focusing on what is done at present, the other one on what could or should be done in the future by higher education institutions and funding agencies or associations of higher education institutions to reach the EFA goals by 2015.

This seminar is part of the activities undertaken by IAU within the framework of a pilot project to examine the ways in which Higher Education and Research contribute to meeting EFA goals.

The overall project is partly financially supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).

Surveys

EFA Global Monitoring Report (GMR)
Contribution of Higher Education Research in support of Education For All (http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001800/180085e.pdf)

In 2007, IAU was commissioned by the Global Monitoring Report (GMR) to investigate and report on the role of higher education institutions and research institutes in generating knowledge that furthers the EFA objectives and the education-related Millennium Development Goals (MDG). As part of this investigation, a survey was developed, built on previous IAU work and findings, and conducted by IAU to gather both quantitative and qualitative data from education faculties and other units/faculties working on education development. A final question was included whereby respondents had the possibility to opine freely on the survey's subject matter and highlight aspects not addressed within the survey.

The submitted paper submitted to GMR was prepared by N.V. Varghese, Director of Higher Education Division, at the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP).

Pilot Project Surveys

As part of the pilot project, two questionnaires were developed in the initial stages of the project to obtain information about North-South inter-university EFA-related projects.

The first questionnaire was sent out to development and donor agencies to obtain information about such university projects that were being funded and/or managed by the agencies, to collect data on respective project directors and to ascertain the importance these agencies assigned to EFA-related inter-institutional projects.

Keeping in line with the first questionnaire, a second questionnaire was then developed and sent to identified project directors and project leaders in respective partner institutions. General project data was collected and the surveys solicited information on projects leaders' perspectives and opinions on the degree of higher education involvement in EFA-related areas.

The results from these two surveys were presented and discussed at the Maputo Experts' Seminar, serving both as the outline and the springboard.

For detailed information regarding the questionnaires' methodology, data collection and survey results, download the following documents:

Task force

Reference Group:

Read more about who are the Members.

To accompany the 2011-2015 IAU Project on Higher Education for EFA, the 2008-2010 Reference Group has been expanded to include a greater number of viewpoints from non-OECD countries, with a particular emphasis given to Africa. Experts have been selected based on written statements of interest and expertise while respecting the gender and geographical balance. Most founding members of the 2008-2010 Group have renewed their commitment to continue working with IAU.

The 2011-2015 Reference Group will play a pivotal role to build capacities, commitment and a community on higher education engagement for EFA.

Terms of reference:

  • advise on and contribute to the development of the activities defined within the IAU Project;

  • assist in communicating products and results;

  • share expertise, technical materials and work in a collaborative manner;

  • promote the importance of higher education for EFA internally within the higher education institution/ organization as well as externally with partners and networks.

The 2008-2010 IAU Project was supported by the 2008-2010 Reference Group which served as an advisory group to develop, implement and communicate activities. Members were participants at the IAU Experts’ Seminar held in Maputo, Mozambique (January 2007) and invited experts engaged in or advocating for higher education for EFA, coming from higher education institutions, cooperation agencies and associations, and the IAU.

Documentation

Selected Bibliography on Higher Education and EFA.

This list is not exhaustive, nor representative. It will be up-dated and expanded using your comments and our own on-going research.

2011
Education For All Global Monitoring Report, The hidden crisis: Armed conflict and education
GMR-UNESCO, 2011
416 pages - ISBN: 9789231041914
The Global Monitoring Report [GMR] clearly warns that the world is "not on track" to achieve the EFA Goals by 2015 and that most of the goals will be missed by a wide margin – especially in regions riven by conflict. It illustrates how armed conflict and sexual violence have a devastating impact on education and impairs learning. It sets out an agenda for protecting the right to education during conflict, strengthening provision for children, youth and adults affected by conflict, and rebuilding educational systems in countries emerging from conflict.

2010
What do teachers know about Education for All in Senegal? A review of the knowledge and perception of the EFA goals by primary school teachers
UNESCO-BREDA, Pôle de Dakar
August 2010. 36 pages
This report presents the findings of a study carried out in Senegal on the knowledge and perception of primary schools teachers of the goals of Education for All. It provides answers to three major questions: do teachers know about the EFA goals? Do they subscribe to the EFA's main principles? Do they have an accurate picture of the educational reality of their country with regards to these goals? In French.

Education for All Global Monitoring Report, Reaching the Marginalized
UNESCO, 2010
510 pages - ISBN: 9789231041297
The Global Monitoring Report provides data on annual progress, maps identifies best practices, and assesses the state of education in the world. This year's report focused on the theme, Reaching the Marginalised, to examine and identify which populations are being left out and why. It also warned that in the aftershock of the global financial crisis an ‘entire generation could be lost’; if concerted efforts in financing EFA are not maintained and reinforced. Full report is currently available in English with summaries in Arab, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish. It is subdivided into five Chapters supported with a comprehensive Annex

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2009
United Nations, 2010
56 pages - ISBN: 9789211011968
In light of the results from the latest MDGs Report which reveal that the MDGs will not be achieved, UN Secretary-General warns of the slowdown in moving forward. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon highlighted the impact that the global financial crisis is having, and could continue impact progress made, unless greater effort is exerted. Nonetheless, the Report revealed that considerable steps have been in the goal of providing universal primary education and the target of access to safe drinking water. Also available in Arab, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.

Curriculum-in-the-making: being a teacher in the context of HIV and AIDS. Teacher education pilot project
Higher Education HIV and AIDS Programme [HEAIDS] 2010
113 pages - ISBN: 9780620467117
Curriculum-in-the-making is about the everyday practices of teachers and teacher educators in constructing curriculum - in this case in the context of HIV and AIDS - and reflecting an emerging community of practice amongst South African teacher educators who are teaching and conducting research in the context of HIV and AIDS.

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education
Indiana State University has launched this latest Journal dedicated to raise awareness and communicate issues, case studies, research in community engagement undertaken by the higher education community. It divided into two sections: best practices and research.

Recognising Non-Formal and Informal Learning: Outcomes, Policies and Practices
OECD, 2010
92 pages - ISBN: 9789264063846
This book provides policy recommendations on how best to structure and organise systems for recognition of non-formal and informal learning and is based on an OECD review of 22 countries. It covers: Context and Main Concepts; Reasons for Recognising Non-formal and Informal Learning Outcomes; Public Policy Options

2008
Contribution of Higher Education Research in support of Education For All
IAU Paper commissioned for the EFA Global Monitoring Report [GMR], prepared by N.V. Varghese
2008. 63 pages

Girls' Education in the 21st Century: Gender, Equality, Empowerment, and Economic Growth
Eds. Mercy Tembon, Lucia Fort
World Bank, 2008
313 pages - ISBN-13: 9780821374740, eISBN-13: 9780821374757
The report is based on the background papers developed for the World Bank symposium, entitled Education: A Critical Path to Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment held on 2-3 October 2007. It presents the state of education from a gender perspective and highlights the importance of and challenges to female education as well as the interdependence of education and development objectives. It concludes with five strategic directions for advancing gender equity in education.

2007
Teacher Motivation in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia
Eds. Paul Bennall, Kwame Akyeampong
Series: Reaching the Issues No 57
DFID: London, 2007. 114 pages
Despite considerable challenges that many African and South Asian countries were facing in providing education for all, several countries have overcome them. Yet, another crisis is poised to strike regarding teachers and their poor professional conditions that have left so many disenchanted and disaffected, thus jeopardising the quality of education and the progress made. An international research project, co-led by the Institute of Education at the University of London, examined potential strategic means to motivate teachers.

