Abstract: For middle-income and developing countries as well as some industrial nations a major challenge for building and sustaining successful research universities is determining the mechanisms that allow those universities to participate effectively in the global knowledge network on an equal basis with the top academic institutions in the world. These research universities provide advanced education for the academic profession, policy makers, and public and private sector professionals involved in the complex, globalized economies of the 21st century. In addition to their contribution to economic development, these universities play a key societal role by serving as cultural institutions, centers for social commentary and criticism, and intellectual hubs. The positive contribution of tertiary education is increasingly recognized as not limited to middle-income and advanced countries, because it applies equally to low-income economies. Tertiary education can help these countries to become more globally competitive by developing a skilled, productive, and flexible labor force and by creating, applying, and spreading new ideas and technologies. A recent study on how to accelerate economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa spells out the crucial contribution of tertiary education in supporting this endeavor (World Bank 2008). It observes that the key for success in a globalized world increasingly lies in how effectively a country can assimilate available knowledge and build comparative advantages in areas with higher growth prospects and how it can use technology to address the most pressing environmental challenges. The main chapters of this book are nine case studies that illustrate what it takes to establish and sustain research universities and help validate the analytical model outlined above, including the paths to building research excellence.

Abstract: The paper reviews Asia–Pacific higher education and university research, focusing principally on the “Confucian” education nations Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong China, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam. Except for Vietnam, these systems exhibit a special developmental dynamism—still playing out everywhere except Japan—and have created a distinctive model of higher education more effective in some respects than systems in North America, the English-speaking world and Europe where the modern university was incubated. The Confucian Model rests on four interdependent elements: (1) strong nation-state shaping of structures, funding and priorities; (2) a tendency to universal tertiary participation, partly financed by growing levels of household funding of tuition, sustained by a private duty, grounded in Confucian values, to invest in education; (3) “one chance” national examinations that mediate social competition and university hierarchy and focus family commitments to education; (4) accelerated public investment in research and “world-class’ universities. The Model has downsides for social equity in participation, and in the potential for state interference in executive autonomy and academic creativity. But together with economic growth amid low tax regimes, the Confucian Model enables these systems to move forward rapidly and simultaneously in relation to each and all of mass tertiary participation, university quality, and research quantity and quality.

Abstract: The last decade has seen significant changes in all aspects of internationalization but most dramatically in the area of education and research moving across national borders. The most recent developments are education hubs. The term education hub is being used by countries who are trying to build a critical mass of local and foreign actors—including students, education institutions, companies, knowledge industries, science and technology centers—who, thorough interaction and in some cases colocation, engage in education, training, knowledge production, and innovation initiatives. It is understood that countries have different objectives, priorities, and take different approaches to developing themselves as a reputed center for higher education excellence, expertise, and economy. However, given higher education’s current preoccupation with competitiveness, global branding, and rankings, one is not sure whether a country’s plan to develop itself as an education hub is a fad, the latest branding strategy, o...

Abstract: This book argues that data and their use constitute a form of governance of education. It highlights the ways in which education is steered and managed so that a European education policy space is ...

Abstract: As human rights education (HRE) becomes a more common feature of international policy discussions, national textbook reform, and post-conflict educational strategies, greater clarity about what HRE is, does, and means is needed. This article reviews existing definitions and models of HRE, and argues that ideology—as much as location or other variables—offers a means of schematizing varying approaches to HRE. This article reviews models organized around principles of global citizenship, coexistence, and transformative action in the context of one nation-state (India), and suggests that the mutability and adaptability of human rights education are its strength.

Abstract: International assessments provide important knowledge about science education and help inform decisions about policies, programmes, and practices in participating countries. In 2006, science was the primary domain for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), supported by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). Compared to the school curriculum orientation of Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS), PISA provides a perspective that emphasises the application of knowledge to science and technology‐related life situations. The orientation of PISA includes both knowledge and attitudes as these contribute to students’ competencies that are central to scientific literacy. In addition to students’ knowledge and competencies, the 2006 PISA survey gathered data on students’ interest in science, support for scientific enquiry, and responsibility towards resources and environments. The s...

Abstract: In the English-speaking world educational research is often conceived as the interdisciplinary study of educational processes and practices. Hence research in education strongly relies on theoretical input from a range of different academic disciplines. What is virtually absent in this construction of the field is the idea of education as an academic discipline in its own right. The latter idea does however play a prominent role in the way in which the field of educational studies has developed on the Continent, particularly in the German-speaking world. In this paper I compare these two constructions of the field in order to understand why the field has developed so differently in different contexts. Comparing the different traditions raises some important questions about the theoretical resources available for the study of education; questions that are still important for the study of education today.

