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IAU Lynx May 2019
KEEPING AN EYE ON HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENTS WORLDWIDEMay 2019
IAU Lynx offers a monthly overview of higher education developments around the world. It covers new policies, initiatives and projects on various higher education topics. The information is classified by international, regional, bilateral and national initiatives.
INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
UNESCO prize for Teacher effectiveness - nominations open
Nominations are open for the sixth edition of the UNESCO-Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Prize for Outstanding Practice and Performance in Enhancing the Effectiveness of Teachers. The $300,000 prize is awarded every two years to recognise initiatives that contribute to improving teaching and learning quality with a focus on developing countries and marginalised and disadvantaged communities. Deadline: 31 October 2019.
UNESCO Bangkok
Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on Recognition of Qualifications
Mongolia has approved the Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education, known as the Tokyo Convention. It came into effect nationally on 1 May 2019.
UNESCO Institute for Information Technology in Education (UNESCO IITE)
UNESCO IITE and OER Africa have released Understanding the Impact of OER: Achievements and Challenges. This publication critically reviews the growth of OER and its impact on education systems around the world. It includes a synthesis report and country case studies in each of the five UNESCO regions.
International Council for Open and Distance Education - ICDE
ICDE has released a new report Global guidelines: Ethics in Learning Analytics. This guidelines proposes a number of Core Issues that are important on a global basis for the use and development of Learning Analytics in ethics-informed ways. They include, among other things, Student agency and responsibility.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - OECD
OECD has just released OECD Skills Outlook 2019 and How does socio-economic status influence entry into tertiary education? These publications are available online.Return to top REGIONAL INITIATIVES
Africa - Asia & Pacific - Europe
The World Bank has announced funding of 88 million Euros for the Higher Education Development Support Project for Côte d’Ivoire. The project aims to improve higher education management by supporting the government as it modernises governance by giving individual institutions more autonomy. The project also aims to increase enrollment in professional programmes; and to improve the quality and employment relevance of degrees of participating public higher education institutions.
Pan Africa University
The fifth node of the Pan African University (PAU) programme has been launched. The Pan African University Institute for Space Sciences, representing the Southern Africa region, will be hosted by the South African Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). The Pan African University (PAU) is a network of postgraduate research programmes in five regions in Africa. It was launched in 2011 by the African Union Commission to foster excellent research in key development fields and enhance the attractiveness and global competitiveness of African higher education and research.Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO)
SEAMEO has appointed its first female SEAMEO Secretariat Director, Dr. Ethel Agnes P. Valenzuela from the Philippines.Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE)
Presentations from the 2019 APAIE Conference held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in March are now online. Themes addressed include: harmonising regional higher education; mobility and diversity: developing global citizens; and transnational higher education.European Parliament - Horizon Europe adopted
The European Parliament adopted Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme for 2021 to 2027 on 17 April.European University Association (EUA)
Academic freedom
The EUA, All European Academies (ALLEA) and Science Europe have issued a joint Statement in response to infringements on academic freedom and institutional autonomy in the European Higher Education Area. The Statement calls on governments and public authorities to protect academic freedom and safeguard institutional autonomy by providing sound regulatory frameworks and refraining from interference in the internal affairs of higher education and research institutions.Open access
EUA have released the results of their Open Access Survey. The report tracks European universities’ progress towards Open Access. The latest survey gathers data from 321 institutions in 36 European countries. It focuses on open Access to research publications, research data management and research assessment.European Association for International Education (EAIE)
The EAIE have released EAIE Barometer: Internationalisation in Europe: Signposts of Success. The report presents the findings of survey reponses by 2317 practitioners at 1292 HEIs across 45 countries in the European Higher Education Area.Return to top BILATERAL INITIATIVES
Nigeria - Uganda
The Nigerian government has announced that it has recently deployed 76 professors to four universities in Uganda, as part of ongoing efforts to build South-South cooperation and develop local capacity in higher education in Uganda.
Pakistan - Sri Lanka
In May, plans for the Pakistan - Sri Lanka Higher Education Cooperation Programme were agreed between the Pakistan Higher Education Commission and Sri Lankan vice chancellors, the University Grants Commission and Parliamentarians. The programme will offer around 1,000 scholarships to facilitate Sri Lankan students to study in universities in Pakistan in engineering and social sciences.Return to top NATIONAL INITIATIVES
Argentina
Australia
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Chile
France
Germany
India
Japan
Kenya
Malaysia
Mexico
New Zealand 
Pakistan 
Philippines
Turkmenistan 
United Arab Emirates 
United Kingdom 
Vietnam On 8 April, the Plenary of Rectors and the National Interuniversity Council (CIN) took place in Córdoba. The meeting served as a framework to initiate the activities that the Council will carry out in 2019 to commemorate 70 years of free university education in the country.
Review of Freedom of Speech
The Government Department of Education and Training has released the Report of the Independent Review of Freedom of Speech in Australian Higher Education providers. The report details the outcomes of an independent review to assess the effectiveness of university policies and practices on freedom of expressionAboriginal and Tores Strait Islander higher education
Universities Australia and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Consortium (NATSIHEC) have deepened their partnership with the signing of a formal memorandum of understanding.The Minister of Higher Education of the Wallonie-Bruxelles Federation, Jean-Claude Marcourt, has announced funding of 500,000 Euros to support higher education institutions who apply to the European Commission’s Future European Universities project.
Government cuts universities’ budget by a third - Rectors react
On 7 May, further to an announcement from the Brazilian government of significant budget cuts for the sector, Rectors and representatives from more than 60 higher education institutions went to the capital, Brasilia, to pressure the government to give explanations on the decision.On 9 May, Minister of Science and Sport, Kirsty Duncan, launched Dimensions: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Canada, a pilot program which aims to address systemic barriers to research, particularly those experienced by members of underrepresented or disadvantaged groups, including, women, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of minority groups, and members of LGBTQ communities.
On 23 April, the Council of Rectors (CRUCH) held a seminar jointly organised with the University of Los Lagos on the theme ’Admission and University Selection in Chile: How to Respond to the Requirements and Diversity of Talents of Young People of the 21st Century?’. Five measures were presented that might be adopted to introduce changes to the admission system.
Priority research programme for sport announced
In April, the Minister for Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Frédérique Vidal, and the Minister for Sports, Roxana Maracineanu, announced funding of 20 Million Euros for a priority research programme for sport within the context of the 2024 Olympic Games to be held in France.Countering racism and antisemitism in higher education - report
A new report entitled ‘Racism, Antisemitism: How to Act in Higher Education’, (Racisme, antisémitisme : Comment agir dans l’enseignement supérieur) has been jointly released by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, the Conférence des Présidents d’Université, the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles. The report aims to contribute to dealing with and preventing racist, antisemitic et discriminatory occurrences on campus.On 3 May, Federal Education and Research Minister Anja Karliczek and the Gemeinsame Wissenschaftskonferenz (Joint Science Conference of the Federal Government and Heads of Federal States), announced an increase in higher education and research budgets by 3% a year for the next decade. The funding focuses on studying and teaching, innovation in higher education and university research.
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has published an Institutional Accreditation Manual for Open Universities, that presents the NAAC framework for Assessment and Accreditation and key indicators.
The Japan Association of National Universities (JANU), a Member of IAU, has released their latest publication entitled Japanese National Universities. The booklet briefly introduces the Association’s member universities, which consists of all 86 Japanese national universities. It also contains basic information on each member university, such as study areas, student numbers and contact information.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has directed the Commission for University Education (CUE) to establish whether PhDs awarded by local universities meet standards amid concerns that some of the postgraduate degrees are substandard or were obtained irregularly.
The Deputy Education Minister, Teo Nie Ching, has announced that the Ministry of Education is planning a new Higher Education Act to eliminate barriers to free speech in universities. The Ministry is collecting feedback from educational institutions and aims to have the new Bill tabled in Parliament in 2020.
The Ministry of Public Education has launched a call for the National Science Award 2019. The prize will be awarded to a Mexican citizen having significantly contributed to the progress of science, technology and innovation by teaching, research or dissemination work.
Education Counts has released the report Persistent Non-Repayers: The Characteristics of Student Loan Borrowers in New Zealand Who Made No Repayments after study. It analyses the demographic characteristics, prior and post-study activity, and student loan profile of persistent non-repayers.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has launched a Job Portal () that aims to match PhD students with job opportunities in academia, research institutions, and in the private sector.
The Commission on Higher Education, together with leading Philippine universities, has agreed to provide assistance to higher education institutions in the new autonomous region of Bangsamoro to ensure accessible quality education.
A government decree issued on 23 April restricts recognition of foreign diplomas to specific foreign universities and to certain fields of study.
The Ministry of Education has launched a new set of standards for licensing higher education institutions in the UAE and accrediting their academic programmes. It is part of the National Strategy for Higher Education, scheduled to be effective as of September 2019.
Student attainment - Black and Minority Ethnic students
Universities UK has released the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Student Attainment at UK Universities: #ClosingtheGap. The report, which is based on findings from 99 universities and student unions and six regional roundtable evidence sessions, shows that although progress has been made in widening university access for underrepresented students, substantial inequalities persist between students of different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. This is seen notably in the disparity between the proportion of ’top degrees’ achieved by white and BAME students. The report identifies five steps for universities to improve BAME student outcomes.Funding - Scotland
The Scottish government has issued a statement confirming that it will continue to financially support eligible EU students starting their studies in 2020/21 for the entirety of their courses. The Scottish government had previously committed to continuing this funding for 2019/20.Skills and employment - Wales
A new report from Universities Wales Solving Future Skills Challenges in Wales highlights the importance of lifelong learning and higher education in adapting to the challenges of advances in technology and demographic changes.A new higher education research project on climate change adaptation and water resources management in Vietnam’s deltas was launched in April. Funded by the Dutch government, the project will run between 2019 - 2021. Its Vietnamese participants are the Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment, Thuyloi University, and the Institute of Natural Resources and Environment Training. Participants from the Netherlands include the IAU Member Utrecht University, Delft University of Technology, and the University of Twente.
Return to top PREVIOUS EDITIONS
IAU Lynx April 2019
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IAU Lynx December 2018IAU Lynx coordinator: Amanda Sudic
Collaborating team: Clarisse Gemelli, Nicholas Poulton, Samuel Pousson and Carine Sébast
Contact: centre@iau-aiu.net
© IAU 2019 -
IAU Lynx April 2019 KEEPING AN EYE ON HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENTS WORLDWIDE
April 2019
IAU Lynx offers a monthly overview of higher education developments around the world. It covers new policies, initiatives and projects on various higher education topics. The information is classified by international, regional, bilateral and national initiatives.
INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
Mobile learning week
Artificial Intelligence in Education: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Development, the working paper presented at the UNESCO Mobile Learning Week 2019, March 4 - 8 has been released. It features cases studies on how AI technology is helping education systems – higher education included - to use data to improve educational equity and quality. Online videos from the sessions and symposia organised during Mobile Learning Week 2019 to harness AI to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) are available.UNESCO Prize on the use of ICTs in Education
The 2018 UNESCO-King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the use of ICTs in Education award ceremony took place at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on 12 March 2019. The Prize is awarded to two laureates every year and the winners receive 25,000 USD each. This year’s focus was ‘The use of innovative ICT to ensure education for the most vulnerable groups’. Agence universitaire de la francophonie (AUF)
Modernisation of governance - Guinea
On 14 March, a framework partnership agreement between the AUF and the Guinean Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research was signed in Conakry by Jean-Paul de Gaudemar, Rector of AUF and Abdoulaye Yéro Balde, Minister of Higher Education. This partnership specifically focuses on the improvement and modernization of university governance and strengthening quality assurance of Guinean higher education institutions.French language proficiency - online learning
The AUF and the French National Centre for Distance Learning (CNED), signed a framework agreement on 21 March to strengthen cooperation for the reinforcement of French language proficiency by students and teachers of AUF member institutions and for setting up online courses, exchange services and educational resources.Return to top REGIONAL INITIATIVES
Africa - Americas - Asia & Pacific - Europe
African Network for the Internationalisation of Education
9th ANIE Annual Conference - Registration now open
The African Network for the Internationalisation of Education will be holding its annual conference, 2 - 4 October 2019 in Nairobi. This year’s theme is Africa, Internationalization and the Global Context: Making it Work, and registration is now open.Association of African Universities opens North Africa Regional Office
Association of African Universities has opened a North Africa Regional Office. Hosted by Al-Azhar University in Cairo, a founding member of the AAU, the North Africa Regional Office (AAU NARO), was launched at the beginning of March with the aim of increasing the impact of AAU’s activities in North Africa and maximising the benefits of AAU to member universities in North Africa, as well as improving both the visibility of the AAU and the quality of higher education in Africa.Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme 2019
Call for proposals
The call for proposals for the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme has now been published. The overall objective of the programme is to enhance human capital development in Africa, while strengthening intra-African collaboration as called for by Agenda 2063. Proposals should be submitted by 12 June 2019.Online Training Course for Supervisors of Doctoral Candidates at African Universities
An online training course for doctoral supervisors in Africa is organised by Stellenbosch University. the next two web-based learning courses will run from May to July 2019 and from October to December 2019, with more courses available in 2020. The closing date for the October to December session is 29 August.Universities South Africa - Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
A recent symposium on Developing the Capacity of Early Career Researchers took place with the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and Universities South Africa, on 18-19 March, at the University of Johannesburg. A summary of the discussions are now available.Redes de educación superior, Asociaciones y Consejos de rectores de América Latina y el Caribe (RedES) - UNESCO International Institute for Education Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNESCO-IESALC)
The Lima Declaration was issued as an outcome of the Regional meeting of Higher Education Networks and Rectors Conferences (RedES) in Latin America and the Caribbean which was convened by UNESCO IESALC in Lima, Peru, on 13 - 15 March. The Declaration advocates for the implementation of the CRES 2018-2028 Action Plan, which defines strategic actions of Latin American higher education institutions for the next ten years, with the final goal of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU)
Collaborative research programme - Call for proposals
The AAOU has released a call for proposals for the AAOU Collaborative Research Programme which has been launched to institutionalise research collaboration; and promote the generation and building of knowledge on open, distance and e-learning. Deadline: 30 June 2019.European Commission
European Universities Initiative
The European Commission has announced that it has received 54 consortium pilot applications for the European Universities Initiative by the 28 February deadline. The Initiative, consists of networks of universities across the European Union which will enable students to obtain a degree by combining studies in several European countries. Financing for the pilot programme will be increased to €60 million which will enable 12 of the 54 networks to be selected for funding in the first stage of the pilot.Gender equality targets in research and HE
The European Commission has released Guidance to Facilitate the Implementation of Targets to Promote Gender Equality in Research and Innovation. It draws on national action plans and practices and provides recommendations to facilitate the implementation of gender equity targets in research institutions and higher education establishments as requested by the Council of the EU.European University Association (EUA)
The EUA has published The Role of Universities in Regional Innovation Ecosystems. Based on research in nine different European regions and universities in Finland, Czech Republic, France, the Netherlands,Germany, the UK, Portugal, Poland and Spain, this study analyses the interactions between universities, companies, governmental agencies and other public organisations.Return to top BILATERAL INITIATIVES
Australia - Indonesia
Australia and Indonesia have signed the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) designed to provide better and more certain access to the Indonesian market for Australian exporters. Education-wise, it plans the accreditation of schools and academic programmes and the future liberalisation for Australian universities setting up in Indonesia.France - Kenya
In March, French Minister of Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal, and the then Kenyan Minister of Education, Amina Mohamed, signed bilateral agreements aimed at deepening cooperation in higher education and research between both countries. These include agreements on exchange of students and staff; food security projects; and a Memorandum of Understanding on Joint Research, Initial and Executive education. Several agreements between French and Kenyan universities were also signed.
United Kingdom - South Africa
In March, the British Council, through a partnership with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), announced funding for 20 higher education partnerships, involving 22 South African Universities (including Universities of Technology) and 19 Universities from the United Kingdom.
United States - Egypt
During a recent visit to Egypt, USAID Administrator Mark Green announced that the US would be investing $90 million in the creation of three Centres of Excellence in Egypt with the aim of fostering lasting partnerships between Egyptian public universities and universities in the US.Return to top NATIONAL INITIATIVES
Argentina Brazil
Brunei Darussalam Canada
China
Colombia
Costa Rica France Germany India Kenya
Korea
Malawi Mexico New Zealand Pakistan 
South Africa 
Spain United Kingdom 
United States Vietnam On 12 March, the second meeting to develop the ‘Entrepreneurial Universities’ government policy was held by the Argentinian Government with the participation of the Council of Rectors of Private Universities - Consejo de Rectores de las Universidades Privadas, CRUP. The meeting aimed to develop the strategic plan within the context of the ‘Entrepreneurial Universities’ government policy, that aims to create and to implement entrepreneurship in universities.
Masters and PhD studies - new regulations
On 22 March, a new decree which updates the regulations for Masters and PhD studies in Brazil (in Portuguese) was published in the government’s official journal by the CAPES agency of the Ministry of Education (Coordenação de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior).Academic Doctoral Programme for Innovation
On 13 March, the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development held the first seminar of the Academic Doctoral Programme for Innovation that was launched in 2018. The Academic Doctoral Programme aims to enhance the contribution of doctoral research in technology and science to businesses.The Ministry of Education has released its 2018 - 2022 Strategic Plan. Improving the quality and access to post-secondary education has been identified as a priority objective for delivering holistic education to achieve full potential for all.
Higher education and research finance - 2019 Budget
The Canadian Government have announced the 2019 Budget. Among provisions for higher educationfinance, CAN$ 147.9 million (EUR 97.5 million) will be invested over five years for an International Education Strategy; CAN$114 million (EUR 9.5 million) over five years for research, and $26.5 million (EUR 17.5 million) per year ongoing in the federal granting councils’ Canada Graduate Scholarship programme. The budget also provides for expanded paid parental leave for students and postdoctoral fellows, In response, Universities Canada released a statement saying Canadian universities appreciate support for lifelong and work-integrated learning, international study, and commitment to help students enter the workforce through 40,000 proposed new work placements per year by 2023 - 24.Preventing sexual violence at universities - Ontario
In March, the Ontario government published the results of the Student Voices on Sexual Violence survey, which was completed in 2018 by over 160,000 students in Ontario higher education institutions. In response, the Council of Ontario Universities, representing Ontario’s universities, has reaffirmed their commitment to addressing sexual violence and supporting survivors and have outlined an integrated approach by universities to addressing the issue of sexual violence in a 10-Point Plan, to strengthen on-campus support and prevention programmes.On 1 March, the Ministry of Education released the list of Chinese universities that have been designated to speed up the transformation of scientific and technological achievements (in Chinese), as well as technology transfer.
The National Council of Rectors of the Colombian Association of Universities (Asociación Colombiana de Universidades - ASCUN), an IAU Member, met with the Minister of Education, María Victoria Angulo, on 21 March to discuss the 2018 - 2022 National Development Plan. The meeting emphasised the importance of cooperation between the government and higher education institutions and the Minister invited the leaders to come up with initiatives that could foster the education development plan.
In February, the National Council of Rectors released the 2019 Declaration - Year of Gender Equality, Non-Violence and a Fairer Society which calls for higher education institutions to be free of gender discrimination, violence and social inequalities, as an integral part of a strengthening of democracy and development of the country.
Gender statistics
On 8 March, International Women’s Day, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation released ‘Towards Women’s-Men’s Equality? (Vers l’égalité femmes-hommes?). The publication provides a 2019 update on gender equity access, graduate employment, research and academic positions in several European countries.
http://cache.media.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/file/Egalite_et_discrimination/52/9/parite2019_1087529.pdf (in French)International students
The Government agency Campus France has released the latest annual statistics on student mobility, both worldwide and to and from France. Key Figures 2019 show that France is the fourth highest destination for international students, with over 245,300 international students in 2016. The figures also show an increase of 50% outward bound student mobility from France since 2011, with over 90,500 students studying abroad in 2016, the sixth highest internationally. More than half of French international students study in Canada, Belgium and Switzerland.International students from Africa
Campus France has also released a paper on international student mobility of students from Africa (in French), both worldwide and in particular to study in France. It includes a discussion of the possible impact of the newly announced government strategy to introduce much higher student fees for non-European students at universities in France.The German Rectors Conference (HRK) has issued a report on their most recent consultation to German universities about the enrolment rate of refugees. According to the report, the number of refugees enrolled at German higher education institutions has risen significantly. Since 2015-16, 10,087 refugees have enrolled in higher education.
The Minister for Human Resources Development has launched the Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS) scheme to provide industry apprenticeship opportunities to 2019 graduates. The programme aims to improve students’ employability by better aligning learning with industry skills needs.
In March, the President, Uhuru Kenyatta, nominated a new Education Minister. Prof George Magoha, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, will replace Amina Mohamed. The remit of the Ministry includes all levels of education, including higher education.
International students - New visa rules
The Korean government has introduced new policies that will tighten rules on student visas for international students. The government has said that the policy is in response to an increase in international students overstaying in Korea after their visas have expired.Parliament recently approved a bill repealing the University of Malawi Act of 1965 to allow several constituent colleges of the University of Malawi to become autonomous institutions.
On 19 March, a Memorandum to Foster Values in Universities was signed at the Senate of the Republic by ANUIES (National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions), an IAU Member, and the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace. The responsibility of universities towards society is at the core of the Memorandum.
Student safety and extremism - universities react
Universities New Zealand, have released a statement condemning the terror attack in March in Christchurch. Addressing the international student community, they affirm that universities in the country are doing everything possible to support their students and to ensure campuses remain the safe places they are supposed to be.Qualifications framework changes
New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) has released its summary of the feedback to the consultation on proposed changes to the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) initiated in 2017 to ensure it remains fit for purpose, flexible and adaptive to the future needs of learners, employers and other stakeholders.The Government Senate Standing Committee for Less Developed Areas has directed all public and private universities to open their campuses in underprivileged areas of the country. In addition, the committee directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to ask all public and private universities to open campuses in Tharparkar, Layyah, Badin, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh and Ziarat.