The Contribution of Higher Education to National Education Systems: Current Challenges for Africa
MEETING: UNESCO Forum on Higher Education, Research and Knowledge; Regional Scientific Committee for Africa/ Association of African Universities [AAU]
University of Ghana, 22-24 March 2007, Accra, Ghana
Presentations and a final report are available online.

The Crucial Role of Higher Education in Achieving Education for All
IAU Horizons vol. 13, no. 1, 2007
Theme was consecrated on the different viewpoints of higher education's contribution to EFA goals. Guest editor was Bikas C. Sanyal.

Formulating Effective Higher Education Policies under Millennium Development Goals
Mamoon, Dawood
National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration [NIEPA][India]
In: Journal of Educational Planning and Administration, 21/2: 93-107, 2007
Abstract: A successful higher education reform in the South is not limited to improvement in quality and access to higher education but it should directly and indirectly cater to the millennium development goals by ensuring pro poor pro growth outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to identify ways in which the reform process in higher education is aligned with the larger development agenda of the South. It discusses the issue that lie in the peripheries of higher education reform debate- which is to directly link up higher education policy to overall education policy formulation in the South. Through its findings, the study recommends that higher education policies should not be implemented in isolation with over all education policy frameworks. As a first step to this effect the paper calls for more coordination between higher education commissions and education ministries in the South.

2005
Tertiary Education and Education for All: Establishing Policy Linkages
Ordonez, Victor
UNESCO European Centre for Higher Education [CEPES][Romania]
In: Higher Education in Europe 30/3-4: 267-275, 2005. ISSN: 03797724
Abstract: There are several areas of intersection between tertiary education and basic education. This article examines four such areas—teacher education, academic research, policy analysis and research, and university outreach—and explores possible policy alternatives by which collaboration in these can be strengthened and optimized. Examples from case studies and policy options are discussed as related to the four areas identified. The article concludes with a reflection on the possible new paradigms of education for a vastly different future.

The Role of Higher Education in obtaining EFA goals with particular focus on developing countries
Sanyal, Bikas C.
June 2005, 42 pages
MEETING: UNESCO Forum on Higher Education, Research and Knowledge, 28 June 2005 Paris, France

Education For All: Calling Higher Education to a Higher Calling
Georgetown University, USA, 2005. 99 pages
MEETING: Calling Higher Education to a Higher Ceiling, February 28, 2005, Washington DC, USA
This document from the conference includes presentations and reports from the four workshops: How the Private Sector Can Partner with Universities to Help Achieve EFA; The Challenge of Literacy: Partnering to Meet the Goals of the UN Literacy Decade; Networks Linking Higher Education and EFA; Challenges to Achieving EFA Goals and Measuring Progress.

2004
International Meeting on the University Community and Education for All -creating and sustaining improvements
MEETING: UNESCO, 3-4 November, 2004 Paris, France

2001
New functions of higher education and ICT to achieve education for all
Sanyal, Bikas C.
UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning [IIEP]
August 2001, 21 pages
MEETING: Expert Roundtable on University and Technology-for-Literacy/Basic Education Partnership in Developing Countries, 10-12 September 2001 Paris, France

1998
The contribution of higher education to the education system as a whole
63 pages MEETING: UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education: Vision and Action, 5-9 October 1998 Paris, France
This document includes presentations, working documents and a synthesis of the debate.

1995
Achieving basic education for All: role of higher education and new information technology
Sanyal, Bikas C. / UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning [IIEP]
Paris, 1995. 22 pages
Series IIEP Contributions. Vol. 22
MEETING: Anniversary (75th) of the University of Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1995

1992
Role of higher education in promoting Education for All
UNESCO Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific [PROAP] Bangkok, 1992. 79 pages
MEETING: Regional Conference on the Role of Higher Education in Promoting Education for All. Bangkok, Thailand 1990

The role of open universities in promoting Education for All
Korea Air and Correspondence University; Asian Association of Open Universities
Seoul, 1992. 427 pages
MEETING: Asian Association of Open Universities Annual Conference. Seoul, South Korea 1992

Links to organizations involved in EFA and higher education

This list is a selection of international public organisations, foundations, private charity organisations and associations working in higher education and global education initiatives.

International Partners in the EFA Movement

UNESCO Education pour tous

UNESCO Education For All

UNESCO Teacher Training in Sub-Saharan Africa (TTISSA)

UNICEF

United Nations Girls Education Initiative

UN Development Programme: MDG Monitoring

UN Population Fund (UNPF) : Gender Equality

UN Portal on MDGs

World Bank EFA-Fast Track Initiative (EFA-FTI)

World Health Organization: health-promoting school initiative

NGOs, public cooperation organizations and foundations

Aga Khan Development Network

Aide et Action

British Council, UK, Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DELPHE)

Care International: Basic and girls education

Coordination Sud: Commission Education In French

Department for International Development, Education, UK (DFID): Research for Development (R4D)

European Development Fund, DG for Development Edulink, Alfa

Global Campaign for Education

International Organisation of la Francophonie (OIF)

Netherlands Organization for International Cooperation in Higher Education (NUFFIC), Netherlands

Oxfam International: Health and EFA

Save the Children: Education Programme

Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): Higher Education for Development

University Associations

Agence universitaire de la francophonie (AUF)

Association of African Universities (AAU)

Association of Universities and Colleges in Canada (AUCC)

Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (OUI-IOHE)

Union of Universities in Latin America and the Caribbean (UDUAL) In Spanish, Portuguese and French

Tools

IAU Portal on Higher Education/Research and EFA/MDGs (HEEFA)

OECD Wikigender University

Intercultural dialogue

Latest Activity

Intercultural Learning and Dialogue: Higher Education has a role to play

The idea of "intercultural dialogue" takes as its starting point the recognition of difference and multiplicity of the world in which we live. These differences of opinion, viewpoint, and values exist not only within each individual culture but also between cultures.

'Dialogue' seeks to approach these multiple viewpoints with a desire to understand and learn from those that do not see the world in the same way as we do. An effective 'dialogue', therefore, is an enriching and opening interaction which encourages the respectful sharing of ideas and an exploration of the different thought-processes through which the world is perceived and understood. This interaction emphasizes opportunities for broadened and deepened self-knowledge and worldview. As a process, intercultural dialogue encourages an identification of the boundaries that define individuals, and then asks them to relate across those boundaries and even to call them into question.

As an international representative of the universities of the world, one of the IAU's primary functions is to identify and research issues that are of concern and interest to university institutions. In this capacity, the IAU has been working on the issues of globalization and internationalisation for some time, and has also focused specific attention on the Role of Higher Education in fostering intercultural Dialogue. In this context, the Association organises events and participates in Conferences and Meetings on related topics. Following up on the IAU International Conference 2009 on the role of Higher Education in fostering Intercultural Dialogue, a book has been published:

Council of Europe and IAU Book New: Council of Europe and the International Association of Universities book on the Role of Higher Education in promoting intercultural dialogue

Edited by Sjur Bergan of the Council of Europe and Hilligje van't Land of the IAU (International Association of Universities), Speaking across borders - volume 16 of the Council of Europe Higher Education Series - explores the role of higher education in developing intercultural dialogue in our societies. It complements Intercultural dialogue on Campus (Higher Education series No. 11) and the issue of the IAU journal Higher Education Policy (HEP, vol. 18.4) on the same topic and includes contributions from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and North America. The book demonstrates that education will need to play a key role in developing the ability to conduct intercultural dialogue, which is an integral part of democratic culture. It sets out the political context for intercultural dialogue, explores how universities can become actors of intercultural dialogue and offers examples of good practice from various parts of the world.

