World Conference on Higher Education in the twenty-first Century
In co-operation with international partners UNESCO is organising a World Conference on Higher Education (WCHE) scheduled to take place from 5th to 9th October 1998 in Paris - France. It is being organised against the backdrop of major challenges confronting higher education which is presently characterised by declining public support, increasing demands for access and quality as well as pressure from industry for relevance to the world of work in particular. In light of this scenario the WCHE aims "to lay down fundamental principles for the in-depth reform of higher education systems throughout the world" for meeting these challenges and the expectations from higher education in the twenty first century. Such reforms would also be expected to enhance the capacity of university systems to contribute to development and to the building of peace and democracy. One worrying fact is that the overwhelming profundity of globalization and the resulting complexity and competitiveness in the labour market, coupled with the rapidity with which technology has been progressing place an indictment on higher education to rethink its role, mission and methodology especially in training for the world of work. |
Consequently, the buzz word throughout the preparatory debates leading to the WCHE has been "change" even though all those with vested interests in higher education remain "far from agreement on the priorities for higher education in the future", according to Colin Power, Assistant Director-General for Education, in his address to the recent European Regional Forum in Palermo. It is hoped that the WCHE would find that agreement. The Palermo meeting, like previous regional meetings which had already taken place in Latin America/Caribbean, Africa and Asia/Pacific, was intended to contribute to the mobilisation process leading to the WCHE. The Arab states are expected to have their turn of regional debate in the Spring of 1998. UNESCO have always sought a dynamic co-operation with students and their organisations through the UNESCO-NGO Collective Consultation on Higher Education. It was furtherance of this co-operation that UNESCO convened the Collective Consultation in February 1997 in Paris to give impetus to the preparations for the WCHE. Besides, a special Student Forum is scheduled to take place at the 7th October, so within the framework of the Conference itself. This is further testimony of the importance UNESCO attaches to the involvement of students on issues of education. The Executive Secretariat of the IUS is very much enthused and supportive of the WCHE. We thereby invite contributions from member unions on higher education in the twenty-first century. Certainly, students of today are pretty aware of prevailing issues and challenges within society and in higher education.
Your contributions would enhance an organisational perspective from the common platform of the IUS to the WCHE per se and to the continuing debate on higher education in the next millennium. Samwin Banienuba |
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