Education news from around the world
EDUCATION REFORMS
To improve its position in the global arena, the government of Bulgaria is planning to implement reforms in the higher education and national science sector. According to reports, the country has been ranked last in the Innovation Union Scoreboard rankings, which provides a comparative assessment of the innovation performance of European Union member states in term of new patents, doctoral degrees and research costs. The reforms will be made under the state programme known as Science and Education for Smart Growth with the help of European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility. According to Todor Tanev, Bulgaria’s minister of education and science, another aim of the programme is to prevent brain drain out of the country.
JOB PROSPECTS
Does having a premier college tag really matter when you step out and look for a job? Apparently not, reveals data from the Australian federal government. The data from the Quality Indicators in Teaching and Learning website (qilt.edu.au), launched by the government last month, shows that graduates from little-known regional universities have a better shot at getting a job compared to their counterparts from top institutions in big cities. This is the first time when data of job outcomes of universities, which had previously been kept confidential, has been compared. This allows students to obtain a transparent view of their job prospects down the line with respect to specific subjects and particular universities.
WEAPONS IN CLASSROOMS?
As a protest against a new law that would allow people to carry concealed weapons in classrooms and college buildings, an economics professor at the University of Texas, Austin, has resigned. People who support the law have argued that it will help protect students and teachers in case a shooting incident occurs. However, Daniel Hamermesh, the economics professor, is of the view that it would increase the risk of a disgruntled student bringing a gun into the classroom. This, in turn, would discourage students and teachers to come to Texas and prefer a place where the “risk seems lower.” The law is supposed to come into effect from August 1, 2016.
To improve its position in the global arena, the government of Bulgaria is planning to implement reforms in the higher education and national science sector. According to reports, the country has been ranked last in the Innovation Union Scoreboard rankings, which provides a comparative assessment of the innovation performance of European Union member states in term of new patents, doctoral degrees and research costs. The reforms will be made under the state programme known as Science and Education for Smart Growth with the help of European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility. According to Todor Tanev, Bulgaria’s minister of education and science, another aim of the programme is to prevent brain drain out of the country.
JOB PROSPECTS
Does having a premier college tag really matter when you step out and look for a job? Apparently not, reveals data from the Australian federal government. The data from the Quality Indicators in Teaching and Learning website (qilt.edu.au), launched by the government last month, shows that graduates from little-known regional universities have a better shot at getting a job compared to their counterparts from top institutions in big cities. This is the first time when data of job outcomes of universities, which had previously been kept confidential, has been compared. This allows students to obtain a transparent view of their job prospects down the line with respect to specific subjects and particular universities.
WEAPONS IN CLASSROOMS?
As a protest against a new law that would allow people to carry concealed weapons in classrooms and college buildings, an economics professor at the University of Texas, Austin, has resigned. People who support the law have argued that it will help protect students and teachers in case a shooting incident occurs. However, Daniel Hamermesh, the economics professor, is of the view that it would increase the risk of a disgruntled student bringing a gun into the classroom. This, in turn, would discourage students and teachers to come to Texas and prefer a place where the “risk seems lower.” The law is supposed to come into effect from August 1, 2016.
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