Study abroad in India

During the university's 2012 Winter Term, 12 graduate students led by iSchool professor Dr. Taverekere Srikantaiah embarked upon a 12-day study tour in Bangalore and Mysore, India. Nine students came from the university's iSchool Master's programs in Library Science,Social Sciences and Information Management, Intercultural Anglophone Studies and three joined the group from Indiana University and the University of Illinois.One of the course goals was to compare Library Science and Information Management practices in India with those taught at this institution. Students participated in round-table discussions with information professionals from various sectors, met with professors and students from several business and information management schools and scientific research institutes and attended lectures on topics such as Knowledge Management, leadership, innovation, Indian culture and history, Indian economics, education in India and corporate librarianship.

In Bangalore — the IT capital of India, commonly referred to as India's "Silicon Valley" — students stayed at the Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship (XIME) in Electronics City — the site of many of India's biggest software industries. Students spent an entire day touring the campus of Infosys, India's second largest software firm, and an employer of nearly 150,000 of India's brightest engineers and IT consultants. While in Bangalore, students also visited the following institutions: The Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore (IIMB), India's equivalent of MIT or Harvard; the Indian Institute of Science; IndiaCan, a journalism school; the Karnataka State Public Library and Children's Library; and HCL, the fourth largest software consulting company in India.For the second half of the course, students traveled to Mysore, a former princely state within the current state of Karnataka. There, students were hosted by the Infosys Mysore campus, the training center for all new Infosys employees. Course site visits in Mysore also included Mysore University's iSchool the International School of Information Management (ISiM) and the Central Food Technological Research Institute.

In addition to the educational site visits, study tour participants had the opportunity to explore several famous sightseeing locations including the Mysore Palace, Bangalore's Cubbon Park and Lalbagh Gardens, 12th-century Hoysala temples in Belur and Halebid and the Jain statue of Lord Gomateshwara, a 55-ft monolithic sculpture dating to 983AD. For the final experience of the two-week course, students were treated to a stay at the Ratnagiri International coffee estate in the mountains near Chikmagalur where they witnessed the harvesting and curing processes of coffee beans. The program participants departed with a deep respect for the people and culture of India, as well as a new perspective on the field of Library and Information Science as it is practiced both at home and abroad.

Free Math and English Course

Sign up now to start our Free English and Math course starting in September 2012. The course is free and run by South Downs College. Work towards gaining your level 2 in English and Maths which is the equivalent to GCSE grade A-C.For more information please contact South downs College.

Stanford Online Courses Delay, Not Cancelled

The Computer Science courses that should have started this month but were suddenly postponed. Stanford now says that the courses will be going ahead - but the delay may be months not weeks.Stanford was initially silent on the causes of the delay reported in our news item earlier this week and this fueled speculation that there might be something wrong, something deeper than a simple administrative problem.Now they have responded to our request for more information and the good news for anyone anxious about the courses being offered online and for free by Stanford University professors this semester is that they are not subject to cancellation. Which was a worry expressed by a number of people who had signed up or were thinking of it.Professor Andrew Ng, whose class in Machine Learning pioneered the methods to incorporate interactive elements such as quizzes, was quick to respond with:

Most of the instructors have already created a lot of course content, and we will launch the classes once we clear up a few final administrative issues.An official statement on behalf of Stanford University School of Engineering was also issued by Jamie Beckett, Director of Communications and Alumni Relations and it refers to months rather than weeks as previously suggested:Stanford does intend to offer the online classes as planned.We want to ensure that these are high-quality offerings that provide value for students. Unfortunately, the logistics around doing that for so many classes are complex, and it’s taking longer than we expected.

We do expect to roll out all of the advertised classes within the next couple of months. The uptake of these courses may well be causing problems.The email that went out to prospective stdents for NLP read:The good news is that the Engineering course is looking great, with some exciting lectures and fun assignments that we're quite proud of, and we're thrilled that over 45,000 of you have signed up!"The three courses that ran last year, Introduction to Databases, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, each had upwards of twenty thousand advanced track students who were completing assigments and exam questions. This pressure overloaded the system on frequent occasions, meaning that extra time had to be allowed for homework and exams.

