Miguel A. Cardona, the former commissioner of education in Connecticut, became the U.S. Secretary of Education on March 2, 2021, taking office in the midst of an historic pandemic that had profoundly reshaped the nation's schools. In his initial months on the job, Cardona- also a one-time public school teacher and principal--has focused closely on…

European University Association (EUA) has been an active contributor to the Bologna Process since its start 20 years ago. The present position paper welcomes the recent progress in the development of the European Higher Education Area, on the occasion of the Bologna Process Ministerial Conference on 19 November. EUA leaders will join the European…

Higher education--particularly the liberal arts--has been under attack for several decades. With policies affecting funding, support for students, endowments, and more at stake, how can colleges and universities effectively demonstrate their value to policy makers and key community figures? For some insight and advice, "Liberal…

"When did teachers became the scapegoats for factors beyond their control?" wonders Rafe Esquith in this passionate article. A 30-year veteran teacher, Esquith understands all too clearly the factors undermining teacher morale: ubiquitous tests, rules, and regulations; unfair, often ridiculous expectations; rising poverty and decaying…

"New Directions for Higher Education" examines emerging issues, trends, and ideas that have an impact on higher education policies, programs, and practices. In this article, DiSalvio inteviews Jamie P. Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation, about Lumina's commitment to enrolling and graduating more students from college, and…

According to James Harvey, the scale of the 2011 effort to privatize public education through vouchers and charters is "staggering," representing the culmination of a 30-year assault on public service in general and public education in particular. At a time when states are staring into the abyss of bankruptcy, he notes, public funds intended for…

The public debates on history education that occurred in many countries over the past decades have given rise to the idea that people live in an age of "history wars". While these wars are primarily fought on a national level, they are increasingly looked at as a global phenomenon. In most cases, they are the expression of tensions between the…

On May 4, 2006, French and German cultural ministers announced the publication of "Histoire/Geschichte", the world's first secondary school history textbook produced jointly by two countries. Authored by a team of French and German historians and published simultaneously in both languages, the book's release drew considerable public…

There is an interesting contrast to be found between President Barack Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan: Whereas Obama regularly refers to the current economic situation as the "Great Recession," Duncan instead labels it as "The New Normal." Only one of these can be correct--and the implications for educators are profound. The author…

Over the past year, NIACE staff have been guided and advised by a group of 11 dynamic and well-informed commissioners, led by Lord Boswell of Aynho, in conducting an independent inquiry into the state of adult literacy in England. Lord Boswell is well equipped for this role and passionate about the issue. As well as being a former minister for…

This essay presents educational principles of Mahatma Gandhi, specifically principles of character education, as a model for strengthening non-violence in students. Its major concern is to show that Gandhi's ideal of non-violent character education is important for university teaching in disciplines including religious studies, and that Gandhi…

People around the country--students and families, government officials, legislators, public-policy experts, and others--are increasingly questioning higher education's quality, cost, and relevance to the nation's future. Colleges and universities are also grappling with issues of access, diversity, and student retention and completion. How can…

Japan's Basic Law on Food Education (Shokuiku kihonho) was enacted in June 2005 as a response to various concerns related to food and nutrition, such as food scandals, an increase in obesity and lifestyle-related diseases and an assumed loss of traditional food culture. The Law defines food education (shokuiku) rather vaguely as the acquisition of…

In the UK, and in many other countries, policy makers and funding bodies emphasise the importance of the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), as opposed to the HASS disciplines (humanities, arts and social sciences), in higher education. Yet an examination of the biographies of UK members of parliament (MPs)…

When he was still President Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, now mayor-elect of Chicago, famously quipped: "Never allow a crisis to go to waste." Republican governors in Wisconsin, New Jersey, Ohio, and other states have certainly taken that advice to heart. By emphasizing, and in some cases manipulating, the red ink flowing through…