IMS Global Learning Consortium Announces Next Generation Digital Learning Services
Standards - New Suite of Interoperability Standards Enables a Complete Set of Interoperability for Enterprise,
Distributed, and Web‐Enabled Learning
Digital Learning Services” as its new umbrella for the next generation of e‐Learning and enterprise learning interoperability standards. Presented at IMS GLC’s annual Learning Impact conference and Summit on Global Learning Industry. Challenges, Digital Learning Services provides a ‘suite’ of open and free interoperability standards to address the integration challenges of enterprise systems, web services, and software as a service.“Leading learning, educational, and training organizations around the world are now dealing with a multiplicity of learning systems from a variety of networked sources” said Rob Abel, CEO of IMS Global Learning.

Digital Learning Services standards consist of a suite of three core standards that address interoperability of digital learning content, web or enterprise‐based learning applications, and administrative systems.” IMS Digital Learning Services enables a new generation of enterprise and web interoperability, reducing barriers to integration while enabling new approaches to personalized learning and strategic analysis of learning outcomes.

• Digital Learning Services encompasses digital learning content interoperability, reuse, and personalization via IMS Common Cartridge in the new generation, but also incorporates legacy approaches such as IMS Content Packaging or SCORM® (a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Defense).
• Digital Learning Services encompasses learning application interoperability via IMS Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI). LTI enables “content‐less interoperability where cooperating learning applications exchange context, authorization, and outcomes via data communications.
• Digital Learning Services encompasses interoperability between learning systems and administrative or human resources systems via IMS Learning Information Services (LIS), formerly known as IMS Enterprise. IMS Global is supported by over 115 organizations – the world’s leaders in educational and learning technology, including leading learning technology product suppliers and publishers, leading institutions of learning and training, and leading government and professional consortia. Current Contributing Members of IMS GLC are listed at http://www.imsglobal.org/members.html


Society of College, National and University Libraries
New library research to boost global appeal of UK and Irish HE
New guidelines have been published today to help higher education libraries in the UK and Ireland meet the challenge of international student recruitment. The ground-breaking protocols are based on extensive new research from SCONUL (the official membership body for UK and Irish higher education and national libraries) and aim to improve the library experience for all students.

International students are recognized as an important source of both essential income and cultural and intellectual diversity for universities. They now constitute 13.4% of the total higher education population in the UK, which is second only to the USA in its global appeal. The research found that the quality of library facilities and services can be a deciding factor in a students' choice of university. Toby Bainton, Secretary of SCONUL said,

"Our librarians need to be prepared to deal with an increasingly wide range of cultures, languages and learning styles. These new guidelines provide a wealth of practical tips, best practice examples and key principles that aim to ensure our academic libraries give a good service to international students. They will also help their university to compete in the global market.

The new guidelines will benefit all students and academics because they encourage the production of jargon-free library publications, improved access to library facilities and better customer care across the board."

The guidelines list seventeen key concepts for university librarians, and provide a wealth of best practice from leading universities across the UK and Ireland. Toby added,

"SCONUL's research has shown how the increasing number and diversity of international students can mean a shot in the arm for university budgets, but the effect can be quite different for those who have to service their high expectations and complex needs. These guidelines should be welcomed by all vice chancellors in particular as they help our institutions to provide a world-class service to our international students." For more information or to arrange an interview with Toby Bainton, contact Elliot Frankal on 07989 524780 or elliot@linstockcommunications.com

 

Campus Compact Regional Conference:
Developing Citizens through Leadership and Civic Engagement
We invite your participation in the Fifth Annual Multi-State Conference on Civic Engagement, July 9-11 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  This Campus Compact regional conference will bring together colleagues and partners from Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and beyond to explore multiple perspectives on service-learning and civic engagement in our south-central region.

Conference participants will include learners and educators from diverse constituencies: faculty, students, administrators, and service-learning coordinators; VISTA members; and government, community agency and organization partners. Conference participants will share program models and best practices, and network with service-learning practitioners and community partners. For more information on this multi-state conference and to register, please click here. To make hotel reservations at the New Orleans Convention Center, click here, and specify Campus Compact. For more information on the KsCC Events Calendar, click here.


Consortium for Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois
ILA Seeking Nominations for Academic Librarian of the YearIs the 2008 Illinois Academic Librarian of the Year working in your library or on your CARLI committee? Would you like to recognize their accomplishments and share them with the Illinois Library Community? ILA is accepting nominations now through May 15, 2008 for the Illinois Academic Librarian of the Year. This award recognizes an Illinois librarian who is making an outstanding statewide contribution to academic or research librarianship and to library development. The award is presented by the Illinois Association of College and Research Libraries (IACRL) Forum and CARLI. ILA is also accepting nominations for a number of other awards. A list of these can be found at  www.ila.org/membership/apps/ila_awards.pdf.
In addition, ILA has a number of other awards available for general nominations.  A list of these can be found at  www.ila.org/membership/apps/ila_awards.pdf. Some of these include:

Applications may be made online at http://www.ila.org/membership/award_form.html, with supporting information mailed to the Illinois Library Association.

