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From pilot to project in strengthening links
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Background
With the launch of the Education For All (EFA) movement in 1990,
education is increasingly a major issue at both the national and
international levels, with international organisations, governments,
civil society and increasingly the private sector to centrally position
education development in their policies and strategies.
IAU believes that
higher education and research engagement is of critical importance to
overall sustainable quality education development for three main
reasons:
- Initial and ongoing teacher training often falls
under the responsibility of higher education;
- Research on pedagogy, curriculum, learning outcomes,
educational management, etc. are carried by essentially faculties of
education; and
- Impact of achieving EFA and MDGs on higher education
and on society in general remains relatively under-estimated.
2008-2010 Project
For these reasons, in January 2008, IAU launched the project, entitled Strengthening Linkages for Improved
Education: Higher Education and Research Working for EFA and
education-related MDGs. Embracing both EFA and education-related MDGs,
this project is developed around two principle activities: capacity
building and information tools. Some of the planned activities include:
- 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 project findings and foster dialogue between the HE
community, Ministries of Education and development agencies;
- 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.
2005-2007 Pilot
This project 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, organised in the framework of the pilot.
Carried out from 2005 to 2007, the pilot’s aim was to examine the
contribution made by HEIs in achieving EFA targets. 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.
Should you, and perhaps your organisation, would be interested in
becoming involved in one, or more, activities, please let us know.
You can also send us information on this subject to IAU (institutional
policies, articles, essays, etc.) to inform us what your institution or
organisation is doing to address EFA and education-related MDGs.
For further information:
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