On the other hand the students themselves helped out. Almost as soon as the initial announcement was made of the AI class a reddit group formed and the aiqus forum became an indispensable channel of clarification. Students on all the also helped with translation, enabling them to reach far-flung parts of the world.One of the most remarkable aspects of the online free course is their inclusiveness, penetrating parts of Africa and Asia, giving disabled students an opportunity to participate on a more equal basis and doing something to redress the male-female balance.A point is often made that there are very few women developers and that it's important to do something to persuade more of them to take an interest. Well the uptake of these courses show that there is a strong interest. One of the support groups that formed for Stanford course participants last autumn was a women-only Facebook Group initially called AI-Class Systers. Its name is now CompScisters and it is a group specifically for women in the STEM field taking online courses through Stanford and now also the newly launched venture Udacity.Now it looks as if Udacity's first two free courses could begin before Stanford's. They are an introduction to Computer Science with the goal of being able to build e search engine and an advanced-level class specifically on the topic of Programming a Robotic Car and being Sebastian Thrun, pioneer of the Google Driverless car.

U.S. universities selected to host scholarship winners from Brazil

Last year, Brazil's Ministry of Education acted upon an apparent need to increase the number of their country's students studying abroad in science, technology, engineering and math also known as the STEM fields. With one of the world's fastest-growing economies, Brazil sees support for STEM fields as critical to sustaining its development. UNO is one the first U.S. universities to host students who have earned these scholarships through the Science without Borders initiative.According to the Institute of International Education,The Science without Borders program is a joint effort of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology that seeks to strengthen and expand the initiatives of science and technology, innovation and competitiveness through international mobility of undergraduate and graduate students and researchers. The program also encourages highly qualified young researchers and professors to visit Brazil.

Over the next three years,75,000 to 100,000 Brazilian students will study overseas under full-ride scholarships, and a significant number of those will likely come to the United States. The Brazilian government's goal is to send its best students to the best schools in the world.UNO was selected after Admissions Advisor Julie Soper made a recruiting tour through Brazil last Feb. and was later allowed the opportunity to meet with Brazil's higher education leaders at a June conference in Washington D.C.Soper was in Brazil for three weeks and traveled to six different cities to take part in various education fairs around the country. She explains that she had the opportunity to represent UNO, with the aid of a translator, in front of thousands of new members of the academic world. The fair in Sao Paolo alone saw attendance of almost 17,000 students. At two of her stops, she was fortunate enough to be joined by a UNO alumnus native to the area, providing her not only with another capable interpreter, but also a means by which the students she met could gain some real insight into life at the university from one of their own.

As of this semester, International Studies and Programs is hosting three students who have begun their studies in computer science, biotechnology and computer engineering. The students involved in the one-year program will complete the spring semester, intern at a local company in their respective field during the summer and attend classes again in the fall before returning home. Ideally, another group could be recruited to begin this fall for two semesters of study and end their time in the states with an internship next summer.Looking ahead, the University of Nebraska will be hosting a delegation of Brazilian universities and government representatives at the end of Feb. This trip will allow them the opportunity to monitor the progress of their students here, along with the twenty-nine currently at UNL, and hopefully lay the groundwork for possible partnerships that would facilitate growth in numbers in semesters to come.Soper believes that building cultural, academic and economic ties with Brazil will be critical for UNO and Greater Omaha.These days, Brazil is on the tip of everyone's tongue, whether it's about economics, politics, sports, or music,Soper said.We want to be a part of that excitement.

Study abroad scholarship to El Salvador

Potomac High School graduate Djuan Short was awarded a scholarship to travel abroad for a semester to El Salvador this winter.Short, a senior and psychology major at the University of Maryland, College Park, was one of four students selected for the Prince George’s County International Ambassador’s Study Abroad Scholarships program, which provides financial aid to send low-income students with an interest in international studies to spend a semester abroad.The program is a collaboration between the Office of the County Executive, and the University of Maryland’s College of Education and Education Abroad Office. A total of 31 students have been supported through this program with individual scholarships valued between $1,000 and $1,500.
Students were awarded funds based on a demonstrated interest in international studies, academic standing, and financial need.

Azerbaijan start training pilots and aviation specialists in Anatolian University

Azerbaijan has announced a competition for admission to German universities within the framework of the State Program of Azerbaijani Youth Education Abroad in 2007-15.The contest is conducted on the basis of the agreement between the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).The competition is held on education for the following lines of professions: information technologies, engineering, petroleum industry, medicine, mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, ecology, agriculture, tourism, and accounting.

