More than 100 delegates from around the world are expected to attend the ninth conference this year. The four-day conference will provide them an opportunity to discuss issues affecting academic libraries and hear from leading experts on the subject.

This year’s theme, “The Value of Library and Information Services: Sharing Data and Assessing Impact,” focuses on collaboration, the value of libraries and learning spaces and making effective use of technology. Several AUS faculty members and library staff members will give presentations at the conference.

The AUS Provost, Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, will address the conference opening session, while the keynote speakers are Malcolm Brown, Director of the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, and Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, Associate Professor for Library Administration and Coordinator for Information Literacy Services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

According to Daphne Flanagan, Interim University Librarian, “The AMICAL conference is a unique chance for members from similar institutions around the world to share and learn from top leaders in the field of academic libraries and information services. This year’s theme for the conference is focused on using data to assess the impact and value of libraries and information services.”

The goal of the conference is to discuss emerging issues in academic libraries and allow colleagues from similar institutions, but culturally diverse backgrounds, to network and share knowledge and insight on important issues facing libraries and information services. The conference content also deals with specific library and information service issues that AUS faces and provides the university an opportunity to showcase its library to a global audience.

Operating in diverse cultural contexts but committed to the American model of liberal education, AMICAL institutions have chosen to collaborate for mutual benefit and to support the advancement of learning and teaching.

New Delhi, October 19, 2011: Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the owner and administrator of the GMAT exam, announced the launch of www.mba.com/india – the official GMAT website for India.

The website has been designed exclusively for the Indian aspirants and exhibits a detailed classification of the top business schools in India, Indian B-schools accepting GMAT score and placements offered by B schools accepting GMAT scores globally.

“We’ve seen dramatic growth in the number of Indian candidates interested in pursuing management education over the last several years,” said Ashish Bhardwaj, regional director for South Asia, GMAC.

The India specific portal hosts information around funding options, the cost implications and the prospective return on investment. Additionally, the portal also runs a thread of video testimonials by select Indian students, narrating their journey and experiences from preparing for GMAT and making it to the business school of their choice.

GMAC has 200 member schools in 24 countries of which six member schools are located in India:

1. Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad,
2. Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore,
3. Indian School of Business, Hyderabad,
4. SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai,
5. School of Business Management, NMIMS University, Mumbai and
6. Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai.

MBA BY CHOICE is nothing but a simple concept to promote that, MBA is a very special qualification and not just simple diploma or degree. Students who thrive to be MBA by their own CHOICE are the ones who can bring pride to this specialization. Being MBA is a very big responsibility which every MBA carries and it’s important for not only one but all to understand the same.

Our services includes; once in a year activity Mega B-Schools Event, an yearly Publication Best B-Schools Guide, a comprehensive B-Schools survey to publish the Indian B-Schools Rankings & last but not the least exclusive Indian B-School Awards to recognize the talent and leadership among-st Business Schools across India & distinguish them for their contribution towards Management Education.

The Indian B-Schools Rankings will be released in November 2011, and simultaneously the Best B-Schools Guide will be published with the released rankings of the Institutes and a lot of other relevant information about the various issues related to MBA education. The Mega B-Schools Event will be organized in 7 cities of India & Nepal and the Indian B-Schools Award function will be hosted in Thailand in January 2012. Everything has been very well timed for the Indian Market so that the students and institutions both can take maximum advantage from these activities.

Bringing to India the International experience, these products will be the best in their class and in a very short span the complete Management Education Fraternity will acknowledge the contribution of DEM to this Industry. The talent of the Indian students is not hidden and requires no acknowledgement. We are sure that the above products will be a gift to from us to one of the world’s most informed & know-ledged community of students.

In order to ensure 100% success of our endeavors and deliverable to our clients have taken support from various Indian well established organizations and we will ensure that our products will give them one of the experiences of its kind. We would appreciate the participation of all the B-Schools in the Indian B-Schools survey based on which not only the Indian B-Schools Rankings will be released but most of the Indian B-School Awards will be decided. For some award categories, a special participation form will be sent to the shortlisted institutes.

As far as the Mega B-Schools Event & our Best B-Schools Guide is concerned we will be happy to have the participation of maximum number of institutions as all our offerings come with tangible deliverables and not just a hay of dreams.

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The CAT 2011 voucher sales ended on 1 October, and about 2.06 lakh vouchers were sold. The CAT 2011 registration window ended at midnight on 4 October with approximately 2.05 lakh registered CAT aspirants. Of these, 73% are male and 27% are female candidates. This marginally exceeds last year’s registrations of 2.04 lakh. The cities in which the highest numbers of candidates have been scheduled to test are New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Pune. Over the next 2 weeks, Prometric will be reconciling the registration data to produce a final report which will include actual numbers and demographic breakdown of candidates.

“The registration process has ended smoothly,” said Professor Janakiraman Moorthy, CAT 2011 Convenor. “Prometric has managed the capacity well to ensure candidates get their preferred locations where possible. The marginal increase in the number of registrations this year is a sign that management is still a sought after career choice by young Indians.”

“Our global experience of providing self-service, online registration and scheduling capabilities, coupled with our capacity planning expertise, have allowed us to manage such a large number of registrations within a fixed window smoothly,” said Soumitra Roy, Managing Director, Prometric India. “The next step for Prometric is to prepare and check all testing locations to ensure candidates have a smooth testing experience. Candidates should also familiarize themselves with the test day procedures by viewing the video that is available from the CAT website, ensure they bring the right documents, and show up punctually on the right day, at the right location.”

The full report on CAT 2011 registration data is expected to be available from 18 October 2011.

