The Institute of International Education announced this week that it is launching a new comprehensive course designed to train Ministry officials and university representatives in developing and transitioning countries on how to create and manage an effective international relations office. The new course, "Connecting to the World: International Relations for Higher Educations Institutions" will be piloted in Myanmar this fall to meet an immediate need identified during an IIE-led higher education delegation visit earlier this year. The training will be an essential step to enable universities in Myanmar to connect with institutions in the United States and other countries so that they can build institutional capacity and prepare their students to meet the current workforce needs and support rapid economic development. 

IIE is working with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Northern Arizona University; the Monterey Institute of International Studies; and Knowledge Platform, a next generation learning solutions platform company to develop and deliver the course. The initiative is funded in part by a grant to IIE from the Henry Luce Foundation. 

For more information, please visit: www.iie.org/Who-We-Are/News-and-Events/Press-Center/Press-Releases/2013/2013-09-09-Myanmar-International-Relations-Program-Launch. 

The Institute of International Education (IIE) invites you to nominate your program for the 2014 Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education. IIE created these awards to honor outstanding initiatives in international higher education by IIENetwork member universities and colleges. IIE's Heiskell Awards showcase the most innovative and successful models for internationalization of campuses, study abroad, and international exchange partnerships in practice today. 

Read more about the award categories and download the application at: www.iie.org/Who-We-Are/IIENetwork-Membership/Heiskell-Awards 

If you have any questions about nominating for the Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education, please send an e-mail to HeiskellAwards@iie.org.

A new briefing paper published by IIE's Center for Academic Mobility Research suggests that the number of English-taught Master's Programs in Europe has increased significantly since 2011. The paper, "English-Taught Master’s Programs in Europe: A 2013 Update", is an update of a report published by IIE in June 2011, and provides a data-driven look at the continued growth of master’s programs in Europe taught entirely or partially in English. 

 

In recent years, European countries in which English is not the primary language of instruction have developed an increasing number of programs taught either fully or partly in English in order to serve domestic demand for higher education in English and to attract students from around the world. The authors, Megan Brenn-White and Elias Faethe, examine statistics that they have obtained from MastersPortal.eu, an online directory and comprehensive source of information about postgraduate degree programs in Europe. The authors examine the growth of English-taught master’s programs in Europe, including the total number of programs offered by country and academic discipline, their duration, and data on prospective students.

According to the report, as of June 2013 the total number of English-taught programs in Europe was 6,609, a 42 percent increase since 2011. The top host countries for English-taught Master's programs are: Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, France, and Spain.

The briefing paper is available for download at: www.iie.org/Research-and-Publications/Publications-and-Reports/IIE-Bookstore/English-Language-Masters-Briefing-Paper-2013-Update. 

The British Council has launched unique research into the global growth of transnational education (TNE), and announced a new partnership with the Quality Assurance Agency to further protect and enhance the reputation of courses offered under the UK banner.

Read more: http://ihe.britishcouncil.org/news/new-research-finds-transnational-education-is-continuing-expand-globally-and-offers-huge-opport

An article in Diverse Issues in Higher Education discusses the growing number of American students studying in China. Approximately 25 percent of the 760,000 international students studying at American colleges and universities are from China. China’s decision to encourage its students to study in the United States is a stupendous jump since the country prevented students from doing so during the second half of the 20th century. These days, Chinese society values American university degrees since students receive a foundation in the liberal arts and are taught how to think creatively as opposed to the more rigid curriculum Chinese students receive at home.

Read the full article: http://diverseeducation.com/article/55816/. 

The World Bank and the Regional Development Banks increasingly invest in universities and other institutions of higher education in developing countries. Among the objectives is enhancing the quality and relevance of higher education and research. However, the question how to assess the quality and the improvement of quality over-time of both academic teaching & learning and the associated research remains a unusually weak area internationally, in effect meaning that the final result and outcome of the higher education investments and World Bank projects are difficult to measure reliably and meaningfully. At the national level, a variety of countries have conducted efforts aimed at establishing national quality assurance agencies, and accrediting bodies. Also, accrediting agencies in some countries have expanded their scope of work in order to accommodate requests from institutions abroad. Nevertheless, many questions remain unanswered: Is accreditation the best proxy for quality? How adequate is to "export" accreditation mechanisms and procedures to other countries? Is it better to engage in developing international accreditation approaches, or to further strengthen national entities? What is the role of the World Bank and similar international organizations in such a debate? 