Students of the 2- and 3-year students of relevant Azerbaijani universities, who scored at least 550 points when entering universities on the first specialty group and 600 points on other specialty groups can participate in the bachelor’s degree education contest.The competition for further education and master’s degree is open to 4-year university students, for those students of 1st and other groups, whose GPA indicator of knowledge is at least 4.0 points and other specialty groups and who scored at least 112 points (1st specialty group) in entrance exam for Master’s degree of 2011/12 academic year and 120 points (or their equivalent) on the other specialty groups.

The competition for post-qualifying education within medical programs is designed for final year students of medical universities or their graduates, the average score of whom during education was at least 4.0.Bachelor’s degree education received in Azerbaijan can be recognized in Germany when entering for Master’s degree education. Master’s degree education received in Azerbaijan can be recognized in Germany for doctoral studies.

To participate in the contest the claimant must submit an application for participation, substantiation (in two languages), a letter of recommendation (a special form of letter which must be filled in by professors and teaching staff of the university in which the candidate is educating) is available. Student Admission Commission’s reference on number of scores gathered when entering the university, a notary-approved copy of the diploma and supplement to the diploma in German or English, etc.The submitted documents will be reviewed by DAAD experts who came from Germany and then an interview will be held on 5-7 March 2012.

Studying abroad in Spain this summer

A meeting for students interested in studying abroad in Spain this summer will be at 4 p.m. Jan. 26. in the Global Lounge in Old Main.Students are able to apply through the Center for International Programs to spend either one or two months at The Universidad Antonio de Nebrija in Madrid.Director of the program, María Carmen Riddel, said this opportunity is unique because it offers options for all students.Students from all levels of Spanish can participate, Riddel said.That is from beginners who have had no Spanish, to advanced students, even graduate students.Students acquire the Spanish language rather rapidly because everything they learn in the classroom, they immediately use in the streets and in the stores.

Students can earn six credit hours during a one-month stay and 12 hours during a two-month stay. Host families provide homes for the students.Riddel said students enjoy the trip because the program is reliable.The program is very well-organized because after 22 years, all problems have been worked out,Riddel said.There is a Marshall University faculty member in Madrid for the duration of the program to assist students with any problems they might encounter and to help them with travel plans to other parts of Spain or to other cities in Europe.

Noelle Kivett, junior business major, traveled with the program two years ago and said she gives the trip high praise.I would absolutely recommend this program to other students, Kivett said.There is not as much rigid structure involved so you are able to spend more time in your surroundings. It is the only study abroad tripthat I have been on where I felt like I was living in a new country versus visiting as a tourist.Interested students are encouraged to attend the meeting on January 26.The information at the meeting will cover the application process, deadlines and costs, the academic aspects of the program, housing, travel, Madrid and Spain. And, of course, all questions will be answered, Riddel said.I have invited former program participants to this meeting so that students can ask them questions about their experience.

Free courses first-aid training for 400

UPTO 400 people could become trained first aiders on one day by taking advantage of a free course.St John's Ambulance is hoping to train potential life-savers on every street in Derbyshire and their first free two-hour first aid course in the Ashbourne area is at Ashbourne Elim Church, The Waterside Centre on Friday, January 27.

Four time slots have been allocated throughout the day for the courses, which have so far seen 4,000 people across Derbyshire become trained first aiders.The course is run by St Johns Ambulance in partnership with the East Midlands Ambulance Trust and will be at the church from 10am, 2pm, 5pm and 7pm.A Waterside Centre spokesman said:Their vision is to be able to train at least one person on every street across Derbyshire in the basics of first aid.So far they have trained over 4000 people since September 2011.The course lasts for two hours and is completely free. It covers the basic knowledge of how to deal with heart attacks, stroke victims, wound management and CPR.

Students Receive New scholarships Opportunities

The university is offering two new scholarships this quarter for first-generation college students: the UCSB-specific Enhanced Support, Training and Experiences for Engineering Majors program and the Council for International Education and Exchange’s grant to expand study abroad opportunities.The ESTEEM scholarships range from $2,000 to $9,500 for first-generation students with financial need working toward undergraduate degrees in engineering. Additionally, the CIEE a nonprofit, nongovernmental international exchange organization established a $25,000 scholarship in honor of communication professor Michael Stohl that helps economically disadvantaged first-generation and nontraditional students gain access to study abroad and international research programs.