Government to settle historic student debt
Higher Education Minister, Naledi Pandor, announced in March that it has made available Rand 967 million (Eur 59.5 million) for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) to settle historic student debt. This was over and above an introduction of the fee-free policy in 2018.National Qualifications Framework Bill
In March, the South African Parliament approved approved the National Qualifications Framework Bill which notably provides for dealing with fake qualifications.CRUE, the Spanish Universities association, a Member of the IAU, is collaborating with the Spanish government to develop the National Action Plan for the Implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Roberto Fernandez, President of CRUE, is a member of the newly formed Spanish Council of Sustainable Development and participated in the Council’s launch in Madrid on 26 February. Headed by the High Commissioner of the Spanish government for Agenda 2030, Cristina Gallach, the Council, formed of 50 civil society representatives, will be responsible for implementing the government’s actions for achieving Agenda 2030. CRUE is also examining policies and programmes to identify opportunities to implement the SDGs effectively in the Spanish higher education system via its Inter-sectoral Committee for the 2030 Agenda.
New international strategy - Government
The UK government launched the International Education Strategy in March. The strategy sets out the government’s ambition to increase the value of education exports to £35 billion per year by 2030 and to increase the total number of international students choosing to study in the UK higher education system each year to 600,000 by 2030.Universities UK, in response to the strategy, welcomes the plans and the targets for the increase in international student numbers, but calls for an extension to two years post-qualification for employment visas.
International students - economic impact
The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and Kaplan International have released a report which details the economic benefits of international students who work in the UK after graduation, in particular from tax revenues. The analysis additionally shows international graduates who find employment in the UK typically do so in sectors that suffer from acute skills shortages.Grade inflation - Government Education ministry responds
The Department for Education Chief Minister, Education Secretary Damian Hinds, is calling for universities to end grade inflation, unexplained increases in the proportion of top grades of Bachelor degrees awarded in the UK. This was highlighted in recent statistics released by the Office of Students, a government body, which showed that 27% of students in the UK obtained a first-class undergraduate honours degree in 2016-17, up from 16% in 2010-11.Freedom of speech - Executive order by President to HEIs
On 21 March, the United States President released an executive order entitled ‘Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities’ that would hold higher education institutions that receive federal research funding accountable for protecting free speech. The Executive Order directs 12 federal grant-making agencies to certify that institutions receiving federal research funds comply with existing law and regulations involving free academic inquiry.Proposed 2020 budget - HE cuts announced
The proposed 2020 budget announced in March contains cuts to the Department of higher education, as well as student loans and Pell Grant funding, Educational Opportunity Grants and cuts to the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. It also eliminates the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants.
In response, the American Council on Education, an IAU Member, has released a statement detailing their concerns and calls on lawmakers to reject the cuts envisioned by the budget proposal.The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) has released Statistics of Vietnam Education and Training that features information and data on higher education institutions, students and faculty.
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PREVIOUS EDITIONS
IAU Lynx March 2019
IAU Lynx February 2019
IAU Lynx December 2018IAU Lynx coordinator: Amanda Sudic
Collaborating team: Clarisse Gemelli, Nicholas Poulton, Samuel Pousson and Carine Sébast
Contact: centre@iau-aiu.net
© IAU 2019 -
IAU Lynx March 2019 KEEPING AN EYE ON HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENTS WORLDWIDE
March 2019
IAU Lynx offers a monthly overview of higher education developments around the world. It covers new policies, initiatives and projects on various higher education topics. The information is classified by international, regional, bilateral and national initiatives.
INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
The call for nominations for the fifth edition of the UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is now open. The Prize annually rewards three outstanding projects and programmes promoting ESD with USD 50,000 each. Deadline for nominations submission: 30 April.
UNESCO and the L’Oréal Foundation have announced the laureates of the 21st International Awards For Women in Science, which honours outstanding women scientists, from all over the world. These exceptional women are recognized for the excellence of their research in the fields of material science, mathematics and computer science.
UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP)
UNESCO IIEP has released the report Quality and Employability in Higher Education: Viewing Internal Quality Assurance as a Lever for Change. The publication discusses the role of Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) in improving student learning, boosting employability, its integration in HEIs’ strategic management and how it can support the development of a quality culture. Recommendations for both national and institutional policy-makers on IQA management and implementation are included. Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA)
Presentations of the 2019 AIEA Annual Conference, which took place in January 2019 in San Francisco, are available online. The theme was: “What’s Next? Possibilities and Probabilities in the Future of International Higher Education”. International Council for Open And Distance Education - ICDE
The ICDE held its Lifelong Learning Summit, 11 - 13 February in Lillehammer, Norway. Entitled Lifelong Learning for Lifelong Employability, the summit allowed researchers and professionals in lifelong learning and ICT in education to share their research and knowledge with representatives from industries and employers organisations. Presentations and highlights are now available. Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges - EAUC
International Green Gown Awards - Call for Applications
Applications to the International Green Gown Awards have been extended to 29 March 2019. Administered by the EAIE and supported by UN Environment, the awards recognise exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges – from teaching and research, leadership, buildings and food, to how students can benefit the quality of life in the communities around them. The IAU are co-hosting the International Green Gown Awards Ceremony at the High Level Political Forum in New York in July 2019. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development - OECD
OECD has just released two new publications: Trends Shaping Education examines major economic, political, social, environmental and technological trends affecting all levels of education. It covers a wide array of topics related to globalisation, democracy, security, and ageing.The OECD Review of Higher Education, Research and Innovation: Portugal. This report was requested by the Ministry for Science, Technology and Higher Education (Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, MCTES). It provides information of the key elements and dynamics that drive Portugal’s higher education, research and innovation system and the opportunities to enhance it through government policy.
Return to top REGIONAL INITIATIVES
Africa - Asia & Pacific - Europe
Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA)
The government of Germany has linked with the Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) to fund EUR 5 million for a scholarship scheme for Masters degree students, under the East African Community Scholarship programme, from the six member states of the bloc, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.PhD opportunities for Ugandan and Kenyan nationals
The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), an international scientific research institute, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya is offering two PhD scholarships to Kenyan and Ugandan nationals. Funded through a research grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and jointly supervised by scientists from ICIPE, Aga Khan University, Makerere University and University of Berlin, Germany, the scholarships will cover all costs of the PhD programme, including travel, living expenses, medical insurance, university fees and all research and training costs. Closing date: 11 March 2019Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU)
AAOU is calling for nominations for its President and Members of the Executive Committee for 2020-2023. Nominees must be a full member of AAOU for the last three consecutive years.
Deadline: 30 July 2019Asia Foundation
A recent ceremony at the Ministry of Higher Education in Kabul, Afghanistan celebrated the academic achievements of 712 undergraduate Promote women scholarship recipients. The programme, which is supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), helps students from economically challenged families pursue higher education at national universities in Afghanistan and international universities in India. The Foundation also awarded graduate scholarships for 2018-2019 to 150 women to pursue master’s degrees in India.European Union
New copyright rules for universities and research
The European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the Commission have reached an agreement to reform copyright rules. Specifically, students and teachers will be able to use copyrighted materials in online courses, including across borders, for teaching. In addition, universities and research organisations hey will benefit from a copyright exception to carry out text and data mining on large sets of data. The agreement needs to be confirmed by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU in the coming weeks.European Commission
Transnational partnerships in HE
The European Commission has published Mapping of European transnational collaborative partnerships in higher education. The report presents the results of a survey on cross-border cooperation in higher education. It details existing transnational partnerships between higher education institutions in Europe.Erasmus+
The European Commission has released the annual report for Erasmus+ 2017.Indicators for monitoring education
The European Commission’s Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (Eurydice) has released Structural Indicators for Monitoring Education and Training Systems in Europe. Covering all levels of education, the report includes indicators and targets for higher education and graduate employability.Integrating refugees into Higher Education
Eurydice has also just published ‘Integrating Asylum Seekers and Refugees into Higher Education in Europe: National Policies and Measures’. The report presents indicators on migratory flows which provide the context and offers an overview of policies, strategies and measures that exist across European countries.European University Association (EUA)
Open access research
The EUA has published its response to the ‘Plan S” open access consultation by Science Europe. This comes subsequent to an announcement by European research funding organisations who announced that from 2020 scientific publications based on the results from publicly funded research must be published in compliant Open Access Journals or platforms.No-deal Brexit plans
EUA and Universities UK have released a guidance document to assist universities prepare for a no-deal Brexit. The document points to the areas where universities can act and indicates for general actions that can be taken.Active learning
EUA has published Promoting Active Learning in Universities, which provides findings of an EUA Thematic Peer Group and examines the place of active learning to foster skilled professionals, critical and creative thinkers, and engaged citizens. It also points to the need for a cultural shift in the academic environment, in which teachers would become facilitators of learning and students their active partners.Return to top BILATERAL INITIATIVES
Australia - Indonesia
The Australian government signed a free-trade deal with Indonesia on 4 March. The Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), includes a provision which will allow Australian-owned universities to operate in Indonesia.European Union - Australia
The European Union concluded a new agreement with the Australian Research Council (ARC) in Brussels on 13 February that enables researchers from Australia to join research teams funded by the European Research Council (ERC) across Europe.France - Tunisia
On 14 February, a cooperation agreement for the new Franco-Tunisian University of Africa and the Mediterranean was signed in Paris by the French Minister of Higher Education and Research, Frédérique Vidal, and her Tunisian counterpart, Slim Khalbous. The new University in Tunisia will grant French diplomas and offer courses in the humanities, social sciences and communication technologies. The joint university aims to open in the academic year 2019-20.India - Morocco
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Morocco to facilitate Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications was signed on 22 January 2019 and approved in February. Meant to deepen, enhance and strengthen bilateral cooperation in education and human resource development, it is also expected to increase the inflow of Moroccan students to India under the Study in India Programme.Ireland - Brazil
A new five-year strategic partnership was agreed in February between the Irish Research Council and the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), the largest public research-funding organisation in Brazil. The partnership will support and encourage collaboration in basic scientific research and collaboration conducted by researchers in Ireland and researchers in the State of São Paulo.United Kingdom - Vietnam
23 Memoranda of Understanding were signed between Vietnam and UK education institutions, including higher education, at the end of January. An MoU was also signed by Vietnam’s minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha and Education minister of Wales Kirsty Williams on research and management cooperation between Vietnamese and Welsh educational institutions.Return to top NATIONAL INITIATIVES
Austria
Australia Canada
Egypt France
Greece
Hong Kong
India
Ireland
Israel Kenya
Mexico
Mauritius
Mongolia
Nigeria 
Norway 
Spain 
Sri Lanka
Taiwan 
Thailand United Kingdom United States 
Zimbabwe 15 Austrian universities have recently founded the UniNEtZ network to tackle the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The universities, including IAU Members University of Graz and the University of Salzburg, will be working on the SDGs in a transdisciplinary approach, to reflect the complexity of the SDG framework.
Gender equity - preventing violence programme
Universities will partner with the nation’s leading agency dedicated to preventing violence against women to develop a next-generation respectful relationships education programme for students in Australian universities drawing on violence prevention and online learning research. The online module is part of a whole-of-institution approach to prevent violence — the Respect and Equality Program (REP) for senior leaders, staff and students to promote gender equality.Guidance for HE institutions on sexual harrassment and assault
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) has released a Report to the Minister for Education: Higher education sector response to the issue of sexual assault and sexual harassment. It presents TEQSA’s analysis of the responses and information from nearly 170 higher education institutions and details the actions TEQSA is taking to support provider responses to sexual assault and sexual harassment.International students - English language requirements update
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) has also published an updated version of the Guidance Note detailing TEQSA’s expectations of providers offering English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) programmes for entry to higher education institutions.International student numbers increase
International student numbers in Canada increased by 16% in 2018 according to new data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada published by the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE). This is a continued trend from 2017, when international student numbers increased by 20%.Redefining access - Ontario
The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario has released Redefining Access to Postsecondary Education. The report details how despite a dramatic rise in enrolment at Ontario’s higher education over the past two decades, there has been little progress in equitable access. It argues that a new approach to access is needed, focusing on helping underrepresented students rather than continuing to expand overall enrolment.The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar has announced that the Egyptian government will construct eight international universities in the country by 2020.
France and Brexit
The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI) have updated ‘FAQ Brexit’, providing information on the implications of Brexit for higher education and research in France. (in French), and for French international students in the UK.Lifelong education and universities
MESRI has also published the latest statistics on continuous and lifelong education, three quarters of which takes place at public universities in France. Mainly financed by companies and official agencies, nearly 100,000 diplomas were issued to those taking these courses. Greece
Education Minister, Costas Gavroglou, has announced that plans to merge technical colleges with universities will continue, despite protests by some university staff. Hong Kong
Accreditation report
The Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) has published its Annual Report for 2017/18. Themed “Defining Standards, Appreciating Diversity”, it outlines the Council’s work and activities including as well as the Financial Report for the past year.Developing higher education - Call for papers
Presentations and papers are welcomed for the 25th Anniversary Conference of the Federation for Self-financing Tertiary Education (FSTE) entitled ’Developing Higher Education for Next Decade’ to take place in Hong Kong, in June 2019. Deadline: 18 March 2019.Digital education
The Minister of Human Resource Development has launched “Operation Digital Board” to leverage technology that aims at introducing digital education to public higher education institutions by 2022 in order to enhance the quality of education across the country.New government actions on ’Fake’ universities
The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has listed actions that the Central Government and the University Grants Commission (UGC) have taken against fake Universities running without recognition as well as measures to raise awareness among the general public, students and parents on fake Universities.Association of Indian Universities - Secretary General post open
Nominations are invited for the post of the Secretary General of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). Deadline: 18 March 2019.Research investment
In February, Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan TD, announced details of €4.3 million investment in the Irish Research Council’s Enterprise Partnership Scheme. which will provide funding for 53 researchers to take up positions at higher education institutions in collaboration with 48 partner organisations.Ireland-Palestine masters scholarships launched
An Ireland-Palestine scholarship programme was launched in February by Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney. The initial cohort will see twenty full scholarships for Palestinian students awarded for a wide variety of Masters level courses in higher education institutions in Ireland in the 2019/20 academic year.Data released in March from the Council of Higher Education shows that the number of Bedouin students enrolled in undergraduate programs in Israeli institutions has doubled over the last decade. However, their number is still low compared to general access rates.
New HE and research Institute
The United States International University-Africa, in Nairobi, a Member of IAU, recently launched the Institute of Higher Education, Research and Leadership Development to deal with challenges in higher education such as funding and low student enrollment rates, as well as explore solutions that can improve the management of institutions of higher education in Kenya and worldwide. The institute will also develop a governance programme for senior leadership within institutions and develop programmes for managers.Mexico’s president, Andres Manuel López Obrador has published plans for education reform which make all levels of education including university study, compulsory are being discussed in Mexico’s National Congress. The policy would be supported by making higher education free and by opening 100 new universities. ANUIES, the Mexican National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions, have questioned this plan would be funded at a time when existing public institutions are suffering funding cuts.
Introduction of Free Higher Education
From the start of the 2019 academic year, education in all public tertiary education institutions for both full-time and part-time courses leading to a certificate, diploma or degree, will be free for all Mauritian citizens. The initiative is part of a series of measures to provide equal opportunities for students.Mongolia’s National Council for Education Accreditation (MNCEA). has announced that all foreign education quality assurance agencies and organisations operating or planning to operate in Mongolia are requested to register with the MNCEA.
In a Memorandum of Action signed by the government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the government has agreed to release funding for the revitalisation of public universities. Subsequent to this meeting, the Union has officially suspended a strike by academics which began three months ago.
The Government has released a White Paper on Quality culture in higher education. The White Paper details expectations of higher education institutions on raising quality, and the measures that the Government will implement in order to realise these expectations.
Universities to promote Open Science
In February, CRUE, the Spanish Universities Association, an IAU Member, released a position statement on Spanish universities’ commitment to Open Science, as a collaborative, transparent and accessible approach to research. The publication details ten concrete actions, together part of a structural change in the way that universities conceive of both research and the dissemination of its results.Brexit and Erasmus - Catalonia
the Catalan Association of Public Universities (ACUP) , an IAU Member, has released a statement on Brexit and the Erasmus programme.The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and four Sri Lankan universities have signed project agreements to foster science and technology in Sri Lanka’s higher education. The programme plans to construct faculty buildings following green building standards; develop degree curricula incorporating industry inputs and aligned with international standards; support the recruitment and training of academic staff for the new programs; strengthen staff performance management systems; and initiate university-industry partnerships for research and development.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) has launched the Technical Universities’ International Talent Cultivation University Pilot Project. Six universities were selected to participate in the project aimed at developing cooperation with international technical universities; Improving students’ technical skills, knowledge and international competitiveness; and improving standards in Taiwan’s industry.
New Ministry
The bill for the creation of a new Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation has has gone to the National Legislative Assembly for first reading . If passed, the current Ministry of Science and Technology and the Office of Higher Education Commission (OHEC) would have equal roles in integrating resources for the work of the new Ministry.Distance learning - Call for Papers
Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) is calling for papers for its International Conference on Education themed “Distance Learning: Research and Innovation for Digital Society”, which will take place in Nonthaburi, Thailand in August 2019. Deadline: 31 March 2019.Brexit and Erasmus+
The UK Government has released new Guidance for Erasmus+. In the case of Brexit with a withdrawal agreement, the UK will participate in Erasmus+ until the end of 2020. In the case that there is no withdrawal agreement, the Guidance says that the UK will negotiate with the EU with the aim of securing the continued full participation in Erasmus+ until 2020.Erasmus+ - universities’ response
In response, Universities UK has released a statement advising the government to reconsider its position, since this will ensure funding for current Erasmus+ students, but not funding for for European study abroad placements beyond this.Universities Enterprise Zones
UK Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, Chris Skidmore, has announced a £10m fund to facilitate interactions between universities and small businesses. Managed by Research England, the funds will enable ten universities to develop university incubators into University Enterprise Zones (UEZs) to help strengthen links between research developed in universities, and align this with the needs of local businesses.Funding - Scotland
The Scottish Funding Council announced on 28 February funding allocations for universities for academic year 2019/20 which reduces funding to universities by 1.8%.
https://www.universities-scotland.ac.uk/university-funding-cuts-deeper-expected-half-institutions/Part-time students increase - Wales
The Welsh Government reports statistics that there has been a 35% increase in part-time undergraduates from Wales, further to a 58% increase in the number of postgraduates supported by the bursaries and grants this year in Wales.Confucius Institutes - Senate report
A US Senate committee report ‘China’s Impact on the U.S. Education System’ examines the operations and impact of Confucius Institutes, which operate at universities in the United States and in other countries. The report states that the institutes are funded “with strings attached that can compromise academic freedom”, It recommends that unless there is full transparency regarding how Confucius Institutes operate and full reciprocity for US cultural outreach efforts on college campuses in China.Faculty and equity
A new report from the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California provides the results of a national survey of university and HE faculty. It explores faculty perspectives on the fair treatment of female faculty and faculty of colour, analyses satisfaction with the equity of salary and job benefits and faculty readiness to deal with diversity-related conflict in the classroom.The government, through the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE), is reviewing degree programmes offered at the country’s State universities. This is being done in an effort to improve university curricula and increase graduate employability
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IAU Lynx February Edition
IAU Lynx December Edition
IAU Lynx November EditionIAU Lynx coordinator: Amanda Sudic
Collaborating team: Nicholas Poulton, Samuel Pousson and Carine Sebast
Contact: centre@iau-aiu.net
© IAU 2019 -
IAU Lynx February 2019 KEEPING AN EYE ON HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENTS WORLDWIDE
February 2019
IAU Lynx offers a monthly overview of higher education developments around the world. It covers new policies, initiatives and projects on various higher education topics. The information is classified by international, regional, bilateral and national initiatives.
INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
Recognition of migrants and refugees qualifications
A new policy paper What a waste: Ensure Migrants and Refugees’ Qualifications and Prior Learning are Recognized (French version) reviews global progress towards the recognition of qualifications and of prior learning and identifies examples where countries have made special provisions for migrants and refugees.Global Education Meeting - Brussels Declaration
The Global Education Meeting - Brussels, 3 - 5 December 2018 - reviewed progress towards the global education targets and commitments in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The outcome is the Brussels Declaration that calls for strengthened collective action to achieve SDG4, “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.Global Educational inequalities data
UNESCO has released new data on educational inequalities, notably on higher education attendance and higher edication completion rate by region, countries and by income groups.UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE)
Presentations from the international training workshop Digital technologies and transformation of higher education, held in Georgia in November, are now online. Discussions covered: main trends of HEIs’ digital transformation; ICTs’ potential for developing universities and the educational ecosystem; digital skills and information Literacy; digital resources and OERs.UNESCO Bangkok - Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education
The policy brief Developing Holistic Indicators to Promote the Internationalization of Higher Education in the Asia-Pacific, proposes indicators to capture broader dimensions of HE internationalization, other than student mobility, at system and institutional levels. It aims to help users better understand and adapt the indicators for internationalization for use in their local contexts.UNESCO Office in Beirut
UNESCO Beirut has agreed with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education on the priorities of the higher education sector framework for doctoral studies. These are: the establishment of a National Qualification Framework (NQF); the design of a new HED strategy; ensuring quality assurance; and building a comprehensive framework for doctoral studies.
