7th GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF CRE

One of the important events relevant for higher education in Europe which took place in 1979 was the 7th General Assembly of CRE ‐the Standing Conference of Rectors and Vice‐Chancellors of the European Universities (13‐17 August 1979, Helsinki).

The present membership of CRE includes 352 universities and institutes of higher education in 23 European countries.

The following article, written by Dr. Andris Barblan, Secretary General of CRE, reflects major problems discussed during the General Assembly (Editor's Note: This article is based on the paper presented by Dr. A. Barblan at the Seminar “University Today” which was held on 28 August 1979 in Dubrovnik).

For CEPES participation at this conference see page 42 of this Bulletin.     

ROLE OF RECTORS OF ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS ‐‐ FINAL REPORT OF THE CRE CONFERENCE

It is a generally recognized fact that the period of expansion of the university system that prevailed in Europe during the 1960 ‘s has by now come to an end. Economic and financial conditions have considerably changed. As a consequence most governments have felt that the financial support given to their universities must inevitably be limited. While in some countries the student figures are still increasing, mainly for demographic reasons, in others thèy are stagnating or even beginning to fall owing to deteriorating job prospects for university leavers.

University governing bodies are experiencxing difficulties in coping with this situation. They must try to keep or to regain the necessary amount of flexibility in their administrative and financial decisions; they have to reconsider their principles of selection of students, and ensure that, in spite of a restricted budget for teaching, research does not suffer.

These problems were discussed during the 16th Semestrial Conference of the Standing Conference of Rectors and Vice‐Chancellors of the European Universities (CRE), held from 27 to 28 April 1978 in Salamanca, Spain.

We present below an edited version of the final report of this meeting, reflecting the conclusions of this conference.     

CRE CONFERENCE ON FOREIGN STUDENTS AND THEIR ACCESS TO UNIVERSITIES

The subject of the 12th Biannual Conference of the Standing Conference of Rectors and Vice‐Chancellors of European Universities (CRE) held on 8‐9 April 1976 in Munich, was “Foreign students and their access to universities”. The Conference analysed this theme on the basis of the following three papers:

• “Reflections on the Problem of Student Mobility in Europe” by Professor Dr. Hansgerd Schulte, President of the German Academic Exchange Service, Bonn

• “Reflections on Problems of Student Mobility from the Third World” by Professor Dr. Gerhard Grohs, Berlin

• “Mobility of Students and Mutual Recognition of Diplomas in the European Community” by Karl H. Massoth, Head of Division, Directorate‐General for Research, Science and Education, Commission of the European Communities, Brussels

Information on UNESCO's involvement with the subject of the Conference and on the objectives and activities of the UNESCO European Centre for Higher Education was given by its Director (see page 30).

We give below the main elements of the three above‐mentioned papers.     

SITUATION OF TEACHING AND RESEARCH PERSONNEL IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY ‐ REPORT PRESENTED AT THE CRE CONFERENCE

The information presented below is based on a report entitled “Maintaining the Vitality of the University in Matters concerning the Teaching and Research Personnel” written by Professor Rudolf Wildenmann, Rector of the University of Mannheim. This report was presented during the 16th Semestrial Conference of the Standing Conference of Rectors and Vice‐Chancellors of the European Universities (CRE), held from 27 to 28 April 1978 in Salamanca, Spain.

The Conference concentrated on “The Prospects for the Universities after a Period of Expansion”. Besides Professor Wildenmann's report, two other basic reports were presented. They dealt with the following issues:

• "Maintaining the Vitality of the University in the Field of Finance” by Professor Jean Touscoz, Rector of the University of Nice,

• "Maintaining the Vitality of the University in Student Matters” by Mr. James Drever, Principal of the University of Dundee.

     

10th CONFERENCE OF THE MINISTERS OF HIGHER EDUCATION OF SOCIALIST COUNTRIES

The 10th Conference of the Ministers of Higher Education of Socialist Countries was held in Moscow from 16 to 18 November 1976. The 8th and 9th conferences were held in Ulan‐Bator (Mongolia) from 12 to 14 September 1973, and in Havana (Cuba) from 19 to 22 November 1974 respectively.