According to chemical engineering, chemistry and biochemistry professor Susanna Scott, ESTEEM’s principal investigator, the National Science Foundation promised enough funding to sustain the program for five years.We have $525,000 in scholarship funds to distribute over the five years,Scott said in an email. We expect to appoint about forty ESTEEM scholars during the program.In addition to financial aid, scholarship recipients will receive access to career development benefits, Scott said.The ESTEEM Scholars will have their own meeting room and grad student tutors,Scott said.They will have networking meetings with engineering professionals, and we will help them to find engineering internships. We also have some funding for the scholars to attend professional meetings.

Scott said the idea for this multifaceted scholarship was the product of discussion with Phyllis Brady, last year’s acting director of the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement program, which mentors students of all ages to increase their educational opportunities.I hope that these scholarships will relieve some of the financial pressure on students so that they can focus on their university studies and complete their degrees on time,Scott said.The weak state economy and the rising tuition have made paying for a university education even harder for many students.Although the ESTEEM program is only open to UCSB students, Stohl scholars the title for CIEE scholarship recipients will be drawn from an international pool of applicants. UC students will remain central benefactors, according to Stohl.

Almost all the students who study abroad on these programs are from the U.S., including EAP students on the programs in Critical Studies in Paris, Botswana, Russia, Austria,Senegal and Tanzania, Stohl said.For U.S. students, faculty and administrators, CIEE offers programs including study abroad on which more than 5,000 U.S. students study abroad each year teach abroad and faculty development seminars.Stohl served on the CIEE Board of Directors from 1995 to 2011 and served as its chair between 2004 and 2010.First-year undeclared major Selene Diaz said the program could help her realize her goal of studying abroad next year.I’m really just appreciative and excited that there is a scholarship that will help first-generation college students like me pay for my interest in studying abroad, Selene said.I feel like studying abroad is important not only because of the new sights, but how it will expand our views of the world.

Free course for businesses

RURAL businesses in the Melton area can take advantage of a free training programme helping them develop or improve their websites and use social media to make important business contacts.INSPIRE Leicestershire Investment Support in the Rural Economy has developed the Rural Business Web Training Programme which comprises three courses.

The first course - about building, designing and maintaining a website – is being delivered at Scalford Hall Management Training Centre and Hotel on Tuesday, January 24, 6pm-8.30pm.The second course on using a website to promote and sell your products and services will be held at Scalford Hall on Tuesday, January 31, 6pm-8.30pm.The third course about using social media to build business will be held at Scalford Hall on Tuesday, February 7, 6pm-8.30pm.All courses are free and will include tea, coffee, biscuits and course materials.

Study Abroad program offers alternative study

After going to school day in and day out, some students are looking for a little more excitement. Thankfully, Ball State offers a wide variety of options to study abroad.On Wednesday, students who were interested in taking their education not just outside of Muncie, but the United States altogether, were provided answers to their questions and concerns. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ball State held a Study Abroad and Passport Fair in the Atrium.The fair was to help individual students decide which study abroad program was right for them. For every major, Ball State offers a program to suit it. To make it so students could browse options freely and easily, the fair was comprised of booths, each containing information about a particular program.Sophomore international business major Zack Bingham said he came to the fair in hopes of learning more about studying in Germany.

I'm looking forward to working at a German company,Bingham said.I figure that from studying abroad, I can get more personal skills in the culture I hope to work in.Krista Miller, freshman hospitality major, said she feels she would benefit from a foreign education.I've never been overseas, and all of my family travels, so I'd like to,Miller said.It'd be really cool to be in a different culture and different courses. With hospitality, that's what I want to be doing, some kind of resort or traveling job.At each booth, volunteers were stationed to provide additional information. Many were students who had completed study abroad programs in the past.

Senior history major and volunteer Jared Shrack spent a year studying in South Korea. For Shrack, getting an education in Asia was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, he said.It's a totally different culture from any other part of the world that you'd go to,Shrack said.Korea's amazing. The food's great, and the people are so much fun. It's just an amazing experience.Sophomore and secondary English education major Casey Earl spent four months learning in Italy. Like Shrack, she enjoyed her experience.It was honestly one of the most life changing things I've ever done, Earl said.You are forced to learn so much about yourself because you are in a completely different setting. You have to learn to figure things out for yourself. You learn in four months what you would normally learn in for years.With the world increasing globalizing, studying overseas is becoming a more considerable option for students.Being diversified, now more than ever, is a crucial skill for many careers. Ultimately, Ball State will continue to offer ample study abroad programs in an effort to provide future students with ways to broaden their perspectives.It opened up so many new opportunities for me, and it made me a much more open-minded person, Earl said.