To order, please go to: http://book.coe.int/EN/ficheouvrage.php?PAGEID=36&lang=EN&produit_aliasid=2573

Council of Europe Book

Task force

Documentation

Selected Bibliography on Higher Education and Intercultural Dialogue:

Should you wish to have other references included, please do send a copy of the book or article to IAU to the attention of Dr. H. van't Land (Contact: h.vantland@iau-aiu.net or iau@iau-aiu.net)

2007

  • At Home in the world: bridging the gap between internationalization and multicultural education / Olson, Christa L.; Evans, Rhodri; Shoenberg, Robert F. / American Council on Education [ACE].-- Washington,DC, 2007 . 43 p. (Working Papers on Internationalizing Higher Education in the United States. no. 4)

2006

  • Dialogue among Civilizations / UNESCO.-- 2006. 271 p.
    MEETING: Asia -Pacific Regional Conference on Dialogue among Cultures and Civilizations for Peace and Sustainable Development. Hanoi, Viet Nam, 2004.

  • A New paradigm for higher education and culture in East Asia / Lee, Jeong-Kyu.-- IN: Higher Education Review, vol. 38 no. 3, pp. 53-63, 2006 - ISSN: 0018-1610
    CONTENTS: This article explores how cultural identity reveals itself in East Asian higher education. The following questions are addressed. First, what is culture and what is the characteristic of East Asian culture? Second, what are the cultural situations of East Asian higher education? Third, how does the cultural identity of East Asia reveal itself in higher education? Finally, what are new paradigms in East Asian higher education? The article offers a theoretical basis to establish new paradigms of higher education in East Asia.

For the complete bibliography, click here (rtf, 56 kb)


Main declarations


Some Initiatives

Thank you for providing us with information on projects and others initiatives in the field of higher education and Intercultural Dialogue (h.vantland@iau-aiu.net).


Centers

  • The Center for Intercultural Studies and Multicultural Education
    Adelaide University, Australia http://www.adelaide.edu.au/cisme/
    Pioneer in teaching and research on multiculturalism and ethnic diversity in Australia; development of culturally inclusive curricula; resource for public actors and professionals.

  • The Center for Culture Renewal
    McGill University, Canada http://www.culturalrenewal.ca/qry/page.taf
    A cross-disciplinary center that focuses on the fundamental connections between public policy, culture, moral discourse, and religious conviction to the end of providing public actors with quality resources.

  • International Academy for Intercultural Research
    University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hawaii http://www.intercultural-academy.org/index.html
    The Academy serves as a forum for exchanging ideas, theories, research and know-how for senior intercultural researchers, academics, and trainers. The Academy fosters high-level interdisciplinary research and scholarship on intercultural issues by organizing conferences, publishing a newsletter and maintaining a website with papers and other resources.

  • Center for International Migration and Ethnic Relations (IMER) - a multi-disciplinary research group
    University of Bergen, Norway http://imer.uib.no/
    The center addresses in depth issues of identity, plurality and multiculturalism in the urban environment; and of accommodating diversity in society in general. The center also researches gender issues in cultural diversity; as well as citizenship, mobility and migration. A newsletter and a magazine in English or Norwegian are published regularly and available online.

  • The European Research Centre on Migration and Ethnic Relations (ERCOMER)
    Utrecht University, The Netherlands. [hhttp://www.uu.nl/faculty/socialsciences/nl/organisatie/Departementen/ASW/Onderzoek/Ercomer/Pages/default.aspx][30017]
    The Center seeks to encourage comparative multi-disciplinary research on the topics of migration, multiculturalism, ethnic exclusionism and ethnic conflict, racism and nationalism. Apart from research, the center also provides expert analysis and information on key issues, as well as instruction and training; it organizes seminars, publishes extensively and serves as a host institute for researchers.

  • Centre d'études amérindiennes
    Université du Québec à Chicoutimi - Canada
    http://www.uqac.ca/cea/

  • Centre d'anthropologie culturelle
    Université Libre de Bruxelles - Belgium
    http://www.ulb.ac.be/socio/anthropo/index1.html

  • Centre d’Etudes Nord-Américaines de l’ULB (CENA)
    Université Libre de Bruxelles - Belgium
    http://www.ulb.ac.be/philo/cec/

  • Centre interculturel euro-libanais
    Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth - Lebanon
    http://www.ciel.usj.edu.lb

  • Centre de recherche et d'études arabes
    Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth - Lebanon
    http://www.usj.edu.lb/recherche/cdr.htm?code=101

  • Centre de recherche sur les identités nationales et l'interculturalité
    Université de Nantes - France
    http://www.cil.univ-nantes.fr/92465964/0/fiche___pagelibre/&RH

  • Centre de recherche sur les conflits d'interprétation
    Université de Nantes - France
    http://www.univ-nantes.fr/91092/0/fiche___laboratoire/&RH=1183620051137


Policies and principles


Programs and projects

  • Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies
    Aalborg University, Denmark. http://www.sprog.aau.dk/index-uk.htm
    The Department undertakes teaching and research within the areas of intercultural communication and inter-country interaction and influence on each other with special focus on language and culture and emphasis on their intercultural, comparative, and historical aspects.

  • INTERACT : Intercultural Active Citizenship Education
    The Danish University of Education, Denmark. http://www.ces.uc.pt/interact/index.htm
    This project analyses the impact and implications for education of the political changes resulting from EU integration, enlargement and globalization. It focuses on the intercultural element of citizenship education and aims to provide guidelines for teacher education.

  • EAIE courses
    Professional development programmes - Training Courses 2008
    http://www.eaie.org/training/

  • Chaire d'anthropologie interculturelle
    Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth - Lebanon
    http://www.usj.edu.lb/recherche/cha.htm?code=75

  • Chaire Jean Monnet et Centre d'études sur l'union européenne (Centre d'excellence)
    Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth - Lebanon
    http://www.ceue.usj.edu.lb/

  • Chaire de Francophonie
    Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth - Lebanon
    http://www.usj.edu.lb/recherche/cha.htm?code=73

  • Groupe de recherche sur la construction interculturelle des mondes sociaux
    Université Libre de Bruxelles - Belgium
    http://www.ulb.ac.be/rech/inventaire/unites/ULB644.html


Pedagogical resources

Case studies


Degrees and diplomas

  • Master's Program of Intercultural Encounters - Department of Comparative Religion at the University of Helsinki, Finland.
    http://www.helsinki.fi/hum/kvv/english/master/index.html
    A multi-disciplinary program giving a strong theoretical basis for understanding situations where cultures interact, while at the same time developing the practical skills for intercultural interaction and personal cultural sensitivity. The program also works to promote research and education in intercultural interaction.

  • Executive Master in Intercultural Communication - University of Lugano, Switzerland
    http://www.mic.unisi.ch/index/presentation.htm
    This multidisciplinary program is designed to furnish the practical tools necessary for analyzing multicultural situations, resolving conflicts arising in such situations, and communicating efficiently in different professional contexts. The overall aim of the program is to improve the intercultural communication in everyday life as well as in the public and private spheres.

  • Bachelor and Master's Program in "Business, Language and Culture" - The Department of Intercultural Communication& Management, the Copenhagen Business School, Denmark.
    http://uk.cbs.dk/forskning_viden/fakulteter_institutter_centre/institutter/oekonomi/ikl
    The programs combine the study of business with language, communication, cultural education. The curricula seek to provide the intercultural knowledge through a cross-disciplinary, international and comparative approach. In addition, the Department offers courses in "Languages, Communication and Cultural Studies" and a bachelor's degree in "International Business Administration and Modern Languages".