 

ConocoPhillips pledges $15 million to the University of Alaska Anchorage
New Integrated Science Building will carry company’s name
ANCHORAGE, AK – ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. has pledged $15 million to support science and engineering programs at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA).  This gift is the largest the company has ever made in Alaska and is also the largest single corporate gift that the University system, including UAA, has received. 

In honor of this pledge, and in recognition of the $20 million dollars in unrestricted support that ConocoPhillips has contributed to the University of Alaska since 1999, UAA’s new Integrated Science Building will carry ConocoPhillips’ name.  Four million dollars of this gift will fund equipment for the state-of-the-art ConocoPhillips Integrated Science Building which is due to open its doors in fall of 2009; $11 million will establish the ConocoPhillips Arctic Science and Engineering Endowment.

This unprecedented gift will be used to help increase understanding of engineering and the natural sciences in northern climates and communities. “This gift is incredibly valuable to the university because it can be used for what we believe best serves the academic needs of our students and faculty,” said Dr. Douglas Causey, UAA’s Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Studies. In addition to program expansion, this money will be used to purchase equipment for the research and teaching labs in the building, and provide support for faculty and student research in science and engineering.

“This pledge to the University of Alaska continues our tradition of investing in quality training and education opportunities in Alaska,” said Jim Bowles, president of ConocoPhillips Alaska.  “Our company is investing in the University’s arctic science and engineering programs to create the scientists and engineers of tomorrow.  We hope that funding these programs at the University of Alaska Anchorage will encourage students to stay in Alaska, work in Alaska and foster innovative thought to our state.”

"This gift is an excellent example of university/community partnerships. ConocoPhillips knows that the university's mission to provide education, training and research helps to develop Alaska's economy. Our efforts to expand the number of engineers and scientists will help employers hire locally,” said Chancellor Fran Ulmer.  "By building the programs and providing the resources necessary for students to enter the workforce, more of our graduates will be able to be successful in Alaska's high-demand job fields."

When fully funded, the ConocoPhillips Arctic Science and Engineering Endowment’s initial contributions of $11 million will generate nearly $500,000 in interest the first year that distributions will be made in 2016.


Industrialised Countries Instrument Education Cooperation Programme (ICI ECP) Call for proposals 2008
Reference: EAC/14/2008 - Application deadline: 06 June 2008
The European Commission has launched together with the governments of Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea (in alphabetical order) a new multi-country call for proposals.
The objective of this call is to support international curriculum development projects that involve short term mobility between the EU and the partner ICI countries not necessarily related to award of a joint or dual/double degree.
Consortia applying for projects under this call are formed by at least 3 institutions from the EU and 2 institutions from a given partner country. Selected consortia will set up a framework for student mobility whereby EU students will typically spend one semester in the partner country institution and vice versa with full recognition of the study period abroad by the home institution. Support includes mobility grants for students and members of the academic and administrative staff (“faculty”).
 
Funding
The budget available from the EU side for the co-financing of projects is estimated at 2,5 million Euros. It is anticipated that funding will be provided for 4-5 EU-Australia projects, 2-3 EU-Japan projects, 1 EU-New Zealand project, and 1-2 EU-Korea projects.
The maximum amount of funding on the EU side will be EUR 425,000 for a 3-year Joint Mobility project involving 4 or more EU partner institutions. The duration for Joint Mobility Projects is 3 years.

Contact Information
European Commission
Directorate General for Education and Culture
Unit EAC-B-6
B-1049 Brussels
Email: eac-3C-cooperation@ec.europa.eu
for Australia and New Zealand:
Mr. Bodo Richter
Tel.: (+32 2) 299.00.67
for Japan and South Korea:
Mr. Diego Sammaritano
Tel: (+32 2) 299.00.23

 

Industry-University Coalition Seeks $500 Million Supplemental Funding for Basic Science Research
A coalition of nearly a dozen industry and university leaders called upon Congress and the Administration to repair some of the damage caused by their failure to fund their respective competitiveness and innovation initiatives in the FY2008 appropriations process. In meetings with Members of Congress and the Administration, the coalition pushed for inclusion in the FY2008 supplemental appropriations bill $500 million for the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to avert likely layoffs of science and technology workers and prevent the loss of research capacity and facilities.  They asked for $300 million for the DOE Office of Science and $200 million for NSF.