University autonomy and public policies: A system theory perspective

This article addresses problems facing universities because of external pressures for changes in their teaching, research, and governance and management policies and practices to align them with public policies. The view is put that governments are introducing public policies in times of economic recession to achieve rationalisation of human, physical and financial resources in higher education and to foster initiatives that shape university teaching and research to serve the needs of society and assist in national economic recovery. Examples of these external pressures, which have resulted in intrusions into the autonomy of university governance and management, are provided in the context of general system theory. It is assumed that the pressure of public policies on universities will continue and that each university should have a development plan for its present and future teaching and research activities, which has the endorsement of the government higher education advisory agency so that university management can function on a secure basis. The effectiveness and efficiency of functioning at the various levels of the university system should be assessed by periodic evaluative reviews. The quality of management by academic leaders should be fostered by the establishment of national centres for the study of higher education management and policy. The relationship between government higher education advisory agencies and universities should be renegotiated so that, as interdependent and interrelated parts of the higher education system, they work in joint co-operation to ensure the most effective and appropriate development of each institution. Nevertheless, a state of equilibrium between the university system and the supra (social) system within which it exists will never fully be achieved. The fundamental role and functions of a university require that it be concerned with teaching and researching both ageless and current phenomena. Hence, a perfect equilibrium state cannot exist if external social pressures are for the main weight of university activities to be shifted to providing service for the current needs of society.     

Evaluative reviews in universities: The influence of public policies

This article addresses issues raised by the conduct of evaluative review processes in the context of public policies. Some examples and outcomes of evaluative reviewing are discussed. The first sections deal with: the necessity for evaluative reviews, their parameters (including their scope and initiation, the levels at which they are conducted, the composition of review committees, information for evaluative reviews, completion of the review process) and the implementation of review recommendations. The significance is examined of evaluative reviews in universities for public policy, inter-institutional and intra-institutional arrangements and for the activities of individual staff members. It is concluded that if universities are to avoid having dramatic change imposed on them by governments through control of finances, they should initiate a continuous review of their role, structure and function designed to maintain access to and the quality of university education.     

Vocational training choices of women: public and private colleges

This paper contrasts the profiles of women who choose to pursue vocational training in either public institutions (community colleges) or private institutions (career colleges) in Canada with particular attention given to respondents’ life‐course positions. The study employs 1998 Adult Education and Training Survey data. Correspondence analysis shows the relation between training choices of women, their individual characteristics and selected situational, dispositional, and institutional factors. The space topography determined by the correspondence between training choices and women profiles indicates that duration of training constitutes the primary institutional feature distinguishing choice. Older women who need to balance both work and family obligations tend to enroll in single courses and are attracted to the modular programming of the private colleges. In contrast, the traditional program‐based vocational training offered by community colleges is the preferred option for younger women.     

European Cooperation in Education: historical background and contemporary experience

The development of educational cooperation at the level of the European Community is examined from a background of personal involvement. Two perspectives are taken, namely that of the Curriculum Models Project and that of an activity‐based network. In conclusion, the need to define processes of international research and development is discussed.

L'auteur examine le développement de la co‐opération éducative au niveau de la Communauté Européene dans les perspectives de son engagement personnel. Les perspectives adoptées sont celles du Projet: Modèles du Curriculum et d'un réseau actif. L'auteur souligne aussi la necessité d'arriver à une définition du processus de recherche et de developpement européen.     

Teacher training through distance education: IICBA's experience

Abstract

This paper describes the experiences of the International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) in running distance education programmes for teachers and education personnel in sub-Saharan Africa. The Institute, established by UNESCO in 1999 and located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is mandated to work with teacher education institutions (TEIs) in sub-Saharan Africa in the areas of curriculum development, teacher education, distance education and educational planning. The subject areas IICBA focuses on are the teaching of Science, Mathematics, languages and ICT (Information and communication technologies) through the use of modern pedagogy. The Institute implements its projects in partnership with distance education offering institutions in Africa and other parts of the world. The paper begins by providing brief remarks on IICBA and its mandate and organisation, and proceeds to explain why it focuses on the areas of teacher education, capacity building and the distance mode of delivery to offer its training programmes. At the end, it describes the kinds of programmes it has been running since its establishment and the partner distance education institutions that offered the training courses.     

