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Photo: Jinan Lorenzio Wu from the Juilliard School in New York performs during the event “Learning for Lasting Peace” on the International Day of Education (January 24). United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) organized the event. January 24, 2024. New York. United States of America. UN Photo/Loey Felipe.
Source: United Nations, New York
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:16 PM | View the original post
Paris, France, January 06, 2024 — Partnerships are crucial in transforming education, as no single institution can do it alone. They are essential to ensuring comprehensive educational planning and accountable, effective management.
• UNESCO IIEP (UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning) is the only United Nations agency with the mandate to support countries with educational planning and management.
To celebrate the beginning of 2024, UNESCO-IIEP has identified five critical partnership areas. UNESCO-IIEP discussed these areas during five panels in its last Donors’ Day event, which brought together partners and beneficiaries. The event’s purpose was to reflect on the power of planning to address evolving country needs and global urgencies.
• Strengthening systems for sustainable planning
In the past two years, the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) has supported 19 education sector analyses and plans, impacting the education of over 109 million children and youth.
These plans include simulation models, costed action plans, monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks. IIEP works with education actors at both centralized and decentralized levels to ensure that the process is nationally-led and participatory. This approach helps create a long-term and sustainable plan for effective implementation.
Global Campus: To strengthen this system further, IIEP will launch a new Global Campus in 2024, including all its training programs and courses and a new micro-credential and diploma system.
• Taking gender equality to the next level
The Gender at the Centre Initiative (GCI) promotes gender equality in sub-Saharan African countries. The program has supported eight countries over four years, establishing alliances within ministries to integrate gender equality into policies and plans.
The first phase ended in 2023, and a second phase was launched with renewed funding to consolidate progress.
• Making education a critical solution to the climate crisis
IIEP integrates climate action into planning, collaborating with more countries to implement adaptation and environmental sustainability measures.
As part of the GPE initiative, they will provide climate-smart education system reforms emphasizing disaster risk reduction, cross-sectoral coordination, and climate-relevant training.
• Fostering south-south collaboration and sharing evidence
IIEP’s Office for Latin America and the Caribbean has pioneered virtual Communities of Practice for education stakeholders to exchange knowledge and develop expertise.
This network will be replicated globally in 2024 to enhance knowledge exchange in planning and management.
• Forging new partnerships for broader impact
The last UNESCO-IIEP symposium underscored the importance of new partnerships and strategic alliances to address emerging and long-standing challenges.
UNESCO-IIEP’s most recent collaborations include support for the 2024 Education Leadership Seminar and research on the middle tier, digital tools for accountability, and narrowing learner gaps.
Source: UNESCO IIEP
|GlobalGiants.Com|
— The editor is a Higher Education Professional with UNESCO IIEP certification.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:19 AM | View the original post
Photo: A speaker at the “(Re)thinking Common Good, Acting Together” high-level discussion at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Image provided by & copyright © UNESCO/Marie ETCHEGOYEN.
Paris, December 23, 2023 — Eighty-three teams of university students and their mentors from 19 countries are the first winners of the Future Designer International Innovation Design Awards at the Science for the Sustainable Development Goals Innovation Contest.
The winning designs range from an Air Ionizing-Humidifier with an Indoor Air Pollutant Detector to a solar-powered public bench, reusable LED bulbs and tubes with a replaceable cartridge, and sustainable fashion in the form of bags made from ‘green’ materials that are produced using a three-dimensional (3D) printer.
Ralph Benedict Capili developed the humidifier with his mentor, Evelyn Marinas, from the University of Doha for Science and Technology in the Philippines. SolSeatz, the solar-powered public bench, is the brainchild of Saber Aragh and his mentor, Hamid Naghd Bishi, from the Pars University of Architecture and Art in Iran. Shreya Chopra and her mentor Nanita Chopra from Amity University Noida in India won a silver award for GLED, the reusable LED bulbs and tubes. Eszter Borsodi and her mentor Tamasi Kinga from the University of Miskolc in Hungary produced the sustainable fashion.
Another team of five students from the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia in Spain designed a self-regulating nest for sea turtles.
About 30% (25) of the 83 teams won gold awards. Another 29 teams won silver and 29 bronze awards. Each winning team will receive a certificate.