Indian Institutes of Management

The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) were established by the Government of India, starting from the early 1960s as national school of excellence in Management Sciences.   IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta are celebrating their Golden Jubilee this year. Over the years, the IIMs have evolved into global institutions that impart high quality management programmes that stress on innovation, ethical leadership, and cutting edge management research. The Economist labelled IIMs as the “toughest” b-school in the world to get into. Currently there are 13 IIMs named as IIMs Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Indore, Kashipur, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Raipur, Ranchi, Rohtak, Shillong, Tiruchirappalli and Udaipur. The entry to these national building institutes is realized through the Common Admission Test, popularly called CAT. It was, and continues to be, a source of pride for the faculty involved with its conception and delivery year after year, and is possibly the exam that accounts for the highest number of eyeballs and scrutiny of general public and media alike.

Prometric

Prometric, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ETS, is a trusted provider of technology-enabled testing and assessment. Its market-leading test development and test delivery solutions allow clients to develop and launch global testing programmes as well as accurately measure programme results and data. Prometric reliably delivers and administers more than 10 million tests a year on behalf of approximately 400 clients in the academic, financial, government, healthcare, professional, corporate and information technology markets. It delivers tests flexibly and securely via the Web or by utilising a robust network of more than 10,000 test centres in more than 160 countries.

Prometric Testing Private Limited (Prometric India) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prometric Inc. and has been present in India since 1997. Its operations span nine locations and employ over 200 people. In 2010, Prometric India delivered approximately 650,000 exams through a network of more than 450 testing centres. India represents a core part of Prometric’s growth strategy, both as a regional operations location and as a market for its globally distributed testing services.

As Indian school education gains fans in Japan and the Japanese academia reaches out to Indian varsities, promising tie-ups are on the anvil that will present major opportunities for Indian educationists and students.

Something is slipping in Japan, and it’s ringing alarm bells and causing dismay in the minds of parents of school-going children in the tiny nation, albeit the most advanced in Asia. A few months ago, Japanese academicians were equally appalled to learn that the country had fallen from first place in 2000 to tenth place in as many years, in an international survey of math skills. The performance slide puts Japan behind Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea. In science too, the country is not faring as it well as it used to. Whereas it used to boast the first runners up (second) place, it now stands sixth.

Interestingly, the turned tables are leading Japanese parents and academicians alike to look at India with new eyes. So, of all its Asian rivals, why is India emerging as Japan’s new interest in the education sector?

What goes in favour ofIndiais the country’s prowess in software development, Internet businesses and knowledge-intensive industries, areas where Japan has failed to make inroads. Also, pertinent aspects of the Indian education system are attracting Japanese attention. Indian children are taught more at an earlier age, the Indian education system is known for promoting learning by rote – Indian children recite tables like parrots, as they say – and maths and science scores count for a lot in the country. Strangely, these aspects used to apply to Japanese education, but no longer. Another reason that may be fanning Japanese parents’ interest in the more demanding Indian education is Japan’s intensely competitive college entrance exams. Putting two and two together, parents reckon that their wards would be better off studying harder, in Indian schools in Japan.

Queues outside the handful of Indian schools in Tokyo are growing longer, as parents stand in line hoping to find a place for their wards.Tokyo’s Little Angels Kindergarten boasts of all but one of its flock of 45 students being Japanese. Parents don’t mind that the textbooks are from India, classroom posters echo themes from Indian fables, and the teachers are South Asian, as long as the under fives are taught to count to 20 and introduced to computers, and the five-year-olds learn to multiply, solve math word problems and write one-page essays in English, skills most Japanese elementary schools only impart in second grade.

The furore over education has reached a point where even the Japanese education ministry is acknowledging Indian teaching methods. Asian economic upstart Japan looking for lessons from the continent’s emerging superpower,India, would have been unheard of a few years ago. It was commonplace for the land of the rising sun to look much further West, to the US, for successful education models. But ever since facilities that once turned out students who consistently ranked at the top of international tests began failing,India has become the newfound interest. And it’s not only restricted to Indian kindergarten education.

As Japan also wakes up to the positives of the rigorous standards of education imparted by English-language Indian schools, from nursery through to high school, establishments such as The Global Indian International School and India International School in Japan’s top few cities are preparing to take their offerings to the country’s second rung of urban conglomerates. If this new crop of schools follows the Indian trend of adopting innovative technology to enhance the delivery of education, by training teachers in ICT-based skills, the takers for Indian-styled education in Japan is poised to rise. The buzzword in the Indian education system is to encourage collaborative environments in which students learn with technology, as opposed to learning technology. In bundling technology with education, at least,India is miles ahead of Japan. In spite of the latter’s School New Deal Policy, an endeavour aiming at equipping classrooms and teachers with tech tools, the embrace of technology in the tech-rich nation still leaves much to be desired.

Still, Japan scores ahead of India at the level of higher studies. Whereas Japan faces a problem of plenty – there will soon be fewer takers for university seats than what is available no thanks to its declining birth rate –India faces a paucity of seats in almost every stream of education. Not surprisingly, Japanese universities are introducing more courses in English and scholarship programmes in a bid to attract overseas students.India, with its huge numbers of students looking for quality education and placements, is bound to be a target nation.

Indian students are likely to be attracted to study in Japan, if they can gain admission to courses in automotive engineering, life sciences, electronics, railways, solid waste management, and renewable energy – areas in which the country is a global leader. After all, it is acknowledged that the nation’s proven competitiveness in these fields stems from its educational excellence at the university-level. Students in Japan also gain from the close association between the country’s universities, research institutions and industry, linkages aimed at coming up with commercially-oriented and socially useful research, and the likes of which India has yet to fully develop. Greater engagement between Indian and Japanese educational establishments would enable the exchange of faculty and researchers and possibly help address this shortcoming. Such interest has already been evinced by Japanese institutions, with stalwarts like Professor Sawaguchi Manabu, professor atWasedaUniversity, Graduate School of Creative and Engineering, Department of Business Design and Management visiting Indiain March this year to discuss the possibility of collaborating in the academic area of Design & Manufacturing with IIT-H.