  • Course on "Intercultural Dialogue and Intercultural Education" - Bourgas Free University, Bourgas, Bulgaria. http://portal.unesco.org/shs/en/ev.php-URL_ID=4824&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
    The course was introduced in the context of the initiative of UNESCO chair on Human Rights and Culture of Peace, in Bourgas, Bulgaria in the effort to promote human rights, democracy and intercultural dialogue. Contact person: Prof. Rumen Valchev

  • Certificat en immigration et relations interethniques
    Université du Québec à Montréal - Canada
    http://www.programmes.uqam.ca/4375

  • Certificat en éducation interculturelle
    Université du Québec à Montréal - Canada
    http://www.programmes.uqam.ca/4338

  • Master en médiation interculturelle
    Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth - Lebanon
    http://www.usj.edu.lb/formation/dipl.htm?cursus=393


Initiatives for students

  • L'Association des Etudiants internationaux Autour du Monde of the Université de Nantes aims to facilitate the integration of the foreign students within and around Nantes by encouraging contact with French students and organizing intercultural activities. It proposes activities such as conversation clubs, city visits, dinners at university restaurants, foreign film festivals, etc.
    http://www.autourdumonde.asso.fr/

  • AIESEC (Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales) is an international organization present in more than 800 universities throughout the world and made up of students devoted to the promotion of international understanding and co-operation. Through the programs international training courses, the students can acquire valuable work experience at foreign companies, allowing them to increase their level of cultural awareness, social responsibility and entrepreneurship.
    http://www.aiesec.org/

  • Student mobility programs: CREPUQ http://www.crepuq.qc.ca

  • AFS Programs
    AFS, previously known as "American Field Service", is a not-for-profit international organization offers to support intercultural relations training. This network based in 50 countries, offers student exchange programs between one another.
    http://www.afs.org/AFSI/


Parallel events

Conferences

2011


Links on Education and Intercultural Dialogue

For a list of Specialized Institutions please click here

Internationalization

Global Surveys

Since 2003, IAU has undertaken and published Global Surveys on internationalization of higher education providing unique data on trends and developments in the field.
As internationalization grows in importance, data and analysis on on the rationales that motivate universities, main activities they pursue, impacts it brings etc., are of utmost interest to policy makers.

Global Surveys on Internationalization of Higher Education (2003, 2005, 2010).

Using continuously improved questionnaires, yet safeguarding continuity, the IAU surveys both institutions and associations of higher education regularly to learn more about the state of internationalization policy and practice around the world. Three surveys have been done and published. A fourth is scheduled for 2013, with a possible publication in 2014.

IAU_3rd_Global_Survey_Report

Internationalization of Higher Education: Global Trends Regional Perspectives – the IAU 3rd Global Survey Report, published in 2010 is the most recent IAU publication to analyse this process at the global and regional levels.

Among numerous findings of the report are included the following:

• Internationalization is seen as more central to institution’s future planning, and is of greater and growing importance to HEI leaders, than ever before;

• At the global level, students, and their preparation for life in a globalized world are the main focus of internationalization within HEIs policies and activities;

• Institutions are quite single-minded in their approach to internationalization – at the aggregate level there is a close alignment between HEIs’ rationales for pursuing internationalization and the expected benefits they hope to gain from it;

• Why and how internationalization is pursued by institutions differs between regions. HEIs Africa and the Middle East seek develop and strengthen their research capacity while in all other regions the focus is on students’ learning;

• There is a strong pattern of intra-regional cooperation in internationalization activities conducted by HEIs, although Europe remains of highest geographic interest at the global level;

• Student mobility, although central to many internationalization policies, remains an opportunity reserved for the privileged few;

• The economic crisis is having a marked impact on internationalization, with lack of funding seen by HEIs worldwide as the most important internal and external barrier to internationalization.

The report includes more than one hundred Figures and Tables presenting, comparing and analyzing global (aggregate) results as well as those specific to the six world regions. Analysis of the regional findings is supplemented by commentaries from senior higher education experts in internationalization from each of the regions. Where appropriate, comparisons are drawn with the results of the IAU 2005 Global Survey on Internationalization, showing both continuity and change. A detailed analysis of how enrolment size affects the form and function of internationalization within HEIs and a review of the Association’s perspectives and role in internationalization is also included.

The report is based on responses from 745 higher education institutions and close to 20 national university associations in 115 different countries. The IAU 3rd Global Survey Report is therefore the most geographically comprehensive collection and analysis of primary data on internationalization of higher education ever undertaken.

For more information please contact Ross Hudson, IAU Programme Officer

To order the report, please complete and return the order form.

IAU_2005_Report

Internationalization of Higher Education: New Directions, New Challenges - 2005 IAU Global Survey Report

Second in the series, the 2005 IAU global survey expanded its geographical coverage and broadened the survey to include in addition to higher education institutions, university associations from around the world. At the start of 2005, questionnaires were sent to more than 3,000 higher education institutions, more than 100 national university associations and 17 regional university associations around the world.

• Click here to order

• Highlights of findings

IAU_2003_Report

Internationalization of Higher Education: Practices and Priorities - IAU Internationalization Survey 2003

In early 2003, the International Association of Universities surveyed its institutional members on the practices and priorities of internationalization at their institutions.

• Click here for the full report

Internationalization Stratergies Advisory Service (ISAS)

ISAS_Cover_ENG

The IAU offers the Internationalization Strategies Advisory Service (ISAS) to institutional leaders and teams interested in developing or reviewing their internationalization policy, strategy and various programs. ISAS is available to all HEIs, though IAU Members pay a reduced fee.

Higher Education Institutions around the world are finding that internationalization can no longer be a sideline in the overall strategic planning process or policy development. It is central to the definition of a high quality institution and an important consideration for IAU Members. Through its Internationalization Strategies Advisory Service, the International Association of Universities (IAU) can provide expert advice, up-to-date information and recommend approaches based on best practice around the world.

IAU has become renowned for its longstanding history of promoting, studying and documenting trends in internationalization of higher education and for sharing this knowledge globally. As IAU Members and others seek to increase the level of preparedness of their students for a more globalized world, to offer new mobility opportunities for faculty and staff, to review their curriculum for improved internationalization ‘at home’; to strengthen their strategic research alliances or to develop marketing approaches to attract more exchange or fee paying international students, they have asked IAU for assistance so that they can benefit from the best thinking and practice from institutions around the world.

To respond to this need, IAU launched this Advisory Service (ISAS) for institutional internationalization planning and development.

What is ISAS?

In a word, the goal of the ISAS service is to help the university clarify and refine its internationalization strategy. The approach is flexible, and can be tailored specifically to your institution’s needs should you have particular issues that you would like to probe or a particular timetable you would like to observe.

The engagement generally consists of a review of goals, activities, policies, and management structures for internationalization conducted by the institution with guidance along the way as required or requested (through phone and email consultation) and a Self-Assessment guide provided by IAU. Typically, a broadly representative working group is formed in the participating institution to conduct the review and write up a self-assessment report based on the findings. This aspect of the review generally takes between 6 months and an academic year to complete and write up.

Upon completion of the Self-Assessment review, IAU proposes a Panel of Experts who will visit your institution. The panel will be composed of three international experts from all regions of the world; it will include an individual who is familiar with your country and its higher education system. The panel is approved by your university. The panel spends two to three days on campus and meets with as many people and stakeholders in your institution as possible. At the conclusion of the visit, the panel provides preliminary feedback on your institution’s strategies and advice for future directions.

Following the visit, the Panel prepares a report including recommendations for action. The overall process takes eight to twelve months from start to finish allowing ample time for an interactive and inclusive process at the university, involving leadership, faculty, staff, and students.