The 83 winning teams come from the following 24 countries: Argentina, Austria, Belarus, China, Costa Rica, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Japan, Rwanda, Spain, Sri Lanka, Russian Federation, Ghana, Kenya, Palestine, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.
Unesco selected the winning teams from over 1,500 applications from 48 countries, with 228 entries advancing to the final evaluation stage.
The awards were open to undergraduate and postgraduate students worldwide. The aim was to solicit innovative, creative works from young people worldwide to raise awareness of the critical role that Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Source: UNESCO
|GlobalGiants.Com|
— The Editor is a Higher Education Professional & Consultant with diverse certifications from the world’s top institutions, including the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning Paris, Universities of Harvard, Oxford, Cornell, UC Berkeley, Dartmouth, International Monetary Fund, and the World Intellectual Property Organization Academy, Geneva.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:22 PM | View the original post
Photo: Jose Javier De la Gasca Lopez Domínguez, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for December, briefs reporters after the Security Council adopts the resolution on the situation in Gaza. December 22, 2023. New York. United States of America. UN Photo/Loey Felipe.
Photo: A view of Council members signaling their abstention. December 22, 2023. New York. United States of America. UN Photo/Manuel Elías.
The Security Council has adopted a resolution regarding the situation in Gaza. The resolution emphasizes the need for all parties involved in the conflict to adhere to their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, especially concerning the conduct of hostilities and the protection of civilians. The resolution also reaffirms the responsibility of all parties to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict. It demands that they allow, facilitate, and enable the immediate, safe, and unhindered delivery of such aid to the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza.
The resolution further demands that all parties to the conflict allow and facilitate the use of all available routes throughout the Gaza Strip, including border crossings. The resolution requests the Secretary-General appoint a Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator who will be responsible for facilitating and verifying the humanitarian nature of all relief consignments provided to Gaza by states not involved in the conflict.
The Security Council passed the resolution with 13 votes in favor and two abstentions: the United States and the Russian Federation.
Source: United Nations
|GlobalGiants.Com|
— The Editor is a Member of the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS).
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:42 AM | View the original post
Photo: During the 2022 Annual Meetings at the International Monetary Fund, a behind-the-scenes look at the first day. Washington, DC, United States. October 10, 2022. IMF Photo/STEPHEN VOSS. [File Photo]
Washington, DC, December 19, 2023 — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has concluded its yearly consultation with India. IMF noted that India’s economy has grown robust over the past year, with employment surpassing pre-pandemic levels, formalization progressing, and the financial sector remaining resilient. The current account deficit widened in 2023 as domestic demand and external shocks outweighed robust services exports and proactive diversification of critical oil imports. Despite this, growth is expected to remain strong, with real GDP projected to grow 6.3 percent in 2024 and 2025. However, risks to the outlook are balanced, with a sharp global growth slowdown and further global supply disruptions cited as potential challenges.
Executive Directors commended India’s authorities for their prudent macroeconomic policies and reforms that resulted in the country’s strong economic performance, resilience, and financial stability. They called for appropriate policies to sustain economic stability and further progress in critical structural reforms to unleash India’s significant potential.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) directors also praised the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) efforts to maintain economic stability through proactive monetary policy actions and a solid commitment to price stability. They agreed that the current neutral monetary policy stance, based on a data-dependent approach, is appropriate and should gradually help bring inflation back to its target level.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) annually conducts bilateral discussions with member countries to gather economic and financial information. During these discussions, officials discuss the country’s economic developments and policies. The IMF staff then prepares a report, which the Executive Board discusses. The Managing Director summarizes the views of the Executive Directors and transmits them to the member country’s authorities.
Source: IMF
|GlobalGiants.Com|
— The editor holds an Academic Certificate in Financial Market Analysis from the Institute for Capacity Development at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC.
The number of people in the labor force is generally closely related to whether an economy is growing at a reasonable rate. We explain unemployment in this video. https://t.co/kGB0Uom1lW pic.twitter.com/T2rohzC7PK
— IMF (@IMFNews) December 8, 2023
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:33 PM | View the original post
Photo: Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, in Florida, USA. December 7, 2023. Image provided by & copyright © UNESCO / Bryan Cereijo.
Florida, USA, December 11, 2023 — The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, participated in events related to the U.N. Decade for Ocean Sciences (2021-2030) in Florida, USA, from 6-8 December. UNESCO, the leading U.N. agency, organized the events.