As research and development activities are increasingly globalised, especially in sectors like motor vehicles, textile and apparel, and electrical equipment, Indian universities could benefit tremendously from engaging with Japan. While theUSand some Commonwealth and European countries have been India’s accepted partners in tertiary education, new linkages with countries such as Japan,South Korea, and Brazil could help add a new dimension to Indian tertiary education, besides create more job opportunities for technology graduates and post-graduates. Japan is on the one hand, emerging asIndia’s largest bilateral provider of economic and technical assistance. On the other hand, the country has a fast ageing population for which reason it could emerge as an attractive employment destination for Indians, of whom individuals who have acquired a cultural understanding of the country from spending their student life there would have an edge.

For all this to happen, it would help if more language schools in India offer the opportunity to learn Japanese. Overcoming the language barrier would also present greater opportunities for India-Japan industrial collaboration and enhance the employ-ability of Indians in Japanese companies and research labs in India.

Deeper ties in tertiary education would add leverage to the India-Japan strategic partnership, and pave the way for a new round of engagement. But such ties are best forged during face to face interactions. That’s why educationists interested in making the most of the opportunities have done well to meet the line up of potential collaborators, Japanese educationists at the India Japan Global Partnership Summit, held from September 5 to 7 in Tokyo. This event, supported by the Governments of India and Japan and apex trade bodies in the two nations, was being organised by the India Centre Foundation to mark 10 years of the announcement of India-Japan Global Partnership Agreement and pave the way forward for greater cooperation between the two nations. The ball has already been set rolling in the education sector. Now, it’s time for it to gain momentum.

Kishor Jagirdar
Executive Member

India Japan Global Partnership Summit
(Strategic Change Management Specialist)

Based on the theme ‘Cooperate, Innovate, Participate’, the conference will highlight the growing importance of creating national and international synergies, fostering communication across borders and linking communities with the academic world. Participants will discuss the role that higher education institutions are playing in shaping the future – encouraging students to think independently and creatively, to effect positive change in the world.

Innovation plays a key role in the conference, with brand new elements added to the programme, including new ‘dialogue’ sessions. “Improving the conference experience for participants year on year is essential,” explains EAIE Director, Leonard Engel. “The new dialogues are designed to encourage extensive discussions of current key topics, allowing for greater audience participation on a senior level and adding a more challenging dynamic to the conference experience.” The four dialogues will focus on how to create a global environment for higher education; trends and issues in international higher education; how to manage ethical conduct and international recruitment in the global market, and what the unrest in the Arab world will mean for education.

This year’s conference welcomes highly prestigious figures, including HRH Princes Marie of Denmark who will give an official welcome speech. Reinforcing the conference theme, innovative keynote speakers Christian Stadil, owner of sports/fashion brand Hummel, and Stine Bosse, former CEO of TrygVesta – the second largest insurer in the Nordic region – will share their experience and insights during the Opening and Closing Plenaries.

Spanish universities at the conference will have a prominent space and careful design that will hold meetings with its partners, renew or sign new agreements and to publicizeits academic and research with other European partners and visitors in general.

EAIE 2011 at Copenhagen.

The EAIE is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to highlight the encouragement and promotion of internationalization in higher education. Its headquarters are in Amsterdam and seminars throughout the year in different European cities. TheSeptember conference is the most important event of the organization and is one of the largest showcases of ”networking” in Europe.

The inaugural session of the Conference, which will include the presence and participation of Her Royal Highness Princess Marie of Denmark and the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Charlotte Sahl-Madsen, borne by the Danish entrepreneur and founder of the company Hummel, Christian Stadil.

Universidad.es a state public sector foundation dedicated to promoting the Spanish university system in the world. An initiative of the Government of Spain with the supportof the Spanish universities, state government and other institutions. Universidad.es was formally constituted on December 23, 2008

For more details:  www.universidad.es

As part of TiE initiative to encourage Delhi schools to appreciate and showcase the world of entrepreneurship, it has invited school students to devote their weekends for nearly four months to learn about entrepreneurship, business models, finance, marketing, law, leadership, and presentation skills.

TiE Chairman Emeritus Saurabh Srivastav exhorted the youth to take on the mantle of entrepreneurship early on in life so as to start thinking of a variety of ideas alongside their education.

The program offered by TiE Chapters worldwide culminates in an international business competition. The event also saw the winners of 2010-11 program, Delhi TYE team of Nishul Juneja, Nakul Juneja, Srijan Sood and Kunal Mehan of St. Columba’s School, who bagged the No 3 position in the world wide contest.

Other winners from Delhi schools who were feted included Angad S. Bhullar, Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, Khyati Sharma, Delhi Public School, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, Arnav Jain of St. John’s High School and Amit Agarwal of Modern School.

Globally over 140 teams from India, UK and the USA participated in this program. Winning regional teams from Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Delhi, London, Rajasthan, Seattle and San Diego presented their business plans.

More than the intense competitive spirit, the interaction with team members from diverse locations, cheered all participants and of course, the eminent panel of judges. Team coaches, chapter managers and volunteers, all contributed to its success.

Mr.Satya Narayanan R., Chairman, TYE Delhi & Director, IWSB acknowledging teachers, mentors & partners for the event

“Entrepreneurship is the way of the future. Implementing entrepreneurship education by integrating it into the school curriculum with contributions from organizations such as CBSE, TiE, Entrepreneurship specializing institutions like IWSB is the way forward,” said Satya Narayanan R, a senior Charter Member and Founder Director, IWSB.

“TYE is an exceptional opportunity for young learners to explore a whole new world of opportunity, of freedom and achievement. With a vision of creating a global community of youth, empowered to be entrepreneurial, TYE is leading change and we are glad to be a part of the change shaping the future of this country.” said Geetika Dayal, Executive Director, TiE Delhi/NCR.

The TYE Curriculum focused on learning by doing. The program nurtures creativity, self-confidence, leadership and overall development of the students. Each session begins with a prominent entrepreneur bringing his insights to the students. The academic anchors from IWSB bring the framework to ensure that the students get the right synthesis of entrepreneurial capabilities.

