| Disclaimer - While we hope you find the resource of interest, the World Bank is not responsible for the content of external websites. |
Topic-related Links | Regional Links
| International Associations |
These international organizations are significant actors involved in the practice and research of international tertiary education. The websites listed below contain links to databases, research efforts, current events, and other relevant information regarding tertiary education issues around the world.
OECD: Tertiary Education
http://www.oecd.org/topic/0,2686,en_2649_34859749_1_1_1_1_37455,00.html
UNESCO—International Association of Universities
http://www.unesco.org/iau/onlinedatabases/index.html
UNESCO—Higher Education Portal
http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=44351&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
UNIQUAL Initiative
http://fou.plu.ntnu.no/uniqual/
A small, unique, international collaboration between three universities in Norway, China, and Lithuania
World Trade Organization—Education Services
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/serv_e/education_e/education_e.htm
Association of African Universities
http://www.aau.org/
Formed in 1967, “The Association of African Universities is an international non-governmental organisation set up by the universities in Africa to promote cooperation among themselves and between them and the international Academic community.” It currently counts 111 universities from 31 countries as members.
Association of Arab Universities
http://www.aaru.edu.jo/
The AARU was founded in 1964, with the aim of “enhancing cooperation amongst Arab universities to coordinate their efforts with a view to raising the quality of university and higher education.” (In Arabic)
CODESRIA (Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa)
http://www.codesria.org/
CODESRIA was established in 1973 as an independent Pan-African research organisation with a primary focus on the social sciences, broadly defined. It is recognised not only as the pioneer African social research organisation but also as the apex non-governmental centre of social knowledge production on the continent.
International Network for Higher Education in Africa
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/soe/cihe/inhea/
INHEA is an initiative of the Center for International Higher Education, to provide a clearinghouse for an array of information on tertiary education issues, research, and initiatives across Africa.
National Council on Tertiary Education (NCTE—Ghana)
http://www.edughana.net/
The NCTE seeks to promote a diversified, dynamic, high quality, cost effective teaching, research and skills development within a financially healthy tertiary education sector, having regard to national needs. It dedicates itself to the promotion of access, quality, relevance and equity in tertiary education delivery.
ASEAN University Network
http://www.aun-sec.org/
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations developed its University Network in 1992, in recognition of the “the need to hasten the development of a regional identity and solidarity, and promote human resources development by considering ways to strengthen the existing network of leading universities and institutions of higher learning in the ASEAN region.”
Asia Pacific Quality Network
http://www.apqn.org
The Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN) serves the needs of quality assurance agencies in higher education in the Asia-Pacific region, a region that contains over half of the world’s population.
Bologna Process—Bergen 2005
http://www.bologna-bergen2005.no/
Through the Bergen Communique of May 2005, 45 European ministers of education underscored their nation’s commitment to establishing the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The Communique highlights the central role of higher education institutions, their staff and students as partners in the Bologna Process. Their role in the implementation of the Process becomes all the more important now that the necessary legislative reforms are largely in place.
Council of Europe—Higher Education
http://www.coe.int/T/DG4/HigherEducation/default_en.asp
The work of the Council of Europe in the field of higher education and research focuses on issues related to the recognition of qualifications, public responsibility for higher education and research, higher education governance and other fields relevant for the establishment of the European Higher Education Area by 2010.
European Centre for Higher Education (UNESCO-CEPES)
http://www.cepes.ro/
UNESCO-CEPES (the European Centre for Higher Education/Centre Européen pour l'Enseignement Supérieur) was established in September 1972 with a view to promoting co-operation in higher education among Member States of the Europe Region (the countries of Europe, North America, and Israel).
European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA)
http://www.enqa.net/
ENQA disseminates information, experiences and good practices in the field of quality assurance (QA) in higher education to European QA agencies, public authorities and higher education institutions.