The fee for the service includes the following:

• An initial visit to meet with the relevant people at your university to launch the process (I would undertake this visit)

• At least monthly phone calls (or as needed) with the chair and/or members of the working group and email consultations as you prepare the self-study

• Visit by panel of experts

• Report of the panel’s findings including recommendations for future actions

The fee does not include the travel and accommodation costs of the panel members who take part in the site visit or my initial visit (for more information on fees, please contact IAU at iau@iau-aiu.net)

All reports and written material prepared as part of this Advisory Service will be confidential and remain the property of the institution. The institution will have sole discretion to publish or disseminate these reports.

Who can make use of ISAS?

ISAS is designed to be useful to any Higher Education Institution committed to internationalization, large or small, in any part of the world, interested in developing, assessing, or improving its internationalization policy and plan. The overall goal is to help the institution reach its internationalization objectives.

Membership in IAU is not a requirement to use this Advisory Service, though priority and discounted fees will be offered to IAU Members.

Working with the IAU Advisory Service can help institutions to:

• Develop a new internationalization strategy or review and refine an existing one;

• Enhance the visibility of institutional goals and commitment to internationalization;

• Align internationalization with the wider institutional strategic planning process;

• Create institution-wide synergy and coherence among disparate education and research internationalization strategies;

• Assess the strengths and weakness of the existing strategies, organizational approaches, programs and activities used to reach internationalization objectives;

• Mobilize a more coherent institutional approach to developing internationalization activities;

• Demonstrate the overall importance assigned to internationalization by the institution.

Where can I find more information, and how can my institution apply?

Further information on the ISAS programme can be found in the ISAS brochure .

Requests for information can be sent to the association throughout the year. Interested institutions are invited to write to Mr. Ross Hudson, IAU Programme Officer at r.hudson@iau-aiu.net

Discussions about scope, timelines and other modalities will determine the next steps. ISAS Fee.

The ISAS service is available to all IAU Members and non-Member Higher Education Institutions on a fee basis. The fees are set annually and are non-inclusive of international travel for site visit by Expert Panel. They are established in accordance with the categories used for IAU membership fees, applying lower fees for institutions in low income countries than for those in high income countries.

To learn about the fees, please contact IAU at iau@iau-aiu.net .

Re-thinking internationalization

A new IAU document entitled: Affirming Academic Values in Internationalization of Higher Education: A Call for Action, is the main output of the IAU International Ad-hoc Expert Group on Re-thinking Internationalization.

Bringing together a growing number of scholars and practitioners who are questioning the current developments in internationalization, the ad hoc Group builds on the lively discussion that took place during the 4th IAU Global Meeting of Associations in Delhi, India, in April, 2011 and poses a number of conceptual questions:

  • Is the concept and the definition of internationalization keeping up with developments in higher education?

  • Is there a shared understanding of the concept?

  • Has internationalization lost sight of its central purposes?

IAU is posing these and other questions in a reflection directly in line with the findings of the 3rd Global Survey on Internationalization.

The Survey clearly points out the differences in why internationalization is pursued in different parts of the world and how it impacts on various institutions in vastly diverse contexts. Furthermore, this initiative is a natural sequel to past normative efforts of the Association, such as the Policy Statement and Declaration and Checklist for Good Practice.

The Ad hoc international Expert Group brings together perspectives from all parts of the world inter alia to: assess the extent to which internationalization activities fit the current conceptual umbrella, to critically examine the causes that are leading to some questioning and even criticism of the concept and to investigate the ways to address these concerns. The Group has met for the first time 'virtually' in July 2011. The Agenda lists the main questions and issues that were covered.

The Notes, prepared by IAU following this first meeting, summarize what was actually a wide ranging beginning to a rich discussion. IAU and all the members of the Group are committed to continue this discussion and move forward in concrete ways in an effort to reposition/reinvent internationalization as a valuable and transformative process of change in higher education in the current context.

As it is essential that we keep the momentum in this initiative going, the Group members agreed to use a large number of upcoming international events to raise similar questions and share the inputs that various audiences may make to the discussion. In case you are interested in taking part in some of these discussions, a number of events was mentioned by the Group members.

Finally, IAU will be building a virtual space for sharing related papers and documents on its webpages devoted to internationalization. Should you have a paper or a presentation that you wish to make known to the Group, or simply to comment on this initiative, please contact Eva Egron-Polak or Ross Hudson.

Policy Statements

From its unique stand point as a global assocaition of institutions and organizations of higher education, IAU has developed advocacy positions on key issues including on internationalization, adopting two distinct Policy Statements in 2000 and in 2004.

These Statements articulate the Association’s principles and make specific recommendations in this field.

IAU Internationalization Policy Statements

• Towards a Century of Cooperation: Internationalization of Higher Education, 2000.

Prepared for the UNESCO World Conference in Higher Education 1998, formally adopted by the 11th IAU General Conference as part of the IAU Policy 2000.

• Sharing Quality Higher Education Across Borders: A Statement on Behalf of Higher Education Institutions Worldwide, 2004.

The statement identified a set of principles that should guide the provision of cross-border education and set forth a series of recommendations. This document, was prepared by the IAU, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and was circulated to higher education membership associations worldwide for comment in 2004.

• Sharing Quality Higher Education Across Borders: A Checklist for Good Practice, 2006.

As follow-up to the 2004 statement, the same four Associations (the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), the American Council on Education (ACE), the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and the International Association of Universities (IAU) elaborated a practical Checklist for Good Practice to be used by institutions. The Checklist is designed as a tool to help institutions ensure that the principles promoted by the Statement were being respected.

Sustainable development

Activities

Latest activity: Promotion of Sustainable Development by Sub-Saharan African Higher Education Institutions, a joint IAU/ GUNI/ AAU Project.


Rationale to the overall theme: IAU recognizes the key role higher education could and should play in the overall process of achieving sustainable development. Leaders of higher education institutions and their academic colleagues are in a key position to contribute to an equitable and ecologically sound future by making sustainable development a central academic and organisational focus. This requires the generation and dissemination of knowledge through interdisciplinary research and teaching, policy-making, capacity-building, and technology transfer. It is critical that higher education institutions understand and accept their responsibility within the broader context of social and economic development, and the building of democratic, equitable and ecologically-minded societies.


Against this backdrop, and noting a sense of urgency, IAU has adopted Higher Education and Sustainable Development as one of its priority themes since 1993. For over fifteen years, the Association has developed projects, taken part in international or regional initiatives and regularly organized events on this theme in order to promote and facilitate universities' responsibility with regard to sustainability.

Contact: Dr. H. van't Land [h.vantland@iau-aiu.net], Director, Membership and Programme Development

Outcomes

Promotion of Sustainable Development by Sub-Saharan African Higher Education Institutions

The Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI), the International Association of Universities (IAU) and the Association of African Universities (AAU) developed a project on the Promotion of Sustainable Development by Sub-Saharan African Higher Education Institutions. The project was financed in part by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation.

The IAU is pleased to announce the publication of the final report of the project. The Report presents an overview of major actions, experiences and practices that sub-Saharan higher education institutions (HEIs) are developing to integrate sustainable development considerations within their activities; identifies the emerging trends and the priority lines of action for the integration of sustainable development considerations in the work of Sub-Saharan African HEIs and raises awareness about the important role of HEIs for promoting sustainable development in the region.

The Report and analysis of the results will be presented during the AAU Conference of Rectors, Vice Chancellors and Presidents of African Universities (COREVIP 2011), held in Stellenbosch, South Africa in June 2011.