During Audrey Azoulay’s visit to Florida, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announced their collaboration with UNESCO to enhance the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). A new environmental education project will also be developed in The Everglades, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve included on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
While she was present, NOAA and USGS announced their partnership with UNESCO to map and better understand marine biodiversity through the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS).
The two American agencies will work in coordination with the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Biosphere Network (USBN) to share scientific data on UNESCO-protected natural sites in the United States via the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS). As per the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science adopted at the end of 2021, the data will be available for the international scientific community to access and utilize for free.
The information gathered will be comparable to data collected from other global sites. It will be utilized in research to advance biodiversity knowledge and better understand climate change’s impact on all living species. The increased cooperation between American agencies and UNESCO was initiated by the United States rejoining the organization in July 2023.
Audrey Azoulay also visited The Everglades National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve listed as a site in danger by UNESCO. The park is a humid and tropical zone with a vast mangrove ecosystem, one of the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The ecosystem is home to hundreds of flora and fauna species, plays a significant role in carbon capture and storage, and supplies almost 9 million people drinking water.
On her visit, Audrey Azoulay underscored UNESCO’s commitment to supporting the site’s managers by contributing scientific expertise.
During the visit to Florida, the Director-General of UNESCO participated in several events at Art Basel Miami to strengthen the collaboration between scientists and artists to protect the marine environment.
Source: UNESCO
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:19 AM | View the original post
Photo: The Open Hand Monument, designed by Le Corbusier, is a symbolic structure at Capitol Complex, Chandigarh, India. It is the emblem of the Chandigarh Administration and symbolizes “the hand to give and the hand to take; peace and prosperity, and the unity of mankind.” Image Credit & Copyright © Fernando Stankuns.
Chandigarh, India, December 10, 2023 — The Chandigarh Administration hosted the 7th International Standing Conference on Le Corbusier’s works at Chandigarh Secretariat, Sector 9, Chandigarh, India. Delegates from seven countries, France, Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Japan, Switzerland, and India attended the Conference. The meeting focused on Le Corbusier’s outstanding contribution to the modern architectural movement.
The Conference was attended in person by the delegates present: Brigitte Bouvier, Benedicte Gandini from Fondation Le Corbusier, Paris, Benoit Dubosson of Switzerland, De Graef Rudy from Belgium, and Kazuho Nakatani from Japan. The other state members were present online through video conference.
During the 40th World Heritage Committee meeting held in Istanbul in 2016, all concerned state parties gave presentations on Le Corbusier’s works. As part of the transnational serial property under “The Architectural Works of Le Corbusier,” the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh, India, was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Chandigarh boasts a marvelous example of Le Corbusier’s architecture, which includes the Capitol Complex.
In 2023, India assumed the Presidency, and the Fondation Le Corbusier Secretariat in Paris decided that the 7th International Standing Conference would be in Chandigarh. Since becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Conferences have been held from 2017 to 2022 under different state parties’ presidencies.
The Chief Engineer of UT Chandigarh gave a detailed presentation on the Conservation of the Capitol Complex, and the Chandigarh College of Architecture presented a detailed report on the Heritage Impact Assessment.
During the International Standing Conference, all the State parties exchanged their views regarding the instruments of restoration and preservation used by the State Parties.
Source: Chandigarh Administration
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:03 PM | View the original post
New Delhi, December 06, 2023 — UNESCO today declared the “Garba of Gujarat” an intangible cultural heritage. This designation recognizes the role of Garba as a unifying force that fosters social and gender inclusivity. Garba is a dance form deeply rooted in ritualistic and devotional traditions and involves people from all walks of life.
The Evaluation Body of the 2003 Convention recognized India’s outstanding supporting material for the dossier. It acknowledged the importance of an element that champions unity in diversity and cultivates social equality among varied communities. This acknowledgment of UNESCO inscribing an intangible cultural heritage element from Gujarat, Garba, will significantly elevate its global visibility and authentic essence.