“We are facilitating the process of learning at TYE which defies the normal stereo-type of classroom teaching. With workshop oriented sessions, role play, business case led module, the students apply themselves to real life business problems” said Rajeev Ranjan, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, IWSB and Academic Anchor, TYE for TiE Delhi/NCR.

Indra Sood, a proud mother of one of the TYE student thanked the team for offering this opportunity to the students said, “Each one of the parents and the learners believe that the TYE experience was truly rewarding.”

“The TYE learning experience, especially from mentors, was invaluable. I personally learnt a lot and it changed my perspectives on careers and entrepreneurship. It was simply fantastic,” exclaimed Nilya Dutta, a student of TYE 2010-11.

The jury comprised of Mr. Satya Narayanan R, Founder-CL Educate & Founder Director, IWSB; Mr. Pradeep Gupta, Immediate Past President, TiE Delhi NCR and Mr. Pranjal Sharma, Executive Editor, Bloomberg UTV.

The pilot TYE program in India was championed by TiE Delhi and was supported by IWSB with regard to design and delivery. The faculty from IWSB and TiE charter members worked with 11 teams in Delhi and coached them on weekends. Team from St Columba’s School –Team Lavarco, that showcased its business plan for revolutionizing the laundry experience of customers through use innovative services and technologies, won the regional competition and marking their entry into the top 9 entries at the global competition.

Thirty-one of the schools are from Abu Dhabi, 24 from Al Ain and five from the Western Region. Of these, 18 are following the Ministry of Education curriculum; 19 UK and US curricula; nine are the International Baccalaureate, French, Canadian and Japanese schools; and 14 are Asian schools.

The ADEC has approved an average increase of 6.6 per cent in tuition fees, while the permitted hike in fees for books, transportation and uniform averages 5.3 per cent, 12.3 per cent and 0.7 per cent, respectively. It is not clear what is the maximum increase granted by the ADEC to some of the schools. Last year, the council allowed up to 20 per cent increase.

Brian Fox Division, division manager for the private school licensing and accreditation at the ADEC, said, “School applications are considered on their individual merit.”

According to the ADEC, the average requests for increase in tuition fees ranged between 5 per cent and 208 per cent; while 5 per cent to 339 per cent hike was requested in book fees, 10 per cent to 129 per cent in transportation fees and 5 per cent to 371 per cent hike in uniform fees.

Early this year, the ADEC implemented a formalised process in accepting and granting requests for fee increases. This includes filling in a request form and submitting it within a certain period — March for Asian schools and April for schools following the standard September-June calendar. Schools also need to present a compelling case justifying their request.

The new procedure takes into account several factors, including the planned improvements and investments the schools need to fund, the schools educational performance, the financial position of the school and the history of its fee increases and 
the ability of parents to afford the increases.

With the new application process, the ADEC can now check if schools were charging fees that were above those approved by the council or previously by the MoE.

“Several schools that were overcharging were required to reimburse parents or sometimes provide fee credit for next year,” said Fox.

Asked how long before a school can ask for another increase, Fox said, “School fee increases are sometimes approved to last for a two-year or a three-year period.”

By Olivia Olarte

© Khaleej Times 2011

Nowadays kidnappers actively use social networks to scan for personal information about possible victims and understand their daily routine. Criminals are able to track down their victims` movement, monitor their updates and estimate personal security level through social networks such as the Russian website Vkontakte or international network Facebook.

Kaspersky said, “According to Insidefacebook.com, 46.4% of Facebook users are under the age of 25 and 20.6% are under the age of 17. In addition, The OnGuard Online states that 22% of 16-24 year olds don’t know the people they share information with on social networks. Teenagers and young adults are very passionate about networking and rarely take into consideration the consequences of over-sharing”.

“Poor privacy settings and low awareness of the circumstances of sharing personal information contribute to increasing the danger of being hacked or tracked. This can result to personal information floating directly into the hands of people with less than friendly intentions”, he continued.

Two suggestions were introduced by Eugene to try to minimize the risk on children from the dangers of social networks. Firstly, he suggested that social networks should introduce age-related features to decrease the risk associated with uncontrolled personal data exposure. For Example, kids should be allowed to set up their profiles as their parents’ sub-account, in the meanwhile, parents can use parental control features in security software to allow access to approved and monitored profiles only.

Secondly, the safety and security of social networks should be part of the educational system at schools. Children should receive regular classes on how to prevent themselves from the danger of becoming victims of hackers and cybercriminals.

“Security and usability is always a matter of well-balanced compromise. Families should find their own solutions to this issue, as I don’t see a one-fits-all recipe”, said Eugene.

As part of Kaspersky Lab‘s corporate mission, a fully dedicated non-profit educational program was founded years ago under the name of “Kaspersky Academy” and it was made available for any university or school who requests trainings for teenagers and young adults on data security.

“On a given day, Dee can be found driving her adult students to appointments, delivering tutor training to a remote community or working on research,” said Premier Clark. “Dee’s contributions have helped improve the quality of life for many families in the Northwest, and her work reminds us all that literacy skills give people the confidence and access to information they need to help them pursue their dreams.”

Overall, McRae’s commitment to literacy has contributed to a healthier and more literate society. As a dedicated instructor for adult basic education, McRae has been employed with Northwest Community College since 1994. She has also authored and presented a number of publications internationally and has published several research reports and manuals for practitioners working in northern, remote-rural Aboriginal communities.

The Council of the Federation comprises all 13 provincial and territorial Premiers. Each province and territory chooses a group, individual or project that has made a significant contribution to literacy. The Council of the Federation Literacy Award selection committee considers nominees’ history of commitment to excellence; community and peer recognition; leadership in the promotion of partnerships and public awareness; and the introduction of new ideas in promoting literacy. Award recipients receive a medallion and a certificate signed by the Premier of their province or territory.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Education, I would like to congratulate Dee for receiving this award, which gives her the recognition she deserves for her efforts to improve literacy levels in B.C.,” said Education Minister George Abbott. “About one million adults in this province have low literacy levels, and people like Dee who are committed to making a difference in these people’s lives are tremendously valuable.”