College offers free job training

Those hoping to train in a new field are faced with numerous challenges rising unit fees, book cost, limited space in classes.This month, Cañada College in Redwood City is launching a free medical administrative assistant certificate program. Originally limited to 30 students, the grant-funded program will run over two semesters. Totally free to those accepted, students will leave prepared for the testing required to apply for jobs in the growing field.I think it’s just a wonderful opportunity, Linda Hayes, dean of Cañada’s Workforce Division said.
The program covers fees, textbooks and material fees. It provides students the training to get started in a front office position and possibly start earning a livable wage. Once a person is employed, he or she can return and cover the costs thanks to the new salary or financial aid for back office training, said Hayes.

You can keep developing those skills to climb the ladder, said Hayes.Jeri Eznekier, who is coordinating the program, explained interest has been high. About 200 people inquired about the program and 85 applied, she said.So many people need retraining, said Eznekier.Getting a medical assistant position isn’t as simple as applying. Eznekier explained many offices require a number of tests to be completed before a candidate will be considered. Through the program, students will have access to classes that will help in those areas.Students will be learning medical terminology, math needed for dosages and, if needed, writing development.With limited space, the program expanded to start with 38 people Tuesday, Jan. 17. Students will take between 14.5 units to 18.5 units per semester as a group depending on their skill level.It’s not easy; it’s accelerated. These students can all succeed if they put the time in, Hayes said.

Hayes is optimistic the program can be duplicated starting this fall if the funding continues. Given the need and interest, a database was created of those who were interested.
This isn’t the first time the college has offered free training. More than a year ago, English, accounting and different courses were offered in Menlo Park. Last year, thanks to a different grant, Cañada offered home energy retrofitting training. Despite the budget challenges, Hayes noted more and more people need job retraining. Hayes and her staff are always looking for new ways to meet those needs.

A Unique Experience for all students

anuary Interim Experience, or J-Term as it is known to many Gusties past and present, has been in existence at Gustavus Adolphus College since the early 1960s. The mission of January Interim Experience is to provide ways for students and faculty to take advantage of the term’s unique qualities by developing courses and other learning opportunities that enrich and expand upon the College’s regular semester curricular offerings.Here is a sampling of how Gustavus students are spending their time during the month of January:

Study-Abroad Courses

More than 250 Gustavus students are studying abroad during this year’s January Interim Experience in places like Australia, China, Germany, Guatemala, Italy, Peru, Sweden, Tanzania, and others.Associate Professor of Health and Exercise Science Aaron Banks and a group of students are traveling to China and England as part of a travel course titled “Understanding Sport and Leisure in England and China.Using a global, issues-oriented approach, students are studying sports, leisure, and the Olympics, and their relationship to society and culture in the two nations.Associate Professor of Biology Jon Grinnell is teaching a course titled Children of Hope: Health Care and Education in Guatemala,designed to introduce students to the challenges our neighbors in the Two-Thirds World face as they seek to meet the health care and education needs of their children. After spending one week on campus, Grinnell and students are spending the final three weeks of January in Guatemala where they will visit hospitals, clinics, and schools; talk with teachers, literacy workers, and health care providers, as well as with representatives of churches, unions, cooperatives, and governmental and nongovernmental organizations engaged in education and public and community health care projects.

Assistant Professor of Scandinavian Studies Helena Karlsson is leading a group of students to Europe for a class titled Stockholm & Berlin: The Northern European Metropolis.With a focus on class and ethnic diversity, students are exploring the two cities and their histories through texts, articles, films, and the social/cultural life of the cities.

On-Campus Courses

Students who choose to stay on-campus during January Interim Experience always have an interesting assortment of courses to select from.Two unique courses offered by the Mathematics and Computer Science Department are collaborating on a final project during January. Students in Guarionex Salivia’s “What Makes Games Fun?” course are studying the concepts of video game design and the theory of fun in games in an attempt to make a solid theoretical and practical link that will lead to the design of a video game. Students in Choong-Soo Lee’s “iPhone Development course are covering the fundamentals of program design using the Object C programming language for developing iPhone applications. Students from the two courses will collaborate to develop a video game of their own as a final project.

