The purpose of this paper is, first, to highlight the role of the relationships between universities, institutions and firms in different regional development processes working towards a knowledge economy, and, second, to draw some implications for local policy makers. Adopting the regional innovation system (RIS) approach, the authors analyse …

The Science Based Business (SBB) programme was established at Leiden University in 2001 in an effort to counter the unidirectional professionalism of students in science studies--not explicitly to meet the needs of business and industry. Nor is SBB a stand-alone Master's programme like the MS/MBA or the PSM in the USA: rather, it is designed to be…

Germany has recently gone through a fundamental process of reform of its higher education system. The last 15 years have been characterised by significant changes in virtually all aspects of the system. The impacts of the Bologna Process have been far reaching. The reform of the governance and funding systems in higher education has also been…

This article presents the results of two studies on using an innovative pedagogical strategy in teaching mathematical modelling and applications to engineering students. Both studies are dealing with introducing non-traditional contexts for engineering students in teaching/learning of mathematical modelling and applications: environment and…

The level of funding made available for pedagogical innovation, a function of external policy context, is important but not sufficient for effecting lasting change in higher education teaching.

Modern geometry teaching in schools in Japan was modeled on the pedagogies of western countries. However, the core ideas of these pedagogies were often radically changed in the process of adaptation, resulting in teaching differing fundamentally from the original models. This paper discusses the radical changes the pedagogy of a German mathematics…

Provides brief descriptions of programs in Western Europe to furnish fresh perspectives from which to view American education. (Author/IRT)

A longitudinal study of factors influencing success or failure of workplace innovations such as teamwork was carried out in two German firms. Success factors included having a team mentor; integrating training, supervision, and implementation of the innovation; and training trainers. (SK)

This article distinguishes research--the discovery of new knowledge--from innovation, which is understood to be the transformation of practice in a community or the incorporation of existing knowledge into economic activity. From a survey of roles served by vocational education institutions in a number of OECD countries the paper argues that…

We are delighted to welcome you to the International Conference on Education and New Developments 2013, taking place in Lisbon, Portugal, from 1 to 3 of June. Education, in a global sense, is a right since we are born. Every experience has a formative effect on the constitution of the human being, in the way one thinks, feels and acts. One of the…

German higher education institutions offer insufficient programmes in continuing academic education. Less than 1% of all degrees awarded by HEIs in Germany in 2001 were Master's degrees. Despite the fact that the German economy is among the largest in the world, measured by percentage of GDP the country is investing 35% less in tertiary-level…

This article outlines the state of the art in German research on environmental education and education for sustainable development (ESD). Empirical German research on the importance of environmental education and ESD for schools is analysed in relation to three research fields. First, survey research describes the practice of environmental…

This study on reforms and new trends in medical undergraduate education in Europe consists of nine national reports. In these reports prominent medical educators assess the current situation in their respective home countries: Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. In…

Reports on an elementary school in Tokyo, Japan; an apprenticeship program in Germany; and a magnet school in Evanston, Illinois. Suggests some lessons U.S educators might learn from these nations in the areas of national curriculum, length of school year, tracking, and school-to-work transition. (MLF)

Self-access centres are sometimes portrayed as being at the forefront of pedagogical innovation. They are also said to be technology-rich language learning environments. In practice, however, the application of technology in a self-access environment has proven to be a challenge. This article focuses on 10 self-access centres that were found to be…