“Literacy is a vital skill that opens doors for all of us. I’d like to congratulate Dee for her tremendous work and thank her for her dedication to the people in northwest B.C. Her efforts have made a great difference in many lives,” said Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad.

This year, B.C. received several outstanding nominations. The Province would also like to acknowledge Allison Taylor McBryde, who is retiring after a 30-year career as the Coordinator of Children’s and Young Adult Services at the North Vancouver District Public Library. During her tenure, Taylor McBryde organized and contributed to various literacy initiatives and developed and taught post-secondary courses. She also wrote articles, gave workshops and organized events to make a lasting impact on a whole generation of younger children’s librarians.

Since 2001, the Province has invested approximately $1.5 billion in literacy and literacy-related initiatives such as StrongStart BC early learning programs, almost $21 million to operate the kindergarten-readiness program Ready, Set, Learn, and $2.7 million for the LEAP BC resources that encourage literacy, physical activity and healthy eating in preschool-aged children.

For information on the Council of the Federation, visit: www.councilofthefederation.ca

The 2011 summer semester which began in July saw a 10 per cent increase in new enrollments in various undergraduate and postgraduate programs at UOWD.

“Students are becoming increasingly aware of the need to complete their degrees in shortest possible time by sacrificing their holidays, so that they can take up employment sooner,” said Prof. Rob Whelan, President of UOWD. “We find that this option is attracting a good number of students, and the number has been going up significantly each year.”

“Further, the rising enrollments even in summer are indicative of the post-recession recovery and an endorsement of the robustness of the UAE as the region’s leading trade, tourism and education hub. UAE is delighted to play its part in boosting this sentiment through enhanced options and facilities for students.”

Of the total summer enrollments this year, 75 per cent were for post-graduate programs, while the rest were for undergraduate programs.

In the postgraduate segment, the highest number of enrollments were for Master of Strategic Marketing, Strategic Human Resource Management and International Business, followed by Engineering Management, Applied Finance & Banking, Business Administration, Logistics and IT management.

In the undergraduate section, Bachelor of Commerce attracted the highest enrollments, followed by Business Administration, Computer Science and Information Technology.

Students currently enrolled in the summer semester generally felt it makes sense to use the long summer period to continue their studies.

Radhika Gorajia, a Bachelor of Business Administration student from Burundi, said: “Four months of summer holidays are too long and as I like to keep myself busy I have enrolled in the summer semester. I have ten subjects left and by doing the summer semester, I can complete my degree faster. There will be time to think and time for holidays after I get my degree.”

Amina Radzholova, an employed Russian student who is doing her second bachelor’s degree, said: “The main reason for joining the summer semester is to complete my degree quickly. I want to study as much as possible in shortest possible time. I also plan to do my masters after this.”

Acharya Guru who has enrolled in Master in Logistics this summer after two and a half years of working in Muscat, said: “My idea is to get my masters at a faster pace and take up a better job. I came to Dubai because this field has a better scope here, as Dubai is a logistics hub and offers greater exposure to international trends.”

The summer semester is a more compact one at UOWD, with a shorter duration of 10 weeks, against 12 weeks for normal semesters.

“A world-class education is the single most important factor in determining not just whether our kids can compete for the best jobs but whether America can outcompete countries around the world. America’s business leaders understand that when it comes to education, we need to up our game. That’s why were working together to put an outstanding education within reach for every child,” said President Barack Obama.

The President’s meeting with these leading CEOs builds on his continued leadership to work with the business community on the pressing needs of American education. Through efforts such as Change the Equation, with its focus on corporate investment in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education; Skills for America’s Future with its support of business partnerships with community colleges, and the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, the private sector is responding not just with financial support, but with commitments that take advantage of their areas of expertise and the skills of their employees.

New Commitments Being Announced Today:

Community Engagement and Investment to Transform the Nation’s Lowest-Performing Schools: America’s Promise Alliance Grad Nation Community Impact Fund will raise $50 million to support the goal of ending the dropout crisis and preparing young people for college and career. The first planning grants from this social venture fund will be awarded in the fall to communities that demonstrate a commitment to local action aligned with the goals of the Grad Nation Campaign, including student supports for our most vulnerable young people. Applicants will be communities with a low-performing school and a willingness and capacity to build a multi-sector, collaborative approach that includes partnerships with the business community and local school system, and the capacity to raise matching funds to promote local investment to sustain this work.

Expanding Opportunities for Students to Prepare for Livable Wage Jobs: Bank of America will announce a $50 million pledge to education over the next 3 years, launching this goal through $4.5 million in grants. The investment will support programs that bridge the achievement gap to post-secondary education completion and connect the underserved and unemployed, as well as returning veterans, and individuals with disabilities, to workforce success in high-growth sectors, in particular through community colleges. Recognizing the need for knowledgeable and skilled workers to compete in the global economy, Bank of America is investing in education as part of its comprehensive lending, investing and volunteer activities aimed at strengthening the economic and social health of communities.

Research and Development for Next Generation Learning Models and Resources for Students and Teachers: Building on its history of commitment to education and recent $25 million STEM Scholarship grant program in Washington State, Microsoft Education is announcing a new $15M investment in research and development for immersive learning technologies including game based instruction and the creation of a lifelong learning digital archive. Through the creation of these innovative solutions, the disengaged can become passionate problem solvers and the struggling student can be offered other pathways to success. Rooted in this investment is the understanding that technical innovation alone will not help. Therefore, over the next 3 years, Microsoft is committing to train over 150 thousand educators and leaders and provide access to professional learning communities and training to every teacher in the United States through the new Partners in Learning Network.