Students in Assistant Professor of Religion Sarah Ruble’s class “Religious Lives,” are exploring how people of faith, particularly Jews, Muslim, and Christians, practice their religious traditions as well as how they eat, date, deal with conflict, and handle loss. The class is also attending several religious services as part of the course.Students in Assistant Professor of Nursing Heidi Meyer’s class “Parenting in the 21st Century,” are studying and discussing a number of parenting topics including pregnancy, parent-infant attachment, historical and current parenting roles and issues, the role of fatherhood, sexual orientation and parenting, cultural variations in parenting styles, and the influence of technology on parenting.

Internships

Many Gustavus students take advantage of January Interim Experience by gaining valuable career experience through a month-long internship. 119 Gustavus students have registered for academic credit for their Interim Career Exploration this January.Interesting internships being performed by Gustavus students this January include:

United Nations internship in Budapest, Hungary
16 pre-health students doing internships at Mayo Clinic, Mankato Clinic, and River’s Edge Hospital and Clinic.
Finance internship at Buffalo Wild Wings
Center for Victims of Torture internship in St. Paul

Independent Study and Research

Approximately 30 Gustavus students are spending January conducting research or an independent study. This is especially common in the sciences in departments such as biology, chemistry, and physics.

Riady Scholarship Offers Teachers Chance to Study Abroad

Last March, Henry Wijaya received his acceptance letter for a master’s degree program at Columbia University’s Teachers College.As a 26-year-old from Salatiga, Central Java, with a heart for teaching, he was overjoyed, but he could not avoid the money problem: tuition plus the cost of living in Manhattan could total over $80,000. After months of fruitless searching for a scholarship or loan, he had to turn down the college’s offer.Henry is not alone in his plight. Many students who are qualified to receive high quality education are barred from doing so by the hefty price of education abroad.

In response, the Riady family has pledged $1 million to fund scholarships for students from Southeast Asia to study at Teachers College of Columbia University. The Riady Scholars Fund will provide support over 10 years for up to three master’s or doctoral students annually to study at the college.Teachers College of Columbia University is the oldest and largest graduate school of education in the United States. In last year’s US News & World Report’s annual rankings, the school ranked as the fourth-best education school in the nation. It offers 60 programs and about a third of its students are studying teacher education. Some of the school’s programs focus on teaching arts, music and philosophy.

The fund will provide full tuition plus room and board for qualified recipients, for an annual fellowship of $70,000 per year, per student. Once a student is selected, funding for the fellowship would renew for a second year based on the student’s program of study at the college.Recipients of the Riady Scholars Fund will be selected by the Teachers College’s admissions office and fully subject to its rigorous admissions process. The first awards will be made for the academic year beginning September 2012, and recruitment for scholarships will begin this fall.The college had about 65 applicants last year from Southeast Asia, primarily from Singapore, said Tom Rock, executive director of enrolment services.I think this gift will help us to attract even more applicants.

The Riady family has contributed to Teachers College’s annual fund, which manages the largest private education foundation in Southeast Asia covering nearly 40,000 students, and gave $1 million to the Columbia University Global Center in Beijing.Through the Pelita Harapan Education Foundation, the Riady family also funds thousands of local schools in Indonesia as well as Pelita Harapan Univeresity’s Teachers’ Training College.The foundation, which was established in 1992, plans to establish a total of 10 prestigious schools, 100 schools for students from middle-income families and 1,000 schools for lower-income students in the country.Education is the basis of nation-building. It can, through developing a nation’s human resources, improve the nation’s welfare, and this is how my family and I can contribute to that, said James T. Riady, CEO of Lippo Group and the Pelita Harapan Education Foundation.

International study programs increasingly moving outside of Western Europe

When Jessica Rigby headed off to China to teach English to elementary school kids earlier this year, she had no idea the celebrity presence she would have there.One girl asked if she could have one of the hairs off of my head,Rigby said.I laughed and gave her one, and she kissed it and put it in her pocket. Later, I saw her showing it to all of her friends.

