School Leadership Training under Globalisation: Comparisons of the UK, the US and Norway

In common the three countries see a need for increased quality of schooling as necessary because of globalisation. Leadership is crucial to achieve quality. However, there are distinct critiques in all countries fearing ineffective bureaucratization. There is resistance among education researchers towards the market orientation and the application of the language of business. Universities have played a conservative role. In terms of differences, the UK is uniformby its centrally organised National College, while the US with over 500 programmes and no national coordination shows complexity, if not chaos. Norway, with its National Network gives much freedom to individual institutions, although the diversity leads to tensions when the municipalities now can choose the training providers. All three nations are attempting to ‘reframe and reform’. Some educators think the defining factors will be quality of performance and quality of collaboration, while others believe that there must be a shift from focus on performance to focus on learning.globalisation, school leadership, training, policy

Foreign aid strategies: China taking over?

Over the past decade China has emerged as an important source of foreign aid for African countries. Providing aid on terms of its own choosing, China challenges the current foreign aid paradigm in four main ways: The donor-recipient relationship is challenged by a partnership of equals; The modes of provision are challenged by China’s focus on aid that is mutually beneficial; The use of conditionalities is challenged by China’s insistence on sovereignty and non-interference in domestic affairs; Multilateralism is challenged by China’s preference of going the major foreign aid projects alone. This article argues that China’s aid programme is not likely to undergo drastic change, and that the effects of China’s foreign aid on the traditional donors are already discernible on the African continent. The potency of these challenges might herald that the Chinese approach will provide the frame of reference for foreign aid in the future

Business and State Balancing International Development Agendas – The Case of Norwegian CSR

This study looks into the interplay between governments and transnational corporations (TNCs) regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR), and it investigates the potentials to link CSR to the international development agenda. The analysis focuses on Norwegian CSR, that illustrates a rare combination of strong state with significant ownership in national companies, a relatively small number of TNCs and a strong civil society. The results of the analysis indicate that the Norwegian government exercises a strong influence over corporate governance. However, despite an apparent alignment between the topics proposed by the State’s development cooperation agenda and those Norwegian companies are expected to report on, the analysis did not find proof of a transfer of agendas. Instead, businesses appear to use CSR as a communication tool, thus complying with the government’s desire to project a positive image of Norway internationally. Furthermore, the government appears to prioritize commercial goals and profitability

Worldwide Virtual Ed.?: an empirical study of ICT for and in internationalization processes in a business school

This report addresses the issues of internationalization and how information and communication technologies are parts of internationalization processes in higher education. It is frequently assumed that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are pivotal in globalization of higher education and in internationalization processes, by posing opportunities for integration across time and space enabling distributed nodes to work as units in real time. Moreover, it is claimed that globalization and new technologies has lead to a global market for education, in which new providers of higher education operate, and that this competitive agenda poses significant threats to traditional providers. This report investigates these assumptions through a case study. To provide some background and focus for the empirical work central concepts are discussed related to globalization and higher education, international competition and cooperation, and the role of Information and Communication Technologies in internationalization related to potentials for overcoming space and time boundaries. Guided by these considerations, we present qualitative data derived from policy documents and interviews with key actors at the institution, focused on four main themes: Internationalization as strategy, international operations, ICTs for internationalization, and challenges for internationalization. In terms of internationalization as strategy, internationalization is seen as a competitive strategy in both domestic and foreign markets. The way to achieve competitiveness is unanimously recognized as through cooperative means and the way to achieve international presence is through cooperation with local partners. In terms of the second main focus, how ICTs are related to internationalization, we highlight the difference in perspectives of ICTs for internationalization and ICTs in international activities and internationalization processes. In terms of the first perspective, ICTs, though important, are not considered to be a driving force for internationalization in higher education. ICTs are however regarded as very central supporting in ongoing international activities, and as such is regarded as a success criterion

Norvegijos parama švietimui: kaip panaudoti įvertinimą tobulinti paramos teikimą?

For decades education has been a key focus of Norwegian public development aid. During recent years heavy criticisms have been raised about its efficiency and the administration's professional competence has been questioned. It is suggested that lack of evaluation skills and knowledge cause many failures. Evaluation has both a learning aspect and is concerned with the extent program goals are achieved. An empirical study on Norwegian development aid to education is presented and discussed, and possible reasons for the criticism is analysed. A historical legacy of "practicism" being preferred to academic based competence, populist ideals, an affluent national economy and the fact that 'education' in itself is a diffuse field – are among the reasons for the present unfortunate situation. In order to increase relevant competence, and by consequence, more goal effective aid, certain structural and training means are suggested.Straipsnyje nagrinėjama paramos, teikiamos besivystančioms šalims, problema. Tačiau straipsnyje ši problema keliama iš paramą teikiančios šalies pozicijų. Autorė siekia išsiaiškinti, kiek šios paramos efektyvumui padidinti gali padėti įvairios švietimo sistemos vertinimo procedūros ir būdai, leidžiantys nustatyti teikiamos paramos poveikį. Autorė teigia, kad vienais atvejais įvairaus pobūdžio parama bei labdara efektyvi, kitais – mažiau efektyvi ar net apskritai abejotinas jos efektyvumas. Kartu išreiškia viltį, kad ateityje įmanomi teigiami pokyčiai, jei tam bus palanki politinė valia. Galima sakyti, kad tai pirmas tokio pobūdžio straipsnis, aktualus kiek Lietuvos, tiek pasaulio švietimo darbuotojams, besidomintiems švietimo problemomis ir siekiantiems efektyviai panaudoti tiek gaunamą įvairaus pobūdžio paramą, tiek jų pačių teikiamą kitoms mažiau išsivysčiusioms šalims

Assessing microfinance: The Bosnia and Herzegovina case

Microfinance is often hailed both as a tool for fighting poverty and as a tool for post-conflict reconciliation. This paper explores the use of microfinance in post-civil war Bosnia and Herzegovina, assessing its results in terms of both goals. As it combined high unemployment With a highly educated population in an institutionally open context, Bosnia and Herzegovina provides a crucial test of the effect of microfinance. If nambiguous signs of success cannot be found in a case with such favorable conditions, this would raise serious questions about the potential benefits of microfinance. The paper draws together evidence from a series of independent reviews of microfinance in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to assess its impact in terms of economic performance, the economic system, social welfare and post-conflict integration. Based on this case study, microfinance appears a better tool for dealing With poverty than with social integration or institution building

The Taiwanese Economic “Miracle”: Continuing?

The island of Taiwan has successfully managed sixty years of fast-paced economic growth. Taiwan is a demonstrably resilient player in the global economy, while also maintaining high levels of income equality. However, there is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding whether the factors that have enabled and sustained the Taiwanese development project thus far will be an adequate means of managing the contemporary challenges facing the island. Taiwan may be becoming increasingly vulnerable to global economic conditions, and the island’s future seems also to be increasingly tied to developments in the Chinese mainland. This paper examines the prospects for a continuing Taiwanese growth paradigm from both a cultural and an economic perspective and finds reason for optimism. This optimism is contingent on the strength of international export markets and prudent management of cross-Strait relations with the Chinese mainland