Supporting a Statewide Focus on Education System Redesign: In the past four years, the Nike School Innovation Fund (NSIF) has provided $7 million in innovation grants and thousands of volunteer hours by senior Nike leaders and other employees to support students, teachers and principals in three Oregon public school districts. The Fund is announcing a new commitment as a primary partner of Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber and his initiative to help make the state’s entire education system more nimble, innovative and supportive of the key grades of 9 to 12. With this news, Nike’s commitment to strengthening education in Oregon totals $10 million. The NSIF will now provide a year of funding, expertise and policy guidance that is expected to serve as a model for the Governor’s larger statewide education transformation plan.

Participants in Today’s Meeting Include:

• Marguerite Kondracke, President & CEO, America’s Promise
• Alma Powell, Chairwoman, America’s Promise
• General Colin Powell, Founding Chairman, America’s Promise
• Craig Barrett, Former President & CEO, Intel
• Glenn Britt, CEO, Time Warner Cable
• Steve Case, Former Chairman & CEO, America Online
• Brian Gallagher, President & CEO, United Way Worldwide
• William Green, President & CEO, Accenture
• Fred Humphries, Senior Vice President, Microsoft
• Rhonda Mimms, Foundation President, ING
• Kathleen Murphy, President, Fidelity Personal Investments
• Ed Rust, CEO, State Farm
• Randall Stephenson, Chairman & CEO, AT&T
• Bill Swanson, Chairman & CEO, Raytheon
• Laysha Ward, Foundation President, Target Corporation
• David Zaslav, President & CEO, Discovery Communications
• Former Governor Bob Wise, President, Alliance for Excellent Education
• Anne Finucane, Chair of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Bank of America

The awardees are currently serving approximately 790,000 patients. Today’s awards will enable them to increase their capacity by over 50 percent, serving an additional 440,000 patients. School-based health centers improve the overall health and wellness of all children through health screenings, health promotion and disease prevention activities and enable children with acute or chronic illnesses to attend school. A full list of grantees is available at www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/07/20110714grantee.html.

“These new investments will help school-based health centers establish new sites or upgrade their current facilities to keep our children healthy,” said Secretary Sebelius. “These new or improved sites will help ensure effective, efficient, and high-quality care.”

“We know that if kids aren’t healthy then kids can’t learn,” said Secretary Duncan. “These grants will make it a lot easier for working moms and dads to help get their children the health care they need and deserve. This unprecedented investment in school-based health care will bring communities closer together and help children succeed in the classroom.”

The Affordable Care Act appropriated a total of $200 million for 2010 through 2013 for the School-Based Health Center Capital Program to address capital needs in school-based health centers. The funds announced today are the first in the series of awards that will be made available to school-based health centers under the Affordable Care Act. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) oversees the program.

“Healthy children are better able to learn and succeed in school,” said HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N. “These grants will improve access to care for children, and help maximize their potential to learn.”

Eligible applicants were defined as a school-based health center or a sponsoring facility of a school-based health center as outlined in the Social Security Act. An objective review committee used the review criteria established in the grant guidance to assess and rank applications. Each reviewer on the objective review committee is screened to avoid conflicts of interest and is responsible for providing an objective, unbiased evaluation based on the review criteria.

To learn more about the Affordable Care Act, visit www.healthcare.gov. To learn more about HRSA’s School-Based Health Center Capital Program, visit www.hrsa.gov/ourstories/schoolhealthcenters/

The agreement was signed between Dr. David Van Over, Dean of the School of Business Administration at AUD and Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas, Head of Global Business Development, DirectFN^TM to share knowledge and expertise and for their respective students, faculty members and employees.

On signing the agreement with DirectFN™, Dean of the School of business Administration and Professor of Management at AUD Dr. David Van Overcomments:

“This MoU creates opportunities for AUD Business students to learn using the most accurate and current market information available. It will definitely create a competitive advantage for our students in the job market. We at AUD are very excited about a long term relationship with DirectFN^TM.”

This agreement will allow AUD students to receive in class market data (UAE stock market and New York markets), which will enable them to understand and train in the analysis and decision making processes; provide AUD students and faculty members new means to help in their research and business studies; allow faculty to participate in short modules of training in financial markets; and provide internship opportunities to AUD students.

Emmanouil Revmatas, Head of Global Business Development, DirectFN^TM said:

“We are extremely pleased to be signing this MoU with the American University in Dubai, in particular the School of Business Administration. Access to market information is an extremely powerful tool and technology has undoubtedly become a key enabler for business. This initiative will allow us to share our knowledge and participate in the education of the business leaders of the future”.

David Hann, Head of Sales, DirectFN^TM said:

“This is a very exciting opportunity for us to work with the faculty of AUD and to contribute to their programs and the learning experience of the students. We look forward to providing an insight into how market data acts as a trigger in the decision making process of financial practitioners.”

DirectFN™ will also be conducting a training session each academic year for students to create awareness about financial market technology, along with another session per semester for finance students on financial modeling in the real world. AUD‘s expertise will be solicited to develop knowledge among DirectFN^TM‘s staff; and there are plans to organize joint events, seminars, and workshops for the benefit of the UAE financial community.

The state team is executing New York’s nearly $700 million Race to the Top grant, awarded by the Department in August 2010 to support the state’s comprehensive education reform plan to enhance and elevate student achievement. During the visit, ISU officials – Director Ann Whalen, Director Matt Gandal, Race to the Top Team Lead Meredith Farace, and Race to the Top Program Officer Rachel Vessey – assessed New York’s progress toward implementing and achieving the goals described in their plan as well as identified areas where the Department can provide support and technical assistance.

The on-site program review is one of several steps in an ongoing review process coordinated by the Department and the state teams implementing Race to the Top plans. The process includes ongoing conversations between the Department and grantees, on-site program reviews, and grantee self-evaluations. In addition, the process includes meetings where U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Department leaders and state leaders discuss progress and challenges.