In the remote small town of Linchuan, she remains one of only five fluent English speakers surrounded by folks who had never seen a white person outside their TV set before. College-age Americans packing their bags and heading off to remote locations like Linchuan is nothing new, but it's becoming increasingly common. Study abroad programs have more than tripled in the past 20 years, according to the Open Doors Report by the Institute of International Education (IIE), one of the largest institutions over international student exchange between the U.S. and other countries. In addition to that increase, more students are expanding their horizons even more, to places like China and Central Africa and even India, which had a 44 percent increase in students studying there from 2008-09. A total of 14 of the top 25 destinations were outside of Western Europe in 2010, according to the same report, and that is a huge change, according to IIE President and CEO Allan Goodman, who said in past years the only destinations students wanted to visit was in Europe.

The world really is flat economic in cultural terms,Goodman said.America is the world's leading superpower. We have global responsibilities. You can't do that unless you speak other languages and are familiar with cultures beyond our borders.One school making huge strides in that expansion is Brigham Young University, which the Open Doors Report ranked as having the 15th largest study abroad program in the nation.The people of Utah are a little bit ahead of the game because missions take place abroad, and they play a very important part in a young person's development, Goodman said.

The director of BYU's study abroad programs, Timothy Elliot, said at BYU more faculty and students have shown interest in visiting remote locations compared to years in the past. He also said many instructors on location with the students are even more dedicated to not only getting students to new places but also giving assignments that force the students to get outside their comfort zone and talk to locals.Initially the coursework on the program is designed to give them incentive to get out and be involved," Elliot said. "They have to do research or practice language or discover cultural aspects.

NU Offers Scholarship for Young Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Northwood University is pleased to announce the Betsy and Dick DeVos Scholars for Free-Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Scholarship Competition. This is an annual scholarship available to new students in the full-time BBA or four-year BBA/MBA program. The students who win the renewable scholarship competition will receive up to $10,000. This may be combined with Academic Merit Scholarships which can be over $10,000 per year and other awards for which they may qualify.

The awards are based upon submission of a scholarship application and essay by February 10, 2012, academic merit and a student’s demonstrated talent in entrepreneurship in which the student must submit a demonstrated entrepreneurship activity in which they participated or initiated. In addition, a visit to the Michigan Campus is required on February 18, 2012, February 25, 2012, or March 3, 2012, for applicants to make their presentation/interview. Students must describe how their activity aligns with entrepreneurship, free-enterprise and the meaning of the American Dream.Northwood University President Keith A. Pretty says, “We are excited to offer bright, young entrepreneurs this scholarship opportunity and enable them to work toward their dream of growing a start-up business.

Voxeo University 2012 Course Lineup

Voxeo, the leading provider of Unlocked Communications, announces the Voxeo University 2012 course lineup, with a new program, free courses and additional instructors for its training centers in Orlando and Cologne, Germany.Voxeo offers classes that give application developers industry leading, carrier grade tools to build and deploy 100 percent compliant, multi-channel, self-service applications. This allows them to deploy applications faster, while maintaining them with fewer resources, said Drew Allen, senior trainer for Voxeo.

The 2012 course lineup includes:

Developing Voice Applications Using Designer (2 days)
Prophecy Installation and Administration (2 days)
VoiceObjects Installation and Administration (2 days)
VoiceObjects for User Interface Designers (2 days)
VoiceObjects Development Best Practices (3 days)
Infostore and VoiceObjects Analyzer (2 days)
Developing Text and Mobile Web Applications Using VoiceObjects Desktop (2 days)Grammar Development (1 day)
NEW - Introduction to CCXML (3 days)

The FREE courses for 2012 include:

VoiceObjects Overview (2 days)
Voxeo Prophecy Overview (2 day)
Developing Voice Applications Using VoiceObjects Desktop (3 days)

Voxeo also added two new senior trainers. Drew Allen joined the U.S. Voxeo University training team, and Robert O'Sullivan joined the European team as a senior technical trainer EMEA.Voxeo University is your first step on the path to certification, said Allen. Individuals can become Voxeo Certified as a Prophecy Administrator, VoiceObjects Developer, VoiceObjects Administrator, VoiceObjects Sales Engineer and VoiceObjects Analyst.

Jason Domsky, Senior Architect with MicroAutomation, said, The VoiceObjects training provided a great combination of presentation and hands-on, with trainers who kept the class interesting. By the end of the class, I was fully prepared to use the toolset, having already built a full end-to-end application as part of the training.As an ongoing investment in industry education, Voxeo offers several overview classes for FREE at both the Orlando and Cologne training centers. In addition to courses offered at Voxeo University training centers, the company can provide on-site education by request in customer and partner facilities.