This BBL will feature a conversation with a Panel of accreditation and quality assurance leaders, including Dr. Thomas J. Nasca, President of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME, Chicago), Dr. Judith S. Eaton, President of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and others. The Panel will be chaired by Francisco Marmolejo, the Bank's Coordinator for Higher Education, and will also have leaders on accreditation in other sectors, such as agriculture and engineering. 

Questions & Comments: email World Bank Education Events at wbeducation@worldbank.org. 

The British Council is pleased to launch their call for proposals for the next Going Global conference taking place from April 29 to May 1, 2014 in Miami. Going Global offers an annual forum for policy makers and practitioners to discuss the current issues facing the international education community. The conference attracts over 1,000 participants from across the further and higher education sectors, governments, national agencies, the media and a variety of other industries not limited to international education. We are especially interested in practical examples of how you have anticipated and responded to the challenges of the conference themes in your own work.

Going Global 2014 explores how innovation systems are formed, structured and driven globally and transnationally. Delegates will consider how talent to drive innovation is developed and how countries meet the challenge of providing sufficient high quality tertiary education to ensure the widespread inclusion and participation of their citizens. The conference will focus on what impact an internationalized higher and tertiary sector can deliver in these twin areas of innovation and inclusion. 

Visit the Going Global Website: http://ihe.britishcouncil.org/going-global/call-proposals for more information on proposal submission.

The Washington International Education Council is pleased to invite IIE members to participate in the Conference taking place at the University of California Washington, DC Center and Embassies throughout Washington. The 12th Annual Conference will take place on January 27th and 28th, 2014.

The Conference is the premier event providing the latest information on the movement of international students to the United States. Register now to reserve your place and to qualify for the early registration rate.  The Conference in January featured meetings at the Embassies of Brazil, China, Indonesia, Turkey and the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission as well as presentations by the leading authorities in international education. Registration forms are available at www.washcouncil.org or by emailing inquiries@washcouncil.org. 

RFP Deadline: September 20

The Institute of International Education (IIE) invites proposal submissions to provide an online U.S. host institution application and candidate matching system. IIE is seeking a company that can offer quick, superior development of the system, support in a timely manner when the system is active and maintenance throughout the year. We welcome proposals from companies with existing software that can be customized for the needs of the Fulbright FLTA Program. However, we request only companies that can provide all the system elements outlined in the Request for Proposal (RFP) apply. The current RFP deadline is September 20, 2013.

To receive a full copy of the RFP, please contact Marsha Frith at mfrith@iie.org

This scholarship program is the outcome of joint efforts made by a multi-stake-holders aimed at helping Syrian students to access higher education. The scholarship will cover all tuition fees as well as living costs for the 2013-2014 Academic Year. The scholarships will enable Syrian students to study in Lebanon, Turkey and in Iraq according to the country where they are now staying.

The partners of this initiative are: The League of Arab States; the Council of Europe; the Institute of International Education; a Consortium of Universities and Higher Education Schools; and a number of governments, foundations, companies and individuals. 

• Be a citizen, national or permanent resident qualified to hold a valid passport issued by the State of Syria
• Have the refugee status in Lebanon, Turkey or Iraq, or be currently residing in one of these countries
• Be at least 18 years old by the time the program begins
• Hold a higher secondary certificate
• Have excellent academic performance
• Have financial need to continue his/her education
• Have a strong interest in a professional qualification
• Have strong motivation to contribute to his/her community

Application forms must be completed and sent to aureliamartin@casadoregalo by September 15, 2013. For more information, visit: http://jorgesampaio.pt/jorgesampaio/pt/. 