Agence universitaire de la francophonie - G3 Quality Colloquium
The 2018 edition of the G3 Quality Colloquium was held at the Université de Montréal, Canada, in October 2018 on the theme of Quality Approaches in Higher Education: What are the Effects?Presentations and videos are now available. Lumina Foundation
A new report published by the Lumina Foundation ‘All Around the World - Higher Education Equity Policies across the Globe’, based on a global survey of 71 countries, finds that although for most countries, equity is a priority theme in the higher education agenda, a number of countries do not have clear equity promotion strategies or mobilise sufficient resources for access. OECD
OECD has just released The Future of Mexican Higher Education - Promoting Quality and Equity, available online. The publication assesses national higher education governance and co-operation structures, and the relevance of existing national strategies. It also looks at public funding of higher education institutions,quality assurance; and the extent to which the higher education system contributes to equity.The World Bank has just released South Africa Economic Update : Enrollments in Tertiary Education Must Rise. The report asserts that the recent South African policy, which offers free higher education to 90% of academically eligible students in order to increase access and enrolments, will put a strain on the national budget and examines how it can be achieved without compromising education quality and fiscal sustainability.
Return to top REGIONAL INITIATIVES
Africa - Asia & Pacific - Europe
African Union - Association of Association of African Universities (AAU)
The African Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ASG-QA) of Higher Education
has just been published. It is a result of an initiative implemented by a consortium including the Association of African Universities (AAU) and the European University Association (EUA), the aim was to promote and facilitate a harmonized HE system in Africa, as well as to promote mobility, The Guidelines will be submitted to the African Union this year for a more formal endorsement.African Minds - Research universities in Africa
‘Research Universities in Africa’ has just been published by African Minds. The final publication from the HERANA research project, the open access publication presents data gathered from eight African universities based on the full 15 years of empirical data collected by the project over the period 2001-2015.Association of African Universities (AAU)
Call for applications Female Participation in Science in African Universities
The Association of African Universities (AAU) in collaboration with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) is looking for a consultant with research experience to conduct studies into factors affecting female participation in science in Africa. Closing date: 15 February 2019.eLearning Africa 2018 and African Ministerial Round Table
The report of the eLearning Africa 2018 conference, held in September in Kigali, Rwanda, has just been published. It includes an examination of the Africa Ministerial Round Table which focused on the theme ‘Towards a Knowledge Based Economy’.In a Joint Statement issued at the 22nd EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Brussels, Belgium, 21 January 2019, ASEAN and EU Foreign Ministers and representatives committed to: promote cooperation on education, notably involving academia, and encouraging bilateral student and academic mobility at HEIs; enhance cooperation in communication, science, technology, and innovation.
Vienna declaration signed by 10 Rectors Associations
Organisations representing the heads of universities in 10 European countries (Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland),signed the ‘Vienna Declaration’at a meeting in December in Austria. The Declaration stresses the imperative of academic freedom, academic integrity in teaching and research, and the autonomy of universities. The declaration also calls on governments to prevent any undermining of research, and institutional autonomy and expressed concern at movements in Europe and beyond that threaten the democratic nature of institutions and societies.European Union - Erasmus+ proposed regulation for Brexit
The European Commission has proposed a Regulation to Erasmus+ in case of a no-deal Brexit. Under the regulation, contingency measures would be put in place to avoid the disruption of Erasmus+ student mobility activities involving the United Kingdom at the time of its withdrawal from the European Union.Erasmus + - Community engagement in HE
The Erasmus + project ’Towards a European Framework for Community Engagement in Higher Education(TEFCE)’, led by the Institute for the Development of Education (Croatia) and the Technische Universität Dresden (Germany) and with ACUP (the Catalan Association of Public Universities,) has released its first publication ‘Mapping and Critical Synthesis of Current State-of-the-Art on Community Engagement in Higher Education’.European University Association (EUA)
Doctoral education
The European University Association (EUA) has published Doctoral Education in Europe Today. The report presents the results of research gathered from more than 300 institutions across Europe, and provides an overview of the deep transformation that has taken place in doctoral education over the past ten years.Academic teaching careers
The European University Association (EUA) has published two reports on the situation and challenges of academic teaching career paths across Europe and the Continuous Development of Teaching Competences for academic staff.Return to top BILATERAL INITIATIVES
Germany - UK
In January, Vice chancellors from the UK Russell Group and the German U15 signed a declaration pledging their commitment to promote research, innovation and student education post-Brexit.Philippines - Turkey
The Philippines’ Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Turkey’s Council of Higher Education (YÖK) signed the Protocol for Cooperation in the Field of Higher Education in November. The agreement aims to strengthen the academic cooperation between the two countries for the next three years. It will enable faculty and student mobility; offer scholarships and training programmes, and research activities.
Mongolia - Taiwan
The Mongolian National Council for Education Accreditation (MNCEA) and the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan (HEEACT) signed a three-year term memorandum of understanding in November. They agreed to collaborate in exchange of staff, reviewers and evaluators to observe both organisations’ accreditation evaluation activities, jointly develop accreditation workshops and seminars, and cooperatively lead institutions through the accreditation process.
Return to top NATIONAL INITIATIVES
Australia
Belgium Canada
Chile France
Germany Hong Kong
Hungary India
Indonesia Ireland
Japan
The Netherlands Nigeria 
Philippines Spain Thailand United Kingdom United States 
Venezuela The Minister of Education and Science, Lindita Nikolla, resigned on 8 December. Besa Shahini, former deputy Minister of Education has been appointed in her place. This comes further to nationwide student protests since December 2018, in the context of raised tuition fees, low government funding of universities and increased privatisation.
Financial data
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency’s (TEQSA) has released Key Financial Metrics on Australia’s Higher Education Sector, a snapshot of selected key financial metrics across the Australian HE sector with a special focus on dual sector providers - higher education providers that deliver both higher education and vocational education and training.Educational quality
The 2018 Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency’s (TEQSA) conference, themed innovation, excellence and diversity was held in Melbourne in November 2018. Presentations are now available online and cover student perspectives on excellence and diversity, online higher education trends and the value of degrees in the future workplace.Women academics and leadership
The Universities Australia Executive Women’s Group has developed a new guide entitled Sponsorship: Creating Career Opportunities for Women in Higher Education. It outlines how senior leaders can actively create opportunities to develop the skills and careers of their staff and provides strategic advice and practical tips to tackle the under-representation of women in senior university leadership.Fourteen new development cooperation projects are starting this year in 12 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. Funded by the Belgian Cooperation, the projects, selected by ARES, the organisation of higher education institutions in the Belgian Wallonia-Brussels Federation, focus on training and scientific research around development issues and are implemented by higher education institutions in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and their partners in France.
A new report by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, Minding the Gap?, examines students’ perceptions of the gap between skills they develop in higher education and those they think they will need in their future careers.
In January, Education Minister, Marcela Cubillos, and leaders of 17 higher education institutions took part in the inaugural session of Advisory Council for Higher Education which will manage the implementation of Chile’s new Higher Education law. The law, which was passed in May 2018, establishes free higher education for a majority of the country’s population, especially those who are economically marginalised.
International students’ fees - Universities respond
15 universities in France have stated that that they will not implement the fee increase for international students, which was announced in November by the government. The French Association of University Presidents (Conférence des Présidents d’Université - CPU) has released a statement asking the government to suspend the fee increase due to start in 2019-2020, and for a consultation to take place.Enrolment
The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation released a report in January providing data and results of the first year of the new system and platform for undergraduate admissions to universities in France, called ‘Parcoursup’.Medical studies
A bill on changes to medical education will be introduced to Parliament in the spring. This follows the announcement in September by President Macron on the reform of medical education. The proposed law will abolish the rule setting quotas on the number of students admitted to second and third years of medical studies from 2020. Instead, universities will themselves decide on the number of students admitted.Teaching
The Centre for Higher Education (CHE - Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung) has released a new report entitled Reflecting on Rankings : How good is teaching at German higher education institutions (report in German) which finds that while the general framework for the country’s universities needs improving, students are nevertheless largely satisfied with their degree courses.Academic mobility - residency rights
The German Rectors’ Conference has released an updated leaflet (in English) on the rights of residence in Germany for researchers from non-EU countries. It provides an overview of the different residency options available for academics.Digital research and sustainable development
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Development Institute (DIE) have published a joint expert paper on digitisation in higher education and research with regards to sustainable development. The paper was developed at the international expert meeting on “Digital Transformation: Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development”, which took place on 8-9 November 2018 in Bonn.In December, the University Grants Committee (UGC) released a Study of Tuition Fee Policies in the Higher Education Sector undertaken by The Higher Education Policy Institute. It reviews a variety of approaches adopted by different jurisdictions - Singapore, England, Australia, USA, Germany, Ireland, Chile, Norway - to finance undergraduate education and share costs between government and students.
Tempus Public Foundation (TPF) in partnership with the Ministry of Human Capacities successfully completed the project: Continuing EHEA reforms in Hungary at the end of 2018. The project aimed to support internationalisation, to foster mobility and the usage of EHEA tools, to enhance capacities of HEIs, to improve quality of teaching and learning, and to promote innovation and university-business cooperation.
Online courses credit transfer
92 universities have accepted credit transfer for online and MOOCs courses through the ’Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds’ (SWAYAM) Platform.Access quotas to be implemented
The Government has announced that from the academic year 2019-20, a 10 per cent quota for ‘Economically Weaker Section (EWS)’ will be implemented across 900 Universities and 40,000 colleges across the country. Additional places will be created in these institutions to implement the quota.Research publications
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has set up a Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics (CARE) to refine and strengthen research publication in Social Sciences, Humanities, Languages, Arts, Culture, and Knowledge Systems. CARE will maintain the UGC approved list of journals, referred to as ‘CARE Reference List of Quality Journals’. Indonesia
The Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education’s national meeting held at Diponegoro University on 4 January resulted in the production of seven recommendations outlining support to: learning and student affairs; Agencies for technology, science, technology and higher education; research and development; and internal monitoring; and the launch of the agency for university entrance tests (LTMPT) to administer the tests based on principles of credibility, justice, transparency, flexibility, efficiency and accountabilityPost-brexit fees for UK students
The Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, and the Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh, announced in January that UK nationals wishing to study in Ireland for the 2019-2020 academic year will continue to pay the current fee rate for European students. The government also said that they will continue support for Irish higher education students planning to study in the UK.HE statistics released
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has released the latest statistics for the Irish higher education system on enrolments, qualifications, finance and graduates. The data shows that the trend of increasing enrolments to the higher education system continues in 2017-18.International Students
The results of a survey of international students in Japan from the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) shows that international student numbers in Japan have increased for the sixth year in a row. There were 298,980 foreign students in 2018, compared with 267,050 in 2017, an increase of 12%.International cooperation
The Japan Association of National Universities (JANU) has released presentations from the 2018 Japan-Spain Presidents’ Joint Symposium themed "Promotion of Academic Cooperation between Japan and Spain" - University of Salamanca, November 27 and 28, 2018 and the 2018 Japan - France Symposium in Higher Education” themed "The universities’ roles and internationalization in the regional development" which was hekd jointly with the French Conference of Presidents of Universities (CPU) and the Conference of Deans of French Schools of Engineering (CDEFI).In December, the Dutch Inspectorate of Education published the results of an investigation (in Dutch) that found that many higher education institutions in the Netherlands contravene the 1992 Dutch Higher Education Law regarding the language of instruction, and that the Inspectorate has failed to monitor whether these institutions comply with this law. Although the law states that the default language in Dutch higher education is Dutch, degree courses in the Netherlands are increasingly taught entirely in English, particularly at Masters level (76% of Masters programmes in 2018-2019).
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, announced in January that the federal government has released the sum of N163 billion (390 Million Euros) to Nigerian universities from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) as part of efforts to end the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Around a thousand Private Higher Education Institutions (HEI) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to implement the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) of Republic Act 10931, a grants-in-aid program designed for poor students enrolled in public and private HEIs with a funding of PhP16 billion from the national government.
HE statistics released
CRUE, the Spanish Universities Association, a Member of IAU, has published ‘The Spanish University in Figures 2016/2017’. This report includes the latest statistics on the Spanish university system, access and demand, research and development, finance, and student and academic mobility.Universities and Sustainable Development Goals - Catalonia
ACUP, the Catalan Association of Public Universities, an IAU Member, has published 40 case studies showing Catalan public universities’ commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.Teaching indicators - Catalonia
ACUP has also just published Education and Teaching Indicators in Catalan Public Universities 2018 which provides data on teaching in universities, taking into account all contributing factors, from the students themselves and the teaching and research staff to the educational courses, their quality accreditation, as well as the infrastructure, international mobility, and the options for lifelong education.New Education Ministers appointed
On 21 January, the Prime Minister Stefan Löfven announced appointments of the new Minister for Education, Anna Ekström, and the new Minister of Higher Education and Research, Matilda Ernkrans.The Ministry of Education, Thailand, Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHEC), has posted the presentations from the international academic symposium on Internationalization of Higher Education held in November 2018 in Bangkok. Topics addressed were: viewpoints from International Agencies; internationalization national Policy; institutional best practices for Internationalization; and developing internationalization indicators.
Legislation passed - Accelerated degrees
The UK parliament has approved the government plans for plans for ‘accelerated’ two-year undergraduate degrees. Under the plans, universities will be allowed to charge higher annual rates for the degree courses, but the overall price for the degree will fall. The courses would have the same number of teaching hours as traditional three-year degree courses.Brexit - universities responses
In an open letter to MPs, Universities UK, the Russell Group, Guild HE, MillionPlus and University Alliance warn that if Britain leaves the European Union without a deal this could lead to “an academic, cultural and scientific setback from which it would take decades to recover.” They call for a guarantee from the UK government that research funding from which the UK may be excluded with Brexit will be replaced.International student revenues
The UK Department of Education has released a report which shows that the value of total education exports (revenues from international students) and transnationational education activity is estimated to be £19.9 billion in 2016, an increase of 3.1 % since 2015 and by 26% since 2010, in current prices.Facts and figures
Higher education in Facts and Figures 2018, released by Universities UK, provides an overview of universities’ research activity, student employability, and information on international students and staff in 2016-17. It also finds that 14% of undergraduate students, 35% of postgraduate students and 30% of academic staff in UK universities were from outside the UK.Title IX - sexual misconduct proposed rule changes - HE responds
The American Council on Education (ACE) ACE and 60 other higher education associations in the United States submitted their response to the Department of Education’s proposed changes to Title IX regulations, which change HE institutions’ responsibilities concerning sexual misconduct allegations. ACE’s statement underscores the commitment of institutions to fairly, effectively, and compassionately investigate and resolve allegations of sexual harassment.Government shutdown - HE and research impact
The impact of the partial US government shutdown on universities and research is continuing, according to Research Vice Presidents at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). Both the APLU and the American Council on Education (ACE) released statements in January warning about the effects of the shutdown particularly on research funding.State HE finance
According to Data released by the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) and Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University (the ‘Grapeline survey’), state financial support for higher education grew by just 1.6 percent in between the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years, a decrease of over 4 % from the previous year. It also found that more than a third of states have decreased their funding in the past year.A report entitled Universities in the Context of the Complex Humanitarian Emergency in Venezuela (Universitarios en el marco de la emergencia humanitaria compleja venezolana) details how a combination of political instability, conflict, social inequalities and poverty has permeated the Venezuelan university community, affecting its performance. Student desertion, according to the report, is between 30% and 40% in the main universities of the country. The main causes are related to the lack of student scholarships and the economic crisis in Venezuela. The report was prepared by the NGO AulaAbierta, together with the Human Rights Commission of the Faculty of Legal and Political Sciences of the University of Zulia, the Observatory of Human Rights of the University of the Andes, and the Center for Peace and Human Rights at the Central University of Venezuela.
Return to top
IAU Lynx December Edition
IAU Lynx November Edition
IAU Lynx October EditionIAU Lynx coordinator: Amanda Sudic
Collaborating team: Nicholas Poulton, Samuel Pousson and Carine Sebast
Contact: centre@iau-aiu.net
© IAU 2019 -
IAU Lynx December 2018 KEEPING AN EYE ON HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENTS WORLDWIDE
December 2018
IAU Lynx offers a monthly overview of higher education developments around the world. It covers new policies, initiatives and projects on various higher education topics. The information is classified by international, regional, bilateral and national initiatives.
INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
2019 Global Educational Monitoring Report
UNESCO has released the 2019 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report assessing progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) on education and its ten targets. Themed Migration, Displacement & Education: Building Bridges, not Walls, it analyses implications of migration and displacement for education systems, measures for better integrating migrants into education systems, and the impact of education on addressing the challenges and opportunities posed.
Background papers that informed the 2019 GEM Report are also available.Gender and STEM
UNESCO has published the STEM and Gender Advancement (SAGA) Improving Measurement and Policies for Gender Equality in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) report. It investigates the current situation of women in science globally, benefits of including gender equality in STI, and the improvement of STI policies and measurement in science to bridge the gender gap.Digital accreditation
The Education Sector of UNESCO has recently released the report entitled Digital Credentialing - Implications for the Recognition of Learning Across Borders, analysing the impact and opportunities of digital technologies on the recognition of skills and learning. Chapters deal with new and emerging trends in digitalisation of credentials, digital credentials eco-systems.UNESCO Bangkok
The 1st Session of the Committee of the Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education (Tokyo Convention Committee) was held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on 18 - 19 October 2018. One outcome is the Seoul Statement that promotes greater mobility of students through quality assurance-supported and learning outcome-based recognition of qualifications in Asia-Pacific. Agence universitaire de la francophonie - G3 Quality Colloquium
The 2018 edition of the G3 Quality Colloquium was held in Montreal on 24 - 28 October on the theme ‘Quality approaches in higher education: what are the effects?’ The G3 is a group of French-speaking universities that aims to facilitate the sharing of expertise and innovative practices in the fields of training, teaching and research. It brings together the University of Montreal, the Université Libre de Bruxelles and the University of Geneva, all of whom are IAU Members. Presentations are available on line. Association of Commonwealth Universities<-]Association of Commonwealth Universities
The 8th biennial ACU Human Resources in Higher Education Community Conference took place at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada from from 23- 26 September 2018. This conference brought together delegates from 20 countries to discuss how human resources can help universities meet the challenges of the future. Presentations are available on line.
World Bank
The flagship report on the status of education in the MENA region has been released by the World Bank. Expectations and Aspirations: A New Framework for Education in the Middle East and North Africa examines reasons why the region has not fully reaped the personal, social and economic benefits of education. It looks at credentials and skills; discipline and enquiry; institutional autonomy; tradition and modernity, and offers recommendations.Return to top REGIONAL INITIATIVES
Africa - Americas - Asia & Pacific - Europe
African Center of Excellence in Energy for Sustainable Development (ACE-ESD)
Call for PhD students
The ACE-ESD based at the University of Rwanda is seeking to recruit a number of doctoral students, from Rwanda as well as candidates from the Eastern and Southern Africa Region in the field of energy with a focus on renewable energy, electrical power systems and energy economics.
Closing date for applications: 10 December 2018.African Minds - New Book Published
The Next Generation of Scientists in Africa has just been released. Based on a four-year study of young scientists, the book looks at the current state of science in Africa, including funding, research output and mobility.Lilongwe Declaration on Education, Science and Technology
The Lilongwe Declaration was recently adopted by the African Union Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government (AU-C10) Championing Education, Science and Technology in Africa which took place in November in Lilongwe, Malawi. In the Declaration, the Committee urges member states to invest 1% of GDP in R&D and 4-6% in education, to commit to enhancing infrastructure and development in African universities. The Declaration is set to be signed at the AU summit in Addis Ababa in January 2019.Pre-selection of 44 African Centres of Excellence (ACE) in West and Central Africa
The current ACE Impact Project focuses on scaling up postgraduate education and applied research that are fundamental to economic growth in the region, and funding up to 300 million USD is expected from the World Bank and Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD). The final selection is subject to certain conditions and funding is expected to be finally approved in April 2019Global University Network for Innovation / Association of African Universities (AAU) / African Quality Assurance Network (AfriQAN) / Conseil Africain et Malgache pour l’enseignement Supérieur (CAMES)
The report and Declaration from the 10th International Conference on Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Africa (ICQAHEA) held in Yaoundé, Cameroon in September, 2018 have just been released. The theme of the conference was Higher education quality assurance and the promotion of synergies among science, technology and humanities: towards the attainment of the SDGs in Africa.UDUAL - Union de Universidades de América Latina (UDUAL)
The Brazil-Southern Cone Meeting of UDUAL, which took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 5 and 6 November, gathered together rectors, university associations and other higher education leaders in the region. A Declaration issued at the conference draws attention to the difficulties public higher education institutions in the region are facing due to political pressures and financial cuts. It calls for reinforcing cooperation in mobility, recognition of studies, joint research and strategies to increase online learning; and strengthening evaluation to improve the quality of education.Asociación de Universidades Grupo Montevideo (AUGM)
‘Approaches on Gender in Universities’ (Los enfoques de género en las universidades) has been released by the Gender and Universities Programme of Montevideo Group of Universities, a network of universities in Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. The online book brings together 11 articles which address incorporating gender equality in university policies and, reflects on actions universities can take against gender violence.Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization - Regional Centre for Higher Education and Development (SEAMEO RIHED)
Country reports and presentations are available from the ASEAN International Mobility for Students (AIMS) Annual Review Meeting which took place in Hanoi, Vietnam in November. To reflect the expansion of cross-border collaboration regionally and beyond, it was announced that the programme’s name would be changed to ‘Asian International Mobility for Students’.Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SEAMEO SPAFA)
SEAMEO SPAFA is conducting a region-wide survey about archaeology education in Southeast Asia by mapping institutions teaching archaeology, and identifying future needs. The survey, open to all, exists in English, Thai, Khmer, Myanmar, Vietnamese, Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia.European Union Support to Higher Education in the ASEAN Region (SHARE EU ASEAN)
The conference ‘Preparing for the Future: The Role of ASEAN (Higher) Education Frameworks in a Disruptive World’ in Bangkok, Thailand, on 29 - 30 October aimed at identifying trends affecting higher education in ASEAN. Conference material is online as well as a Student Statement for strengthening regional/global cooperation in enhancing quality and inclusiveness of ASEAN higher education institutions.European Commission - Eurydice
The European Commission’s Eurydice network has released National Student Fee and Support Systems in European Higher Education 2018/19. The report shows how fee and support systems, including grants and loans, interact in higher education in Europe. It uses current data contrasting large national differences in policies and fees.Horizon Europe
14 European associations representing universities, including IAU Members the European University Association (EUA), UNICA and AURORA, released a position Statement on 8 November on the Horizon Europe programme which is currently being discussed within the European Parliament. The Statement supports a considerable budget increase for Horizon Europe, due to start in 2021, and advocates for the full participation of ‘third’ associated countries.European University Association (EUA)
EUA has published a checklist for universities to prepare for a no-deal Brexit scenario. It concludes that even a no-deal Brexit should not prevent universities throughout Europe including the UK from cooperating in the future.Magna Charta Observatory
New guidelines to help universities develop globally and operate more effectively have been launched by the Magna Charta Observatory. The Living Values guidelines were piloted with universities in nine countries including IAU Members University of Campinas (Brazil), University of Bologna (Italy), Cardiff Metropolitan University (UK), Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Stockholm University (Sweden).Return to top BILATERAL INITIATIVES
Belgium - Morocco
The Minister of Higher Education, Research and Media of the Belgian Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Jean-Claude Marcourt, met with the Moroccan Minister for Education, Training and Higher Education, Saïd Amzazi, in Rabat in November to reinforce collaboration between higher education institutions in both countries. Accompanied by a delegation of 42 higher education leaders, they took part in the first academic Forum between Morocco and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
Czech Republic - Slovak Republic
The Czech Rectors Conference and Slovak Rectors Conference signed a joint Statement on 28 October in Prague at Charles University, an IAU Member. The Statement aims to reinforce institutional cooperation at the bilateral institutional level and more widely in Europe and calls on both governments to support education, science and research.