ENIC: European Network of Information Centres—NARIC: National Academic Recognition Information Centres
http://www.enic-naric.net/
To implement the Lisbon Recognition Convention and, in general, to develop policy and practice for the recognition of qualifications, the Council of Europe and UNESCO have established the ENIC Network (European Network of National Information Centres on academic recognition and mobility). The NARIC network is an initiative of the European Commission and was created in 1984. The network aims at improving academic recognition of diplomas and periods of study in the Member States of the EU, the EEA countries and the associated countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Cyprus.
European Training Foundation
http://www.etf.eu.int/
Working in conjunction with a host of other inter-governmental agencies, the European Training Foundation (ETF) is committed to “developing a range of quality of education and training systems” across Europe and into Asia. First-time visitors to the site will want to take a look at their “About the
ETF” area to learn more about their mission, and then proceed to the “Themes” area, which contains basic information about their work in such areas as adult learning and online education. As might be expected from such an organization, their publications’ area is a real treasure-trove for policy analysts and others, as it contains works on “best practices” and overviews of educational systems throughout the region. In keeping with the strong emphasis place on vocational education, the site also contains a number of related events and conferences that will be of great interest as well.
European Union
Higher education plays a central role in the development of both human beings and modern societies as it enhances social, cultural and economic development, active citizenship and ethical values. At European level, education in general and higher education in particular are not subjects of a common European policy: competence for the content and the organisation of studies remains at national level. However, according to Art. 149 of the Treaty of Amsterdam, the Community “shall contribute to the development of quality education by encouraging cooperation between Member States,” through a wide range of actions, such as promoting the mobility of citizens, designing joint study programmes, establishing networks, exchanging information or teaching languages of the European Union.
European University Association
http://www.eua.be/
The European University Association, as the representative organisation of both the European universities and the national rectors' conferences, is the main voice of the higher education community in Europe. EUA's mission is to promote the development of a coherent system of European higher education and research. EUA aims to achieve this through active support and guidance to its members as autonomous institutions in enhancing the quality of their teaching, learning and research as well as their contributions to society.
| Latin America/The Americas |
Inter-American Organization for Higher Education
http://www.oui-iohe.qc.ca/Created in 1979 in Quebec City, the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (IOHE) is:
the only association of institutions and organizations of higher education in the Americas; an inter-American instrument of cooperation, development and creation of strategic alliances; and a dynamic network of 400 members from 25 countries of the American continent, into 8 regions: Andean Countries, Brazil, Canada, Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, Southern Cone, United States. IOHE is also a unique link with the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank.
Instituto Internacional para la Educacion Superior en Latina America y el Caribe / International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC)
http://www.iesalc.unesco.org.ve/
The International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC) is an organization of UNESCO devoted to the promotion of higher education, helping to implement in the Latin American and Caribbean region the program that, as for higher education, is approved biannually by the UNESCO General Conference.
Latin American Network Information Center—Higher Education
http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/region/highered/
The Latin American Network Information Center (LANIC) is affiliated with the Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies (LLILAS) at the University of Texas at Austin. LANIC has received funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and UT Austin's College of Liberal Arts. LANIC's mission is to facilitate access to Internet-based information to, from, or on Latin America.
La Unión de Universidades de América Latina y el Caribe
http://www.unam.mx/udual/
UDUAL propicia la instalación de mecanismos que favorecen el funcionamiento de las universidades miembros, como ámbitos modernos, innovadores, creativos y democráticos de producción, difusión y aplicación del conocimiento científico y humanístico; promueve programas que impulsan el fortalecimiento institucional de las universidades en los aspectos estructurales, de gestión académica y administrativa que determinen su calidad; fomenta, en las universidades latinoamericanas, la integración de las actividades de formación de grado y postgrado, de investigación y difusión, propiciando la creación de mecanismos adecuados para ello; defiende el reconocimiento de la autonomía universitaria y de las libertades de cátedra y de investigación; promueve la integración de América Latina por medio del esfuerzo mancomunado de las universidades de la Unión; es un instrumento que favorece la transformación de las universidades afiliadas, para convertirlas en elementos eficaces del desarrollo económico–social y cultural de cada país de la región, en un marco de equidad y justicia social.
RSS