The Government of Gujarat is organizing several curated ‘Garba’ events across districts in Gujarat to celebrate this achievement. This listing mechanism aims to enhance the visibility of intangible cultural heritage, fostering awareness of its significance and promoting dialogue that respects cultural diversity.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, expressed happiness on the inscription of the Garba of Gujarat on the Intangible Heritage List of UNESCO. He said, “Garba is a celebration of life, unity, and our deep-rooted traditions. Its inscription on the Intangible Heritage List showcases to the world the beauty of Indian culture. This honor inspires us to preserve and promote our heritage for future generations. Congrats on this global acknowledgment.”
Alongside India, this year’s Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) comprised of Angola, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Czechia, Ethiopia, Germany, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Source: Ministry of Culture, Government of India
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:41 PM | View the original post
Paris, France, December 01, 2023 — On its 60th anniversary, the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (UNESCO-IIEP) organized a Symposium at its premises in Paris, France.
The Symposium explored how educational planning can reinvent itself to promote the transformative role of education and create a better future. With only seven years left to achieve the Education 2030 agenda, the event revived IIEP’s long-standing tradition of ‘taking stock’ of recent progress in educational planning and management to adapt to the changing needs of societies and craft new approaches, methodologies and tools accordingly.
The event brought together leading thinkers in the field, high-level representatives of Ministries of Education, IIEP Governing Board members, former directors, IIEP staff, representatives from UNESCO, General Conference delegates, and donor agencies. IIEP hosted the Symposium in a hybrid format at its premises in Paris, France, over two days. Both online and in-person audiences had the opportunity to get involved in the discussions over the two days, with interactivity built-in and adapted for each group.
UNESCO-IIEP has inspired societies to embrace change and transform education through innovative planning strategies. By constantly adapting to evolving needs and developing new methodologies, approaches, and tools, it has paved the way for a more progressive and inclusive educational landscape.
Source: UNESCO IIEP
|GlobalGiants.Com|
— The editor is an AHEP Member, and a UNESCO IIEP certified HE Planning Consultant.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:26 AM | View the original post
Photo: UNESCO adopts landmark guidance on education’s cross-cutting role in promoting goodwill and peace at its General Conference on November 20, 2023. Image provided by & copyright © UNESCO/Sacha HERON.
Paris, France, November 24, 2023 — On November 20, 2023, all 194 UNESCO Member States adopted the Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights, and Sustainable Development at UNESCO’s General Conference. The Recommendation is a global standard-setting instrument that outlines how education should bring about lasting peace and foster human development through 14 guiding principles. The newly adopted text updates the “1974” Recommendation that, almost 50 years ago, united Member States in positioning education as a critical driver of peace and international understanding.
The Recommendation is unique in bringing together all dimensions of education and linking different thematic areas, from digital technologies and climate change to gender issues and fundamental freedoms. It acknowledges that peace is built not only through international negotiations but also on school benches, school yards and sports fields, arts, and science education, and throughout life. Education in all its forms and dimensions, in and out of schools, shapes how we see the world and treat others, and it can and should be a pathway to constructing lasting peace.
The new text outlines what exactly needs to change in approaches to education and how. It defines 14 guiding principles that should shape the transformation of education systems in the decades to come. 194 UNESCO Member States unanimously agreed to the revised text and recommended it for adoption by the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference.
The Recommendation strongly emphasizes human rights and fundamental freedoms. It integrates issues central to achieving lasting peace in our era, such as sustainable development, climate change, respect for diversity, gender equality, and media and information literacy. It outlines concrete learning outcomes and priority action areas for holistically reshaping all aspects of education systems, from laws and policies to curricula development, teaching practices, learning environments, and assessment.
It can be used by all education stakeholders - from policy-makers and teachers to informal educators and tradition-bearers - as a baseline to transform their policies, practices, and approaches to build empathetic and inclusive learners. It brings education with the times, considering how the world has changed and will continue to evolve in the decades.
Source: UNESCO
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:39 AM | View the original post
PortWatch is an online platform designed to monitor and simulate disruptions to maritime trade due to climate extremes and other shocks. The platform helps policymakers and the public assess the impact of actual and future trade shocks and international spillover effects in affected countries.
PortWatch is a collaborative innovation between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the University of Oxford.
Washington, DC, November 16, 2023 — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the University of Oxford collaborated to create an online platform called “PortWatch.” The forum utilizes satellite-based vessel data and big data analytics to monitor and simulate trade disruptions caused by climate extremes and other unpredictable events. PortWatch provides policymakers, analysts, and other stakeholders with timely indicators of actual and expected disruptions and simulates international spillover effects from natural and hypothetical disasters.