Last year, the Department of Education awarded $4 billion in grants to support bold plans to reform education in 11 states and the District of Columbia. The Department created the ISU team to support Race to the Top states as they do the tough work of reforming their schools. Today’s visit to Albany focused on New York’s progress in building strong statewide capacity to implement, scale-up, and sustain proposed plans, and the state’s efforts to improve teacher and principal effectiveness based on performance.

“We are very excited about the challenging work that New York and other Race to the Top grantees are doing,” said Director Whalen. “We are working closely with each State to ensure that they’re receiving the support they need to implement their plans and to create long-lasting reform that benefits students and transforms education across their State.”

Over the next few weeks, teams from the ISU will complete the series of on-site program reviews with all of the 12 Race to the Top grantees: Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Tennessee. In the fall, the Department will use the information gathered during the program review process to create state-by-state reports and a national performance review that will be posted on the Department’s website.

Coaching will be offered through these satellite courses for the following subjects / streams:

• GATE, IES, PSU (exam)
• Actuarial Science
• GRE, GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL, SAT
• CAT, FMS, XLRI, MAT

• IITJEE
• AIEEE
• PMT

• CA, CPT, IPCC and Final
• CS- Foundation and Executive
• CWA- Foundation & Intermediate

Satellite classes are being designed for high potential mid-career managers who would like to study and enhance skill sets without interrupting their career. Also, according to DMC the supply of quality faculty is very short and they cannot reach out to the thousands of students across India. Hence the objective to start such classes. Other reason is that the cost of living and inflation which are going up day by day. Thus, if a student can get the best of education using technology as a platform it would save a lot of cost and time. Also, the cost of best of faculty is moving up while the availability is decreasing.

The other reason to foray in this area is that almost 97 per cent of information download happens from tutor to the students unlike MBA studies. It is always a one way data transfer from the faculty to the student. On the other hand the storage and technology cost has come done drastically which would help in setting up these classes.

The satellite classes would help in reaching out to the remotest area of the country providing education without travelling. Presently, the satellite classes studio are in Delhi. The same will be introduced in Banglore and Mumbai.

Chennai, July 8, 2011: Access to information is no more a hectic task; digital library enables students to access information with the click of a button. Bharath University has introduced Digital Library to provide quality learning experience to the students. The Digital Library houses a variety of books and periodicals and extensive resource materials for students. This will enable students to access articles and white papers across topics.

Considering the evolution of technology in today’s scenario, the Digital library has found favor with most of the students in comparison to traditional libraries. Bharath University has tied up with various research database services like Scopus, Infotrac, IEEE and Ebsco to provide access to electronic journals, research papers and a collection of varied articles for students. All the database services provide access to reputed indexed international journals.

Digital libraries with its ‘easier to search’ options enables students with the information they look in for. Also, the digital library triggers interest in students to do further study and reference through the use of an electronic library.

Commenting on the occasion, Dr. K. P. Thooyamani, Vice-Chancellor, Bharath University said, “Libraries are integral part of college. We have digitized our library to enable students to access the library resources efficiently. Bharat University firmly believes that the proper use of the library will definitely pave a new way in a student’s career. Also, access to online journals will help students to learn beyond text books.”

Bharath University was established under the aegis of Sri Lakshmi Ammal Educational Trust with the aim of imparting higher knowledge in Science and Technology to the aspiring boys and girls so that they can emerge as competent scientists, engineers and technologists of repute. Bharath Universitywas started in the year 1984 as Bharath Institute of Science and Technology, and acquired deemed University status in the year 2003. For further information on Bharath University, please visit www.bharathuniv.ac.in

Participants will include groups of Jordanian and Maltese students, who participated in a similar ELAICH course in Malta earlier this year. Together, the students will learn about topics relating to preservation of cultural heritages, visit conservation sites and will participate in an in-situ session in the Amman Citadel.

“This is a unique opportunity to encourage international intercultural dialogue among course participants in the field of cultural heritage protection,” said Dr. Anna Lobovikov-Katz, coordinator of ELAICH. “By bringing together high-school students from Jordan and Malta for five full days we can demonstrate the effectiveness of the special educational tool kit developed by ELAICH.”

Students will learn about:
- Air pollution and preventive conservation
- Conservation processes, materials and techniques
- Historical building materials
- Deterioration

Participants in the project will hear lectures given by ELAICH’s scientific staff, including some of the leading experts in the cultural heritage field such as Prof. Rene Van Grieken (University of Antwerp), Prof. Antonia Moropoulou (National Technical University of Athens), Prof. JoAnn Cassar (University of Malta) and Prof. Guido Biscontin (Ca’ Foscari University of Venice).

About ELAICH

ELAICH is an EU-funded project aimed at raising awareness of cultural heritage by providing modern and innovative tools for teaching its essence to the general public, especially youth.

ELAICH has put together a multi-disciplinary team consisting of specialists in various areas of cultural heritage conservation and education from five highly rated universities, which has developed an innovative educational approach.

In addition to traditional course materials, the ELAICH course also uses innovative modern e-learning applications and includes a substantial component of on-site work. ELAICH which is part of the Euromed 4 Cultural Heritage Programme [http://www.euromedheritage.net ], conducts special courses in different Mediterranean countries, including Greece, Egypt, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Malta and Turkey.

For more information about ELAICH, please visithttp://www.elaich.technion.ac.il.

An MS holder from G B Pant University of Agricultural and Technology in India and a Ph.D in water resources from Iowa State University, Professor Ramesh Kanwar is a distinguished academician, renowned researcher and a respected teacher. Dr. Kanwar specializes in irrigation, drainage, groundwater quality, animal waste management, water table management, sustainable agricultural production systems and modeling of hydrologic systems, engineering solution to emerging global environmental problems from agricultural and livestock production systems. Apart from Iowa State University students, he also taught undergraduate and postgraduate and Ph.D students in Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Uzbekistan as well as India. He has been an honourary professor at Beijing Agricultural University in China, Ningxia University in China, Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization in Uzbekistan, and Trakia University in Bulgaria.

