The impact of the GATS on transnational tertiary education: Comparing experiences of New Zealand,Australia, Singapore and Malaysia

This paper examines the impact of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) on transnational higher education in four countries: New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia. The GATS is a multilateral agreement through which WTO members commit to voluntary liberalisation of trade in services, including education. Transnational (or offshore) education refers to education that is delivered by an institution based in one country to students located in a different country. Two of the countries considered, New Zealand and Australia, have made commitments under GATS to allow relatively unrestricted cross-border provision of education in their countries, while the other two countries, Singapore and Malaysia, have made no such commitment. There is currently considerable activity in renegotiating countries’ commitments to GATS as part of the Doha round of WTO negotiations, and simultaneously bilateral free trade agreements are being proposed between countries in the region. In this context, this paper examines the practical impact that GATS has had on these two countries that have made commitments regarding education, and the likely impact that similar commitments by Malaysia and Singapore would have on the tertiary education systems in those major importing countries.     

High School Teaching of Bioethics in New Zealand,Australia and Japan

Abstract

An International Bioethics Education Survey was conducted in Australia (A), Japan (J) and New Zealand (NZ) in mid‐1993. National random samples of high schools were selected, and mail response questionnaires were sent to a biology (b) and a social studies (s) teacher at each school through the principals. The number of respondents and response rate were: NZb 206 (55%), NZs 96 (26%), Ab 251 (48%), As 114 (22%), Jb 560 (40%) and Js 383 (27%). This paper compares knowledge and teaching of 15 selected topics related to bioethics and biotechnology, with particular focus on the teaching of social, ethical and environmental issues of in vitro fertilisation, prenatal diagnosis, biotechnology, nuclear power, pesticides and genetic engineering. The survey found that these issues were, generally, covered more in biology classes than in social science classes; and that there were differences in coverage among the three countries, with most coverage in Australia and least in Japan. Open questions looked at images of bioethics, and the reasons why about 90% of teachers thought bioethics was needed in education. Open questions on teaching materials, current and desired are also discussed. The data suggest a need for the development of more and higher quality materials, for the moral education that is conducted, especially in biology and social studies classes.     

澳大利亚、新西兰成人教育的启示

在成人教育的发展过程中,相互学习、相互交流、取长补短、共同发展是一种必要的措施。本文作者通过对澳大利亚、新西兰两国成人教育的实地考察,结我我国成人教育发展的现状,提出了很有现实意义的启示,值得我们关注。     

澳大利亚、新西兰大学生就业的特色及其启示

从两国高等教育简介入手,归纳了澳大利亚和新西兰大学生就业的特色,提出了构建合理的产业结构、制定科学合理的政策、改进人才培养模式、完善就业指导体系、鼓励创业、建立"高等教育立交桥"等有关建议.     

Education as a global public good: the applicability and implications of a framework

This paper addresses a growing literature on global public goods theory, in particular the use of this framework to promote the equitable provision of goods and social services, such as basic education, on an international scale. Due to a lack of research into this theory’s applicability to education, the author aims to discern how such a framework might be applied, and its possible policy implications, focusing on universal access initiatives and the debate on private provision of schooling. The paper further questions the appropriateness of using global public goods theory given certain critiques.     

U3As in Australia and New Zealand: Society's $4 million bonanza

The self-help model of the University of the Third Age (U3A) has developed strongly since its comparatively recent introduction to Australia and New Zealand. This article reports on findings from a survey of 84 U3A groups in Australia and 14 U3A groups in New Zealand. The survey had three discrete aims. The first was to demonstrate a method for explicating the nature and extent of the voluntary activities underpinning the self-help approach, and to ascribe a dollar value to these activities. Conservative calculations show that the annual value of voluntarism in Australian U3As is in excess of $4 million and, in New Zealand U3As, in excess of $300,000. A second aim was to reveal regional similarities and differences in approaches, as well as to highlight the educational characteristics of the very successful self-help model of adult education. The third aim of the study was to gain a measure of U3A administrators' preparedness to respond to possible social change, by analysing responses to 18 futures-oriented questions. Findings show that U3A administrators have a vision that extends well beyond the immediate confines of their own groups and are prepared to consider the introduction of research projects, communications involving new technology, and activities that involve their groups in interactions with the wider ageing community.     