One of the critical features of PortWatch is that it enables users to assess the impact of disruptions on maritime trade. In addition, the platform can simulate the potential indirect spillover effects of port disruptions on other countries in the marine network and global supply chains. By conducting climate scenario analysis, PortWatch helps identify vulnerabilities within the maritime trade network, which can be crucial for informed decision-making.
Bert Kroese, IMF’s chief statistician, data officer, and director of the statistics department, states that PortWatch aims to provide actionable insights based on data about how shocks, such as extreme weather events and disasters, impact trade and supply chains. The platform utilizes innovative data sources and visualization tools to facilitate international dialogue and inform policy decisions.
Jim Hall, Professor of Climate and Environmental Risks at the University of Oxford, emphasized the significance of PortWatch by stating that unexpected events can significantly affect global trade and supply chains, causing economic disruptions and real consequences for people. The platform enables decision-makers to monitor shipping disruptions worldwide at ports and critical shipping lanes, providing the latest updates.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a global organization comprising 190 member countries. It promotes global monetary cooperation, facilitates international trade, secures financial stability, and encourages sustainable economic growth and employment worldwide. The IMF provides its members with policy advice, lending services, and capacity building to achieve these goals.
Source: IMF
|GlobalGiants.Com|
— The editor holds certificates from the IMF Institute for Capacity Development, Washington DC, and the School of Government, University of Oxford.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:56 AM | View the original post
• Global patenting activity soared to new records in 2022, fueled by Indian and Chinese innovators, but an uncertain economic outlook is weighing on further growth.
Photo: On October 11, 2023, WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Director General Daren Tang visited one of the 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) in Delhi, where he met young innovators. These labs are part of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), a flagship initiative of the NITI Aayog Government of India. The AIM promotes a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in India, and the ATLs cultivate skills such as design thinking, computational thinking, and physical computing among children from grades 6 to 12. The labs provide hands-on experience with STEM tools and concepts, including do-it-yourself kits like microcontroller boards and 3D printers. The visit was part of the WIPO Director General’s official trip to India from October 10-13, 2023. The image is provided by and copyright © WIPO.
Geneva, November 8, 2023 — The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, has released the “World Intellectual Property Indicators - 2023”. It is an annual survey providing accurate and authoritative information on IP activity worldwide. For the survey, WIPO’s statisticians collect data from around 150 IP offices globally.
According to the report, a record number of patent applications have been filed worldwide in 2022.
While global filings for trademarks and designs have dropped, innovators worldwide submitted 3.46 million patent applications in 2022, marking a third consecutive year of growth. China, the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Germany were the countries with the highest numbers of patent filings in 2022.
China continues to file nearly half of all global patent applications, but its growth rate dipped for a second consecutive year from 6.8% in 2021 to 3.1% in 2022.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, expressed his satisfaction with the increase in patent applications within the country. He shared a link to a post by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which stated that the number of patent applications submitted by Indian residents rose by 31.6% in 2022, extending an impressive 11-year streak of growth that no other country in the top 10 filers has achieved.
The Prime Minister said: “The rise in patent applications in India indicates the growing innovative spirit of our youth and bodes well for the future.”
Sources: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Geneva; Prime Minister’s Office
|GlobalGiants.Com|
— The editor is a WIPO Academy alumnus.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:46 AM | View the original post
Photo: Cover of the UNESCO IIEP publication, “Corrupt Schools, Corrupt Universities: What Can Be Done?” The publication spotlights the need for clear regulations, transparent procedures, public access to information, and strong leadership to combat fraud and corruption in higher education institutions.
Paris, November 5, 2023 — From the outset of its 60-year history, the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (UNESCO IIEP) has worked towards eradicating corruption in education. This fight became even more crucial when the United Nations Convention against Corruption was established.
UNESCO IIEP recognized that corruption has many adverse effects on education, such as reducing efficiency, increasing costs, and harming educational quality. Although corruption in education is a sensitive topic and country-level statistics are scarce, UNESCO IIEP has gathered comparative data on corruption in education on its ETICO platform.