Global Survey on Sustainable Lifestyles

A research project aiming at analyzing student perspectives on Sustainable Lifestyles has been launched in February 2009. The Project, coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with the support of the Swedish Ministry of the Environment, is developed in partnership with the International Association of Universities (IAU). The Global Survey on Sustainable Lifestyles is an ambitious initiative meant to explore how sustainable lifestyles, a challenge for present and future generations, are perceived, envisaged and shaped by young adults from different cultures and backgrounds around the world.

Due to its global and diverse membership base IAU has become an active partner of the Global Survey on Sustainable Lifestyles. IAU has invited a selection of its members to actively participate in this project. Participating universities will represent more than 24 countries in all regions of the world (Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America and West Asia).

The project is part of the activities carried out in the framework of the 'Marrakech Process', a global multi-stakeholder platform aimed at promoting the shift towards Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) (http://www.unep.fr/scp/marrakech). The Marrakech Process is building cooperation between governments and various stakeholders for the development of SCP tools, methodologies and concrete activities such as the Global Survey on Sustainable Lifestyles.

A selection of 50 Higher Education Institutions, Members of IAU, has been invited to actively participate in this project.
http://www.unep.fr/gssl
Contact: h.vantland@iau-aiu.net; fabienne.pierre @unep.fr


IAU - UNEP CD Rom

Sustainability Communications - A Toolkit for Marketing and Advertising Courses.

IAU and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) jointly produced a CD-ROM on Sustainability Communications - A Toolkit for Marketing and Advertising Courses.

It provides resources on Sustainability Communications for educators training tomorrow's marketing and communication professionals as well as for marketing and advertising trainers in the corporate field. It is a flexible, interactive tool which provides a synthesis of theoretical and methodological knowledge illustrated by specific case studies. It offers numerous pedagogical resources - short presentations, campaign analyses, exercises, web links, bibliographies and more than 300 downloadable documents - to encourage students and communication experts to engage with sustainable development-- one of the major issues facing society today.

The CD-ROM aims to:

  1. Demonstrate and analyze the marketing and communications potential of sustainable development in the framework of corporate social and environmental responsibility;
  2. Allow the current and future marketing and communication professionals to become fully aware of the key role they could and should play by responding to new consumer demand for sustainability through the promotion of sustainable products and services;
  3. Provide the necessary tools to develop both effective corporate communications strategies that build confidence in greener brands and powerful marketing campaigns on sustainable goods.

The CD-ROM contains both English and French versions. It is downloadable at:
http://www.unep.fr/scp/publications/details.asp?id=DTI/0886/PA


GHESP - Global Alliance to promote higher education for sustainable development

In 2002, four international organisations with a strong commitment to making sustainability a major focus of higher education formed a "Global Higher Education for Sustainability Partnership (GHESP)".

The four founding partners of the initiative - the International Association of Universities (IAU), the University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (ULSF) (external link) and UNESCO (external link) -combined forces in a unique effort to mobilise universities and higher education institutions to support sustainable development in response to Chapter 36 of Agenda 21 (external link)

The partnership came about as a result of the work program of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and in anticipation of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).

The rationale for the partnership was the consensus that higher education must play a central role within the overall process of achieving sustainable development. The partners are still convinced that the leaders of higher education institutions and their academic colleagues in all disciplines must make sustainable development a central academic and organizational focus in order to create a just, equitable and ecologically sound future. This requires the generation and dissemination of knowledge through interdisciplinary research and teaching, policy-making, capacity-building, and technology transfer. It is critical that higher education institutions understand and accept their responsibility within the broader context of social and economic development, and the building of democratic, equitable and ecologically-minded societies.

The objectives of the partnership were to:

  1. Promote better understanding, and more effective implementation of strategies for the incorporation of sustainable development in universities and other higher education institutions, beginning with the over 1000 signatories to the charters and declarations sponsored by the partner organizations. Emphasis is put on the need for interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and research;
  2. Undertake a global review and assessment of progress in making sustainability central to curriculum, research, outreach and operations in institutions of higher education. In so doing, assist UNESCO in its role within the UN system with respect to education for sustainable development;
  3. Identify, share and disseminate widely, via internet, in print, through seminars and other venues, effective strategies, models and good practices for promoting higher education for sustainable development (HESD);
  4. Make recommendations on HESD based on the partnership's research and review and in consultation with key stakeholders from North and South, including business, governments, other UN bodies such as the United Nations University (UNU), as well as other relevant non-governmental organizations;
  5. Demonstrate that it is possible to form a partnership of non-governmental organizations working closely with the UN system to develop and implement a joint action plan addressed to achieve common goals; and analyze this experience as an international demonstration project.

After having initiated projects and other activities for more than 5 years, the partnership ceased its activities.

Documents and outcomes

  • Memorandum of Understanding (pdf, 16 kb) and Action Plan (rtf, 128 kb)
  • Luneburg Declaration on Higher Education for Sustainable Development (rtf, 68 kb)
  • Joint publication IAU / ULSF journals on the theme of higher education for sustainable development Higher Education Policy (15/2, June 2002) and _International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education _(3/3, July 2002)
  • Development of Type II Partnership (rtf, 356 kb) as a major higher education outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)
  • International Conference on Education for a Sustainable Future: Shaping the practical role of higher education for sustainable development. 10 - 11 September 2003, Charles University in Prague, the Czech Republic.
  • Regional Consultations
  • Multiple contributions to debates, conference, etc aiming developing HESD.


IAU Prague Conference: Education for a Sustainable future, September 10-11, 2003

Education for a sustainable future: Shaping the practical role of higher education for sustainable development
Organized by the International Association of Universities (IAU) and Charles University in Prague

Conference Papers

Opening remarks by the IAU President (rtf, 12 kb) and by the Rector of Charles University (rtf, 12 kb)



Keynote Address
Educating Earth-literate leaders (pdf, 88 kb) by Rolf Jucker, University of Wales Swansea, United Kingdom. Stephen Martins, The Open University, United Kingdom


Thematic Plenary


Working Groups


Kyoto Declaration

Kyoto Declaration on Sustainable Development

Following the Ninth IAU Round Table, in Tokyo, Japan, Participants adopted, on 19 November 1993, the following Declaration:

  1. To urge universities world-wide to seek, establish and disseminate a clearer understanding of Sustainable Development - "development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations" - and encourage more appropriate sustainable development principles and practices at the local, national and global levels, in ways consistent with their missions.
  2. To utilize resources of the university to encourage a better understanding on the part of Governments and the public at large of the inter-related physical, biological and social dangers facing the planet Earth, and to recognise the significant interdependence and international dimensions of sustainable development.
  3. To emphasize the ethical obligation of the present generation to overcome those practices of resource utilisation and those widespread disparities which lie at the root of environmental unsustainability.
  4. To enhance the capacity of the university to teach and undertake research and action in society in sustainable development principles, to increase environmental literacy, and to enhance the understanding of environmental ethics within the university and with the public at large.
  5. To cooperate with one another and with all segments of society in the pursuit of practical and policy measures to achieve sustainable development and thereby safeguard the interests of future generations.
  6. To encourage universities to review their own operations to reflect best sustainable development practices.
  7. To request the IAU Administrative Board to consider and implement the ways and means to give life to this Declaration in the mission of each of its members and through the common enterprise of the IAU.

