Heather Ramsey, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at IIE's Center for Women's Leadership Initiatives in San Francisco, writes about the first international Working Forum on Women, Information and Communication Technologies and Development for IIE’s Opening Minds blog. The two-day forum, co-hosted by the Department of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues and UN Women, explored opportunities for increased collaboration to expand women’s and girls’ access to and opportunities in information and communication technologies. 

Read the full blog post. 

Times Higher Education writer Elizabeth Gibney says there are five trends that are transforming global higher education during this time of heavy economic and demographic change. "Financial models that have stood firm for decades are failing, technological revolution is opening new doors and a growing middle class is creating unprecedented demand," the article says. The trends she lists are: 

• The boom in undergraduate study

• The growth of private provision

• Students (or their families) having to pay their way

• New regions driving global competition in research

• Internationalization will grow broader and deeper

Read more on The Times’ web page.

IIE Treasurer and Scholar Rescue Fund Chairman Mr. Mark A. Angelson will be inducted into the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni, the highest honor that Rutgers University can confer on an alumnus. His achievements will be honored at a gala to be held in May. 

Mark is a trustee of the Institute of International Education and is Treasurer of the organization. He also serves as Chairman of IIE's Scholar Rescue Fund (SRF) and of SRF's Scholar Selection Committee. He graduated from Rutgers College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and from Rutgers Law School. He is currently Chairman of NewPage Corporation. 

Western Union Business Solutions, a unit of The Western Union Company, announced yesterday a new service that will make it easier for higher education institutions around the world to accept tuition payments in Indian Rupee.

Students are typically invoiced in the currency of their university (e.g. US or Canadian Dollar), which often makes the payment process cumbersome and expensive. In many cases, intermediary fees impact the final amount received by the university so the students still owe money before commencing their studies.

Western Union's new service will enable participating schools and universities to offer Indian students the option to pay tuition fees in their home currency. It will be offered by Weizmann Forex and Paul Merchants Limited, the two largest Western Union Agents in India. Both Weizmann Forex and Paul Merchants Limited will make this product available to students at multiple locations across the country.

Students will also be able to pay from their homes by calling a toll-free number and requesting a house visit. In that instance, a trained representative of Paul Merchants Limited or Weizmann Forex will come to the student to collect the relevant documentation and arrange INR settlement on behalf of the college.

For more information, visit Western Union's website.   

The European Science Foundation has published Indicators of Internationalisation for Research Institutions: a New Approach. The study’s authors tested 17 indicators to describe and analyze the internationalization processes of research funding agencies and institutions in Europe. 

Read the results of the study on ESF's website.

Applications are invited from American citizens for the Moscow-based position of Director of the Moscow Fulbright Office. The Director reports to the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the United States Embassy in Russia and to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State in Washington. S/he will also have a director-level appointment at a U.S. NGO under the terms of a cooperative agreement with the Department of State to administer the Fulbright Program. The Director is responsible for the overseas administration of the Fulbright Program with Russia, which provides grants to over 200 American and Russian scholars and students each year and has an annual budget approaching $5,000,000. S/he is responsible for both long-term planning and the day-to-day management of the Fulbright Office’s wide range of programs and budget. The Director is expected to monitor the program and make recommendations to PAS and ECA on measures to ensure its growth and development.  S/he liaises with Russian government and educational bodies to further develop exchanges with the United States. The Director must be strongly committed to promoting mutual understanding between the United States of America and Russia.  

Anticipated start date is May 2013, preferably earlier. A one-year renewable contract will be offered to the successful candidate. Salary and benefits commensurate with experience and qualifications. 

Please submit by e-mail a CV and letter of application addressing the above qualifications to MoscowDirector@state.gov no later than February 11, 2013.  Questions about the position may also be submitted to this address.  Only applications received by the closing date will be considered. Information about the Fulbright Program in Russia can be found at: http://www.fulbright.ru.