Ten countries ‐ Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR and Vietnam participated in the work of the Conference.

The forthcoming issue of the international journal of the socialist countries Sovremiennaja Vysza Shkola (Contemporary Higher Education) published in Warsaw will be devoted to the works of this Conference.

We give below information on the main problems discussed during this meeting.     

11th CONFERENCE OF THE MINISTERS OF HIGHER EDUCATION OF SOCIALIST COUNTRIES

The 11th Conference of the Ministers of Higher Education of Socialist Countries was held in Balaton‐Aliga (Hungary) from 17 to 19 October 1978.

The following information was provided by Dr. Franciszek Januszkie‐wicz for “Higher Education in Europe”. Dr. Januszkiewicz, of the Institute of Science Policy, Technological Progress and Higher Education in Warsaw, is also Managing Editor of the “Contemporary Higher Education” the international journal on higher education in the socialist countries.     

SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE 37th ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR JEWISH EDUCATION

Although paired study (hevruta) has been a part of Jewish learning and an essential aspect of rabbinic education for centuries, over the past decade it has become an increasingly formalized vehicle in the training of rabbis in non-Orthodox seminaries. Little research has focused on its organization and process and what role it plays within the context of rabbinic education. This study seeks to investigate the practice of hevruta as it has developed in the Rabbinical School of the Jewish Theological Seminary. Methodologically, the study makes use primarily of standardized long interviews. The results of this study indicate that while hevruta shares many characteristics of cooperative learning in higher education, it remains a distinct Jewish learning strategy.     

CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITIES

The executive heads of 116 member universities ofthe Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) met in Wellington, New Zealand, from 7 to 14 February 1976. The ACU is the oldest international inter‐university association in the world. It has 204 member universities in 26 Commonwealth countries. We give below information on this Conference and on a paper prepared by the ACU Secretariat “Trade Routes and Common Ground”.     

REPORT OF BIBLICAL INSTRUCTORS CONFERENCE*

This article examines the psychoanalytic concepts of object-relations theorist Christopher Bollas, applying them to a view of the Bible as “transformational object.” Emphasizing the connection between psychological process and religious experience, this article suggests that each person's innate ability to choose and use objects is a key factor in their ability to appropriate the Bible for constructive use. By offering religious objects with psychological awareness, religious educators may come to appreciate that silence, empathy, and open-ended lesson plans are important incubators of transformation; and that aggression has a potentially positive role in the healthy development of worship communities.     

GDR: CONFERENCE ON DEVELOPMENT OF FUNDAMENTAL AND APPLIED RESEARCH

The following article presents the main issues concerning the development of fundamental and applied research in the German Democratic Republic, as discussed during a joint conference of the GDR's Ministry, of Higher and Specialized Education and the GDR's Academy of Science, which was held on 1 and 2 June, 1978 in Berlin.     

UNESCO'S PROGRAMME ON HIGHER EDUCATION AS ADOPTED BY ITS 19th GENERAL CONFERENCE

The promotion of the rôle of higher education in society will continue to be one of UNESCO's main objectives in its actions in the area of higher education over the next six years.

Special attention will be given to four groups of problems: the importance of higher education in community development; the development of inter‐university co‐operation and collaboration with the United Nations University; the improvement of mobility of teachers and students in higher education; the increased international comparability and recognition of studies, degrees and diplomas.

These are the results of discussions and decisions of the 19th UNESCO General Conference which was held in Nairobi from 26 October to SO November 1976. The discussion of the UNESCO programme was based on the Draft Medium‐Term Plan (1977‐1982), and the Draft Programme and Budget 1977‐1978. Below we recall the relevant elements from these two documents and give a summary of views expressed during the conference concerning the UNESCO programme in the area of higher education.     

14世纪的中国文学

14世纪，中国基本处于全国统一的态势。中国文学呈各种文体繁荣的局面。值得注意的特点是汉文化圈的扩大，文学中心南移至当时的江浙行省东南沿海地区。当时是中华民族发展的重要时期，民族融合和多民族汉文文学创作大量出现：小说、戏剧发展处于嬗变期，产生了许多伟大的作品。文学发展中萌生新的因素、新的色彩。