It is recommended that each university, in its own action plan, strive to:

  1. Make an institutional commitment to the principle and practice of sustainable development within the academic milieu and to communicate that commitment to its students, its employees and to the public at large;
  2. Promote sustainable consumption practices in its own operations;
  3. Develop the capacities of its academic staff to teach environmental literacy;
  4. Encourage among both staff and students an environmental perspective, whatever the field of study;
  5. Utilise the intellectual resources of the university to build strong environmental education programs;
  6. Encourage interdisciplinary and collaborative research programs related to sustainable development as part of the institution's central mission and to overcome traditional barriers between discipline's and departments;
  7. Emphasize the ethical obligations of the immediate university community - current students, faculty and staff - to understand and defeat the forces that lead to environmental degradation, North-South disparities, and the inter-generational inequities; to work at ways that will help its academic community, and the graduates, friends and governments that support it, to accept these ethical obligations;
  8. Promote interdisciplinary networks of environmental experts at the local, national and international level in order to disseminate knowledge and to collaborate on common environmental projects in both research and education;
  9. Promote the mobility of staff and students as essential to the free trade of knowledge;
  10. Forge partnerships with other sectors of society in transferring innovative and appropriate technologies that can benefit and enhance sustainable development practices.

In adopting this Declaration, delegates underlined specifically the following points:

  1. That sustainable development must not be interpreted in a manner that would lead to "sustained undevelopment" for certain systems, thus blocking their legitimate aspiration to raise their standard of living.

  2. That sustainable development must take into consideration existing disparities in consumption and distribution patterns, with unsustainable over-consumption in some parts of the world contrasting with dramatic states of depravation in others.

  3. That global sustainable development implies changes of existing value systems, a task UN which universities have an essential mission, in order to create the necessary international consciousness and global sense of responsibility and solidarity.

  4. That university cooperation for sustainable development must also assure that universities from countries with insufficient proper resources may play an active role in the process.

  5. That IAU, through the intellectual and organisational potential of the Association, its clearinghouse, catalyst and network function, has a major role to play in the implementation of this Declaration.

Task force

Terms of Reference

  • Provide advice on on-going IAU activities and projects in the area of HESD;

  • Propose and elaborate new actions and projects the Association could undertake to mobilize and assist its membership to share information and learn from each other as they develop strategies to:

    • Include SD in curriculum
    • Develop 'greening' policies and practices
    • Launch public information campaigns about SD
    • Conduct research projects that can contribute to knowledge about SD;

  • Advise the IAU Secretariat on requests for partnership and collaboration on SD related projects;

  • Review and consider updating the IAU Kyoto Declaration of principles concerning SD;
  • Bring key HESD news, events and information on important activities to the attention of the Secretariat for further dissemination to the higher education community;
  • Represent the Association on SD related committees and at topical country specific, regional or international conferences;
  • Help raise awareness for HESD in the Members countries and regions.

Members

IAU has been working on Higher Education and Sustainable Development (HESD) since it adopted the Kyoto Declaration on Sustainable Development in 1993. The first Task Force on topics related to Sustainable Development was created in 1997. Since that time IAU undertook several initiatives, contributed to many international conferences and held its own conference on this topic in 2003. Key partners for IAU in this area have been UNESCO, ULSF, UNU-IAS among others. IAU remains active by sitting on various committees (the Ubuntu Committee of peers, reviewing the Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs); the UNDESD Reference Group, etc.)

Task Force Members

  • Chair, Prof. Makoto ASASHIMA Managing Director & Executive Vice-President University of Tokyo, Japan

  • Deputy Chair, Prof. Abdul Razak DZULKIFLI Vice-Chancellor University Sains Malaysia, Malaysia

  • Member, Prof. Janyne HODDER President The College of The Bahamas, The Bahamas

  • Secretariat, Hilligje Van't Land, PhD Director, Membership and Programme Development
    IAU Secretariat

Documentation

Definitions:

IAU takes as a reference the "Brundtland definition" (World Commission on Environment and Development) as given in the Brutland Report : Our Common future.

In this definition the term "Sustainable Development" in itself links the two concepts of "environment" and "development" and it refers to "development seeking to meet the need of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It aims at assuring the on-going productivity of exploitable natural resources and conserving all species of fauna and flora."

Sustainable human development: This concept has been further developed within the UN system, which tends to use the term: sustainable human development. The introduction of the "human" dimension places human development at the forefront of regional integration and sustainable development of a country or continent. "In recognition of the centrality of the human dimension to development, the UN general Assembly in 1986 adopted a "Declaration on the right to development" stating that the human person is the central subject of development", and called upon member states "to ensure access to the basic resources, education, health services, food, housing, employment and the fair distribution of income." (Ref: Sustainable Human Development. United Nations Economic Commission for, Africa 1995)


Below please find links to:

Thank you for providing IAU with information on projects and other initiatives in the field of higher education and Sustainable Development that could be included to these lists (h.vantland@iau-aiu.net).


Main Declarations and Charters

  • Tokyo declaration of HOPE, 2009 (external link)
    A commitment to action by ESD Educators and Facilitators (This declaration was adopted at the issue of the ACCU (Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO) organized Asia-Pacific Forum for ESD Educators and Facilitators in Tokyo, in August 2009)

  • Charter for an Alliance of French Universities in Fostering Sustainable Development, 2008 (external link, in French)
    On 3 July 2008, the French Conférence des Présidents d'Universités (CPU) has adopted a charter for the alliance of French universities in fostering sustainable development.

  • Lucerne Declaration on Geographical Education for Sustainable Development, 2007 (external link, French)
    The International Geographical Union (IGU) and Commission on Geographical Education (CGE) see the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014 as an opportunity to confirm its commitment to education for sustainable development. They adopted a "Declaration on Geographical Education for Sustainable Development" (Lucerne, 2007-07-31). The declaration extends the foundational International Charter on Geographical Education (1992).

  • The Graz declaration, 2005 (external link)
    The Graz Declaration was drafted at the conference held from 20-23 April 2005 in Graz (Austria). It addresses in particular the forthcoming Ministerial conference in Bergen to the Bologna-Process and asks Ministers to take appropriate action to incorporate the principle of sustainable development in the establishment of the European Higher Education Area.

  • Declaration of Barcelona, 2004 (external link)
    The declaration of Barcelona is the result of the work of the Engineering Education in Sustainable Development (EESD) 2004 conference scientific committee. The declaration gathers the orientations to be taken to integrate sustainable development in engineering education.

  • Cape Town Declaration on Research for Sustainable Development, 2002 (external link)
    In Cape Town, Republic of South Africa, on 28 July 2002, the Cape Town Declaration was adopted by the Ministers responsible for Research, Science and Technology in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States present at this time at the Cape Town Forum.

  • Ubuntu Declaration on Education and Science and Technology for Sustainable Development, September 2002
    Declaration issued by 11 of the World's foremost global educational organizations and scientific academies (one being IAU) at Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development, stating that there is a need to integrate a sustainable development focus into the curriculum at every level of education, starting in primary school. Background (rtf, 40 kb) - Declaration (rtf, 40 kb)

  • Joint Declaration on Higher Education and the General Agreement on Trade in Services, 2001 (external link)
    The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) is a multilateral, legally enforceable agreement covering international trade in services. Education services, including higher education, are one of the 12 broad sectors included in the agreement. The declaration with respect to the GATS in education services was signed by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), American Council on Education (ACE), European University Association (EUA), Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and 60 recognized institutional and programmatic accreditors in the United States.

  • Luneburg Declaration (rtf, 68 kb), on Higher Education for Sustainable Development, October 2001
    The Luneburg Declaration was adopted by the GHESP partners (IAU, ULSF, Copernicus Campus and Unesco), on 10 October 2001 in Luneburg, Germany, on the occasion of the International COPERNICUS Conference, "Higher Education for Sustainability Towards the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10)" held at the University of Luneburg 8 10 October 2001.

  • Earth Charter, 2000 (external link)
    Shared values, principles and aspirations on sustainable development compiled by The Earth Charter Initiative.

  • World Declaration on Higher Education For the Twenty-First Century: Vision and Change and Framework for Priority Action for Change and Development in Higher Education, 1998 (external links)
    Declaration in which sustainable development in higher education plays an important role. It was adopted by the World Conference on Higher Education (WCHE) on 9 October 1998.

  • Thessaloniki Declaration (rtf, 44 kb), December 1997
    Declaration presented and unanimously adopted by the 83 countries present at the International Conference on Environment and Society Education and Public Awareness for Sustainaility, organised in Thessaloniki by UNESCO and the Government of Greece, from 8-12 December 1997.

  • Declaration of Barbados, 1994 (external link)
    Declaration adopted by the States participating in the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, Bridgetown, Barbados 25 April - 6 May 1994.

  • CRE-Copernicus Charter, 1994
    Charter written by the _CO-operation Programme in Europe for Research on Nature and Industry through Coordinated University Studies _whose aim is to bring together universities and other concerned sectors of society from all parts of Europe to promote a better understanding of the interaction between man and the environment and to collaborate on common environmental issues. Background (rtf, 40 kb) Charter (external link)

  • IAU Kyoto Declaration, 1993
    IAU Declaration adopted by 90 universities leaders that embodies the language and substance of both the Halifax Declaration and the Swansea Declaration. Declaration

  • Swansea Declaration (rtf, 36 kb), 1993
    Declaration released at the conclusion of the Association of Commonwealth Universities' fifteenth Quinquennial Conference, Swansea, Wales, August 1993

  • Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, 1992 (external link)
    United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), Rio de Janerio, Brazil, June 1992. Chapter 36 (rtf, 68 kb): Promoting Education, Public Awareness and training of AGENDA 21, (source: the Report of the United Nations Conference on Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992)

  • Halifax Declaration (rtf, 94 kb), 1991
    Follow-up to the Halifax Conference on University Action for Sustainable Development, Halifax, December 9-11, 1991

  • Talloires Declaration, 1990 (external link)
    Declaration adopted at the Tuft University European Center, Talloires, France, October 1990

  • Stockholm Declaration, 1972 (external link)
    Declaration adopted at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, June 1972


Leadership and other Resources

  • United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014
    UN Resolution on Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, 2005-2014

  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): Environment for Development Environmental Leadership Programmes with focus on integrating human, environmental, and sustainable development dimensions.

  • 1998 WCHE - UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education - Paris, 5-9 October 1998
    Preparing for a sustainable future: Higher education and sustainable human development (rtf, 40 kb): Summary of the thematic debate 2 (October 6, 1998)
    World Declaration on higher education for the twenty-first century: Vision and action (external link)

  • 2002 WSSD - World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, South Africa)
    Education for Sustainability. From Rio to Johannesburg: Lessons learnt from a decade of commitment (pdf) (external link): report on lessons learnt about the contribution of education to sustainable development since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 and up to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). This report was prepared by UNESCO in its role as Task Manager for Chapter 36 of Agenda 21 and the International Work Programme on Education, Public Awareness and Sustainability of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).
    WSSD Official site (external link) and main documents (no longer updated)
    Follow-up of the Summit (external link) by the UN Division of Sustainable Development by the UN Division of Sustainable Development

  • 2009 WCSD - World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development - Bonn 31 March - 3 April 2009
    http://www.esd-world-conference-2009.org/en/home.html

  • Higher Education Funding Council for England
    Website offering a comprehensive list of links to organisations, resources and sites developed by universities and colleges, to aid and inspire higher education institutions in developing an overarching strategy for their sustainable development activity.
    http://www.hefce.ac.uk/susdevresources/strat/

  • UNU/IAS"Mobilising for Education for Sustainable Development: Towards a global learning space base on regional centres of expertise"
    Compiling concept papers, case studies, conference papers and speeches to convey the challenges of education for sustainable development (ESD) and ambitions of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, this report highlights the roles of institutions and higher education in implementing ESD and presents case studies on the concept of Regional Centres of Expertise on ESD (RCE).
    It is available for free at the UNU-IAS website: http://www.ias.unu.edu/binaries2/RCEreport.pdf

  • HEFCE Progress Report: Sustainable development in higher education: Consultation on 2008 update to strategic statement and action plan, Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)
    This progress report and consultation on sustainable development in higher education focuses on:
    • Making sustainable development a central part of the UK funding strategy for future development.
    • Tackling the perception that society is not moving forward fast enough especially where climate change is concerned.
    • Encouraging universities to contribute to sustainable development through teaching and research, as campus managers, as employers and as protagonists in their local communities.
    • Supporting the momentum for change.
    http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2008/08_18/08_18.doc

  • European Portal on Sustainable Development
    The EU's Sustainable Development Strategy aims, in tandem with the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs, for a more prosperous, cleaner and fairer Europe. Sustainable Development is an overarching concept. The EU Treaty requires the integration of sustainable development into all European policies, so that they contribute in an integrated way to meeting economic, environmental and social objectives.
    This site offers information on the History of the idea of Sustainable Development in Europe, a selection of key publications and other relevant information sources. The Commission's activities for sustainable development and related subjects are presented along with the activities of the other European Institutions, the Member States, partners in science and education, and more.
    http://ec.europa.eu/sustainable/welcome/index_en.htm

  • Sustainable Futures Academy This international program prepares higher education leaders to integrate sustainability into the core of their organizations (teaching, research, campus operations, and community outreach.)

  • WBGU Report: World in Transition- A Social Contract for Sustainability, German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU). This report shows that the transition to sustainability is achievable and presents ten concrete measurements to accelerate restructuring in order to achieve sustainability.

  • PERL Progress Report: Partnership for Education and Research about Responsible Living (PERL) This group of over 120 associations has helped bring sustainable development and responsible consumption to the forefront.

  • International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) - IISD Sustainable Development Policy & Practice Links and Articles relating to Sustainable Development by Region

  • Increasing the Handprint - A set of 12 Handprint Resource books
    To find out more visit: http://www.handsforchange.org.

  • International Commission on Education for Sustainable Development Practice
    To find out more visit: [http://mdp.ei.columbia.edu][40034]

  • Resources of Interest for the Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability
    Sponsored by the US Partnership on Education for Sustainable Development, the Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability is an informal network of professional associations. http://www2.aashe.org/dans/resources.php


Education

For a list of:

  • programs,
  • projects,
  • degrees,
  • online resources and
  • student initiatives

please click here


Research / Programmes and projects



International Conferences

Conferences

2011

International Conference on Higher Education for Sustainable Development 14-16 September 2011, Lüneburg, Germany

GUPES Meeting 5-6 September 2011, Santiago, Chile. The First Preparatory, Consultative, Sharing and Learning Meeting for University Leaders and Managers: Increasing awareness for integrating environment and sustainability into university systems and programmes in preparation for Rio+20 Contact: env.edu@unep.org

La Formación de Líderes Universitarios Ambientales 18 October 2011, Quito, Ecuador. Social Responsibility of Universities Workshop: Sustainable Development

International Greening Education Event 19-21 October 2011, Karlsruhe, Germany. Education for Sustainability

2012

PERL Conference: Beyond Consumption - Pathways to Responsible LivingPartnership for Education and Research about Responsible Living (PERL) 19-20 March 2012, Berlin, Germany

World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities (WSSDU-2012) 5-6 June 2012 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

For Other Upcoming Events


Organisations active in the field of SD

For a list of Organisations please click here