Germany - United Kingdom
Universities UK President Professor Dame Janet Beer, and Germany’s national rectors’ conference (HRK) President, Professor Peter-Andre Alt, issued a joint Statement at their meeting in November, to continue research collaboration and staff and student exchange between the UK and Germany, post-Brexit.
Hong Kong - Myanmar
The Education Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Ministry of Education of Myanmar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at enhancing bilateral collaboration in the field of higher education. Areas covered include: scholarships; expertise, knowledge, student and staff exchange; teacher training; joint programmes.
Malaysia - Japan
Further to a meeting between Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo in November, the Malaysian and Japanese governments have agreed to start a consultation to set up Japanese university branches in Malaysia.
Pakistan - United Kingdom
The University Grants Commission in Pakistan and the British Council have launched the Pakistan-UK Education Gateway Programme. The Programme aims to enhance bilateral cooperation regarding PhD programmes, student and faculty mobility, funding agencies and research entities, quality and governance, and capacity building programmes.
Switzerland - Korea
Switzerland and the Republic of Korea agreed to further reinforce their collaboration in research and innovation at a meeting between representatives of Swiss and Korean universities and government agencies in November.
Return to top NATIONAL INITIATIVES
Afghanistan Australia Belgium
China
Colombia
Denmark France Germany
Ghana India Ireland The Netherlands
New Zealand 
Norway 
Pakistan
Poland
Portugal 
Rwanda Spain 
Tunisia United Kingdom United States The Ministry of Higher Education has posted online a recap of the major achievements in higher education since 2015. These include access and students support, management and governance, academic programmes, infrastructure enhancement and development, and gender.
Regional education boost
The Department of Education has announced several programmes and initiatives to support student access and participation in higher education across Australia: the Regional Education Package, AUS$134.8 million (EUR 86.7 million) to provide students from rural and regional Australia with greater access to higher education.
Contribution to establishing 16 community-owned, regional study hubs across Australia to provide infrastructure and academic support for distance students from partner universities.Graduate outcomes
The Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) website has published the 2018 Graduate Outcomes Survey presenting the results of a study which measured employment rates and salaries for graduates immediately after receiving their qualification and three years later.Aboriginal Research
The Australian Council of Graduate Research has released Good Practice Guidelines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Education, to help recruit and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates as they pursue research degrees and research careers.The Minister of Higher Education, Research and Media of the Belgian Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Jean-Claude Marcourt, has allocated 500,000 Euros to universities to support their engagement in the new ‘European Universities’ programme which was launched by the European Commission in October.
Reforms
The Minister of Education identified measures to transform undergraduate education. They focus on: revitalising the four-year education system; ensuring knowledge and skills relevance; improving teaching skills and learning resources; reforming teaching and evaluation systems.Maritime Silk Road university consortium launched
A global consortium of universities, the University Consortium of the 21st Century Martime Silk Road, has been launched in Xiamen, China. Established as a component of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Consortium issued a declaration calling for deepened cooperation in shared educational resources, higher education, and scientific research.Shanghai Hong Kong University Alliance launched
The Shanghai Hong Kong University Alliance (SHUA) was officially launched in November. It was established by eight universities in Shanghai and eight universities in Hong Kong in order foster greater exchange and cooperation among universities in mainland China and Hong Kong.Responding to the current financial deficit of Colombian public universities, and national student protests, on 24 November the Government agreed to additional finance of 2.3 billion pesos (630,000 Euros) for public universities from 2019-2022.
On 2 November, all parliamentary parties agreed on the allocation of DKK 1.394 billion (EUR 187 million) for research and development in 2019. The funds will prioritise research and development in energy and climate, green growth, food, artificial intelligence and health tech, and will also be used to establish a number of ‘Pioneer’ research centres.
International students - new government measures
On 19 November, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced measures which aim to increase the number of international students in French universities. The strategy, entitled "Bienvenue en France", includes simplified student and graduate visa regulations but will also increase fees for international students outside of Europe. The number of courses taught in English will rise and more French classes will also be on offer for international students. Responding to this, the French Rectors’ Conference (Conférence des Présidents d’Université) issued a communiqué voicing its concern that the fee increase may prevent students from French-speaking countries, particularly in the South, from studying in France.International students - New observatory launched
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with Campus France, Régions de France and France Urbaine launched the Observatory on International Student and Researcher Mobility on 19 November at a conference organised by the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie, an IAU Member, and Campus France. The Observatory aims to reinforce national and regional partnerships for international mobility and has published its first report.Students with disabilities - survey results
The Conférence des Grandes Ecoles, has published the results of their survey on the situation of students with disabilities in Grandes Ecoles, public selective engineering and business schools. The results show that students with disabilities represent just over 1% of students and that 86% of Grandes Ecoles have disability awareness programmes for their students.Sustainability
Universities in Germany have affirmed their responsibility for sustainable development in recommendations for creating a culture of sustainability at higher education institutions released by the German Rectors’ Conference in November.Research and innovation
Agreements to develop further digitalisation, applied research and practical academic education at Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen) were signed by Federal Minister for Education and Research Anja Karliczek and the science ministers of the federal states in November. The agreements call for joint funding by the end of 2023, more professorships, and the establishment of a research data infrastructure.Student grants
Federal Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek announced that there would be a “substantial increase” in the level of student grants (Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz or BAföG).The Minister of Education, Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, has announced reforms in teacher education to improve the quality of teaching. Students in teacher training colleges will have to graduate with degrees with effect from 2019.
Innovation
The government has launched the Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) programme to encourage the culture of innovation in higher education institutions across India.ICTs
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has invited all Indian Universities and Colleges to participate in an online survey on their use of ICTs to collect data that will inform future efforts in support of the country’s transformation to digital learning.On 12 November, Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, announced the Senior Academic Leadership Initiative for the Higher Education sector. Under the initiative, which responds to the significant underrepresentation of women at professorial level, new and additional female-specific senior academic positions will be created and put in place for the 2019 - 20 academic year. The announcement was made at the launch of the Action Plan for Gender Equality in Higher Education Institutions 2018 - 2020.
The Acceleration Plan for Educational Innovation with ICT has been launched by the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU), an IAU Member, the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences and SURF, an organisation for IT in education. 40 research universities and universities of applied sciences will participate in the four-year programme which aims to optimise opportunities for digitalisation.
University-industry collaboration
Universities New Zealand has released the report Universities New Zealand Collaboration between Universities and Industry that explores the key benefits of university-industry collaboration, and provides insights into how to improve collaboration and measure outcomes.Maori-medium teacher education
National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence, Ako Aotearoa, has released the report on the research project Taikākā - Learning and Teaching Strategies to Optimise Academic Achievement in a Māori-Medium Initial Teacher Education Programmes. It aimed to build upon teaching and learning strategies, including Māori student support initiatives, to improve academic outcomes in undergraduate degree level Māori-medium teacher education programmes.A new national higher education agency, the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku), has been created. It is a result of a merger between the Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU), the Norwegian Agency for Digital Learning in Higher Education and the Norwegian Artistic Research Programme. In addition to continuing the work of the three organisations, Diku is also responsible for establishing a national arena for quality in higher education, and for the Centres for Excellence in Education Initiative (SFU).
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has proposed measures to increase employment opportunities for PhD graduates. They include strengthening of university placements, capacity building programmes, and examination of current faculty recruitment practices.
The Constitution for Science Act came into force in October. The new law combines funding for teaching and research, and provides an increase in funds by PLN 47.5 billion (EUR 11 billion) over 10 years. It also provides more autonomy to universities in setting research priorities.
The Government has published the results of a survey of students living in student residences in 33 public higher education institutions and students living in non-university accommodation, as a first step in the new Law on the rehabilitation and construction of public higher education student residences (law no.36/2018 of July 2018),
(in Portugese)MOOCs and OER framework
The Ministry of Education has published the Rwanda National Framework on MOOCs and OER designed to provide both Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) capacity building methodology for staff at the ministry and universities as well a set of activities to develop open education courses and materials based on recommendations identified in both the Rwandan policy environment and UNESCO publications.Combating plagiarism
The University of Rwanda has developed an Anti-Plagiarism Policy with support of UNESCO and Korean Funds-in-Trust. It establishes a framework (consisting of a policy and guideline documents) for deterring, detecting and dealing with plagiarism consistently across all faculties of the institution.Refugee education
ACUP, the Catalan Association of Public Universities, has released a report on universities’ actions in Catalonia for welcoming refugee and migrant students. It is the result of the #UniversitatRefug Hackathon organised by ACUP and the Fundació Autònoma Solidària which took place in Barcelona in July.Gender equality
Crue Universidades Españolas, the Spanish University association, released a Declaration in the context of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November in which they maintain their commitment to gender equality and to combating gender-based violence.
Measures against terrorism
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has announced new measures to prevent extremism and combat terrorism at higher education institutions (in Arabic). The measures, to be implemented in cooperation with the National Committee for Combating Terrorism, include training and awareness programmes for students.Academic staff reforms
The main measures of the bill on the new status of teaching staff in higher education institutions were agreed on 13 November by the Council of Universities.Research connectivity
The Tunisian Academic and Research Network (RNU) has signed an agreement with the Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN) who will provide internet connectivity between Tunisia and the European GÉANT network in the context of the EU-funded AfricaConnect2 project. The project aims to support the development of high-capacity internet networks for R&E across Africa and worldwide.Accelerated degrees
On 18 November, Universities minister, Sam Gyimah, announced plans for ‘accelerated’ two-year degree courses. If approved by parliament, universities will be allowed to charge higher annual rates for the degree courses, but the overall price for the degree will fall. The courses would have the same number of teaching hours as traditional three-year degree courses.Grade inflation?
A consultation throughout higher education was launched on 26 November by the UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment (UKSCQA) further to a report that examines the large increase in the number of graduates receiving first and upper-second class undergraduate degrees in the UK over the past decade. The report, produced for UKSCQUA by Universities UK (UUK), GuildHE and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, recommends that universities issue a sector-wide statement of intent, leading to actions to protect the value of qualifications.Tuition fees
Where do Student Fees Really Go?, a new report published by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), calls for greater transparency on the use of students’ tuition fees. The report shows that around 45% of tuition fee income is spent on teaching, while most of the rest goes on maintaining buildings, information technology and student support services, such as counselling. The report also shows 74% of students want more information on where their fees go.Knowledge Exchange Framework
Research England has published a report on the responses submitted to their call for evidence on the future Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF). The report highlights almost universal support for supplementation of metrics by additional narrative or contextual information in the assessment of universities.Government entrepreneurship funding - Wales
The Welsh Government has announced a new grant fund to support entrepreneurship in Further and Higher Education. The Youth Entrepreneurship grant comprises £2.5 million (EUR 2.8 million) of Welsh Government funding over the next three years, for institutions to accelerate student entrepreneurship.Universities’ civic contribution - Wales
The Wales Centre for Public Policy has released a report entitled Maximising Universities’ Civic Contribution. It outlines the ways that universities act as ‘anchor institutions’ in their towns, cities and regions and provides recommendations for the Welsh Government that this role be assessed as a formal aspect of universities’ performance and tied to institutional funding.Title IX - sexual misconduct proposed rule changes
In November, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos released proposed amendments to Title IX regulations changing higher education institutions’ responsibilities concerning sexual misconduct. These new rules would require institutions to allow for cross-examination of students in misconduct proceedings and would require the incident to have occurred on campus or in a university-sanctioned activity.International students numbers fall
The numbers of international students enrolling in United States institutions in 2017 dropped for the second year in a row, according to the 2018 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, an annual survey released by the Institute of International Education.International students - economic contribution
Analysis from NAFSA, the Association of International Educators, has found that the 1,094,792 international students studying at universities and colleges in the United States contributed US$ 39 billion (EUR 34.4 billion) to the U.S. economy during the 2017-2018 academic year.Return to top
IAU Lynx November Edition
IAU Lynx October Edition
IAU Lynx September EditionIAU Lynx coordinator: Amanda Sudic
Collaborating team: Nicholas Poulton, Samuel Pousson and Carine Sebast
Contact: centre@iau-aiu.net
© IAU 2018
IAU Lynx November 2018 KEEPING AN EYE ON HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENTS WORLDWIDENovember 2018
IAU Lynx offers a monthly overview of higher education developments around the world. It covers new policies, initiatives and projects on various higher education topics. The information is classified by international, regional, bilateral and national initiatives.
INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP)
UNESCO IIEP has released the findings its recent Corruption-Risk Assessment of the Georgian Higher Education Sector. The report focuses on analysing risks in financing, management of academic staff, and admission and exams. It also provides detailed recommendations to improve ethics, transparency, and accountability and the overall governance of the higher education sector.Unesco Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Call for data
UIS has launched the 2019 Survey of Formal Education, which covers key data for the academic year ending in 2018 required for the monitoring of international and national education goals towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4). Deadline for submitting data: 15 February 2019. Agence universitaire de la francophonie
43 universities in France, Lebanon, Belgium and Burundi - including IAU Members Université Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne (France), Université Saint Joseph (Lebanon) and Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium) - have welcomed over 2000 students who are refugees or asylum-seekers in the context of the AUF project ‘Welcome and integration of students in exile’ (Accueil et intégration des étudiants en exil). The students from 53 countries in the Middle East and Sudan will follow a programme including training in French for non-French speaking students and involves links with local associations and organisations. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
The OECD in partnership with the European Commission has published Supporting Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Higher Education in The Netherlands. The report based on research and case studies within 9 Dutch higher education institutions, presents key findings as well as good practices, teaching and learning approaches, startup support and recommendations. The publication is part of HEInnovate, a joint initiative of the European Commission and the OECD. World Bank
On 23 October, the World Bank and the government of Afghanistan signed grant agreements for primary, secondary and higher education as well as advancing the economic and social standing of rural women. This includes US$5 million additional grant for the Higher Education Development Project (HEDP) to increase access to higher education in Afghanistan
Scholars at Risk
The Scholars at Risk Network, a non-profit organisation, have released Free to Think 2018 which provides data and analysis on attacks on academics, students, and other members of the higher education community throughout the world. The report is the outcome of the Academic Freedom Monitoring Project and details 294 reported attacks on higher education communities in 47 countries, from September 2017, to August 2018.
Return to top REGIONAL INITIATIVES
Africa - Americas - Asia & Pacific - Europe
Ashinaga Africa Initiative - 2019 Leadership Programme
Call for Applications
The Ashinaga Africa Initiative, launched in 2014 aims to contribute to Sub-Saharan Africa’s expanding role in global development through increasing access to higher education abroad. The initiative supports orphaned students who are committed to returning home and initiating change, by providing access to full financial support to study at a university abroad. Closing date for applications: 16th December 2018.Support for self-assessment of African Universities
Call for expressions of interest - deadline extended
The Francophone Institute for University Governance (IFGU) is looking for higher education institutions in Central Africa, the Great Lakes, West Africa and the Indian Ocean that are members of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) and wish to invest in a self-assessment process with the support of the IFGU and partners (in French)
New Deadline for applications: 30 November 2018African Center of Excellence in Energy for Sustainable Development (ACE-ESD)
Call for PhD students
The ACE-ESD based at the University of Rwanda isseeking to recruit a number of highly motivated doctoral students from Rwanda as well as candidates from Eastern and Southern Africa Region in the field of energy with a focus on renewable energy, electrical power systems and energy economics.
Closing date for applications: 10 December 2018.NAFSA Global Dialogue Fellowship Programme 2019
The 2019 edition of the Fellowship Programme will support five university leaders from sub-Saharan Africa to help increase their institutional capacity for international education and expand opportunities for partnerships and exchange of expertise.
Closing date: 16 November 2018UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNESCO-IESALC)
On 9 October, UNESCO - IESALC, represented by its Director, Pedro Henríquez Guajardo, and the Coimbra Group of Brazilian Universities (GCUB) represented by its Executive Director, Professor Rossana Valéria de Souza e Silva, signed a framework agreement for inter-institutional cooperation that seeks to find synergies for the internationalisation of Latin American and Caribbean higher education.Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
The 7th APEC Conference on Cooperation in Higher Education in the Asia-Pacific Region was held on 11 - 12 September, in Vladivostok, Russia. The presentations of the Conference, themed ‘Education in the Digital Era: Challenges and Opportunities for APEC’ are now available. Topics addressed include university-based science and technology park clusters; the Fourth Industrial Revolution, 21st century skills and STEM education; and the university in a multi-stakeholder architecture.European Commission
Networks of European Universities - call for applications
As part of the European Commission’s European Universities Initiative, the European Union has launched a call for applications for the ‘Networks of European Universities’ scheme. Funding of EUR 30 million will support the creation of six cross-border alliances of at least three universities each.European Research Council (ERC)
A new agreement was signed in Kyoto in October by the European Commission’s Director General for Research and Innovation, Jean-Eric Paquet, and the President of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Michinari Hamaguchi. The agreement aims to encourage high-calibre researchers from Japan to temporarily join European Research Council (ERC)-funded research teams.European Association of Universities
The EUA has published Trends 2018 which explores how learning and teaching at European higher education institutions evolve in the context of changing demands, technological and societal development, and European- and national-level policies and reforms. This report gathers data from more than 300 higher education institutions in 48 European countries.Return to top BILATERAL INITIATIVES
Argentina - Qatar
Argentina and Qatar have signed a memorandum of understanding on collaboration in higher education and scientific research. The areas of cooperation will include administration, teacher’s professional development and technology for foreign language learning. Exchange of experts and specialists in these areas will be facilitated.
Egypt - Japan
Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel Ghaffar met with his Japanese counterpart Yuriko Koike in October to discuss cooperation between Egyptian and Japanese universities. A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the Egyptian Minister and the University of Tokyo, an IAU Member, for training university managers.
United Kingdom - Mexico
The agreement on mutual recognition of university degrees awarded by the universities in Mexico and United Kingdom came into operation on 19 September 2018. Signed in 2015, this agreement will facilitate academic cooperation between both countries.
Return to top NATIONAL INITIATIVES
Argentina
Angola
Canada
Chile
Egypt
Finland France Germany Ghana
Hong Kong
Hungary India Ireland
Israel
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Mexico The Netherlands New Zealand Pakistan Rwanda 
South Africa Spain 
Sweden United Kingdom United States The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has launched a web portal for students in the framework of the National Academic Recognition System (Sistema Nacional de Reconocimiento Académico).
Angola
The Minister for Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Maria de Rosário Sambo, recently announced that illegal institutions would not be able to operate from 2019, and defended the current university evaluation aiming to harmonise curricula at national level, and creating standards to be used throughout the country. (in Portuguese)Inclusive best practices
0n 23 October, Universities Canada launched a new online tool to share university best practices and policies in advancing equity, diversity and inclusion.Competency-based Education
The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) has published Competency-based Education: Driving the Skills-measurement Agenda. The report explores the development of CBE in North America and examines its application in Ontario.The Ministry of Education and UN Women ratified their commitment to combat gender violence in higher education at the seminar ‘Strategies and international comparative experiences against discrimination and sexual violence against women in higher education’ which took place on 30 - 31 October in Santiago.
In an effort to modernise and standardise medical education in the country, new reforms in medical education are being introduced in all medical schools, both public and private, from November. Basic medical-education will now take five years instead of six, followed by two years of clinical training instead of just one.
In order to increase the visibility of Finnish higher education around the world, the first Counselors of Finnish Education and Research, have been appointed to Buenos Aires, Beijing, Singapore and Washington. The Team Finland Knowledge Experts, posted at Finnish Embassies, will promote Finnish educational and research cooperation and implement Finland’s policies to promote the internationalisation of higher education and research.