IIENetwork members are invited to an event on February 13 celebrating the book’s publication. The program will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the IIE headquarters in New York City. Allan Goodman, IIE’s president and CEO will lead a discussion with editor Jorge Balán, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and others about the policies and programs that have changed Latin America’s educational landscape. A book signing and light reception will follow. For more information and to register, please visit  the book launch page.

The newest IIE publication in the Global Education Research Reports Series, Latin America’s New Knowledge Economy: Higher Education, Government, and International Collaboration, reviews recent policies, institutions, and programs that have spurred growth and changes in higher education in Latin America. In the book, leading scholars from Latin America and the U.S. explore key issues, including higher education’s role in advanced workforce development, trends in academic mobility and outcomes for brain circulation, and investment in the region by U.S. universities and corporations. 

College Day Scandinavia will bring together U.S.-based colleges and universities with highly-motivated students interested in pursuing a higher education degree in America. Organized by CollegeCouncil in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, the Fulbright Commission and Ivy Plus, it is a free event offering one-on-one contact with university reps and access to a presentation/workshop program. Exhibitors can expect a highly organized and well-publicized recruiting event. Registration is now open. For more information, email cd@college-council.de or visit: www.collegedayscandinavia.org.

Education institutions are under increasing pressure to engage deeply at the international level while at the same time operating primarily as national agents within their domestic framework. Achieving balance and sustainability in this context is often a significant challenge. Global and local educational, economic, and socio-political forces continually intersect, creating competing priorities but also fostering creative tensions.

This year’s conference will focus on the key global, regional and local drivers that influence and shape international education. What impact do these drivers have and how can we respond to them most effectively? Conversely, what impact does international education have on the world around us globally and locally? How do local realities affect our ability to respond to global imperatives and opportunities?  How do we achieve balance between global imperatives and local realities? How will international education influence and shape the future of the nation and the world? The 2013 conference will address these fundamental issues. The program will feature major thought leaders, practitioners, researchers and other experts from Australia and internationally. Five conference streams reflect and build on the overarching theme.

For more information, visit: http://www.aiec.idp.com.

Host Application Deadline: February 15, 2013

The Fulbright FLTA program enables young educators to refine their teaching skills, increase their English language proficiency and extend their knowledge of the cultures and customs of the United States. FLTAs engage in non-degree studies at accredited post-secondary U.S. educational institutions while assisting in language departments. FLTAs teach language courses, supervise language labs, lead language table discussion; act as resource persons in conversation groups, cultural representatives and much more. 

The Fulbright FLTA Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education, welcomes institutions to apply to host an FLTA for 2013-14 academic year. Visit FLTA's host application page to access the online application. 

For more information on the Fulbright FLTA Program, please visit the website. If you need an extension to complete the application, please contact FLTA staff at flta@iie.org.

The Russell Berrie Fellowship in Interreligious Studies offers priests and members of the laity an opportunity to study at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), in Rome, to obtain a Certificate in Interreligious Studies. The Certificate allows those who are not qualified for entrance into the Licence program at the Angelicum the opportunity to explore various aspects of interreligious issues at a Pontifical University.

The award provides one year of financial support for Russell Berrie Fellows, covering tuition, a modest living stipend and book allowance, examination fees, and travel to and from the recipient’s home country.

The aim of the Fellowship Program is to build bridges between Christian, Jewish, and other religious traditions by providing the next generation of religious leaders with a comprehensive understanding of and dedication to interfaith issues. Further information, including the application form, can be found at: www.iie.eu/berrie.

IIE and IIE’s Scholar Rescue Fund held a conference on modern teaching methodologies and excellence in university teaching in Erbil, Iraq last week. Approximately 200 Iraqi scholars, university leaders, Iraqi government officials, U.S. Embassy officials, and international experts participated. This was the fifth in a series of conferences being held by IIE and designed to engage key stakeholders in advancing higher education discussions and development efforts in Iraq. 

The conference and training workshop provided an overview on current thinking related to effective teaching methodologies with a particular emphasis on new strategies for improving teaching and learning in higher education settings and the use of technology in the classroom.

Visit IIE's website to learn more about the conference and major findings.