On this occasion, welcoming and introducing Dr. Kanwar, the Chancellor Mr Ashok Mittal informed: “Joining of Dr. Rameshwar S Kanwar will really prove most beneficial and fruitful to all the students and members of staff at LPU. Persons of his status and stature are in a way boon for the rare developments in the arena of education. His international outcomes, thoughts and progressive manners will indeed help us realizing the dreams we have already envisaged for, as Dr. Kanwar’s research interests are versatile and of global importance.” He further mentioned: “Prof. Kanwar has worked for the World Bank, FAO, UNDP, USAID, NATO, and foreign universities/governments in Belgium, Portugal, Kenya, Ethiopia, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, India, China, Thailand, Japan, and several other countries.”

V.C. Dr. Rameshwar S. Kanwar

Addressing, Dr. Kanwar said:”I am looking forward to lead LPU. After spending 35 years at US, coming back to India is really exhilarating and thrilling.” He continued: “I will try to bring improvement in the academics and betterment in whole of the system. No doubt, university has already marked at international level, we will together further strive with expertise and team work.”

It is worth noticing, Prof. Kanwar was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by the Georgian State Agrarian University in Tbilisi, Georgia, in 2000 and was elected Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences in India in 2001. In 2005, he was elected Fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. In 2007, he was awarded Doctorate Honour Causa Scientific by the Trakia University in Bulgaria. He has received numerous awards including Engineer of the Year Award by ASABE, Distinguished Service Award by the Asian Association of Agricultural Engineers, and Outstanding Young Engineering Faculty Research Award, Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award, and International Service Award by Iowa State University.

About LPU

LPU is the largest University in India in terms of students studying in one campus. LPU is a technology driven University with campus spread over 600 acres of land at a well connected location near Jalandhar. With more than 25000 students enrolled in more than 150 programs, LPU provides a whole range of integrated, under graduate and post graduate courses in various disciplines. LPU is a progressive education provider focused on providing professional education to its students to fit well in the industry. The curriculum is revised continually by taking feedback from industry leaders and a host of trainings are conducted by professional training firms to evolve students into confident personalities.
The university displays a vast cultural diversity with students from 26 different states and more than 20 countries. Innovative curriculum, unmatched Pedagogy and vast infrastructure has made LPU featured among top schools in various categories. Including, Management institutes has been ranked among the top B-Schools in India in the A++ category by the prestigious magazine, Business India (19 October, 2008 issue). LPU has been ranked 16 among private engineering universities in India by Times of India. LPU has also been ranked 3rd best university to be enrolled for further studies by business baron (March 2008) etc. Recently it has also been ranked as 1st in Infrastructure in India and 2nd Best University in North India by Financial Express. Star News too has awarded LPU for being the Outstanding B School North and gave the B School Leadership award. With the growth LPU has achieved in very short span and many more progressive ideas in mind, it plans to make India a global educational hub for all the students.

The winning paper titled ‘Adoption of Internet Banking in UAE: Factors Underlying Adoption Characteristics’ focuses on identifying the characteristics of UAE consumers and their attitudes vis-à-vis internet banking. The article has also been selected for publication in the International Journal of Management and Marketing Research.

Prof. Abdul Rahim Sabouni, Vice Chancellor and CEO, ALHOSN University, said, “On behalf of the university, I congratulate Dr. Somkiat and Dr. Candy on winning this prestigious award, which contributes to ALHOSN University‘s stature at the international level. This award reflects the quality of our core faculty, which is a key factor that has enabled us to become one of the most sought-after universities in Abu Dhabi.”

Commenting on the award, Dr. Somkiat, who is Assistant Professor, Business Administration Department, and Program Director of the Master of Business Administration at ALHOSN University, said, “This award underlines UAE’s growing contribution to research in business and finance. We believe that our paper which focused on the adoption of internet banking in the UAE could shed light on the challenges being faced in this domain and the corrective steps to push up internet banking usage. We thank ALHOSN University for all the support extended to us, which was very crucial in preparing a high quality research paper.”

As part of a strategic initiative aimed at expanding its graduate offerings, AUD has developed and is now preparing to launch a Master of Education (M.Ed.) program in the 2011-2012 academic year. Based on a thorough needs assessment, this program is conceived with two target audiences in mind: practicing elementary and secondary school teachers, whose undergraduate degree may or may not be in education, and university graduates with no prior teaching experience who wish to pursue a graduate degree in education with the intention of teaching at the primary or secondary school level.

Program requirements vary slightly depending on which of these two groups a candidate falls within.

As with other AUD degree programs, it is expected that diversity will characterize students seeking admission to the M.Ed. These will include U.A.E. nationals and expatriates, native speakers of English and non-native speakers, individuals who will live permanently in the U.A.E., those who are here for a short stay, and those who seek residency of a considerable length.

The M.Ed. program has been designed to meet the needs of these various groups. As courses are taught in English, students may enroll in the university’s Intensive English Language Program prior to commencing graduate study.

In order to ensure that the degree is offered to an international standard, the curriculum is aligned with the standards of the Interstate New Teachers Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), based in the U.S.

AUD‘s M.Ed. has been accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and is offered under the umbrella of AUD‘s accreditation by the Commission on Colleges (COC) of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in the U.S.

Dr. Jihad S. Nader, AUD‘s Provost and Chief Academic Officer, views the introduction of the M.Ed. program as “the most recent expression and a tangible embodiment of AUD‘s ongoing endeavor to fulfill its mission – with special emphasis on ‘the advancement of society,’ which is an integral part of AUD‘s mission.” Dr. Nader adds, “The M.Ed. program will make a significant contribution to the enhancement of primary and secondary education in the UAE by providing existing and prospective teachers with a high level of preparation in education as an academic discipline and a profession. In this manner, the M.Ed. program will feed into the UAE’s policies that consider enhancement of quality and effectiveness in the primary and secondary education system as a strategic priority and a cornerstone of social development.”