France
Research assessment declaration
On 4 October 2018, the Conférence des Directeurs des Ecoles Françaises d’Ingénieurs (CDEFI)
signed the Declaration on Research Assessment recognising the need to improve the ways in which the outputs of scholarly research are evaluated. It is a worldwide initiative covering all scholarly disciplines and all key stakeholders including funders, publishers, professional societies, institutions, and researchers.Higher education statistics
The first edition of Higher Education, Research and Innovation in figures (Enseignement supérieur, Recherche et Innovation en chiffres) 2018 has just been released. It includes data on 20 key indicators.The German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) has issued a statement on ‘predatory publishers’ - publications which enable researchers to publish for a fee without the necessary scientific quality control. The HRK calls for the pressure to publish to be reduced, and emphasises that quality should consistently be given precedence over quantity in relation to appointments, assessments and evaluations.
The National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) has issued a directive to public universities in Ghana to remove all staff above 65 years from the public payroll. The directive, effective from 31 October is applicable to both academic and administrative staff over 65, although the former have the possibility to being reassigned as "consultants" paid from non-government university funds.
Presentations from the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF) International Conference 2018 in September that celebrated HKQF’s 10th anniversary, are now available online. Themed ’QF in the Next Decade: Quality, Progression and Recognition’ the Conference explored global trends and issues of developing qualifications frameworks.
Academic freedom
The Central European University, an IAU Member, has announced that it will move its U.S.-accredited masters and doctoral programs to Vienna, Austria beginning in the academic year 2019-20. CEU’s decision comes as the Hungarian government has not concluded an agreement allowing CEU to operate freely in Hungary as a U.S. institution, and in the context of government measures against academic freedom.International Hungary - Brazil conference
An international conference, organised by the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference (HRC) and the Coimbra Group of Brazilian Universities, took place in September, at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Themed Global Universities in the 21st Century, the presentations, now available online, covered topics including global geopolitical changes and challenges for internationalization; social accountability, innovation and entrepreneurship, and validation of credits and diplomas.The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released the list of recognised higher education Institutions (HEIs) in India and their programmes through the open and distance learning mode.
In October, the Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, announced an additional €57.4 million in the Budget 2019 to provide 3,500 extra student places and for implementation of HE reforms. She also announced the ‘Human Capital Initiative’ to provide €300 million over the period 2020-2024 to mitigate Brexit risks and boost regional development. The Irish Universities Association, IUA, released a Statement asserting that the budget does not address the current funding shortfall.
The Council for Higher Education has announced a plan to spend 430 million shekels (EUR 102 million) to attract international students, particularly from Asia.
The National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement for Higher Education (NIAD-QE) has released the English version of Japanese College and University Portraits, a portal providing information on higher education institutions and academic courses in Japan.
Ministry changes
As of November, a royal decree has announced that Current Minister of Justice Bassam Samir Talhoni will manage the Ministry of Educationand the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The Ministry was previously led by Azmi Mahmoud Mahafaza who has resigned.The President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, in his State of the Nation Address in October, emphasised the need to increase the quality of education in higher education institutionsin the country. He said that only those institutions providing quality education should remain open, and that universities in Kazakhstan should establish partnerships with leading universities around the world. He also announced the decision to create a new regional higher education institution in the country.
A report on university financing by the Vice-Chancellors Committee shows that public universities are in substantial financilal difficulties. Francis Aduol, chair of the Vice-Chancellors Committee presented the report at a meeting convened by the Ministry of Education and the Commission for University Education (CUE) in November.
In order to bridge the gap between research and its commercial development in higher education institutions, the Secretary of Public Education (Secretaría de Educación Pública) and the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial) have signed a cooperation agreement to train teachers and students in innovation, entrepreneurship, and technological transfer though the establishment of 58 Patents Centers (Centros de Patentamiento)
Nuffic has released the stay rates of international graduates. It shows that almost 25% of the international students who studied in the Netherlands still live in the country 5 years after graduating. https://www.nuffic.nl/en/news/more-international-talents-stay-netherlands/
Impact of university research
Universities New Zealand has released the report Economic Impact of Universities’ Contribution to Innovation. The report provides an assessment of the economic impact of university expenditure on research on local economies, and the wider New Zealand economy.Educational performance indicators
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has published its yearly educational performance indicators for higher education institutions that it funds. The set of measures include first year retention rate and course completion rate.HE participation
Education Counts has published a report that analyse factors associated with participation and achievement in higher education for young people up to the age of 20. The key purpose is to build better evidence on which groups of young people are most at risk of not participating.Countering on-campus extremism
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) and National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) signed a Letter of Intent to engage faculty members and students from universities across Pakistan in developing a national strategy to counter on-campus extremism.
http://hec.gov.pk/english/news/news/Pages/HEC-NACTA.aspxEast African Institute for Fundamental Research opened
Located at the University of Rwanda, the East African Institute for Fundamental Research was inaugurated on 18 October. The Institute is partnered with the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, based in Italy, and UNESCO. Its research programme will include in various branches of physics, and will offer MSc degrees, and later expand into offering PhD programmes.Research investment grows
A national survey produced on behalf of the Government Department of Science and Technology shows that in 2016-17, gross domestic expenditure on Research and Experimental Development (GERD) increasedto R35.7 billion (EUR 2.2 billion), with the higher education sector the largest contributor to the overall increase. While the largest amount of R&D expenditure is spent on research on communicable diseases, over the last decade South Africa has doubled the amount it spends on research into ICT and the environment.New digital initiative
The Spanish National Library and the Spanish Universities association, Crue Universidades Españolas, have signed an agreement to collaborate on the Spanish Web Archive in order to preserve and ensure access to online Spanish documentary heritage.Internationalisation inquiry - findings
The final report of a government inquiry on internationalisation of Swedish HEIs has just been published. Increased Attractivity - Momentum for Sweden as a Knowledge Nation, proposes a comprehensive strategy for expanding the internationalisation of Swedish higher education.Government review - Select Committee findings
The House of Commons’ Education select committee released ‘Value for Money in Higher Education’, on 5 November as part of the Government’s review of post-18 education and funding. The report prioritises support for disadvantaged students and recommends that the government return to the pre-2016 system and reinstate the means-tested system of loans and maintenance grants. It also calls for strict criteria for universities on acceptable levels of pay for senior management and in particular Vice-Chancellors.Flexible learning
Universities UK (UUK) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) have released the findings of research which looked at the decline in part-time student enrolments in the UK and the changing needs of students and employers. The results form the basis of a Statement to the Government recommending more flexible learning opportunities, greater support for students moving between work and study, and more collaboration between employers and higher education.Sexual assault on campus - rule changes being considered
Rule changes to Title IX legislation barring gender discrimination in higher education institutions that receive federal funding are currently being considered by the Government Education Department. The changes would narrow the definition of sexual assault on campus and include a cross-examination provision.Tenure-track positions decline
A recent report by the American Association of University Professors found that non-tenure track positions accounted for 73% of instructional positions across all institutions in the United States in 2016. The decline of tenure-track positions was even greater at two-year institutions.Return to top
IAU Lynx October Edition
IAU Lynx September Edition
IAU Lynx July EditionIAU Lynx coordinator: Amanda Sudic
Collaborating team: Melissa Herlaut, Nicholas Poulton, Samuel Pousson, Carine Sebast and Hilligje van’t Land
Contact: centre@iau-aiu.net
© IAU 2018
IAU Lynx - October 2018 KEEPING AN EYE ON HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENTS WORLDWIDEOctober 2018
IAU Lynx offers a monthly overview of higher education developments around the world. It covers new policies, initiatives and projects on various higher education topics. The information is classified by international, regional, bilateral and national initiatives.
INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
An update on the UNESCO-Shenzhen Project on Strengthening Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Africa has been released. Implemented since 2017 in ten African countries, the project aims to strengthen higher education systems by developing quality assurance mechanisms.
Unesco Institute for Statistics (UIS)
UNESCO-UIS has released The Quick Guide to Education Indicators for SDG 4. The publication describes how to monitor progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on quality education.UNESCO Bangkok Office
Qualifications frameworks
UNESCO Bangkok, with the support of the Republic of Korea Funds-in-Trust, has released Guidelines on Developing and Strengthening Qualifications Frameworks in Asia and the Pacific. Key strategies for developing National Qualifications Frameworks (NQF) and case studies illustrating policies and practices throughout the Asia-Pacific region are detailed.Quality standards consultation - call for participation
UNESCO Bangkok has launched a call for comments and feedback for a consultation on how quality standards are developed and implemented in the Asia-Pacific region before the first meeting of the Tokyo Convention Committee to be held on 18 - 19 October 2018 in Seoul. G20 Education Ministerial Meeting
The G20 Education Ministerial Meeting took place in Mendoza, Argentina on 5 September. The resulting G20 Education Ministers’ Declaration 2018 affirms the unique role of education as a key driver for sustainable development and calls for adequate investment to improve the quality of learning outcomes, and increase equity, inclusion and support to disadvantaged and underrepresented groups.
Higher Education Policy Institute - Higher Education Strategy Associates
The UK’s Higher Education Policy Institute and Canada’s Higher Education Strategy Associates have jointly published a new research paper comparing the spread of means-tested tuition fees across five continents. The case studies include Canada, Chile, Italy, Japan, South Africa and the United States, and a retrospective look at the UK scheme in place until 2016.
New University in Exile Consortium
The New University in Exile Consortium was launched on 6 September. Initiated by the New School for Social Research, with 11 other universities in the USA , the Consortium is committed to the view that the international academic community has both the responsibility and capacity to assist universities and scholars who face increasing attacks around the world.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Education at a Glance 2018
OECD has just released Education at a Glance 2018. The report provides comparable national statistics and analyses the education systems of the 36 OECD member countries, as well as Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Indonesia, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.International education statistics
The OECD has also published the Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics 2018 which provides insights into the functioning of international education systems through a set of harmonised indicators. World Bank
Higher Education Support Project - Burkina Faso
The World Bank approved a $70 million grant in July 2018 to strengthen higher education institutions in Burkina Faso. The project aims to create an online university, the Virtual University of Burkina Faso, support selected higher education institutions, and build capacity within these institutions and the supervising ministry.Higher Education Institutions Capacity Improvement Project - Cambodia
The government of Cambodia and the World Bank has signed an agreement for the implementation of the Higher Education Institutions Capacity Improvement Project (HEICP). Providing US$ 90 million, the project aims to improve the quality of higher education and research in the country and to broaden access to higher education for disadvantaged students.Return to top REGIONAL INITIATIVES
Africa - Asia & Pacific - Europe
AfricaFrancophone Institute for University Governance (IFGU)
Support for self-assessment of African Universities: Call for expressions of interest
The Francophone Institute for University Governance (IFGU) is looking for higher education institutions in Central Africa, the Great Lakes, West Africa and the Indian Ocean that are members of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) and wish to invest in a self-assessment process with the support of the IFGU and partners (in French)
Deadline for applications: 31 October 2018Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
Call for applications for Masters programme
The AUF, in collaboration with the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement and the Agence nationale des parcs nationaux in Gabon, are awarding 40 places for Masters in Coastal and Marine Environment Research and Management to students with engineering or STEM degrees.
Closing date for applications: 18 October 2018 (in French)Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence (ACE) for Development Impact Project
The ACE for Development Impact project was launched at the end of August 2018. It seeks to improve the quality, quantity and development impact of postgraduate education (Masters and PhD degrees, and short-term professional level courses and training) in selected universities through regional specialisation and collaboration.Asian Development Bank (ADB)
ADB has approved US$145 million in loans to develop new applied science and technology programmes in four Sri Lankan universities. The project will construct faculty buildings following green building standards; develop degree programme curricula incorporating industry inputs and aligned with international standards; support the recruitment and training of academic staff for the new programmes; and develop joint proposals with industry partners for research and development.Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - SHARE
The second ASEAN Student Mobility Forum was held in Yangon, Myanmar, on 28 - 29 August. The Forum, jointly organised by ASEAN, the European Union and the Ministry of Education (MOE) Myanmar, aimed at empowering the participating students to positively influence the development of an ASEAN identity in all ASEAN countries, through mobility programmes. The presentations are to be posted online soon.Science Europe
On 4 September 2018, 11 national research funding organisations, with the support of the European Commission and the European Research Council (ERC), announced the launch of cOAlition S, an initiative to make full open access to research publications a reality.European Association of Universities (EUA)
EUA has released a briefing note looking at three developments which bring European and Japanese higher education closer together.Magna Charta Observatory
Background documents, information and videos of the 30th Anniversary of the Observatory of the Magna Charta Universitatum which took place at the University of Salamanca, Spain in September are available online.Return to top BILATERAL INITIATIVES
Argentina - United Kingdom
Argentina’s Minister for Education, Culture, Science and Technology, Alejandro Finocchiaro, and UK Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Education, Lord Agnew, signed an agreement in Mendoza, Argentina in September during the G20 education ministerial meeting to help facilitate greater student mobility. Specifically, Master’s degrees will be mutually recognised between Argentina and the UK, allowing direct access to doctoral programmes in higher education institutions in both countries.
France - Denmark
The Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science, Tommy Ahlers, and the French Minister for European Affairs, Nathalie Loiseau, signed a joint declaration to promote research, innovation and education through increased mobility for students, teachers and researchers.
Return to top NATIONAL INITIATIVES
Australia Canada Chile
China
Republic of Congo
Cuba
Denmark
Dominican Republic France Hong Kong
India Indonesia
Iran Ireland
Italy Japan
Republic of Korea Mexico Netherlands
Nigeria Pakistan
Sudan 
Tanzania United Kingdom United States New Minister appointed
The new Minister for Education, Science and Research, Dan Tehan, was appointed on 28 August 2018.Mapping higher education
Mapping Australian Higher Education 2018 published by the Grattan Institute, the independent public policy think tank, provides an overview of higher education trends, policies and performance. The report also features chapters on higher education providers, students, research, finance and benefits for graduates and employers.Research Training Plan
The Department of Education and Training (DET) has published an update on implementing the Research Training Implementation Plan (RTIP), which was put in place from December 2017. The Plan focuses on five priority issues: Pathways to HDR training; Industry-university collaboration; Equity, Indigenous participation; Quality; Data and evidence to better monitor system performance.National University Mental Health Framework
The Government announced in September that it will provide AUS$660,000 to support development of a new National University Mental Health Framework. The framework will be developed through national consultations with universities and the mental health sector.Universities Canada has released its 2019 budget submission to the Canadian Government. The recommendations include investment in Indigenous postsecondary education access and success; an increase in research scholarships and fellowships; and supporting student participation in work-integrated learning.
The new Minister of Education, Marcela Cubillos Sigall, has announced the appointment of the first superintendent of Higher Education, Jorge Avilés Barros. The new position of Superintendent has a remit to identify the problems in higher education institutions in order to anticipate crises.
During the 2018 Beijing Summit and the Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing in September, the Chinese government pledged to provide government scholarships for African students to study in China. The initiatives, detailed in the FOCAC Action Plan, includes the provision of 50,000 government scholarships and 50,000 training opportunities for students from Africa. China is the second most popular destination for African students studying abroad after France.
The training and qualifications of nurses, midwives and laboratory technicians will transfer to the higher education sector from the academic year 2018-2019. The development, following an agreement signed between the Ministry for Technical and Vocational Education, Training and Employment and the Ministry for Health and Population, takes place within the context of the three-tier higher education reforms in the country.
The Ministry of Higher Education has announced the introduction of short-cycle higher education programmes from the 2018-2019 academic year.
The Minister of Higher Education and Science, Tommy Ahlers, has announced a reduction in the number of places in English medium of instruction Masters and Bachelor of Engineering degree courses at six of the country’s eight universities. According to a study by the Ministry of Education and Science, 42% of graduates from English-language master’s programs have left Denmark within two years of completing their studies.
The National Council for Science, Higher Education and Technology (CONESCyT) has approved the establishment of an agency for accreditation and quality assurance of higher education (Agencia Dominicana para el Aseguramiento de la Calidad de la Educación Superior).
Medical education reform
President Macron has announced changes in medical education, in the context of reforms to France’s health care system. Specifically, the rule setting quotas on the number of students admitted in second year of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy will be abolished in 2020.Educational statistics
The Ministry of Higher Education and Research has released the 2018 statistics for education and Research.Graduate employment - Grandes Ecoles
The Conférence des Grandes Ecoles (CGE) has published an updated infographic on graduate employment and income among its member institutions.The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued the Review Report on Research Policy and Funding. The report details the research landscape of Hong Kong, funding schemes available and presents recommendations to encourage cross-institutional collaborations and knowledge transfer between research and industry.
Innovation ranking
The Ministry of Human Resources has launched an initiative to rank higher education institutions and universities on innovation-related indicators. The Innovation Cell and Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) aims to systematically foster the culture of Innovation in all Higher Education Institutions across the country.New accreditation agency
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a notice officialising the UGC (Recognition and Monitoring of Assessment Accreditation Agencies) Regulations 2018 adopted in August. It plans to set up an Accreditation Advisory Council (AAC) for recognition of Assessment and Accrediting Agencies (AAAs) in addition to the two existing agencies - National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and National Board of Accreditation (NBA).University entrance - new testing agency
The Ministry of Human Resources has announced the creation of the National Testing Agency that will administer entrance examinations for higher education institutions from December 2018, in place of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).The Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education announced the results of the 2018 ranking of Indonesian higher education institutions. The ranking is based on five quality components: human resources; organisational; student activities; research and community service; and innovation.
The government has approved a bill on the right to higher education and tabled it to the Iranian parliament. If ratified, the bill aims to end discrimination against ‘starred’ students, students who are barred from pursuing degrees for allegedly engaging in political activities deemed illegal.
Government funding
In September, the government announced the allocation of a further €6.8 million in funding in support of the ongoing restructuring of the higher education, to build national capacity including in research, and to enhance inter-institutional cooperation. This is in addition to the funding allocation announced in July of €4.4 million for Institutes of Technology.Charter for a Sustainable University System
The Charter for a Sustainable Irish University System, initiated by the Irish Universities Association, was launched on 16 September in Dublin. The charter sets out six core commitments by Irish universities. These include: building on the quality of the student experience in a digital age; increasing investment in research and innovation; expanding student access and engagement with industry; supporting staff development and increased equality and diversity; and securing investment and resources.Gender and Diversity Statement
Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor launched a Gender and Diversity Statement for higher education at the European Conference on Gender Equality in Higher Education in Dublin on 20 August. The policy aims to increase the number of women in higher education, give them better access and to advance career opportunities. Statutory decision-making committees, such as Governing Bodies and Academic Councils, will now be required to have at least 40% membership of either gender.On 17 September, leaders of 10 universities and research institutes in Italy, including Università degli Studi di Udine, an IAU Member, signed an agreement to develop research and study opportunities for scientists forced to flee from war and conflict in their home countries. The agreement was also signed by the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB).
New residency rules for international students
Japan’s Ministry of Justice has announced new rules on residency for international students from Spring 2019. The initiative will mean that graduates can work in any role as long as they earn over an annual salary threshold of 3 million yen (EUR 22 950). Currently, international graduates of Japanese universities who seek to stay in the country face residency requirements that limit them to jobs in their field of study.Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development - government policy
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has developed a policy document on the Promotion of Science, Technology and Innovation for (STI) for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). MEXT has also released the ‘MEXT STI for SDGs Package’ which presents a detailed timeline of major policy measures for implementing the SDGs up to 2030.The Ministry of Education and the Korea Educational Development Institute have announced the results of their evaluation of higher education institutions in the country in the context of a decline in the population of student age. All universities, except for those rated as excellent, will be subject to capacity reductions and face restrictions in accessing low-interest loans from the state.
Online International Collaborative Learning Programme
Call for participation
The University of Veracruzana, an IAU Member, has launched the Online International Collaborative Learning Programme. They have released a call for professors of IAU Member institutions who are interested in participating in this online course.
Contact: anfernandez@uv.mxInternational scholarship funding for Africa
The Ministry for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation is to invest through Nuffic, the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education, an extra €10.1 million in scholarships for 9 countries in Africa and the Middle East.Research integrity
The new Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity comes into force on 1 October. The new Code of Conduct defines five principles of research integrity and 61 standards for good research practices. It describes how institutions must address potential research misconduct.On 24 September, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, announced that the Government has approved the release of N20 billion to revitalise public universities.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) announced in september that it will develop academic collaboration with Sri Lanka through the Pak-Sri Lanka Higher Education Cooperation Programme. The project includes 1000 scholarships for Sri Lankan students, faculty exchange initiatives, training of Sri Lankan civil servants, and establishment of a Department of Language and Culture at University of Colombo.
New strategy for students with disabilities
The Sudanese Council of Ministers has approved a strategy to ensure access for people with disabilities to higher education institutions. The strategy, effective from 2018 to 2022, was outlined on 9 September, by former Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Sumaya Abu Kashwa.Minister of Higher Education appointed
Sadiq Al-Hadi Al-Mahdi was appointed in September as the new Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.The Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) which is mandated to recognise, approve, register and accredit Universities and their programmes announced in September that they have barred seven higher learning institutions from admitting new students.
