The Council's history and the development of its research program provide insights into the evolutionary nature of its interinstitutional research activities. A case study of the program, which has both consortial and coordinating characteristics, is described. (Author/LBH)

An article by the Secretariat of the Economic Commission for Latin America, United Nations, which discusses regional factors affecting rural and community development in the Caribbean, existing community development programs, and emerging trends in the region. (Author/DR)

Urban and regional development in Third World countries has been changing in terms of aims, planning style, analytic methods and scope. These evolving perspectives are reviewed, and recommendations for incorporating such changes into professional programs in urban and regional studies are presented. (WB)

A curriculum model for rural social work practice is presented that takes into account rural diversity and the universe of social work practice. Regionalization of preparation and practice, which will allow services to be more broadly distributed, is recommended. (MSE)

A method for estimating the total direct social costs for proposed wilderness areas is presented. A cost framework is constructed and equations are developed for cost components. To illustrate the study's method, social costs are estimated for a proposed wilderness area in New England. (Author/JN)

Trends in vocational education and training (VET) within the European Union (EU) are examined from three viewpoints (education, geography, and industrial sociology) to determine whether policies have fostered the desired convergence of economies. Factors considered include pressures motivating VET reform, changes in national VET policies, and…

A discussion of language policy formation and planning in Western European countries covers the following: implications of the 1992 Treaty of Maastricht, European Community initiatives, language planning at the regional level, the European Science Foundation, bilingual education, and the Council of Europe. (Contains 47 references.) (LB)

EU graduation and the recruitment of industrial engineers (IEs) have been investigated. An increasing demand is observed for graduates in almost all industrial engineering (IE) subjects. The labour market in the EU is evolving towards the service sector even if manufacturing still represents a significant share of both IE employment and gross…

A study examined the feasibility of measuring employment in high-technology sectors at the regional level. First, the effect of definition of the term "high-technology" on survey results was considered along with potential effects of using 2- and 3-digit classifications of technology occupations from the Nomenclature of Economic…

A districtwide strategic planning model for school improvement is described in this summary report. Six elements of the model are described, which include the strategic planning process, belief statements, policies that stress self-esteem and dignity, a mission statement based on educational equity, objectives to achieve equity, and 12 action…

This thesis describes a Policy Delphi study which was conducted to initiate discussion on sensitive policy questions among members of the Board of Trustees of the Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC), an international, non-profit organization created as a permanent forum to promote the development, understanding, and beneficial use of…

Catawba Valley Technical Institute, located in Hickory, North Carolina where 45 percent of the population is employed by the furniture industry, presently offers two associate degree and two vocational diploma programs. A campus furniture factory, close institute and industry cooperation, and extensive in-plant training have contributed to the…

A meeting involving the Minister of Health and the Minister of Education of Portugal, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, the World Federation for Medical Education, the Association for Medical Education in Europe, and the Association of Medical Deans in Europe is reported. The meeting was attended by ministers and…

Four papers concerning the Lawrence (Massachusetts) Literacy Coalition, a consortium of 12 two- and four-year colleges supporting adult literacy activities in the region, are presented. The first paper offers an overview of the coalition, including the reasons for its formation, a definition of literacy, the scope of the coalition's work, and…

The 20th anniversary of the establishment of the information and Documentation Center for the Geography of the Netherlands (IDG) occurred on September 21, 1984. To mark this anniversary, the 1983/84 issue of the "IDG Bulletin" is devoted to a review of the past 20 years. The first section consists of four review articles by specialists:…