Abstract: One area in which the impact of globalisation can be seen is that of education. This article suggests that there are currently two main aspects of the growing internationalisation of education at school level: the internationalisation of national systems of education and the growth in numbers of international schools worldwide. It is the latter that forms the main focus of the article, beginning with consideration of the background to the development of international schools. A discussion of the changing nature of international schools then follows, as this form of education proves increasingly attractive not only to the globally mobile expatriates for whom such schools were originally founded, but also to those seeking a competitive edge for their child in a globalised market.

Abstract: Carol K.K. Chan and Nirmala Rao, Hong Kong, Comparative Education Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong & Springer, 2009, xix+360 pp., US$38.00 (hardback), ISBN 978-90-481-3839-5 This book i...

Abstract: This article provides a comparative analysis of recent governance reforms in both Finnish and Portuguese higher education institutions (HEIs), following the OECD’s recent reviews of both countries’ tertiary education systems. While in the case of Finland the major problem was identified as being a lack of entrepreneurialism, Portugal was considered to lack effective, strategic higher education planning as well as innovative, flexible and responsive HEIs. The review teams pointed to common issues, despite different country contexts. As they recommended very similar solutions for reforming the legal status of universities, this encouraged national governments to undertake reforms according to their specific needs. By pinpointing problems, the OECD was seen to play an important role in this process and its recommendations proved to be close to the ideas of new public management.

Abstract: This book answers a simple question: How would one redesign the American education system if the aim was to take advantage of everything that has been learned by countries with the world s best education systems? With a growing number of countries outperforming the United States on the most respected comparisons of student achievement and spending less on education per student this question is critical. "Surpassing Shanghai "looks in depth at the education systems that are leading the world in student performance to find out what strategies are working and how they might apply to the United States. Developed from the work of the National Center on Education and the Economy, which has been researching the education systems of countries with the highest student performance for more than twenty years, this book provides a series of answers to the question of how the United States can compete with the world s best."

Abstract: This book discusses what constitutes vocational education as well as its key purposes, objects, formation and practices. In short, it seeks to outline and elaborate the nature of the project of vocational education. It addresses a significant gap in the available literature by providing a single text that elaborates the scope and diversity of the sector, its key objectives (i.e. vocations and occupations), its formation and development as an education sector, and the scope of its purposes and considerations in the curriculum. The volume achieves these objectives by discussing and defining the concept of vocational education as being that form of education that seeks to advise individuals about, prepare them for, and further develop their capacities to perform the kinds of occupations that societies require and individuals need to participate in-and through which they often come to define themselves. In particular, it discusses the distinctions between occupations as a largely social fact and vocations as being a socially shaped outcome assented to by individuals. As people identify closely with the kinds of occupations they engage in, the standing of, and the effectiveness of vocational education is central to individuals' well-being, competence and progress. Ultimately, this book argues that the provision of vocational education needs to realise important personal and social goals.

Abstract: Between the end of the Second World War and the present time, ideas about British Physical Education were created, and became established as orthodoxies and conventions. This book is about the forming of these ideas. It is also about the relationship between these ideas and beliefs more widely circulated in society, concerning the value and uses of sport and Physical Education in schools. It also examines the influence of these notions in the public debate about Physical Education which preceded the 1987 General Election.

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to identify the differences between African and European students with regard to their entrepreneurial intentions, attitudes towards entrepreneurship, role models and entrepreneurial experience. It also aims to set the scene for future comparative research between developing and developed countries in the area of graduate entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative empirical research design was applied, using self‐administered questionnaires. Questionnaires were distributed to first‐year business students at universities in three African countries that are either developing (Uganda and Kenya) or emerging (South Africa) and four European developed nations (Finland, Germany, Ireland, and Portugal).Findings – The results indicate that students from developing/emerging economies are more likely to envisage future careers as entrepreneurs and are more positive towards entrepreneurship than their industrialised European counterparts, even though motivators for employm...