Following four years of success, the International Academic Partnership Program (IAPP) will again guide a select a group of U.S. higher education institutions over the course of a year in strategic planning activities focused on implementing partnerships with counterparts in Brazil. Since 2009, IAPP has engaged nearly 100 U.S. higher education institutions in comprehensive, year-long programs aimed at increasing the number of partnerships between U.S. higher education institutions and their counterparts abroad. Past participants have increased faculty and staff exchanges, implemented strategic partnership plans, and expanded study abroad offerings within Brazil. If you are interested in participating in this program, please contact Morgan Clark at mclark@iie.org or visit www.iie.org/iapp.

Application Deadline: October 4, 2013 

Program Cycle: November 2013–October 2014 

Study Tour to Brazil: April or May 2014 (tentative) 

Program Cost: IIENetwork Members $12,500/Non-members $14,000 (This includes all in-country costs for one representative from your institution to travel on the IAPP study tour, not including international airfare.) 

1. Strategic planning process, including guidelines for assessing on-campus international partnership capacity and developing practical strategic plans for partnership activities in Brazil. 
2. Expert advice and guidance on developing or expanding a strategic plan for partnerships with Brazil by one of the members of the IAPP Advisory Board and IIE staff in the United States and abroad. 
3. A study tour to Brazil that will include visits with select higher education institutions, and representatives from the U.S. Embassy, EducationUSA, the Brazilian Fulbright Commission, CAPES and CNPq, and other educational exchange organizations. All in-country expenses for one representative from each institution will be covered as part of the program fees. Participants are responsible for covering their international airfare. 
4. A series of training webinars, focused on topics such as implementing strategic partnerships, faculty engagement, developing a consolidated partnership strategy, and higher education in Brazil. 
5. A suite of information resources on the higher education system in Brazil, and IIE publications and policy research reports. 

Morgan Clark

Program Officer, Center for International Partnerships 

Institute of International Education 

Tel: +1 (212) 984 5405

Email: mclark@iie.org

For more information, or to download the IAPP application or Special Partnership Initiatives, please go to: www.iie.org/iapp.

 

Read IIE President Allan Goodman’s letter to study abroad advisors introducing our new book, A Student Guide to Study Abroad. 

In his letter, Dr. Goodman writes that "I believe that every student who wants to succeed in the global economy should study abroad." He says: "We realize that not every student knows where to start and how to make it happen, and that study abroad offices have a huge job to do in advising students and coordinating all of their programs and credits. So we teamed up to help you get information into the hands of students who are still exploring whether and how to study abroad, and to bring current, relevant advice to students at every stage of the process." 

Read the complete letter and learn more about the new Student Guide to Study Abroad: www.naylornetwork.com/iie-studyAbroad/articles/?aid=232683&issueID=30671. 

The Institute of International Education's Scholar Rescue Fund and the Center for Public Scholarship at The New School cordially invite you to a discussion on Syrian Higher Education in Crisis: the Road Forward. 

  

After more than two years of war and civil unrest, Syria's higher education sector is facing a severe crisis, with educational and research facilities decimated, intellectual production and scientific research on hold, and thousands of students' education interrupted indefinitely. Join experts on Syria, higher education, and humanitarian intervention to examine the current state of higher education in Syria and amongst Syrian refugees and to explore what programmatic interventions the international higher education sector and donor communities might pursue urgently to support Syrian academics and students.  

 

Event speakers will include an IIE-SRF Fellow from Syria and the University in Exile Scholar at Parsons The New School for Design who has been active in the country's higher education sector. Dr. Allan Goodman (President and CEO, Institute of International Education), Mr. Mark Angelson (Chairman, IIE's Scholar Rescue Fund), and Dr. David Van Zandt (President, The New School) will also offer remarks.      

 

Please RSVP to cps@newschool.edu

An article in Times Higher Education has highlighted the major challenges facing Iraq’s universities as they struggle to forge international partnerships and adopt robust systems of assessment, evaluation and quality assurance. It draws on the results of a three-day conference organized by the Institute of International Education in collaboration with its Scholar Rescue Fund. The report notes "a shared understanding that quality assurance is a ‘national issue’, not merely a university issue", but warns that Iraq should "develop its own uniquely Iraqi model and culture of quality assurance" rather than adopt another country’s system wholesale.

Read the full article: www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/iraq-academy-urged-to-build-own-path-to-quality/2006963.article.