UNESCO IIEP has produced influential publications, hosted high-level policy forums, and trained over 3,000 individuals globally in implementing anti-corruption measures in education. In 2001, it united representatives from organizations like the OECD, World Bank, and Transparency International to launch its first research program on ethics and corruption in education. It followed that by initiating a capacity-building program in partnership with the Open Society Foundations in 2003 to empower nations to implement stringent anti-corruption measures.
UNESCO IIEP has also provided direct technical support to some countries to assess corruption risks systematically and comprehensively and provide tailored policy recommendations. These assessments have been global or specifically focused on sub-sectors, such as preschool, higher education, or technical and vocational training. It has also strengthened the capacity of national teams to develop and implement public expenditure tracking surveys to trace funding flows and reduce leakages.
UNESCO IIEP has focused its recent efforts on the role of citizens in holding authorities accountable. In 2018, it launched a study on the power of open school data to promote citizen control over resources. It led to a global exploration of innovations in available government models.
UNESCO IIEP continues to eradicate corruption in education. In the future, it will investigate how to harness new digital technologies, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and big data, to enhance transparency and accountability in educational planning and management.
The recent UNESCO IIEP Policy Forum on Planning Higher Education Integrity was a remarkable event in Paris. The forum gathered nearly 60 higher education experts and stakeholders from around the world to discuss recent and innovative initiatives aimed at improving transparency and reducing opportunities for fraud or corruption at the university level.
The attendees included university vice-chancellors and administrators, researchers, and representatives of education ministries, international agencies, research funding organizations, civil society, students’ organizations, and the media.
According to Muriel Poisson, Head of UNESCO IIEP’s Research and Development Team, planning higher-education integrity might become mandatory for many countries and universities. It is because there is a growing concern among government funders that universities should appropriately use shrinking resources. Additionally, there is a need to protect the reputation of higher education institutions and the trust in their degrees.
Source: UNESCO IIEP
|GlobalGiants.Com|
— The Editor is
A UNESCO-IIEP-Certified Higher Education Planning Consultant.
A Member of the Association of Higher Education Professionals.
A Member of the American Association of University Administrators.
An Active Member of the International Leadership Association (ILA).
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:11 PM | View the original post
Paris, October 31, 2023 — UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has designated 55 cities to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) on World Cities Day. UNESCO recognized these new cities for their dedication to utilizing culture and creativity in their development strategies, as well as for their innovative approaches to human-centered urban planning. It brings the total number of cities in the network to 350, spanning over a hundred countries and seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, and Music.
The new members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network are:
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network has added 55 new cities on World Cities Day, taking the total number of cities 350 across seven creative fields. The newly designated cities, recognized for their innovative approaches to human-centered urban planning and utilizing culture and creativity in their development strategies, will cooperate with network members to strengthen their resilience in the face of evolving threats such as climate change, rising inequality, and rapid urbanization.
These newly joined cities can participate in the 2024 UCCN Annual Conference under the theme “Bringing Youth to the table for the next decade.”
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay applauded the creative cities for their leading role in enhancing access to culture and galvanizing the power of creativity for urban resilience and development.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has lauded UNESCO’s decision to include two Indian cities in its Creative Cities Network. Kozhikode has been designated as the ‘City of Literature,’ while Gwalior has been recognized as the ‘City of Music.’
Prime Minister Modi expressed his delight at this achievement and congratulated the people of Kozhikode and Gwalior. He emphasized that this recognition highlights India’s rich cultural heritage and demonstrates its commitment to preserving and promoting its diverse traditions.
According to the Prime Minister, these accolades result from the collective efforts of every individual who has contributed to nurturing and sharing India’s unique cultural narratives.
Source: UNESCO
|GlobalGiants.Com|
— The Editor is a Contributor to the Enhancement of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:44 AM | View the original post
Photos. UNESCO launches State of the Education Report for India 2023. Images provided by & copyright © UNESCO New Delhi.
New Delhi, October 20, 2023 — The UNESCO New Delhi Regional Office has launched the fifth edition of its annual flagship report - Seeds of Change: UNESCO 2023 State of the Education Report for India.
The report explores the role of education in addressing the complex challenges posed by climate change. India has witnessed the consequences of climate change through climate disasters and biodiversity losses, and education can play a crucial role in shaping a generation that understands the gravity of this issue and can combat it.
