Why did you apply for and choose the HEEM program?
Because of my work, I was familiar with the Erasmus Mundus programmes, and more than once had dreamt that I would someday be able to participate in one. The HEEM programme, was, by far, the most interesting one for me. I really enjoyed working in Higher Education but felt that I wanted to go more in depth, to understand the "whys" of everything that was happening around me, get to know better where the Bologna Process comes from, what it means, where it is leading us to, and why each year we are receiving more international students. But since the EU only offers scholarships for non-europeans, it was merely a dream. One day, I received an email from a colleague informing about scholarships for Europeans for this particular programme! The deadline was just a few days away, but, I did my best and submitted everything, and... got it!

What is your personal goal for the next 2 years?
Learn, learn and learn a lot. I also want to keep on being very active in every sense so as to live this experience as intensively as I can. It is a dream come true and I don't want to miss out on anything.

Atlas of Student Mobility
"Project Atlas tracks migration trends of the millions of students who pursue education outside of their home countries each year. Data are collected on global student mobility patterns, country of origin, as well as leading destinations for trans-national higher education."

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
"A special review is examining the organisation, management and delivery of tertiary education in 23 countries, while OECD has also worked on guidelines for cross-border education."

UNESCO Institute for Statistics
"Global and internationally comparable statistics on education, science, technology, culture and communication."

United Nations Development Programme
"You can access statistical data from the Human Development Report (HDR) and resources to help you better understand these data. You will also find helpful information about the human development index (HDI) and other indices, links to other background materials, data resources and on-going debates and discussions on human development statistics."

"Governments in sub-Saharan Africa spend only 2.4% of the world’s public education resources. Yet about 15% of the school-age population lives in these countries, according to the Digest. In contrast, the United States, which is home to just 4% of the world’s children and young people, spends 28% of the global education budget. This is mainly due to the large numbers of university students and the relatively high costs associated with this level of education."

"East Asia and the Pacific has the second-highest share of global public spending on education at 18% (after the North American and Western European region). Yet governments in the region are investing considerably less than their share of global wealth at 28% of GDP and the school-age population (29%). "

"The opposite scenario is found in South and West Asia, where 7% of the world’s public education resources are spent on 28% of children and young people. A more balanced situation emerges in Latin America and the Caribbean, a region which accounts for 8% to 9% of global education spending, the school-age population and global wealth. "

Harvard Law School has built a virtual courtroom for students to practice their skills, and in August 2006 a Harvard professor held its first class in Second Life. Case Western Reserve University has bought a virtual campus to recruit new students by giving online virtual campus tours. Texas State University has built an island, Bobcat Island, where anyone can meet up and socialize with others in the sandbox cafe, visit the on-line exhibits of the gallery, or attend an on-line conference in the Bobcat Den.

What do you think about Universities using Second Life as a tool for learning, teaching, research, and recruiting?

CEHE Executive Director Frederic J. Fransen said, "The Center for Excellence in Higher Education is convinced that any serious effort to transform higher education must come from the outside. It won't happen from within. Those who support higher education with their voluntary contributions are uniquely qualified to bring about these needed changes."

According to the Yomiuri Shinbun Japanese newspaper, the education ministry will allow university presidents to change their academic calendar to synchronize with the U.S. & European academic years. This was a recommendation from the Government's Education Rebuilidng Council, a council formed to reform public education. Currently, universities in Japan start their academic year in April and end in March causing many challenges for foreign faculty and students who want to work or study in Japan. This change will go into affect April 2008.

There was a tie for second place:
Muhammad Adnan Mughul, a second year HEEM student, from Pakistan, "A Journey of a Newlywed Couple in Europe!"

Jacquiline Kiyemba from Uganda, a 2007 HEEM graduate, submitted "Memoirs of the Bridge."

Watch out for the next HEEM student blog competition in January!

The University Network of the European Capitals of Culture (UNEECC), an international non-profit association, was founded in Pécs Hungary in December 2006, by 40 founding members. The creation of UNeECC originates from the idea that it would be useful for Universities and establishments of Higher Education based in European
Capitals of Culture to use this well known and prestigious European institution to stimulate new forms of academic and educational institutional collaboration.

The Banff Strategic Leaders Global Summit on Graduate Education was the first global meeting focused on graduate education. 27 participants representing over 1,280 graduate institutions from the Australian government, the Association of Chinese Graduate Schools, the European University Association, the Canadian province of Alberta, and the U.S. Council of Graduate Schools convened in Banff, Canada. At the end of the gathering, the participants produced nine guiding principles for graduate education, named the Banff Principles. The purpose of these principles are to shape “future collective and collaborative work to advance and improve graduate education.”

The Chronicle of Higher Education reported,
Noting that “graduate education is in transition globally,” participants agreed to “promote the quality of graduate programs,” “clarify and strengthen the role of the master’s degree,” and “establish an inclusive global platform for discussion of best practices in graduate education.”