Organisational barriers for women in senior management: a comparison of Turkish and New Zealand universities

This paper reports on the second phase of a multi‐country study examining cross‐cultural perspectives of gender and management in universities. The first phase of this research with eight countries found that the representation of women was consistently low, especially at Rector/Vice Chancellor level. In the second phase interviews were conducted with both male and female senior managers including current and former Rectors/Vice Chancellors. The focus of this paper is on the organisational barriers to women becoming and being managers in Turkish and New Zealand universities. Twenty‐four interviews were conducted in Turkey and 26 in New Zealand. Rectors/Vice Chancellors and other senior academic colleagues were found to be crucial in supporting academics into senior management. Barriers discussed include time management and role conflict between work and non‐work life.     

新修辞框架下中外领导致辞文本的对比及对翻译的启示

领导致辞是一种带有互动性、针对性、权威性的讲话文体。一般言语凝练,主题鲜明,态度明确。领导者通过言语来表达思想,体现政策和措施。领导致辞可直接体现领导者的个人魅力和政策水平。中外领导致辞有共性有差异,本文将在新修辞的理论框架下,以受众为中心,从话语表现形式、诉求手段、美学手段等方面对中外领导致辞文本进行对比分析,探讨共性和差异,并总结其对汉译英翻译的启示。     

Exploring learning goals and assessment approaches for Indigenous health education: a qualitative study in Australia and New Zealand

In higher education, assessment is key to student learning. Assessments which promote critical thinking necessary for sustained learning beyond university are highly valued. However, the design of assessment tasks to achieve these types of thinking skills and dispositions to act in professional practice has received little attention. This research examines how academics design assessment to achieve these learning goals in Indigenous health education. Indigenous health education is an important area of learning for health practitioners to help address worldwide patterns of health inequities that exist for Indigenous people. We used a constructivist qualitative methodology to (i) explore learning goals and assessment strategies used in Indigenous health tertiary education and (ii) examine how they relate to higher education assessment ideals. Forty-one academics (from nine health disciplines) involved in teaching Indigenous health content participated in a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis revealed learning goals to transform students’ perspectives and capacities to think critically and creatively about their role in Indigenous health. In contrast, assessment tasks encouraged more narrowly bounded thinking to analyse information about historical and socio-cultural factors contributing to Indigenous health. To transform students to be critical health practitioners capable of working and collaborating with Indigenous people to advance their health and well-being, the findings suggest that assessment may need to be nested across many aspects of the curriculum using a programmatic approach, and with a focus on learning to think and act for future practice. These findings accord with more recent calls for transformation of learning and assessment in health education.     

澳大利亚、新西兰高等教育就业指导状况及其启示

本文作者通过赴澳洲学习考察的亲自感受,介绍了澳新两国高等教育就业指导的基本情况,并就此对我国高等教育就业指导的启示提出了看法。     

Rethinking leadership and change: a case study in leadership succession and its impact on school transformation

This qualitative, historical study, based on interviews with participants and archive data, reconstructs the extended process through which three successive heads contributed to the transformation of the Felix Holt School. Over a 10‐year period the roll rose from 560 to 1109, while the percentage of pupils achieving 5 GCSE higher grades increased from a low point of 13% to 57% in 2002. Unlike the majority of schools nationally, Felix Holt moved definitively from one level of effectiveness to another. Concepts from the leadership literature frame an analysis of how three contrasting leaders influenced organizational characteristics. Despite disruption and turbulence as the heads adopted discontinuous strategies and contrasting styles, their respective contributions broke the mould and built the capacity of the school. Successful transition from one leader to another seems to be a critical but neglected dimension of sustainable improvement. All those concerned with the appointment of school leaders are recommended to give more care to managing their arrival, induction and departure.     

澳大利亚、新西兰高等教育收费管理考察报告

比较系统地介绍了澳大利亚和新西兰高等教育收费管理的情况，并对我国高等教育收费及其有关问题提出了具体的意见和建议。