Abstract: In this paper, we examine the nature of interest in science as represented in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006 data. We discuss the interconnections between measures of knowledge, affect, and value as components of interest in science. Working from a perspective acknowledging that many of the models of motivation represented in the literature have been developed in Western countries, we investigated whether the ways that knowledge, affect, and value combine in the structure of students’ interest in science might vary in line with historical and cultural traditions. Four countries were chosen to represent contrasting cultural values as defined in analyses of the World Values Surveys and the European Values Surveys—Colombia, Estonia, USA, and Sweden. Models are described showing variations in fit across the four countries. Efforts to increase the attractiveness of science to students should take heed of the fact that all models indicated a central role for enjoyment of science ...

Abstract: This paper reviews the current English-language literature on developments in police training and education in order to identify common areas where higher education ‘adds value’ to police learning and development. Reforms in training and education are constituent parts of the ongoing shift to a service-oriented professional police in a number of countries. A comparative analysis of the literature on police training and education is provided here which focuses primarily on the USA, the European Union, Australia and India. The review provides a contribution to international policy debates about future developments in this area.

Abstract: The need to effectively prepare faculty to teach in a cross-cultural environment has become imperative in the context of globalizing higher education (Deardorff, 2009; Verbik, 2007). Many higher education institutions around the world have internationalized their degrees and programs, and they have established foreign branch campuses to provide their intellectual resources in other countries (Altbach, 2010; Armstrong, 2007). In this paradigm, faculty members are contracted from the home campus or from an outside organization to teach in the foreign branch, but they receive little formal preparation to teach in this type of environment (Lewin, 2008; McBurnie & Ziguras, 2007). Faculty members are unaware of culturally competent pedagogical strategies on how to respond in culturally sensitive ways, and thus they lack the ability to successfully communicate and work with learners from other cultures (Paige & Goode, 2009). This paper focuses on preparing faculty to teach cross-culturally at international branch campuses. Using Darla Deardorff’s process model of intercultural competency, I will develop a framework that focuses on three core elements of Deardorff’s process model—attitudes, knowledge and comprehension, and skills—that will help faculty members to teach internationally. In the paper’s conclusion, I will suggest best practices and discuss the implications of intercultural competency for transnational teaching.

Abstract: The contents of this publication may be reproduced in part, except for commercial purposes, provided the extract is preceded by a reference to 'Eurydice network', followed by the date of publication of the document.

Abstract: The purpose of this investigation is to determine the incidence of school infrastructure and resources and its impact on the academic performance of primary education students in Latin America. A 4-level multilevel model was applied to the data of the Second Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study (SERCE) conducted by UNESCO, which researched 180,000 students in the 3rd and 6th grades of primary education at 3,000 schools from 15 countries in Latin America. Results show that the availability of basic infrastructure and services (water, electricity, sewage), didactic facilities (sport installations, labs, libraries), as well as the number of books in the library and computers in the school do have an effect on the achievement of primary education students in Latin America, but their relative weight varies significantly from country to country. These results indicate the need to continue investment in resources and facilities and to incorporate this factor into school effectiveness models that are meant ...

Abstract: In 2005, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Michigan State University, and the Australian Council for Educational Research took an important step in advancing the field of education by partnering to develop and implement the first international and comparative study of mathematics teacher education. The study was made possible by the substantial funding received from the National Science Foundation, the IEA, and the collaboration of 17 participating countries. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the methodology used in this major cross-national study of teacher education—the IEA Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics, known as TEDS-M—and to share its main findings related to the mathematical preparation of future teachers.

Abstract: Explanations for U.S. students’ performance on international comparisons of educational achievement abound, with much of the scholarly and public discussion centering on cross-national differences in education systems. The author argues that the connection between economic inequality and educational achievement in affluent societies deserves far more attention than it receives. Analyses of data from the 2006 Programme for International Student Assessment and other sources indicate that egalitarian countries have higher average achievement, higher percentages of very highly skilled students, and lower percentages of very low-skilled students than do less egalitarian countries. These patterns suggest that egalitarianism and educational excellence are compatible goals for affluent societies. The author discusses the implications of these findings for educational and economic policy in the United States.

Abstract: This study compares the strategies and delivery of education for students with special educational needs in the province of Alberta, Canada, and in the country of Finland, in the European Union. The rationale for comparing these two jurisdictions is grounded by the idea that both of these areas have high general standards of living, a well-developed public education system, and top results in international school achievement tests. The data consists of available educational policy papers, previous research papers, and educational statistics. This article first describes the special education system development and the current situation, followed by the funding system and discussion about the implications and outcomes of different policies. The historical analysis shows that while many similarities exist between Alberta and Finland, there are also some culturally-bound elements present that have strongly affected the progress and the decision-making process related to the organization of the education for ...