The report concludes with ten concrete recommendations for education sector stakeholders to enhance education’s role in addressing climate change. The launch event also showcased an exhibition highlighting various initiatives taken to develop education to address climate change in India.
Source: UNESCO New Delhi Office
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:27 AM | View the original post
The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, designated Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) as the World Book Capital 2025.
Photo: Seaside view, Catacumba Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. UNESCO has named Rio de Janeiro as the World Book Capital for 2025. Image credit: Second-Half Travels.
Paris, October 12, 2023 — “Books are vital vehicles to access, transmit and promote education, science, culture and information worldwide. Thanks to books, we keep ourselves informed and entertained and can better understand our world. It is why UNESCO designates a World Book Capital each year. After Accra in 2023 and Strasbourg in 2024, I am pleased to announce the designation of Rio de Janeiro as the World Book Capital for 2025,” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay announced.
UNESCO and the World Book Capital Advisory Committee commended Rio de Janeiro’s demonstration of the importance of its literary heritage alongside a clearly defined vision and action plan to promote literature, sustainable publishing, and reading among young people tapping into digital technologies. It was the first time a Portuguese-speaking city was designated World Book Capital.
Rio de Janeiro is a huge seaside city in Brazil. In line with priorities expressed in the World Book Capital Charter, Rio de Janeiro conceives its project as having the ability to affect social change - through, for example, literacy, education, and poverty eradication - and bring sustainable economic benefit linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The year of celebrations will start on April 23, 2025, on World Book and Copyright Day.
Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capitals undertake to promote books and reading for all ages and groups, within and across national borders, and to organize a program of activities for the year.
As the twenty-fifth city to bear the title since 2001, Rio de Janeiro follows:
The UNESCO World Book Capital Advisory Committee comprises representatives of the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), the International Authors Forum (IAF), the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), the International Publishers Association (IPA), and UNESCO.
Source: UNESCO
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:23 AM | View the original post
Photo: WIPO Director-General visits CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research) New Delhi. October 12, 2023.
New Delhi, October 12, 2023 — Mr. Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), along with other distinguished delegates from WIPO, visited the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) facility at the CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research). They participated in discussions on the CSIR Innovation System, TKDL, CSIR Technologies, and CSIR’s Current IP Strength & Strategy.
The CSIR team, led by Dr. (Mrs.) N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR and Director General, CSIR, welcomed the distinguished guests, which included Prof. Unnat P. Pandit, Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks (CGPDTM), India.
Mr. Daren Tang elucidated WIPO’s vision to bring about more inclusiveness and to position it as a powerful catalyst to transform the IP system. He was happy to note the great strides CSIR is making as a critical Indian innovator. He appreciated the Organization’s activities, IP targeted at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Patinformatics, and IP Audit. Mr. Tang expressed WIPO’s support to CSIR for a meaningful and impactful journey together.
WIPO is a self-funding agency of the United Nations and the global forum for intellectual property (IP) services, policy, information, and cooperation. It has 193 member states. WIPO’s mission is to lead the development of a balanced and effective international IP system that enables innovation and creativity for the benefit of all. The Organization provides a policy forum to shape international IP rules, provides global services to protect IP across borders and resolve disputes, and facilitates cooperation and capacity building in all countries.
Source: Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India
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— The editor is a WIPO Academy alumnus.
Innovation knows no age 👩ðŸ»â€ðŸ«ðŸ‘¦ðŸ¾ðŸ‘§ðŸ½ðŸ’¡
— World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (@WIPO) October 12, 2023
In India🇮🇳, Atal Tinkering Labs are providing a space for students to explore their ingenuity and creativity - cultivating new skills and open minds. pic.twitter.com/201y7xrpjw
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:26 PM | View the original post
Photo: IMF Chief Economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas delivers the World Economic Outlook on October 10, 2023. Image provided by & copyright © IMF.
Washington, DC, October 10, 2023 — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that global growth will slow to 3% this year and 2.9% in 2024, according to Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, head of the Fund’s Research Department. In the upcoming World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, the IMF’s Chief Economist said that the slowdown in growth will result from the widening divergence between economies. While the US and large emerging markets are expected to experience substantial growth, China and the Euro-area have received downward revisions. The report also found that headline inflation will decrease from 6.8% this year to 5.7% next year, while core inflation (excluding energy and food prices) will decline, though less significantly.