Essay mills - VCs response
A letter signed by 46 Vice-Chancellors and Heads of higher education institutions to the Education Secretary, Damian Hinds, calls on the UK Government for commercial essay-writing services - ’essay mills’ - to be made illegal.HE statistics 2018
Universities UK has published its 2018 Patterns and Trends report. The report focuses on applications, student demographics and graduate outcomes, staff and finance. Findings show that demand for university places has increased, with those from less advantaged backgrounds 49% more likely to apply than a decade ago and shows that for 2016-17, 19% of all students in the UK were international students.Students in HE in London forecast
The proportion of student participation in higher education in London over the next decade is set to increase by over 50%, according to a new report by AccessHE. Preparing for Hyper-Diversity: London’s Student Population in 2030 also projects an increase in the participation of students from ethnic minorities and students who will be the first in their family to enter higher education.Finance bill passed
A bill which increases education finance for the 2019 financial year, beginning October 2018, has been passed by the Senate. The Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 6157) includes an increase in the the maximum amount of student ‘Pell Grants’ that can be awarded to undergraduate students in financial need; increased funding for eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness programme, and a $2 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health.Innovative leadership
A new American Council on Education (ACE) report highlights how university and higher education leaders respond strategically to growing challenges. Examining data from the American College President Study (ACPS) and information gathered at a roundtable convened by ACE earlier this year, the report distills innovative practices and shared characteristics of leaders in higher education.Impacts of HE access in developing countries
The Institute of International Education (IIE) has published Transformational Leaders and Social Change: IFP Impacts in Africa and the Middle East. The report details the impacts on local communities of the Ford Foundation International Fellowships programme, which support access to higher education for groups from historically disadvantaged groups in developing countries. The report focuses on Kenya, Nigeria, South African and Palestine and examines cross-cutting themes, specifically the experiences of women and the link between higher education and social justice.Return to top IAU Lynx September Edition
IAU Lynx July Edition
IAU Lynx June EditionIAU Lynx coordinator: Amanda Sudic
Collaborating team: Melissa Herlaut, Nicholas Poulton, Samuel Pousson, Carine Sebast and Hilligje van’t Land
Contact: centre@iau-aiu.net
© IAU 2018
IAU Lynx September 2018 KEEPING AN EYE ON HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENTS WORLDWIDESeptember 2018
IAU Lynx offers a monthly overview of higher education developments around the world. It covers new policies, initiatives and projects on various higher education topics. The information is classified by international, regional, bilateral and national initiatives.
INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
Nominations are open for the 2018 UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICT in Education. This year’s theme is ‘The use of innovative Information and Communication Technologies to Ensure Education for the Most Vulnerable Groups’. Two awards will be granted of US$ 25,000.
Deadline for submission: 31 October 2018.On 25 July, Togo became the first country to ratify UNESCO’s Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and Other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in African States, known as the Addis Convention. in August, The ratification process was engaged for Djibouti and Gambia, and Mauritius started accession. The Addis Convention, which will become enter into force when ten UNESCO Member States ratify the Convention, will facilitate academic mobility at national, regional and international levels through the recognition of educational qualifications.
A provisional evaluation framework for higher education institutions in Mali was developed and validated by quality assurance experts at a workshop held in Mali in late June within the context of the UNESCO-Shenzhen Project ‘Strengthening Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Africa’. The evaluation framework will be piloted in the University of Ségou before establishing a complete institutional evaluation system for HEIs in Mali.
UNESCO - International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP)
UNESCO IIEP has published four new policy briefs on Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) in higher education. These are intended to support policy-makers and academic quality officers in developing and implementing more effective and innovative IQA systems. Four themes are addressed: Internal Quality Assurance and Employability - How to Strengthen the Education - Employment Linkage
The Effects of Internal Quality Assurance - How to Make IQA more Effective for Quality Enhancement
Internal Quality Assurance and Management - How to Close the Loop between evidence and Decision-making
Linking External and Internal Quality Assurance.International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) - Pôle Dakar/ Mauritania
IIEP - Pôle Dakar has published a report on higher education and research in Mauritania (Mauritanie - L’Enseignement supérieur et la recherche : éléments d’efficacité - available in French only) in collaboration with the Ministry Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. It presents the sub-sector of higher education, and analyses internal efficiency, costs and financing, and external efficiency in order to highlight barriers to performance enhancement and to the development of research. United Nations
The 2018 SDGs Index and Dashboards Reporthas been launched. It compares the performance of all 193 UN countries on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030, provides detailed SDG Dashboards to help identify implementation priorities for the SDGs and also indicate areas requiring progress. Chevening
Scholarships - Call for applications
Chevening, the UK Government’s international awards programme aimed at developing global leaders, is offering fully-funded scholarships for one-year Masters courses in the UK for the Applications for the academic year 2019/2020.
Deadline for applications: 8 November 2018 Commonwealth of Learning
COL has updated its course on ‘Understanding Open Educational Resources (OER)’ as a stand-alone platform to improve the adoption of OER by teachers, educational institutions and policy makers.Innovations in Higher Education: Re-Imagining Learning, a paper given by Asha Kanwar, COL CEO at the Association of Caribbean Higher Education Administrators (ACHEA) Annual Conference, is now available.
Educause
Educause has published the 2018 NMC Horizon Report. The report identifies key trends and challenges in accelerating technology adoption and charts the impact of innovative technologies for higher education across the globe. Key trends include advancing cultures of innovation and an increase in cross-institution collaboration, the proliferation and maturing of of open education resources and a rise in interdisciplinary studies. International Disability Alliance
International organisations, UN agencies including UNESCO, disability organisations and 46 national governments, signed the Global Disability Summit Charter for Change at the first Global Disability Summit held in London, UK on 24 July. The Charter contains a set of ten commitments aiming to accelerate global action for disability-inclusive development in education, assistive digital technologies; gender equality; and post-disaster reconstruction. The Summit was co-hosted by International Disability Alliance, UK Department for International Development (DfID) in partnership with the Government of Kenya.
International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)
Call for papers
A call for papers has been launched for the International Symposium on Open and Distance Learning (ISODEL) 2018 themed ‘Making Education 4.0 for Indonesia’, to be held on 3 - 5 December, 2018 in Bali, Indonesia. The event is organised in cooperation with ICDE, Indonesian Open University (UT), Indonesian Distance Learning Network (IDLN) and SEAMEO Secretariat.
Deadline for sending abstracts: 10 September 2018. International Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE)
Call for papers
The International Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) has launched a call for proposals for papers and posters for presentation during the 2019 INQAAHE Conference in March 2019. World Academy of Sciences
Call for applications - TWAS Fellowships for Research and Advanced Training
The World Academy of Sciences is offering 3 to 12 months fellowships for young researchers in developing countries in the southto carry out research in another developing country in the south. Applicants must have at least a MSc degree. Applications to be submitted by 1 October 2018. World Bank
The World Bank has announced new Commitments on Disability Inclusion subsequent to Global Disability Summit held in July.
Boston College Center for International Higher Education
Boston College Center for International Higher Education, an IAU Member, has released a report on Higher Education Management Training Schemes in the field of Development Cooperation. Commissioned by the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the report is based on a worldwide survey and shows that while participant numbers for HE management training are low, all regions of the world are either providers or target countries and that the training offered is diverse and evolving.Return to top REGIONAL INITIATIVES
Africa - Asia & Pacific - Europe
AfricaAssociation of African Universities
African Universities WeekThe Association of African Universities (AAU) is inviting all higher education institutions in Africa to celebrate the 2018 African Universities’ Week on 12 - 16 November 2018. The event will look at achievements of the African higher education sector and reflect on progress, challenges and opportunities. The theme for this year is The Africa We Want: The Role of Young People, is inspired by Agenda 2063, highlighting the role to be played by African youth in influencing future policy, legislative and social change.
British Council - DAAD
New Report on Building PhD Capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa
A joint report has been published by the British Council and DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service. Entitled Building PhD Capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa, the report builds upon an earlier report in 2012 by IAU and ACUP (Catalan Association of Public Universities) which looked at PhD programmes in several member universities in Africa. The new report looks at PhD education and training at the national level in six African countries.African Minds
The Influence of Higher Education on the Lives of Young South Africans
Going To University - the Influence of Higher Education on the Lives of Young South Africans, the latest book in the series Higher Education Dynamics has been published by African Minds. Available as an open-access e-book, it is authored by Jennifer M. Case, Delia Marshall, Sioux McKenna and Disaapele Mogashana. It reports on a study in which in-depth interviews were conducted with 73 students from different socio-economic backgrounds who entered university in South Africa some six years beforehand.International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC)
Following the Regional Conference for Higher education for Latin America and the Caribbean (CRES 2018), which concluded on 15 June in Cordoba, ArgentinaIESALC has issued a collection of books available as e-publications on issues addressed during the conference, covering internationalization, autonomy, sustainable developmentand the role of higher education in social challenges.Regional Meeting of Ministers of Education of Latin America and the Caribbean - Regional roadmap for SDG4
The Cochabamba Agreements: Regional Solidarity for Achieving SDG4-E2030 in Latin America and the Caribbean were approved at the second Regional Meeting of Ministers of Education of Latin America and the Caribbean in Cochabamba, Bolivia on 24 July. The agreements establish the adoption of the Regional Roadmap for the Implementation of SDG4-E2030 in Latin America and the Caribbean, an instrument that will support Latin American countries’ efforts to achieve the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 4, which refers to lifelong quality, inclusive and equitable education.La Triada - university alliance formed
On 15 August 2018 in Cartagena, Colombia, an alliance called La Triada (“the triad”), was formed between 3 Latin American universities: University of the Andes, Colombia, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and the Monterrey Institute of Technology, Mexico. University rectors committed to expand academic cooperation, collaborate in research, exchange good practice and increase mobility.ASEAN University Network (AUN)
AUN received the first Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) Diversity Creates Award in Bucharest in June which recognises individuals and institutions making an outstanding contribution to ASEF’s mission of promoting greater mutual understanding, between Asia Europe and to promoting ASEF’s core values of Knowledge-sharing, innovation, inclusion, sustainability.Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization - Regional Training Center (SEAMEO-RETRAC)
SEAMEO RETRAC has released keynote speeches, proceedings and presentations from the 2018 International Conference on Leadership and Management in Higher Education in a Globalized World: Innovations and Best Practices’ that took place in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on July 5 - 6, 2018. Sessions addressed leadership in policy innovation in higher education; technology for innovative teaching and learning; university-industry partnership development; curriculum Innovation, teaching development, and quality Assurance.European University Information Systems (EUNIS)
The Book of Proceedings and presentations from the EUNIS 2018 Annual Congress held on 6 - 8 June 2018 in Paris, France are available online. EUNIS brings together those who are responsible for the management, development and the policy for Information Technology in Higher Education in Europe.European Research Council (ERC)
ERC President - Call for applications
Applications are invited to fill the post of the next President of the European Research Council. Deadline to apply: 1 October 2018Eurostudent VI
Eurostudent has released its latest report ‘Social and Economic Conditions of Student Life in Europe 2016-2018’. It details findings of the 6th round of the EUROSTUDENT project, to which 28 countries of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) have contributed between 2016 and 2018. It is a compendium of key indicators and provides comparable data on the social and economic conditions of students, as well as student mobility, in Europe.Return to top BILATERAL INITIATIVES
France - Singapore
Singaporean Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing and French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Innovation Frédérique Vidal signed 5 agreements in higher education and science cooperation during their meeting in Paris on 13 July.
France - Tunisia
The Tunisian Minister of Higher Education and Research, Slim Khalbous, met with the French Ambassador to Tunisia, Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, to continue theplanning of the Franco-Tunisian University of Africa and the Mediterranean (l’Université franco-tunisienne pour l’Afrique et la Méditerranée). The Franco-Tunisian university is set to receive its first students in 2019-2020, and will award French degrees and diplomas.
Mauritius - Kenya
The Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research of Mauritius has announced that it will sign an MoU with the Ministry of Education of Kenya for collaboration in Higher Education and Scientific Research. The areas of cooperation will include mutual recognition and equivalence of qualifications, staff and student exchanges, accreditation and quality assurance as well as scholarship programmes. Return to top NATIONAL INITIATIVES
Australia
Bangladesh Canada Chile China 
Egypt France
Germany 
Hungary India
Ireland Netherlands
New Zealand Pakistan
Portugal
South Africa
Spain 
Thailand 
Tunisia United Kingdom United States 
Uruguay 
Uzbekistan 
Zimbabwe National higher education statistics
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) has published the Statistics Report on TEQSA Registered Higher Education Providers 2018 which provides a snapshot and time series of national statistics from across the sector in four key areas: providers, students, academic staff and finance, with additional analysis on overseas students.Respect. Now. Always. Initiative
Universities Australia has released two sets of guidelines under the UA 10-point Action Plan and the Respect. Now. Always. Initiative, both aimed at preventing and addressing sexual assault and harassment across the sector:Student finance
Universities Australia‘s 2017 Student Finances Survey provides an evidence-based picture of the financial situation of students at Australian universities. Some 18,500 students from 38 Universities Australia member universities participated in the survey that covers both domestic and international students at all levels of study.40 public universities in Bangladesh signed the Annual Performance Agreement with the University Grants Commission (UGC) for the fiscal year 2018-2019 under the government’s Performance Management Framework Policy on 8 July. The major goal of the agreement is to establish good governance and excellence in higher educational institutions.
International students
The Canadian Bureau for International Education has released the results of the 2018 CBIE International Student Survey. Over 14,000 international students at higher education institutions throughout Canada replied to the survey. The results show that a growing number of students surveyed (60%) indicated an intention to seek permanent residence in Canada. Other highlights include a growing concern over housing costs, insights on students with dependents, and experiences with Indigenous identity.Nationwide student survey results released
The results from a nationwide student survey from the Canadian University Survey Consortium, have been released. The report brings together data from 14,760 final year undergraduate students from 32 universities (French version). The majority of students report being satisfied with their university experience. In terms of finance, earnings from work accounted for the largest amount of financing for their education, ahead of government loans and bursaries. 37% of students have delayed completing their programme and 37% of graduating students expect to apply to graduate school. ChileGrowth in university enrolment - official data
The Ministry of Education has released official data on higher education. It shows a growth in university enrollment whereas vocational and technical education enrollment is stagnating. This situation could be linked to tuition-free higher education for the most vulnerable initiated in 2016.Graduate employment
Mifuturo, the Ministry of Education official information portal, has updated figures of graduate employment and income. Searches can be carried out by name and type of institution and field of studies.Universities research programme
The Ministry of Education has released a circular calling on local educational authorities to promote basic research in universities through a programme that encourages the building of scientific centres and technological infrastructure, and cooperation with international institutions.International students and employment
The Chinese government has been introducing a number of exploratorychanges allowing international students in Beijing and Shanghai to take part-time jobs or internships off campus as long as they obtain approval from their academic institutions and the administrative authorities, according to a statement of Chinese Ministry of Education.Teacher education - government funding
In August, the Ministry of Education introduced a regulation for government-paid teaching students at six major universities in central and western regions of China. Tuition fees and accommodation and daily expenses will be paid by the central government, as well as subsidies for daily expenses, according to the regulation. The regulation also shortens the service periods for students from ten to six years to teach at primary and middle schools after graduation, and also provides incentives for students to work in rural areas. EgyptNew law for international branch campuses
A new law was voted in parliament in July for the establishment of international branch universities in the country, with the aim of strengthening the country’s existing system. Branch campuses will be required to submit a five-year plan to the government and allocate a certain percentage of places for students and teaching staff to Egyptian nationals.Gender equality - Grandes Ecoles
The Conférence des Grandes Ecoles has released an infographic on gender based equality among its member institutions. It shows that gender balance in engineering schools remains a major concern whereas it is balanced in management schools and other institutions.Education and Research careers for Sustainable Development
A guide on how higher education and research careers can contribute to reach sustainable development goals have been released by organisations including the Conférence des Présidents d’Université, the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles, REFEDD (The French Network of Students for Sustainable Development) and with input from the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.Centre International d’Etudes Pédagogiques (CIEP)
The 2017 activity report for the CIEP, an IAU Member, is now available online.Shorter degree completion times
A new study, published by the CHE Centre for Higher Education, based in Gütersloh, Germany, shows that more students in Germany are obtaining degrees within a shorter ‘reasonable’ time period than prior to the Bologna reforms. Improvements were most marked at traditional universities. The study compares length of studying from 2003 to 2005 with new figures covering 2015 to 2017. HungaryThe Hungarian Hungarian Ministry for Human Resources has announced plans to remove gender studies from the country’s list of accredited university study programmes. The European University Association, European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA), and the All European Academies (ALLEA), have raised concerns of university autonomy and called on the Hungarian Government to cancel these plans. The ban will primarily impact Central European University, an IAU Member institution, and Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest (ELTE) who currently offer gender studies programmes.
University autonomy
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced that it has granted autonomy to 76 Educational Institutions including 62 Universities (5 Central Universities, 21 State Universities, 34 Deemed to be Universities and 2 Private Universities) and 14 Colleges across the country.Higher Education Commission of India - Bill
The Ministry has released a draft Higher Education Commission of India Bill, 2018 to establish the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI)which will promote and maintain academic standards and monitor and evaluate the academic performance of higher education institutions.International academic staff recruitment
A new regulation by the University Grants Commission (UGC) will enable Ph.D degree-holders from a foreign university with a ranking among top 500 in the QS, THE, or Shanghai World University Rankings to be eligible for direct recruitment as Assistant Professor in universities and colleges.Research and innovation
Vice-Chancellors gathered at a 3-day Conference on Research and Innovation in Higher Education held July 26 - 28 committed to improve quality of teaching and learning and adopted a 10-point resolution for transforming Universities into institutions engaged in cutting edge research.Higher Education and Innovation Fund
The Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton, and the Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, launched the new Higher Education and Innovation Fund in July. Applications are being sought from Irish higher education institutions for the funding, totalling over €5 million. The innovation fund is part of the additional €100m which the government are investing in higher education since 2016.Ireland’s first Technical University to open
The creation of the technological university is part of the Government’s plan to drive regional economic growth and development under Ireland Project 2040. The new university, to be known as Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) and will be set up after the dissolution of Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown and Institute of Technology Tallaght, at the beginning of 2019.Internationalisation strategies
A new report on the Internationalisation of Irish Higher Education commissioned by the Higher Education Authority and funded by the Irish Research Council has been released. The report, based on an in-depth study of HEIs in Ireland, explores the extent to which Irish higher education institutions have become internationalised and the range of strategies and approaches they have developed.NUFFIC Orange Knowledge Programme - Call for proposals
NUFFIC, the Dutch organisation for Internationalisation in Education (NUFFIC), has launched a call for joint proposals for tailor-made trainings (TMTs) in the Orange Knowledge Programme which involves over 50 developing countries. Deadline to apply: 15 October 2018Work visa rules change for international students
The Government has announced changes to post-study employment rights for international students in New Zealand. Under the new rules, students of bachelor degree level or higher will be eligible for a three year work visa and a requirement linking one type of work visa to particular employers will be abolished. The changes come into effect on 26 November 2018.Micro-credential system introduced
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), an IAU Affiliate Member, is introducing a micro-credential system as part of New Zealand’s regulated education and training system to help ensure it remains relevant in a period of fast paced social, economic and technological changes.Student transition
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) - Te Amorangi Mātauranga Matua has released the report ’Transition to Tertiary Life’ - which examines students’ enrolment and transition to higher education->http://www.tec.govt.nz/assets/Publications-and-others/Transition-to-Tertiary-Life-Event-Final.pdf] and identifies opportunities to improve the student experience.Greener Pakistan
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has addressed a letter to Vice-Chancellors and rectors of all public and private sector universities, inviting them to be an active part of Greener Pakistan movement by initiating Tree Plantation Campaigns in their respective campuses.Access to Higher Education - + Higher Programme
The Portuguese Government Higher Education Directorate has announced that in 2018-2019, the + Higher Programme (Programa +Superior) will provide 1605 new student grants, to encourage and support the attendance of higher education for low-income students, and for regions of the country with less demand.Student Financial aid
Higher Education Minister Naledi Pandor has has announced the appointment of Dr Randall Carolissen as the administrator for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) in an effort to resolve delays of payments to students who qualify for bursaries dating back to last year. The Higher Education Department indicated that it aims to open applications in early September, despite the non-payment backlog.UniversiTIC - ICT in universities
Conference of Spanish University Rectors (Crue Universidades Españolas) has released a report which analyses the impact of ICT in Spanish universities. Called UniversiTIC , it shows a significant growth on issues of data transparency in universities as well as an increase in distance education offers.
http://www.crue.org/Comunicacion/NoticiasThe Ministry of Education Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHEC), issued a Directory of Coordinators for International Affairs in Thai Higher Education Institutions 2018 meant as a tool for higher education institutions and other organisations both in Thailand and overseas to foster partnerships and networking.
The Minister of Higher Education and Research, Slim Khalbous, announced the creation of a national agency to receive and guide foreign students and facilitate the admission of Sub-Saharan students to public universities (Agence d’accueil des étudiants africains) at the Tunisian African Empowerment Forum (TAEF 2018) in July in Tunis.
House of Lords report on student finance released
The UK House of Lords Select Committee released the findings of their enquiry into higher education in June. The report, entitled ‘Treating Students Fairly: The Economics of Post-School Education’ examines the impact of 2012 reforms which changed most higher education funding in the UK to tuition fees. The report argues the reforms have partly led to a decline in non-degree qualifications and in flexible and part-time learning. It calls for a widening of student maintenance support for changes to student loans.Employers’ demand for HE skills
Universities UK (UUK) released Solving Future Skills Challenges in August. The report highlights the need for continual skill upgrading, lifelong learning and higher education qualifications in the context of rising employer demand for the broad skills developed at university. The report also examines how technological trends such as automation, robotics, artificial intelligence and digital technology, are creating greater demand for post-secondary qualifications.International students
UUK has also published International Facts and Figures 2018 presents a snapshot of the international dimensions of UK higher education. The figures show that the UK is the second most popular destination for international students, however the number of international enrolments in UK universities has leveled off. The report also shows that transnational education is an increasingly significant part of UK universities’ international activity.United Kingdom - Scotland
Student welfare
From August 2018, the Scottish Government is the first national government to make feminine sanitary products available to students at schools, colleges and universities. The government has allocated £5.2m funding for the scheme.Gender parity and leadership
A new report by the American Council on Education (ACE) ‘Leading the Way to Parity: Preparation, Persistence, and the Role of Women Presidents’ provides information and recommendations aimed at increasing the representation of women Presidents of higher education institutions in the United States, currently around 30% of presidencies. The report stresses the importance of bringing women into higher levels of institutional leadership as well as the presidency.University Alliance for Refugees and At-Risk Migrants (UARRM) launched
The University Alliance for Refugees and At-Risk Migrants (UARRM) was launched on 23 July at a symposium hosted by Rutgers University. UARRM is centered on providing higher education opportunities and vocational training for refugees and at-risk migrants, and engaging with the forthcoming UN Global Compacts for Migration and Refugees.The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), has published A Vision of Equity which details case studies from thirteen institutions that participated in AACU’s Committing to Equity and Inclusive Excellence project. It details evidence-based interventions focused on improving student success and includes practical examples, models, and resources for identifying and addressing disparities in student outcomes.
