International Association of Universities

The 6th edition of New in Hedbib has been released. Containing references and abstracts of the latest higher education (HE) research articles and publications worldwide, this resource is produced from HEDBIB, the International Bibliographic Database on Higher Education. It aims at representing all world regions with a focus on IAU’s priority themes - access to higher education, Education for All; intercultural dialogue; internationalisation; research and doctoral education; and sustainable development. Each edition highlights recommended publications.

Contact: Amanda Sudic

IAU, working in partnership with the British Council’s Going Global Steering Committee, is coordinating the debate on internationalization that forms a central part of this Going Global 2012 (GG2012) (13-15 March, 2012, London, UK).

Chairing a Plenary session entitled: ‘Internationalization of higher education: who benefits who is at risk?’ on March 14, the IAU Secretary General will coordinate the deliberations of six Working Groups which will each address a set of questions on various aspects of internationalization such as:

• the concept itself;
• what is driving internationalization;
• the role of student mobility in the internationalization efforts;
• the extent to which internationalization is conducted in ways that are mindful of higher education’s global responsibility;
• whether and how the process has acted as a catalyst for wider reforms at institutional and systemic levels;
• what may be some of the features of an internationalized university.

The Chairs of each these Working Groups will report back on the outcomes at the final substantive plenary of the conference on March 15. The Working Groups will meet twice during the conference and are expected to prepare practical responses to these challenges.

For IAU, this event offers a timely opportunity to showcase and further the deliberations of the Rethinking Internationalization Ad hoc Experts Group since many members of this Ad hoc Group will take part in the GG2012 and will contribute substantively to the process described above. All GG2012 participants will also have an opportunity to contribute in the debate, as guests at a Reception offered by the British Council on March 14. During this social gathering they will also be invited to offer their views on the six questions mentioned above.

Going Global is growing into an annual international event of some importance and this conference will be an important milestone in the work of the IAU on re-thinking internationalization.

For more information about the Re-thinking Internationalization series of events at GG2012 please visit their website. For the complete set of questions to be addressed by the Working Groups see here and also read a fuller description of the work of the international Ad hoc Group whose efforts are being coordinated by IAU too. The work will carry on even afterwards as IAU prepares for its 14th General Conference where the question ‘Is globalization setting a new agenda for internationalization of higher education?’ forms a central part of the programme. For more information: r.hudson@iau-aiu.net

IAU has been advocating for increased higher education involvement in the United Nations Education for All (EFA) initiative for several years. To support IAU, an international Reference Group of experts from the higher education community was created in 2007. It serves as an advisory group to develop, implement and communicate IAU activities conducted within a comprehensive multi-year project on this topic.

With the recent launch of another 4-year project, entitled Higher education/research for EFA (and MDGs), IAU is now expanding the Reference Group to reflect new viewpoints from the higher education sector. An additional 20 places are now available. Particular attention will be given to experts from non-OECD countries. Interested in joining? Learn more about the Group; read the Call of Participation and TORs and then send a brief statement of commitment. Deadline 31 December 2011.

For further information, contact Nadja Kymlicka or Isabelle Turmaine.

HEP 24/4, December 2011:

The latest issue of Higher Education Policy (HEP) is a mini thematic issue with five papers dealing with sustainability in higher education.
These papers are then followed by articles on accreditation issues in Japan and South Africa and a paper on inter- and transdisciplinary research and education.

Content:

About the Role of Universities and Their Contribution to Sustainable Development – Walter Leal Filho;

Introducing Sustainability into Business Education Contexts Using Active Learning – Jason MacVaugh and Mike Norton;

A Methodology for Sustainability Evaluation and Reporting in Higher Education Institutions - Ana C. Madeira, Maria Antónia Carravilla, José F. Oliveira and Carlos A. V. Costa;

An Integrated Decision-Making Framework for Sustainability Assessment: A Case Study of Memorial University - Bushra Waheed, Faisal Khan, Brian Veitch and Kelly Hawboldt;

Assessing Institutional Frameworks of Inter- and Transdisciplinary Research and Education - Gerhard Weiss, Regina Steiner and Otto Eckmüllner;

Peer Review and the Dilemmas of Quality Control in Programme Accreditation in South African Higher Education: Challenges and Possibilities - Michael Cross and Devika Naidoo;

University Accreditation Developments in Japan: Matching or Moving Beyond the US Process? - Bern Mulvey, Christine Winskowski and Keith Comer.

For more information, abstracts and ordering, please visit the Journal’s homepage on Palgrave’s website.