Update
We fell behind on weekly News Items in preparation for a conference presentation. The prior two weeks are here (News Items from the Week of August 31, 2018) and here (News Items from the Week of September 7, 2018. Look for a post on our first academic presentation about the history of institutional research and another promotional offer of the Kindle version in the near future!
International
Higher education’s key role in sustainable development | Given its primary role as knowledge producer, higher education can serve as a powerful means to help create a more sustainable future. Thus, the concept of ‘education for sustainable development’ has become, in recent years, one of the core educational initiatives to help address many of the problems associated with human development.
Can EU sanctions threat ease academic freedom crisis? | The most recent example of restrictions imposed on universities was the announcement in late August that the CEU [Central European University] had been forced to suspend its education programmes for registered refugees and asylum seekers, the Open Learning Initiative (OLIve), and the administration of its EU-funded Marie Curie research grant on migration policy in Central and Southern Europe.
HE system under pressure as student numbers mount | On the eve of the academic year in Algeria this month, there are concerns about how the government can meet the expectations of free quality higher education on the part of increasing numbers of university students – this year over 1.7 million.
Cash-strapped universities should work harder to collaborate with business | Higher education in Australia should work more closely with industry to diversify income streams and get a closer understanding of what skills the workplace wants. The comment came from the head of the directorate of Education and Skills at the OECD, Andreas Schleicher, who said university engagement with industry in Australia was below the average of OECD nations.
Canada’s Affordability Policies Are Worth a Good Look | Canada does not get a lot of love from international higher education scholars…But in affordability policy, Canada has been genuinely – if somewhat accidentally – innovative. Canada is perhaps the one country which is getting “high tuition/high aid” right, and for that reason is worth careful study.
Too much academic research is being published | Our argument is a simple one. There is too much being published because the academic system encourages unnecessary publication – and drastic cutbacks are needed.
Finding what really works in education | Global inequality in education outcomes is very far from being solved. Even in highly developed countries, large numbers of students are not graduating from secondary education with appropriate certification. The challenges in developing countries are far greater and almost too depressing to document.
Higher-education spending is falling | Between 2010 and 2015 total spending fell in more than two-thirds of countries surveyed, as belts tightened after the financial crisis. The private sector is playing an increasingly important role: its share of education spending rose by 11% across all OECD countries in that period.
The arts and sciences: branches from the same tree | We now fear storm clouds are forming today across many of our most stable democracies. Canada has so far remained steadfast in supporting the diverse, respectful communities that uphold our liberal democratic values, but it is not immune. We therefore call for a deliberate commitment from our higher education institutions to take up the challenge laid out in the National Academies report and create opportunities for our young people to learn deployable, critical thinking and communication skills through intentional integrated education.
U.S. National
Why Is College in America So Expensive? | Today, the U.S. spends more on college than almost any other country, according to the 2018 Education at a Glance report, released this week by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). All told, including the contributions of individual families and the government (in the form of student loans, grants, and other assistance), Americans spend about $30,000 per student a year—nearly twice as much as the average developed country.
Excelencia in Education Report Examines HSI Graduates’ Life Outcomes | Leaders and individuals committed to the success of Latino students in higher education gathered for a collaborative panel discussion following the release of Excelencia in Education and Gallup’s report “Examining Life Outcomes Among Graduates of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).”
Conversations Continue on the State of Free College | As conversations continue about the benefits and challenges surrounding free college programs throughout the nation, institutions, states and the federal government have an opportunity to improve college affordability and move towards equitable free college programs, according to education policy experts and college completion leaders featured on “The State of Free College” panel hosted by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP).
U.S. States
Institute for Higher Education Policy finds Excelsior Scholarship doesn’t do enough. Gov. Cuomo disagrees | Only 1 to 5 percent of colleges were affordable for low-income, working-class and middle-income students, according to the 2017 study. igh-income students, however, could afford almost anywhere.
‘Education Governors’ Once Roamed Statehouses. Are They Making a Comeback? | [A]ccording to the National Governors Association, education-governor candidates are back — even if they’re using different language than their predecessors. Often, says Aaliyah Samuel, director of the education division for the governor group’s Center for Best Practices, that involves tying education to their states’ work-force needs.
Institutional
Unintended Consequences | Dynamic collaboration tools foster a sense of community along with interactive learning activities. Additionally, mobile learning apps encourage more consistent engagement among students, giving them access to peers and instructors around the clock and from anywhere in the world.
Privates Matching Public Prices | Even if no other colleges or universities announce a flagship matching program this year, it’s a good time to take a hard look at the idea. The recently announced programs fit into a landscape in which colleges and universities seek punchy new ways to market to students who are worried about the price of college — but who aren’t necessarily familiar with the complex world of scholarships, unfunded aid, sticker prices and net prices in which the cost of actually attending a private college is often much lower than the prices quoted on its website.
Early-Alert Systems Seen as Mixed Bag | [M]ost institutions that use early-alert systems see some positive impact on retention rates — but these may be more modest increases than they expected. Some institutions set unrealistic goals, such as increasing retention by 10 percent in a year, she said. And they often don’t realize how much time it takes for a system to start working.
C of I leaps 37 places in U.S. News & World Report Best College Rankings | In a season full of renewed interest and national attention, The College of Idaho has made a major impression in the rankings of the 2019 U.S. News & World Report Best College Rankings, catapulting to No. 131 in its list of “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” — the highest position the College has achieved on the prestigious annual ranking.
Many College Courses Are Either Overloaded or Underfilled. That May Be Hurting Retention. | A study out last week of about 200 colleges found that many course schedules are “unbalanced,” with 45 percent of courses analyzed filled to less than 70 percent capacity and 23 percent of courses classified as “overloaded,” meaning more than 95 percent full. That inefficiency is having an impact on retention, the study found. The greater the inefficiency of the course catalog, the lower the graduation rate at the institutions analyzed.
‘Exhaustion, Confusion, and Anger’: U. of Illinois Finds a Community at Odds Over Old Mascot | Chief Illiniwek for decades was the official image of the university. But in 2005 the National Collegiate Athletic Association started pushing universities to retire their use of “hostile or abusive” Native American mascots. The NCAA decided Illiniwek fell into that category, and the university retired the chief in 2007 at a packed stadium of crying fans. Not surprisingly, fans of Illiniwek didn’t move on.
Note: Updated with new items after 19:29 GMT.