University policies under varying market conditions: The training of electrical engineers

This paper analyzes the problem faced by a university in optimizing the quality and quantity of engineers in the face of fluctuating enrollment. This problem is embedded within an equilibrium model that considers the dynamic rational occupation choice of high school graduates and the effect of the students and the university decision on the current and future demand and supply of engineers. The explicit considerations lead to an estimable model that is capable of providing economic forecasts of the demand and supply of electrical engineers under various economic conditions. The model is estimated using aggregate data from Israel. The estimated parameters are consistent with the economic theory and fit the sample well. In particular, the model is capable of estimating the observed cyclical movements in the number of graduating electrical engineers in Israel. Finally, we provide several predictions on the equilibrium number of electrical engineers towards the end of the century.     

关于运用《证券法》对上市公司进行监管的几个问题

加强对上市公司监管和规制上市公司行为,已经成为不可回避的社会性问题。目前,世界上大部分国家对上市公司监管制度主要是通过证券立法来确立的。这里就我国运用《证券法》对上市公司进行监管的理论依据、体制及核心内容等诸问题作了较为深入的探讨。     

关于健美操教学中舞蹈训练的几点思考

从走入21世纪开始,舞蹈已经不单单只是对于艺术美的展现,与健美操也有了更多的融入。国民对于生活水平的要求越来越高,自身的健康问题也越来越看重,而健身就成了国民提高健康水准的第一考虑办法,健美操自然是健身运动中不可缺少的一项,而健美操中融入了许多舞蹈艺术,例如现代舞、爵士舞、肚皮舞等等。那么,在针对健美操教学当中,舞蹈的训练要如何进行呢?本文将针对健美操的定义、健美操中舞蹈训练的必要性以及主要内容、在健美操教学中舞蹈训练需要注意的问题等等方面做简单论述。     

Research and public policies help advance the benefits of breastfeeding and natural childbirth

As more and more research recognizes the benefits of breastfeeding and natural childbirth, public policy steps up its efforts to protect these benefits.     

Obstacles to learning from experience and principal training

This paper discusses the obstacles to on-the-job learning for school administrators. Applying Kolb's (1984) experiential learning model to understanding the on-the-job preparation of administrators, it describes how characteristics of the work, properties of the organization, and norms of the occupation make this form of learning often slow, unreliable, counter-productive, and biased. The four stages of experiential learning (concrete experience, reflective analysis, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation) are analyzed and applied to the learning of school principals with particular attention to the obstacles to effective learning at each stage. Finally, the paper suggests ways that those who prepare, train, and work alongside principals can improve the quality of learning-from-experience for novice as well as veteran administrators.Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Education Research Association in Chicago, April, 1985.     

体验欧盟的职业教育培训

本文结合在欧盟进行职业教育培训的体验,阐述了欧盟职业教育培训的过程,欧盟职业教育的特点以及自己的亲身感受。     

浅析公共事业管理专业人才培养面临的问题与对策

经过十年的发展,我国的公共事业管理专业已初具规模,但在专业定位、课程设置、教材建设、师资力量等方面存在诸多问题,人才培养工作面临着极大困难。本文就此展开探讨,并提出若干解决思路,以期对高校改进公共事业管理专业人才培养工作有所裨益。     

研讨式教学法的实践与体会

所谓研讨式教学,就是学员选定课题,教师指导研究,教学活动以课题研究为主线,通过教研结合的方式提高学员理论水平和教育、教学、教研能力的一种教学形式.在小学语文骨干教师培训教学中运用研讨法,可以调动学员积极思考、参与教学的主动性,可以加深学员对某些重点、热点问题的理解和把握,可以提高学员研究问题、解决问题的能力,可以促使学员把理论知识转化为实际技能.笔者在小学语文骨干教师培训中运用研讨法执教<汉字理论与小学识字教学研究>,取得了良好的效果.具体做法是: