International Network of Universities (INU)INU News - December 2007
Winner of Henry Fong Award 2007
The Henry Fong Selection Committee is delighted to announce that the 2007 winner of the Henry Fong Student Award, is Yukari Yokoo from Hiroshima University.
Students from full member Universities participating in the 2007 Student Seminar in Hiroshima were invited to apply for the awards. Applicants were required to write an essay demonstrating their commitment to Global Citizenship, drawing on their experiences from the Seminar sessions.
Yukari has applied to La Trobe University for her exchange semester, which she hopes to undertake in the first half of 2008. Click here for more information about Yukari, together with a copy of her winning essay.
INU Masters Program Academic Committee holds first meeting in Kyoto
Following on from the INU Council meeting in September, staff from INU members interested in participating in the INU Masters program met in Kyoto for an Academic Committee meeting. The meeting agreed the timeline for the development of the Masters program and established two sub-committees. The first, the Curriculum Sub-Committee has been set up to oversee subject offerings in the program and the development of the Student Seminar as the core element of the program. The second is a WebCT Sub-Committee to explore opportunities for the inclusion of on-line subjects as part of the Masters program.
A second meeting of the Academic Committee and the two sub-committees will be held at La Trobe University in February 2008. For more information about the February meeting or to obtain more information about the INU Masters program please contact Jo Watts in the INU Secretariat.
INU Workshop on Advancement scheduled for February 2008
James Madison University will be hosting an INU Workshop on Advancement in February 2008. The workshop will include sessions on topics such as alumni relations, communications and marketing and development. Staff who are interested in participating in the workshop should contact Jo Watts for a registration form and copy of the draft program. Please note, travel and accommodation for the workshop will be at the participants’ own expense.
James Madison University invites students from INU member universities to participate in the Earth Matters program
Students from INU member universities are invited to participate in the "Earth Matters" program which is bring run by James Madison University. The program consists of two accredited units/subjects on 'Applied Sustainability' and 'Perspectives on Ecology'. The program will be held in May 2008-June 2008 and students will undertake the study for the two units on location in Scotland and Wales.
In brief the objective of the course on Applied Sustainability is to give students a direct experience of sustainable living in intentional communities that are devoted to environmental stewardship and sustainability education. Topics covered include renewable energy, energy conservation, green architecture (new construction and refurbishment), sustainable food production, permaculture, sustainability education, cooperative social systems, alternative economies and ecovillage development.
The purpose of the Perspectives on Ecology course is to examine the interaction of humans with nature, in the context of living and working in communities devoted to sustainability and sustainability education in Scotland and Wales. Anthropogenic attitudes toward and pressures on the environment will be examined in the context of the disciplines of Social Ecology, Industrial Ecology, Ecosophy and Ecofeminism.
Further information about the program may be obtained from Cally Oglesby (course coordinator) from James Madison University at oglesbcs@jmu.edu a link to the material attached is also available from the INU Events page.
Shadowing Program application round 2008 is launched
Nominations are now invited for administrative (non-academic) staff interested in participating in the INU Shadowing Program.
The Shadowing Program is now entering its third round and has proven extremely successful. The program is designed as a two-way experience with shadowing program participants sharing their expertise and experiences as well as receiving information and new ideas.
A nomination form is now available for download on the INU web site and the closing date for applications is 28 March 2008.
For more information about the program, please see the Shadowing Program pages of the INU site or contact Jo Watts in the INU Secretariat.
New opportunity for Administrative Staff
Some of the administrative staff who have participated in the INU Shadowing Program have indicated that they would have liked to spend longer at their host institutions to gain a more in-depth knowledge and understanding of the way in which that institution operates.
Therefore, at the 2007 INU Council meeting in Malmo agreement was given in principle for administrative staff within member institutions to have the opportunity to pursue job exchanges within the Network. These exchanges may be for a maximum of 12 months and will enable those participating to switch their own job with a staff member at another institution who is in a matching position.
Approval for job exchanges must be given by the supervisors of the staff members involved and can only go ahead once a secondment agreement has been signed by all parties involved.
The INU Secretariat will provide support and information to staff who are interested in setting up a job exchange and can also supply a template document for the secondment agreement. For more information on the way in which this program has been set up, please contact Jo Watts in the INU Secretariat.
The INU Henry Fong Student Seminar on Global Citizenship
The INU Henry Fong Student Seminar will be running for the third time in 2008. One student from each INU full member institution will be funded to attend the seminar. The INU is most grateful to Hiroshima University who have again agreed to host the event. Exact dates are still under discussion but the seminar will be coordinated around the Peace Ceremony on 6th August 2008 and will follow the same successful format as in previous years. Participants will be involved in a cultural program, lectures, workshops and a role play. The topic for the role play will be determined by the Seminar Organising Committee in the New Year and information on the nomination process and timelines will be circulated by the INU Secretariat early in 2008.
News from INU Members
JMU among national leaders in students studying abroad
James Madison University ranks third among master's institutions in the United States in the number of students studying abroad in semester-long programs, according to a report by the Institute of International Education. Student participation rose to 349 in 2005-06. JMU ranked ninth in the same category the previous year with 272 study abroad students.
The annual report, Open Doors 2007, reveals that U.S. students' participation in study abroad increased by 8.5 percent to a total of 223,534 in 2005-06 compared to the previous year. The report reflects study conducted in the 2005-06 academic year, including summer 2006.
JMU was the only Virginia school ranked for mid-length duration program participation in the master's institution category.
JMU International Programs offers semester-long study opportunities in Antwerp, Belgium; Salamanca, Spain; Florence, Italy; Beijing; and London as well as honors abroad programs at Oxford University, the University of St. Andrews and Cambridge University.
Click here for a copy of the full report, please go to:
Flinders University achieves success in teaching awards
Flinders University’s remarkable record of success in teaching awards continues, with two ground-breaking teaching programs in medicine receiving recognition at the 2007 Carrick Awards.
The Australian national tertiary teaching awards were presented in Canberra on November 27. The award for “Teaching Excellence in the Biological Sciences, Health and Related Studies” field went to Associate Professor Wendy Rogers for her innovative approach to teaching ethics in medical practice.
The Flinders University Parallel Rural Community Curriculum program, led
by Dean of Medicine, Professor Paul Worley received the award for “Programs that Enhance Learning, in the Educational Partnerships and Collaborations with Other Organisations” field.
Their wins mark the eleventh time in as many years that Flinders has been honoured at this level, and this year Flinders is the sole South Australian recipient.