Congreso Nacional de Educación
The National Congress of Education (CNE) has released its latest report. CNE has an advisory and consultative role in matters of education.National ranking established
The Ministry of Higher and Secondary-Specialised Education has established a ranking of the country’s 57 higher educational institutions based on 23 indicators.Launch of National Qualifications Framework
The Zimbabwe National Qualifications Framework (ZNQF) was launched in July by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development. The framework will facilitate the harmonisation of national qualifications, enable student mobility of learners as well as the portability and comparability of qualifications in the country and the SADC region. The National Skills Audit, also released by the Ministry, indicated significant skills deficit in technology, science and technology.Internationalisation of Higher Education
During a recent workshop held by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development and the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education, stakeholders engaged in discussions for the development of a framework for the Internationalisation of Higher and Tertiary Education (IHTE).Return to top IAU Lynx July Edition
IAU Lynx June Edition
IAU Lynx May EditionIAU Lynx coordinator: Amanda Sudic
Collaborating team: Melissa Herlaut, Nicholas Poulton, Samuel Pousson, Carine Sebast and Hilligje van’t Land
Contact: centre@iau-aiu.net
© IAU 2018
IAU Lynx - July 2018 KEEPING AN EYE ON HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENTS WORLDWIDEJuly 2018
IAU Lynx offers a monthly overview of higher education developments around the world. It covers new policies, initiatives and projects on various higher education topics. The information is classified by international, regional, bilateral and national initiatives.
INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
Zambia, as one of the 10 beneficiary countries of the UNESCO project Strengthening Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Africa, convened a national project inception meeting in Lusaka on 5 June where working modalities were established. UNESCO launched the project in 2017 which aims at enhancing higher education systems in Africa.
UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, signed a Framework Cooperation Agreement on education between UNESCO and Equatorial Guinea in a meeting on 20 June with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Equatorial Guinea, Simeon Oyono Esono. UNESCO will provide technical assistance and expertise on the development of programmes and teacher training.
UNESCO Bangkok
Presentations from the Pacific Regional Seminar entitled MOOCs for Higher Education: Seizing Digital Opportunities to Achieve SDG4, organised by UNESCO Bangkok, are now available. Stakeholders from nearly 30 countries attended the Seminar in Shenzhen, China on 11 - 12 June. As a result, UNESCO Bangkok identified two areas of work to accelerate progress in Asia-Pacific:
Launching an Asia-Pacific Network on MOOCs to achieve SDG4; and Developing collaborative research on innovative policies and practices on MOOCs in Asia-Pacific.UNESCO Beirut
The UNESCO Office in Beirut has issued four videos which clarify the process, goals and outcomes of its Regional Strategy launched in 2014 to support States affected by the crisis in Syria. Its three areas of action are: access to education; strengthening education systems so as to make them resilient to crises; and providing quality education and learning to all.
The second video, entitled “Challenges of Higher Education in Crisis: Voices from Syrian Refugee Youth in Lebanon”, focuses on higher education and access to universities for displaced youth.UNESCO Beirut
Participants at the workshop entitled Digital Transformation and Open Education Resources (OER): Toward Quality and Recognition at the Syrian Universities on 9 - 10 May 2018 organised by UNESCO Beirut and the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), an IAU Member, agreed on the following recommendations: providing support for Syria’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education to develop a national policy for Digital Education and Development of OER; Capacity building for university faculty; developing joint OER/MOOCs between the Syrian Virtual University and the Tunisian University and inviting other countries to join.
Global University Network for Innovation (GUNi)
GUNi has just published Sustainable Development Goals: Actors and Implementation, the report of GUNis international conference which took place in Barcelona, Spain in September 2017. It provides insights into a wide variety of topics within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), from higher education and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), to gender equality, governance and the circular knowledge economy.
International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)
ICDE released a report in June detailingthe results of a global survey of higher education institutions in 30 countries on delivery models for online, open, flexible and technology enhanced education. The report finds that most higher education providers are just at the beginning of developing comprehensive strategies for harnessing digitalisation.
Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED)
The report of the seminar Educational Pathways: How to Strengthen Bridges and Links between Higher Education and Vocational Training to Meet the Needs of the Socio-Economic World? is now available. The seminar, held in Barcelona, Spain on 8 May was organised by UNIMED-Mediterranean Universities Union, in partnership with the Union for the Mediterranean and the European Training Foundation, within the Erasmus+ projet RESUME (RESeaU Méditerranéen pour l’Employabilité).
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
The OECD has just published Higher Education in Norway: Labour Market Relevance and Outcomes, part of the OECD Enhancing Higher Education System Performance project. The report includes recommendations to improve the labour market relevance and outcomes of higher education in Norway where forty three percent of the population have a tertiary degree.
United Nations
The United Nations launched its new Technology Bank at the beginning of June, in Gebze, Turkey. The Technology Bank will address development challenges facing least developed countries (LDC). It aims to strengthen the knowledge capacity and foster development of national and regional innovation ecosystems to attract outside technology and generate research and innovation. The setting-up of the Technology Bank, planned to run over 10 years, is one of the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.Return to top REGIONAL INITIATIVES
Africa - Americas - ArabStates - Asia & Pacific - Europe
AfricaCarnegie African Diaspora Fellowship
Applications are still being accepted for the Spring 2018 competition of the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program (CADFP). Accredited universities in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda wishing to host a scholar, or scholars born in Africa living in the United States or Canada and working in an accredited college or university in either of those two countries, can apply online. Closing date: 6 JulyRegional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM)
6th African Higher Education Week and Ruforum Biennial Conference - call for abstracts
RUFORM has launched a call for abstracts for the RUFORUM Conference and African Higher Education Week. Entitled Aligning African Universities to Accelerate Attainment of Africa’s Agenda 2063, the Conference will be held in Nairobi, Kenya 22 - 26 October 2018 and is a comprehensive meeting for the diversity of stakeholders in both agriculture and higher education sectors. Closing date for submission of extended abstracts: 31 July.Initiatives to produce new PhDs
In an article published recently by a Research Chair at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa, various initiatives have been set up that aim to help produce new PhDs in Africa. These include the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa, the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Initiative and the US National Institute of Health and Wellcome Trust, which is investing in African-led research.Regional Higher Education Conference 2018 (CRES)
CRES, the Regional Conference for Higher education for Latin America and the Caribbean, concluded on 15 June in Cordoba, Argentina with the release of a Final Declaration and a Plan of Action for the next 10 years. The Plan of Action includes promoting the expansion and quality of higher education with local and regional relevance, social inclusion and diversity; putting in place regional quality assurance systems; enhancing the participation of women in all areas of university life; and building a regional Science, Technology and Innovation agenda. The Plan also states its opposition to the commercialisation of education and affirms the responsibilities of governments in regulating higher education. Cres was organised by the UNESCO Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC), the Argentinian Ministry of Education, the National Interuniversity Council (CIN) and the National University of Cordoba (UNC). Arab States
First Arabic Citation Index
The first Arabic Citation Index (ARCI) was launched in May by the Egyptian Minister of Education and Technical Education Tarek Shawki. The project aims to facilitate access to Arabic scientific research and is led by the Egyption Knowledge Bank, an online library archive, with the Web of Science. The ARCI will be reference and provide access to bibliographic information and journal articles from across the 22 member states of the Arab League.Asia Development Bank (ADB)
The ADB has released the report ICT for Better Education in the Pacific that reveals the findings of literature and field research on how ICT has been incorporated into the education sector, including at university level, in the Pacific region. It provides eight recommendations on focal areas to drive further progress.Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN)
APQN has posted a Call for Papers for the 2019 APQN Academic Conference (AAC) and Annual General Meeting (AGM) themed Quality Assurance in the Asia-Pacific Region: Insight into the Future. The Conference will take place on 28 - 31 March in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Deadline: 29 November 2018European Commission
Horizon Europe
The European Commission has outlined their plans for Horizon Europe, the Ninth Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. The Commission is proposing €100 billion for Horizon Europe, the successor to Horizon 2020, which will cover the period 2021 - 2027.Horizon Europe - Universities’ response
14 European associations, including the European University Association and UNICA, both IAU Members, have released a communiqué in response to the Commission’s proposal for Horizon Europe. They call for an increased budget of €160 billion to achieve the ambitions of Horizon Europe and to put the implementation of the European Research Area at the centre of Horizon Europe and for more focus to be placed on society’s long-term benefits from the programme.Ministerial Conference
Documents from the Ministerial Conference held in Paris on May 24 - 25 2018 are available online including the Paris Communiqué adopted by education ministers. The conference was opened to European Higher Education Area (EHEA) delegations and included a Bologna Policy Forum that was an opportunity to pursue a dialogue between EHEA and non-EHEA countries.
http://www.ehea.info/cid101765/ministerial-conference-paris-2018.htmlBaltic Recognition Agreement
The Baltic Recognition Agreement came into force on 18 May. Signed by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania earlier this year, the agreement grants automatic mutual recognition of each other’s higher education qualifications. It covers all academic degrees and professional diplomas, as well as diplomas conferred at the end of secondary school.Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche (LIBER) / Association of European Research Libraries
LIBER has released a webinar which addresses how Europe’s new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation impacts on research data management.Return to top BILATERAL INITIATIVES
Cameroon-Congo
The Cameroonian Prime Minister, Philemon Yang, signed a decree in June to create the Cameroon-Congo Inter-State University (Université Inter-Etats Cameroun-Congo). The university will be in Sangmélima, Cameroon, and will help strengthen cooperation and integration between both countries. Canada-Mexico
Seven new Memorandums of Understanding between Mexican and Canadian universities and research partnerswere signed in Mexico City in May. The MoUs focus on research collaborations in priority areas for each country, including health, digital technology, indigenous education and environmental sustainability. France-Canada
The Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne (ACUFC) and the Conference of University Presidents (CPU) signed an agreement on 6 June in Ottawa, Canada to increase cooperation between post-secondary institutions to boost student mobility and overcome the shortage of French speaking teachers in Canada. France-Chad
The Conference of University Presidents (CPU) and Chad Consortium of Universities and Grandes Ecoles (CUGET) signed a 5-year framework agreement on 24 May 2018 in Paris. It aims to establish institutional cooperation and to promote cultural, pedagogical and cultural collaboration and to develop joint projects. France-Cuba
On 25 May 2018 in Paris, the French Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and Cuba’s Minister of Higher Education signed a cooperation agreement on short cycle higher education. Topics agreed on include strengthening cooperation on professional integration of graduates, mutual recognition of degrees and student mobility. Turkey-Palestine
Turkey and Palestine have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in higher education that will establish the institutional framework for cooperation between the higher education institutions of both countries and offer YOK Scholarships for Palestinian students.Return to top NATIONAL INITIATIVES
Australia
Brazil Canada China Egypt France Germany 
Ghana India
Indonesia
Japan
Mexico 
Morocco Netherlands
Norway Pakistan
Philippines
Rwanda South Africa
South Korea Spain 
Switzerland 
Taiwan 
Turkey United Kingdom United States Australia
Institutional assessments
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) will include student wellbeing and safety standards as an additional criteria for assessments of higher education providersduring applications for renewal of registration.Improving retention and completion - report
The Minister for Education and Training has released the Higher Education Standards Panel’s final report Improving Retention, Completion and Success in Higher Education. The report examines the factors impacting success and makes 18 recommendations for Australia’s higher education community to help ensure students have the best chance of successfully completing their studies and transitioning into the workforce.Responsible research code
The National Health and Medical Research Council has released thenew Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research 2018, jointly developed with the Australian Research Council and Universities Australia. This updated version presents the broad principles that characterise an honest, ethical and conscientious research culture and the responsibilities and expectations for research across all disciplines. Brazil
National innovation award - call for submissions
The Institute for Research and Studies in University Administration - INPEAU is inviting the academic community (students, researchers, teachers and technical-administrative workers) to submit their applications to the third edition of the National Innovation Award in University Management Professor João David Ferreira Lima 2018. The prize seeks to recognise people who have created or developed models, instruments or innovative university management practices.
Deadline: August 19. Canada
International students
The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) has published the results of two surveys indicating that a large proportion of current international students plan to work in Canada after graduation and intend to apply for permanent residency. Retaining International Students in Canada Post-Graduation: Understanding the Motivations and Drivers of the Decision to Stay in Canada finds that despite variation depending on international students’ country of origin, some of the reasons why international students intend to stay in Canada include better job opportunities and a higher standard of living.University funding (Quebec)
The Quebec provincial government has announced an increase in funding allocated to universities from 2018 - 2019. The funding, agreed with the heads of 19 universities in Quebec, provides CAN$1.5 billion (EUR 981 million) over five years. It aims to increase access, quality and international performance of Quebec’s universities.Sexual violence prevention policies (Manitoba)
The Government of Manitoba has released guidelines to assist higher education institutions in developing their sexual violence policies, as required under the 2017 Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Act. The guide outlines institutions’ responsibilities under the Act and details best practices.- China
Plan on Promoting Artificial Intelligence in Universities
On 8 June, the Ministry of Education held a press conference at Zhejiang University, an IAU Member, to present the Action Plan on Promoting Artificial Intelligence in Universities. This roadmap document sets out three milestones for Chinese universities in the next two decades and lists 18 objectives organised around three goals: optimising the existing innovation framework for AI development, cultivating more high-caliber talent in the field of AI and promoting the commercialisation of research outcomes.Industry and education
The 5th International Forum on Industry and Education (IFIE) held in Zhumadian City, China, in May was themed New Accomplishments of Integration of Industry and Education in the New Era. It was designed to help Chinese colleges and universities explore new strategic development paths to meet people’s needs and serve national strategies, while focusing on areas such as the modernisation of industry,, rural revitalisation strategies, new types of urbanisation, and supply of human resources. China-Hong Kong
Research policy and funding
The national task force on Research Policy and Funding has launched a consultation on its interim report which presents findings and preliminary recommendations from its review of research support strategy and the allocation of research funding for the higher education sector in Hong Kong. The consultation closes on 10 July. South Korea
The Democratic Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Unification in Seoul has given the go ahead for students at Seoul National University (SNU) to discuss academic exchanges with North Korea’s Kim Il Sung University, with the hope that regular exchanges and joint projects can be set up between the two universities.- Egypt
Egypt’s government has approved a draft law on the establishment of eight technological universities across Egypt. The legislation is aimed at improving technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and boosting the employability of youth. France
Europe of Universities
The Conférence des Présidents des Universités (CPU) has published Europe des Universités (Europe of Universities), a report of the outcomes of the CPU conference which took place in Dijon in March. The recommendations include support for widening open access in Europe; a call for mobilisation of universities throughout Europe to promote ‘European values’ such as tolerance, open-mindedness, academic freedom and solidarity. It also calls for investment for the development of innovative pedagogies and infrastructures to enable virtual mobility; and asserts its continued collaboration with British universities post-Brexit, particularly in research, innovation and mobility.Graduate employment - Grandes Ecoles
Graduate employment has reached its highest level since 2010 for graduates of Grandes Ecoles, according to a survey just published by the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles. The results show that 90 % of graduates of 176 Grandes Ecoles were in employment less than six months after graduating. Grandes Ecoles are French higher education institutions mainly in the fields of engineering, business, research and public administration with highly selective admissions. http://www.cge.asso.fr/themencode-pdf-viewer/?file=http://www.cge.asso.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/2018-06-19-Rapport-2018.pdf Germany
The German Rectors Conference (HRK) have stated their concerns following a decision by the German Supreme Court concerning admission procedures for medical degrees. According to the HRK, this decision not only impacts on university autonomy, but also education at universities in general.- Ghana
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced that as part of efforts to improve the quality of teacher training in Ghana, Colleges of Education are to be upgraded to University College status and will offer a new four-year Bachelor of Education degree with effect from the 2018-19 academic year. The degree has been made the minimum requirement for teaching at any level of the country’s education system.- India
PhD mandatory for University teachers
A new regulation introduced by the University Grants Commission (UGC) will make aPh.D Degree mandatory for direct recruitment to the position of teachers and Assistant Professors in Universities as of July 2021.Quality mandate
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a Quality Mandate presenting approved objectives and initiatives for improving quality in Higher Education Institutions by 2022. These include: institutional accreditation; improving graduate outcomes; Promoting links between students and industry during their studies; including in the curriculum professional ethics and soft skills such as teamwork, communication and leadership skills; ensuring that teacher vacancies at HEIs do not exceed 10%.Online courses - new regulations
In May, the University Grants Commission (UGC) approved theUGC (Online Courses) Regulations, 2018. From the new academic year, institutions will be allowed to offer certificate, diploma and degree programmes to students as fully-fledged online courses provided they have already been offering the same programmes in regular or distance learning mode. Indonesia
Plan for Preventing radicalism at universities
Higher Education Minister Mohamad Nasir announced a plan in June to meet with the heads of public universities to coordinate efforts aimed at preventing radicalism on Indonesian campuses.Online Learning System (SPADA) launched
While participating at the 2018 World Post Graduate Expo held in Jakarta in May, the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education launched an e-learning or hybrid learning system named Online Learning System (SPADA) Indonesia, meant to improve to education for Indonesians all over the country with modules and materials contributed by participating universities. Japan
The government has announced that from 2020 students from low income families attending higher educational institutions will will be eligible for tuition fee relief and expanded grant-type scholarships. Mexico
In order to collect and analyse information on gender equality in higher education institutions in Mexico, ANNUIES, the National association of universities and higher education institutions, together with other organisations (CIEG-UNAM, INMUJERES, CONAVIM and CNDH) have signed an agreement to establish a Gender Equality Observatory.Morocco
Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area
Morocco has become an official participating State in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), an EU programme bringing together 19 countries which focuses on the development and application of solutions for food systems and water resources in the Mediterranean basin. The agreement was signed in April by the Minister of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Saaïd Amzazi, and the European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation.National Centre for Scientific and Technical Research - Strategic Plan
TheNational Centre for Scientific and Technical Research (Centre national pour la recherche scientifique et technique CNRST) validated/theirstrategic plan for 2018-2022.The Netherlands
International students from outside Europe are now allowed to work 16 hours per week in addition to their studies. The previous standard was 10 hours per week. Opportunities for taking part in an internship after graduation have also been expanded.Norway
New recognition service for Nordic degrees
The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) has launched a new recognition service for people with higher education qualifications from the Nordic countries who wish to work or study in Norway. The recognition statement shows how NOKUT recognizes Nordic higher education degrees and their equivalent degrees in the Norwegian system. The document also provides information on how employers and education institutions can verify the qualifications directly with the issuing university.Clothing bill
Norway’s parliament has passed a bill banning clothing that partially or fully covers the face from being worn at educational institutions, including universities. The bill applies to both students and teachers.Pakistan
On World Environment Day on 5 June, the Higher Education Commission organised a consultative meeting of 15 universities to draw the attention of the country’s higher education institutions to their policies in relation to combating global climate change.Philippines
Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act
On 13 June, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed between the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and almost 200 Public Higher Education Institutions, to launch the implementation of or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA). Around 1.3 million students are expected to benefit from the initial implementation of the Act meant to provide free Higher Education for those admitted in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and CHED-recognized Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs).Rwanda
National Research and Innovation Fund Launched
The NIRF is to be funded by the government as it continues to shore up research, technology and innovation in the country as well as to seek to raise numbers of researchers the country has and train different Rwandans on how to develop efficient innovations that can contribute to the country’s transformation.South Africa
Universities South Africa Research and Innovation Dialogue
USAF held it 6th Research and Innovation Dialogue from 31 May to 1 June, bringing together leaders from the country’s public universities, national research foundations, representatives from the Departments of Higher Education and Training and Science and Technology. Central themes discussed were funding, research, postgraduate / doctoral education, and cooperation.Spain
The Open University of Catalunya (UOC) - an IAU Member - is to coordinate ACT (Communities of Practice for Accelerating Gender Equality and Institutional Change in Research and Innovation across Europe)- a H2020 funded project that will advance gender equality at research organizations by facilitating collaboration between experienced institutions in the implementation of gender equality plans with less experienced ones, addressing common needs and improving assessment.Switzerland
Digital skills in teaching
The Council of Haute Ecoles, representing the Swiss Conference of Hautes Ecole approved the project Reinforcing Digital Skills in Teaching. The project, developed by swissuniversities, will run from 2019 to 2024 and aims to support digital skills for students, teachers and institutions in Hautes Ecoles.Taiwan
The President has promulgated the Community College Development Act that clarifies the legal status of community colleges to promote their development, facilitate their operation, and in turn reinforce Taiwan’s lifelong learning system. The Act also delegates operational support mandate to the central and local competent authorities.Turkey
Two Turkish universities near the Syrian Border are taking part in rebuilding efforts in Syrian cities which have been liberated. They are planning to establish a faculty and a department in Jarablus and in al-Bab.United Kingdom
University Mental Health Charter launched
The Universities Minister Sam Gyimah announced new measures on student mental health on 28 June, calling on universities to dramatically improve their mental health offering for students. The measures include the University Mental Health Charter which will award universities with recognition for meeting new mental health standards which will be developed in partnership with Universities UK, the Office for Students (OfS) and the National Union of Students (NUS).University admissions and prior attainment
A new Universities UK report, Growth and Choice in University Admissions, shows that the growth in student numbers over the past ten years has not led to university entrants having lower qualifications. The research also shows that vocational qualifications are now widely recognised in university admissions in England.Graduate earnings
A new report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) commissioned by the Department for Education finds that family background has an important impact on graduates’ future earnings, as well as subject and institution choice.Research and Open access
Research England, (the former Higher Education Funding Council for England - HEFCE) together with the Wellcome Trust, the former Research Councils UK (RCUK) and Jisc have published a report examining progress in English higher education institutions towards open access in the context of the RFI Research Excellence Framework (REF) open access policy. The report finds that out of the 113 universities surveyed, 61% of research outputs are meeting open access requirements.University funding (Scotland)
The Scottish Funding Council has published its annual report on Widening Access. The report, which presents data from 2016-2017 towards the Scottish Government access targets, finds positive trends on entry rates for students with disabilities, ethnic minority students, students with care experience and for gender balance. However there was a slight annual decrease in entry to university for students from the poorest areas of Scotland.United States
Data use to improve equity
A new report by the American Council on Education (ACE),Bringing Accountability to Life: How Savvy Data Users Find the “Actionable N” to Improve Equity and Sustainability in Higher Education, provides a humanistic perspective on data-informed decision making in higher education. It presents the findings of a a data use initiative among university teachers, administrators, and staff in Pennsylvania to promote racial equity in higher education.Minority serving institutions and upward mobility
Minority serving institutions (MSIs) propel students up the economic ladder at two to three times the rates of non-MSIs, according to a new report from ACE. The report is a first-of-its-kind analysis of MSIs using newly released federal data that examines upward income mobility rates.Graduate STEM education
The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine recently released a report titled Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century.Return to top IAU Lynx June Edition
IAU Lynx May Edition
IAU Lynx April EditionIAU Lynx coordinator: Amanda Sudic
Collaborating team: Melissa Herlaut, Nicholas Poulton, Samuel Pousson, Carine Sebast and Hilligje van’t Land
Contact: centre@iau-aiu.net
© IAU 2018
IAU Lynx - June 2018 KEEPING AN EYE ON HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENTS WORLDWIDEJune 2018
IAU Lynx offers a monthly overview of higher education developments around the world. It covers new policies, initiatives and projects on various higher education topics. The information is classified by international, regional, bilateral and national initiatives.