Abstract: This paper argues that the current approach to educational quality formation in transnational higher education promotes educational imperialism, and that guidelines and practices should be altered to embrace context-sensitive measures of quality. The claims are sustained by findings from a study that investigated how academics understood and pursued educational quality in an Australian university programme delivered in partnership with a Chinese university in China. A key finding was that a home programme functioned as the single reference point for quality in the programme delivered in China. Quality in the China programme was sought through the imposition of practices and philosophies associated with the home programme, which required the suppression of local educational traditions. The paper points out that reliance on a home programme as the single measure of quality is encouraged by governing UNESCO/OECD guidelines on quality in cross-border provision.

Abstract: The objective of this paper is an efficiency analysis concerning higher education systems in European countries. Data have been extracted from OECD data‐sets (Education at a Glance, several years), using a non‐parametric technique – data envelopment analysis – to calculate efficiency scores. This paper represents the first attempt to conduct such an efficiency analysis at a system‐level in a cross‐country comparison, while focusing only on tertiary education. The role of the public sector has also been analysed, by looking at the percentage of public spending devoted to higher education, and the way the public funds are used (channelled through private subsidies or directly assigned to institutions). It has been found that there is a small core of efficient units (e.g. Switzerland, United Kingdom), and that the influence of the public sector seems to play a role in determining efficiency scores. Many elements, related to critical policies, have also been analysed adopting a semi‐parametric approach, to be...

Abstract: Introduction The governments of Ghana and Botswana since the 1990s have made various attempts at meeting their commitment to the inclusive education goals as enshrined in the Salamanca Declaration of 1994. In Ghana, apart from the implementing the Community-Based Rehabilitation program which led to the initiation of inclusive education programs in participating districts, some attempts have been made to collaborate with non-governmental organisations to organise inclusive education programs in other districts. In addition, some effort has been made at increasing teachers' knowledge of inclusive education through in-service training programs and new courses in teacher training colleges. Teacher education in Ghana takes place at two levels: Initial Teacher Training Colleges (ITTCs) and Universities. The ITTCs--numbering 20--provide training for teachers in primary and Junior High Schools, while Universities provide training to teachers in Senior High Schools. Historically, the ITTCs were part of the second tier of education until 2007 when they were redesignated as tertiary level institutions. They now award a professional Diploma of Education (Teaching) qualification instead of a professional teaching certificate. The University of Cape Coast and University of Education, Winneba provide professional teacher education undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Prior to the inclusive education initiative under the Community-Based Rehabilitation program, only the Advanced College of Special Education in Mampong-Akwapim delivered courses in special education at an intensive and more specialised level. Many ITTCs provided fairly limited introductory knowledge of special needs education. In 1989, the government introduced special education content into the curriculum of initial teacher programs beginning with an in-service training for 40 tutors drawn from the 20 ITTCs in Ghana. Trainees were required to design new curriculum materials and to deliver such units to their students, beginning in 1990 (Kuyini, 2004). This effort was part of the recommendations of the UNESCO Consultative Committee On Special Needs, which endorsed the concurrent implementation of a CBR and Inclusive education program in 1988. The UNESCO Teachers' Resource Pack (RP) on Special Needs in the Classroom was used for the training of the teachers for inclusive education during the initiation phase. The package was also used for the Pilot Action Research Project (PARP); a teacher training program aimed at sustaining the inclusive education knowledge and skills in the ITTCs and schools. The PARP reinforced the incorporation of inclusive education content into the curriculum of initial teacher training colleges in Ghana, beginning 1995 (Kuyini, 2004; Ofori-Addo, Worgbeyi & Tay,1999). Furthermore university-based teacher education courses at the Universities in Cape Coast and Winneba, increased offerings of special education electives at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In Botswana, the government's commitment to inclusive education--defined narrowly here as the process of admitting children with disabilities and special learning needs to the local school, to be educated alongside their local community peers--saw the recent opening of a special education outfit in the office of the president. This follows earlier policy actions on teacher education that led to large numbers of regular education teachers being sponsored to pursue special education courses in various countries and the establishment of the special education unit in the Ministry of Skills and Development in Education (GoB, 1994). Further, The Revised National Policy in Education (RNPE) (1994), which emphasised access to education for the disadvantaged and students with disabilities (Dart, 2007), also sought to capacitate teachers to implement school reforms such as inclusive education. To this end, the training of teachers for special education received considerable attention. …