Education, economy and society

OECD Observer - Higher education: Funding and affordability

20-Mar-2012

David Willetts - Minister of State for Universities and Science, Government of the United Kingdom

The coalition government of the UK is seeking to achieve two main goals by reforming funding of higher education in England. The first focuses on making sure that the finances of diverse institutions across our world-class sector are sustainable for the long term. In the face of a huge deficit reduction programme, it is impossible to increase university funding solely from the public purse.

The case for 21st century learning (OECD Observer article)

15-Mar-2011

Anyone wondering why knowledge and skills are important to the future of our economies should consider two facts. First, jobs: employment rates are higher among people with more education than among those with less. This has continued to be the case during the crisis.

Boosting jobs and skills (OECD Observer article)

15-Mar-2011

Unemployment soared in the crisis, and creating jobs is now a major policy priority. But jobs alone will not be enough. A greater emphasis on skills will be needed for the recovery to last.

Earthquake in China Highlights the Vulnerability of Schools in Many Countries

15-May-2008

The New York Times quotes the OECD publication Keeping Schools Safe in Earthquakes, which concludes that “schools ‘routinely’ collapsed in earthquakes around the world because of avoidable design or construction errors, or because existing laws and building codes were not enforced”. A review of OECD countries’ implementation of the Recommendation Concerning Guidelines on Earthquake Safety in Schools, featured in the report and approved by OECD Council in 2005, is under way.

 

Education and Civic Engagement – Review of Research and a Study on Norwegian Youths (EDU Working Paper No. 12)

22-Jan-2008

This study discusses relevant international research, with special attention to studies in the Nordic countries, and analyses survey responses by more than 11 000 Norwegian youths aged 13 to 19.

Higher education facilities conference

03-Aug-2007

PEB organised a conference entitled “Sustainable Spaces and Places for Learning, Innovation and Knowledge Transfer” in collaboration with the Helsinki University of Technology, Finland. The event was held in May 2008 and identified global and local possibilities to provide quality environments for higher education. Both physical and virtual environments were addressed.

The Netherlands’ School Building Prize 2006

06-Apr-2007

The Netherlands’ Ministry of Education has announced the winners of its eighth annual School Building Prize, recognising projects in the primary and secondary education sectors. The ministry awards this prize to encourage school boarders to be visionary, creative and professional when building new schools and rebuilding or renovating existing ones. The aim is to provide infrastructure that facilitates the education process as much as possible. The theme of the School Building Prize 2006 was “My school is unique because…”.

Disparities in Spending on U.S. Public School Facilities

26-Feb-2007

A new study, titled “Growth and Disparity: A Decade of U.S. Public School Construction”, investigates the scale, scope and distribution of school building investment across the United States. While the report illuminates the unprecedented spending and growth on U.S. public school construction over the last decade, it reveals that a tremendous disparity exists in who has benefited from the billions of public dollars invested.

All-day Schooling in Düsseldorf, Germany

26-Feb-2007

Düsseldorf, the capital of Nordrhein-Westfalen, is one German city applying the concept of all-day schooling. The facilities needed for an all-day school are described below, as well as the conversion of one of Düsseldorf’s 72 primary schools for this purpose.

PEB priorities for 2007-08

15-Feb-2007

OECD countries have agreed to renew the PEB mandate for a further two years. The Programme assists members to make the most effective use of the resources devoted to educational facilities at all levels and there is a full programme of activities planned for that period. These include work on financing infrastructure, defining and evaluating the quality of educational buildings, data gathering, following up work on school safety, and analysising innovation in educational facility design.

Focus

"The OECD Skills Strategy is designed to help countries build better skills policies and turn them into jobs, growth, and better lives." - Mr. Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD

OECD Skills Strategy - Better Skills, Better Jobs, Better Lives: A Strategic Approach to Skills Policies

Focus

Using data from PISA 2006, this book analyzes to what extent investments in technology enhance educational outcomes.

Educational Research and Innovation: Are the New Millennium Learners Making the Grade?: Technology Use and Educational Performance in PISA 2006

Focus

This report, based on an OECD review in 22 countries, explores the advantages of recognising non-formal and informal learning outcomes

Recognising Non-Formal and Informal Learning: Outcomes, Policies and Practices

Sponsor the 4th Compendium! Please contact us for more information.

OECD/CELE 4th Compendium of Exemplary Educational Facilities

The journal of the Centre for Effective Learning Environments

See the latest articles, analyses and news.

CELE Exchange, April 2012