Return to Newsletter INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
UNESCO’s Heritage Emergency Fund and the UNESCO Cairo Office organised a mission to the University of Benghazi in Libya from 5 - 14 April 2018 to evaluate the state of conservation and carry out a needs assessment for the restoration and preservation of the University’s Collection of Manuscripts and Books which has been heavily affected by the armed conflict and is in need of restoration.
On 15 May, UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, and the Minister of Education for the Republic of Ghana, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, signed an Agreement establishing the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Ghana as a Category 2 Centre under the auspices of UNESCO.
UNESCO has published Mapping Research and Innovation in Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The study is the culmination of two years’ work, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR).
International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP)
IIEP-UNESCO and the Mongolian National Education Accreditation Council (NEAC) jointly organised a capacity development workshop for Quality Assurance officials on Internal Quality Assurance for national higher education institutions. The workshop was also supported by the Asian Development Bank. 150 QA personnel from the 95 Mongolian higher education institutions participated in the Workshop which concluded which the agreement of a roadmap for the development of IQA in higher education institutions and the head of the National Education Accreditation Council, Ms Yanjmaa Ochirbat, announced the creation of a National Quality Forum.UNESCO Beirut
UNESCO Beirut in collaboration with the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), an IAU Member, organised a workshop entitledDigital Transformation and Open Education Resources (OER): Toward Quality and Recognition at the Syrian Universities’. The recommendations produced by the participants include providing support for Syria’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education to develop a National Policy for Digital Education; capacity building in Professional Development for university faculty;and developing joint Syrian/Tunisian OER/MOOCs.UNESCO Bangkok - Mongolia
UNESCO Bangkok’s Section for Educational Innovation and Skills Development (EISD) has agreed to provide technical support to the Ministry of Education of Mongolia to strengthen the country’s quality assurance and accreditation systems in order to improve the quality of higher education and solve the skills mismatch in the job market.
British Council
Videos and podcasts of presentations from the Going Global Conference 2018 held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 2 - 4 May are now available online. Themed ‘Global Connections, Local Impact’, the conference addressed challenges for the future of international higher education.
Commonwealth of Learning (COL)
COL has launched the Commonwealth Digital Education Leadership Training in Action (C-DELTA) online platform for both teachers and students to assess their digital education skills, learn digital education skills based on areas that needs improvements and receive a certificate.COL sponsored the 2018 Biennial High Level Roundtable for Vice Chancellors and Heads of ODL Institutions on May 10 - 11 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Hosted by Asia eUniversity, 30 Vice Chancellors from 20 countries participated in the event which focused on leadership and entrepreneurship in online education. A video of the event and discussions is available online.
Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA)
The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) has released Education under Attack 2018. The fourth edition of this report, which covers at all levels of education, finds that that violence directed at students, educators, and their institutions increased worldwide between 2013 to 2017.2017Attacks on higher education occurred in 52 countries globally. Institute of International Education (IIE)
The Institute of International Education (IIE), an IAU Affiliate Member, has expanded IIE PEER, its Platform for Education in Emergencies Response (PEER), a low-bandwidth database providing information on higher education degree and non-degree programmes initially aimed to support Syrian students to represent other displaced populations throughout the world. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
The OECD has published How is the Tertiary-Education Population Evolving? The publication, the latest of OECD’s Education Indicators in Focus forecasts that over the next decade the share of young adults in OECD and G20 countries with a tertiary education is expected to continue to grow, with a widening gender gap and that the increase will mostly be driven by China and India. Universia
Documents and videos from the International Rectors’ Meeting Universia 2018 have now been released. The Meeting took place on 12 - 22 May at the University of Salamanca, Spain, an IAU Member which this year celebrates its 8th centenary. Themed “University, Society, and Future", the Meeting focused on three strategic topics: training and learning in the digital world, research at the university and universities’ contribution to social and territorial development. IAU President Pam Fredman was a speaker at the Inaugural Panel. The Meeting concluded with the release of the Declaration of Salamanca.Return to top REGIONAL INITIATIVES
Africa - Americas - ArabStates - Asia & Pacific - Europe
AfricaPan-African High-Level Conference on Education (PACE 2018)
The Pan-African High-Level Conference on Education (PACE 2018) took place in Nairobi, Kenya from 25 to 27 April. The event, aimed to chart a common way forward to ensure inclusive and quality education for all in Africa. Education ministers and high-level government officials, and representatives of international, regional and national United Nations organisations, pan-African youth and teacher organizations joined the discussions, which concluded with the Nairobi Declaration and Call for Action on Education. It expresses recommendations for developing Africa’s human and social capital through education within the context of the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4 and the Continental Strategy for Education in Africa 2016–2025.World Bank - Korea Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund
The World Bank and the Government of Korea signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 23 May on the margins of the African Development Bank Annual Meetings in Busan, Korea. Under the MoU, the Government of Korea will set up a $10 million trust fund at the World Bank for the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) to support Sub-Saharan Africa’s universities and research institutions in growing highly qualified local talent in areas important for Africa’s transformation, such as renewable energy, big data, artificial intelligence, and engineering.First Cohort of Future African Leaders in Science and Technology
Fifteen young African scholars, four of whom are women - funded by the Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) - have officially started PhD research programmes at universities across the region (Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania, University Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Cote d’Ivoire, African University of Science and Technology in Nigeria, and University of Gaston Berger in Senegal). They will research some of the biggest challenges facing the African continent, including food security, information and communications technologies, and materials, minerals and mining engineering.African Centre of Excellence for Inequalities Research (ACEIR) launched
The University of Cape Town launched ACEIR, one of thirteen Centres of Excellence planned under the aegis of The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA). Each Centre will address a research theme aligned to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Unión de Universidades de América Latina (UDUAL)
UDUAL has released a detailed analysis of medical education in Latin America and the Caribbean. The report is based on the results of a survey of 105 Medical Schools, both public and private, in 17 countries in the region.The UNESCO Chair on the Communication of Science and Technology was inaugurated at Allameh Tabataba’i University, Iran, an IAU Member, on 16 May. The ceremony was attended by Esther Kuisch-Laroche, Director of the UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office and Mansour Gholami, Minister of Science, Research and Technology. The Chair is responsible for affairs of regional countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan, and for enhancing the existing scientific cooperation between these countries.
Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN)
APQN has published two reports: Capacity Building for Next-Generation Quality Assurance in Higher Education, a report from the 2018 APQN Academic Conference (AAC) held in March in Nagpur, India. It covers internal quality assurance of quality assurance agencies (QAAs) and quality assurance of Higher Education Institutions. The APQN Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2018 that also took place at the APQN conference. It provides an overview of events and initiatives carried out in 2017 as well as focus areas set for 2018.National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE)
NIAD-QE Japan, along with the Higher Education Evaluation Centre of the Ministry of Education (HEEC) of China and the Korean Council for University Education (KCUE) were jointly awarded the 2018 APQN Quality Award in the ‘International Cooperation in QA’ category, in recognition of the joint initiative to monitor the 5 year Campus Asia pilot programmes.European Commission
New education package launched
The European Commission launched a new education package on 22 May. This includes a Recommendation for simplifying recognition procedures and establishing transparent criteria for recognition that are applied consistently throughout higher education institutions throughout Europe.Bologna process implementation
The European Higher Education Area in 2018: Bologna Process Implementation Report was released in May. It provides detailed data on national and regional progress towards the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) since the Yerevan Conference in 2015. It finds that although Bologna commitments have mostly been met, and that the dominant European model is now a clearly structured three-cycle degree system, there remain significant differences in degree structures across the EHEA as a whole.European University Association (EUA)
Call for papers
A call for papers has been launched for the European Learning and Teaching Forum 2019. Themed Towards Successful Learning: Common Ground and Controversies, the forum will be hosted by University of Warsaw, Poland, on 14 - 15 February 2019. Deadline to submit online proposals: 12 October 2018.Database of External Quality Assurance results
DEQAR, the Database of External Quality Assurance Results, aims to support transparency of quality of European higher education launched has been launched. The database which currently holds results for over 400 higher education institutions across Europe is an initiative of the E4 Group: the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), European Students Union (ESU), European University Association (EUA) and the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE).Return to top BILATERAL INITIATIVES
Algeria - Mauritania
The Algerian and Mauritanian Ministers of Higher Education and Research, Tahar Hadjar and Sidi Ould Salem, signed a cooperation agreement in research, specifically in the areas of water, pollution, environment and global warming at a meeting on 6 May in Algiers. China - Spain
The Conference of Spanish University Rectors (Crue Universidades Españolas) and China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on institutional cooperation and student mobility on 17 April in Crue’s headquarters in Madrid. Finland - Estonia
The Government of Finland and the Government of Estonia convened or the first time on 7 May in Tallinn, Estonia. Topics agreed on included deepening cooperation on higher education and culture. Both countries also seek to introduce and develop their languages in Europe and enlarge opportunities for language studies. Ireland - Oman
The Irish Minister for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, and the Minister of Higher Education from the Sultanate of Oman, Dr. Rawya Al Busaidi, signed a memorandum of understanding on 14 May in higher education cooperation. Japan - Germany
University representatives from Japan and Germany met in Tokyo on 26 - 27 April to discuss how universities in both countries can cooperate with society, business and industry in an effective and mutually beneficial way. Three guiding principles were adopted. Japan - Singapore
The first Japan-Singapore Joint Committee Meeting on Cooperation in Science and Technology was convened on 16 April in Tokyo. Joint research and academic exchange were among the topics addressed. Norway - China
The People’s Republic of China and Norway signed an agreement on mutual recognition of qualifications in higher education on 18 April 2018 in Beijing, China. The aim of the agreement on mutual recognition of qualifications in higher education is to increase academic mobility between the two countries. United States (California) - Mexico
In the framework of California-Mexico Advocacy Day, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the state of California and Mexico to foster binational cooperation on education. The MoU addresses challenges faced by students who study on both sides of the US-Mexico border.Return to top NATIONAL INITIATIVES
Argentina Australia Canada
Chile China
Costa Rica
Côte d’Ivoire 
Ecuador Egypt 
Ethiopia France Germany India
Ireland
Japan
Kazakhstan 
Kenya 
Malta
New Zealand
Pakistan Spain 
Sri lanka
Sweden Turkey
United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Argentina
Higher education institution mapping
The Ministry of Education has launched a map referencing all the higher education courses in 2500 public and private institutions. Search can be carried out by region, university funding, type of institution, degree level and field of studies.Mobile devices
The presentation and video on the challenges of mobile devices in teaching by Dr Mariona Grané at Academia Nacional de Educación are now available (in Spanish). Australia
Student experience survey - report
The 2017 Student Experience Survey (SES) National Report has been released by the Department of Education and Training-commissioned Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) project. It presents the results from 148,000 undergraduate students and 58,000 postgraduate students from Australian universities and non-university higher education institutions (NUHEIs) and analyses five aspects of the student experience: skills development, learner engagement, teaching quality, student support and learning resources.TEQSA - call for papers
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) has launched a call for papers for its annual conference themed Innovation, Excellence and Diversity to be held 28 - 30 November 2018 in Melbourne. Deadline to submit abstracts of presentations: 13 July 2018Students, Quality, Success
TEQSA has published the papers presented at its 2017 conference addressing the themes Students, Quality and Success.HE participation trends
The Mitchell Institute, an independent think tank at Victoria University, has released Participation in Tertiary Education in Australia. The report presents a picture of past and present enrolment trends and predictions of future participation levels in tertiary education – including higher education - in Australia.
http://www.mitchellinstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Participation-in-tertiary-education-in-Australia.pdf Canada
Tech-expansion plan (British Colombia)
The province of British Colombia has announced it is investing an initial CAN$900,000 (€595,854) in a new tech-expansion plan. Under the plan, 2,900 technology-related spaces will be added within nine higher education institutions to produce 1,000 additional technology graduates a year by 2023.Student aid changes (Manitoba)
The Manitoba provincial government has announced the streamlining of the application process for student aid and bursaries to help more low-income and Indigenous students. The province plans to distribute up to CAN $8.6 million (€5.7 million in additional loans for the 2018-19 academic year.Research funding for Hong Kong and Macau
A new directive announced in May by the Chinese Ministries of Science and Technology and of Finance, states that universities and research institutions in Hong Kong and Macau can apply for research funding from China, previously only available to academics on the Chinese mainland.Commercialisation of research
The Program for Promoting Commercialization of Research Results by Universities Located in Beijing was presented by the Ministry of Education Science and Technology Department and the Zhongguancun science and technology park at the National Independent Innovation Zone in Beijing on 24 April 2018. It addresses ways to promote the commercialisation of university research and boost the development of innovation clusters.Sexism and gender violence
Students and staff in over 30 higher education institutions in Chile have occupied university buildings to protest against sexism, harassment and gender violence in Chilean universities.The Ministry of Education has released its suggestions for the development of a protocol against sexual harassment in higher education.
Consejo Nacional de Rectores (CONARE) has launched a new website providing infographics on degrees and their employment opportunities. Information is presented in a reader friendly manner making it easy to use for students, career counselors and researchers.
Côte d’Ivoire
The Ministry of Higher Education and Research is looking to reform the law concerning higher education. Professor Bakayoko Ly Ramata, the Minister, stated that the country’s universities should move towards being more entrepreneurial and should produce knowledge in order to respond to pressing issues in the country (in French).On 9 May in Buenos Aires, the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) and Ecuadorian Ministry of Education signed a letter of intent on transparency, social responsibility and fight against corruption in the education system.
Higher Education Minister Khaled Abdul Ghaffar has announced that the Cabinet has approved a draft law on the establishment of technological universities. The bill stipulates that eight technological universities will be built across the country.
Performance report and action plan
A recent report presented by Dr Tilaye Gete, the Minister of Education, announced that a 15-year action plan is being prepared by evaluating and reviewing education and training policies of the last 25 years, and by involving more than 36 higher education institution professionals and researchers.International mobility for students with disabilities
In the context of the Bologna Ministerial Conference to be held in Paris on 24 - 25 May, the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles (CGE) has launched a campaign to raise awareness of issues encountered by students with disabilities during their international mobility programmes and calls for the creation of an international status for students with disabilities.Bologna Process explained
The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation in partnership with Radio Campus France has released a podcast series called ‘Sauce Bolo’ to explain the Bologna Process in a pedagogical and humoristic way.Make our Planet Great Again - Laureats
The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation has released the names of the second round of laureates from the research program ‘Make our Planet Great Again’ launched by the French President following the United States’ decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. Thelaureates, from seven countries, will conduct research projects on climate change in French universities and research centres.research publications
As institutional attribution of research publications has a significant influence on institutions’ position in international rankings, HRK, the German Rectors’ Conference, has released recommendations on guidelines for stating affiliations in publications.Fake universities listed
In May, the University Grants Commission published a Notice on fake universities which lists 24 unrecognised universities which are not entitled to confer degrees.New higher education regulation authority - legislation
The government has drawn up draft legislation for setting up a ‘Higher Education Evaluation and Regulation Authority, 2018’ (HEERA) or Higher Education Regulatory Council (HERC) which would replace existing regulatory authorities.Student progression statistics
A new report by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) has found that 86% of the 41,441 first year undergraduates in public higher education institutions in 2014/15 progressed to second year. The research found that prior academic attainment is the strongest predictor of non-progression and that rates of non-progression are higher in institutes of technology than in universities. Japan
Universities’ plan
The Japan Association of National Universities (JANU) has released ‘A Future Vision of National Universities in Higher Education’. The statement defines a vision and the future missions for national universities. Kazakhstan
National universities’ ratings
The National Rating of the Independent Agency for Accreditation and Rating has released their list of the ‘20 best universities’ in Kazakhstan 2018.Recommendations by the Commission for University Education (CUE) on the Kenyan higher education system are contained in a report entitled Policy Advisory on Rationalisation of Universities and Programmes in Kenya, which was presented to the Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed on 2 May. The proposals include university mergers in a given region, creation of national centres of excellence, and recommends that PhD holders admitted through executive masters degrees will not be eligible to teach in Kenyan universities.
Malta
Student visa policy changes
The Government has announced changes to its student visa policy that will simplify and streamline the process for non-European students and include employment rights. New Zealand
Budget freeze
The Government announced its Budget on 17 May which includes a funding freeze for universities. Universities New Zealand-Te Pōkai Tara said that this budget would significantly harm universities financially, in particular due to reduced finance arising from the recent fees-free policy. Pakistan
Vice Chancellor position - Call for applications
The Higher Education Commission has announced the opening for the position of Vice Chancellor of the Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Dhaka (a subsidiary of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Deadline for applications: 30 June. Spain
New national merit scholarship
The government announced an investment of an additional 50 million Euros for a new merit scholarship on 23 May which will be awarded to students with the best academic records.Mobility agreement for students with visual disabilities
The Conference of Spanish University Rectors (Crue Universidades Españolas) and the National Organization of Spanish blind people (ONCE) and have concluded a cooperation agreement to boost blind students international mobility. Both organisations committed to facilitate the participation of international students with a visual disability in CRUE’s university members international mobility programmes.New Minister of Higher Education
The new Minister of Higher Education and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, took office on 2 May.HE and research insitutions cancel Elsevier contract
The Bibsam Consortium, which represents 85 higher education and research institutions in Sweden, has announced that they will cancel their contract with journal publisher Elsevierover concerns over slow progress towards open access. Sweden’s government has said that all publicly funded research should be made freely available by 2026. Turkey
HE statistics
Higher education statistics for academic year 2017-2018 have just been published (in Turkish). United Arab Emirates
Student visa changes
The UAE government has announced new five-year residency visas for students studying in the UAE and 10-year visas for exceptional students and specialists in medical, scientific, research and technical fields.Post-Brexit research
The Prime Minister, Theresa May, has announced that post-Brexit she is seeking full participation of the UK in the European Union’s next research and innovation programmes including the successor to Horizon 2020, which the UK would pay for. In her speech on Science and Modern Industrial Strategy at the University of Manchester, she also said that she will ensure that there is no change to the situation for researchers in the UK who are foreign nationals.Students’ mental health
Minding Our Future was launched by Universities UK during Mental Health Awareness Week in May. The publication, by UUK Student Mental Health Services Task Group, shows that the number of students with mental health problems in the UK has trebled in recent years. It provides guidance to improve the coordination of student mental health care services between universities and the National Health Service.Government review of post-18 education - submission
Universities UK has released its submission to the government’s review of post-18 education funding in England. The UUK submission calls for the review to address students’ concerns about living costs and fears of debt and recommends the restoration of maintenance grants.Student mobility and employment
UUK has also published a new report ‘Gone International’. This report compares the academic attainment and employment outcomes of mobile and non-mobile first degree undergraduate students who completed their studies at the end of the 2015–16 academic year. It finds an increase in the number of students going abroad and also finds that have students who spend time studying abroad have lower unemployment rates.Manifesto for widening access
The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) has released A Manifesto for the New Director of Fair Access and Participation. Addressed to the Office for Students (OfS), the new regulator for higher education in England, the publication provides concrete proposals for widening access to higher education from over 30 university leaders and administratorsBudget proposals - HE response
The American Council on Education (ACE), an IAU Member, and 34 other higher education associations have sent letters to the USA Government House and Senate and the White House calling on Congress to reject budget proposals that includes cuts in student aid funding.National student survey results
The National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), a nationally representative survey of postsecondary students has been released. The data from the survey, which cover 2015-2016, indicates reversals in the growth of ethnic minority, low-income and first for the undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant.Return to top IAU Lynx May Edition
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IAU Lynx March EditionIAU Lynx coordinator: Amanda Sudic
Collaborating team: Melissa Herlaut, Nicholas Poulton, Samuel Pousson, Carine Sebast and Hilligje van’t Land
Contact: centre@iau-aiu.net
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