The quarterly WEO report shows that fears of a widespread recession among the world’s leading economies are receding. The report attributes the divergence between countries to three forces:
The University of California at Berkeley professor Gourinchas explained that while some advanced economies’ central banks are yet to reach their peak, others, such as Brazil or Chile, have already started to ease. The report warns that while risks are more balanced than last April, they remain tilted to the downside. It points to China’s main risk as growth slows down due to stress in the real estate sector. The report also cautions that commodity prices could become more volatile amid climate and geopolitical shocks and that financial markets could re-price if more significant inflation persists.
The report advises central banks looking to maintain growth and tackle inflation:
It will help countries grow faster, facilitate debt reduction, and lower inflation pressures.
Finally, the report highlights the need for multilateral efforts to address global challenges such as climate risks, food and energy security, trade tensions, and geoeconomic fragmentation. The report calls for a robust global financial safety net with a well-resourced IMF.
Source: IMF
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:10 PM | View the original post
New Delhi, October 3, 2023 — The Heads of State and Heads of Government of the G20, who met in New Delhi, India, declared their strong support for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. India currently holds the G20 Presidency with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration said: “We reiterate our commitment to the G20 as the premier forum for global economic cooperation and its continued operation in the spirit of multilateralism, based on consensus, with all members participating on an equal footing in all its events including Summits.”
It continued: “We also look forward to the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2024 as a symbol of peace, dialogue amongst nations, and inclusivity, with participation of all.”
IOC (International Olympic Committee) President Thomas Bach welcomed the statement. He said in Lausanne: “We would like to thank very warmly the G20 Leaders, who include the African Union for the first time, for their invaluable support. The IOC will continue to work with full commitment to achieve these goals, which are also our goals.”
The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States), the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU). The G20 members represent around 85 percent of the global GDP, over 75 percent of international trade, and about two-thirds of the world’s population.
Source: IOC (International Olympic Committee)
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:36 AM | View the original post
Photo: Unesco Director-General at the inauguration of the monumental work of Portuguese graffiti and street artist VHILS at the Unesco Headquarters in Paris. July 12, 2023. Image provided by & copyright © UNESCO/Christelle ALIX. [File Photo]
Paris, September 30, 2023 — UNESCO has been a leading advocate for recognizing skills, qualifications, and prior learning. It plays a crucial role in shaping policies and practices that facilitate mobility, enhance employability, and broaden access to education and training opportunities.
On September 27, 2023, UNESCO hosted a webinar attended by around 180 participants to showcase recent work in skills recognition, qualifications, and recognition of prior learning. The event provided a platform for sharing research findings, discussing best practices, and facilitating global dialogue on these critical topics.
During the webinar, participants learned about the findings of a cross-country analysis of qualifications frameworks presented in the recently published Global Inventory of Regional and National Qualifications Frameworks, Volume II: National and Regional Case Studies. This publication, created in collaboration with partners Cedefop and the European Training Foundation (ETF), offers policy-makers, educators, researchers, and experts information on recent developments in this field.
Volume II includes 79 national qualifications framework country chapters from all continents and four regional qualifications frameworks. A cross-country analysis of case studies examines the objectives, functions, and characteristics of national qualifications frameworks and their contributions to broader educational and training systems.
The webinar also featured presentations on the upcoming UNESCO Manual for Recognition of Prior Learning. It is a practical guide for stakeholders involved in planning, developing, and implementing recognition of prior learning systems. The manual draws insights from country experiences and offers valuable lessons and policy considerations.
UNESCO believes education is a fundamental human right and a powerful tool for more inclusive and sustainable societies. Recognizing skills and qualifications, including those acquired informally, is crucial to this mission. Learning often occurs outside the traditional classroom through life experiences, informal employment, and self-directed study. UNESCO acknowledges the value of non-formal and informal learning experiences and works towards their recognition and validation.
Through its initiatives, research, and collaborative efforts with Member States, UNESCO continues to pave the way for individuals to harness their talents, access educational opportunities, and thrive in a rapidly changing global job market. As we look to the future, the work of UNESCO remains essential in unlocking the potential of learners and workers worldwide.
Source: UNESCO
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— The editor, a Member of the Association of Higher Education Professionals, is a UNESCO IIEP certified HE Planning Consultant.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:02 AM | View the original post
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