In the Lefebvre-Plouffe family, engineering is a woman's job

Women have a different ways of handling a problem, and this can only diversify and balance the profession if it welcomes more of them, says Dominique Lefebvre, a trained engineer herself. To communicate her passion, this mother decided to get involved in the program Les filles et les sciences, un duo électrisant!, which introduces teenaged girls to science.

After visiting an École Polytechnique de Montréal kiosk at a job fair many years ago, Lefebvre chose to study industrial engineering.I like that my job allows me to improve the way industries do things in a very concrete manner, she explains. Things have changed a lot since she got into the Polytechnique in 1975.The proportion of girls was under 5 percent at the time.Today, a little less than 25 percent of students are women.Dominique Lefebvre’s elder daughter, Geneviève Plouffe, was interested in different fields and at first opted for an integrated DCE, with courses in science, literature and the arts. But she ultimately chose chemical engineering as a career.

This led her to take a trip to China with the Polytechnique, do her master’s degree in France and a student exchange program in Sweden, and an internship in New Caledonia! Plouffe is currently finishing a doctorate at the Interuniversity Research Centre for the Life Cycle of Products, Processes and Services (CIRAIG). Through her research, she’s looking for ways to improve industry methods so that they have less of a negative impact on the environment.

The youngest of Dominique Lefebvre’s daughters, Catherine Plouffe, explored other possibilities before returning to her interest in engineering. In college, she studied science and music. She then began a baccalaureate in social work, but I realized that it lacked the logic and reasoning aspect of science,explains Plouffe.This led her to finally land on industrial engineering, like her mother.Industrial engineering will lead me to work with many people from various horizons. To me, it’s the most ‘social’ type of engineering. After her studies, she’s considering working in health care.There’s a lot of work to be done in the health care sector, a lot of changes to make to optimize it,concludes the young visionary.

One-time free 'College Now' course offered

Call it a taste of college, a test of whether you want to study for exams, a chance to determine if you really want to be an adult student.For the sixth year, the Mayor’s Literacy Commission is making available a one-time free college course through its program College Now. Registration has been held, but a second registration opportunity will be at 5 p.m. Thursday at branch of Stark State College on the Timken High School campus.We offer this in the spring and the fall, said Thelma Slater of the Literacy Commission. “We can take up to 20 students each semester.

Perhaps because of the bustle of the holidays, the full number of students didn’t sign up during the first registration.We wanted to have another registration after Christmas, in time for students to start the spring term.Students can choose a course either at Stark State or Kent State University Stark Campus.The idea is they will be able to experience one class to discover if they have the time or even like it,Slater said.It’s a way of having an experience in college, rather than just saying, ‘I’m too old’ or ‘I have a job’ or ‘I have family responsibilities.Students usually have some idea of what they want to study, Slater noted, and courses may be chosen from each school’s catalog.It’s free at both schools. This results in a pretty hefty gift of several hundred dollars,” Slater said.

The literacy Commission obtained the money for the program through a grant from Dominion Foundation.One of the students who took a course through the program for the fall semester at Stark Tech was Christi Klimes. Her one-day-a-week class was a beginning level computer class.
A lot of the jobs I was looking at require knowledge about (Microsoft) Word and Excel,she said.She intended to take the single course proficiency in those programs, but she has since decided she will take additional advance-level computer courses.I really did enjoy it. I had a great teacher. I had a wonderful experience.Cindy Lotz, who also took a computer class at Stark Tech, said she has been away from school for more than three decades.

It’s been quite awhile,she said, adding that returning to school is something she “always wanted to do.But, you have other things in life that keep you too busy to do it. I saw it in the paper and thought it was a fantastic opportunity.Fears about how she would do returning to the classroom faded when she earned a 98.16 grade point average.I really enjoyed it, and I learned a lot,” she said, adding that she, too, will return to the classroom in the future, when time and funds permit. “I love learning. There are so many other courses I’d love to take.

Ninety three individuals benefit from NIIT-Baguio’s free computer training

93 individuals including nine police officers, five barangay officials, two retirees, 10 Department of Education (DepEd) personnel, as well as students and other jobseekers benefitted from the free computer Christmas Gift Training Program conducted by the National Institute for Information Technology (NIIT-Baguio), in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Baguio-Benguet office.The four- day hands-on training from December 19 to 22, 2011 at the NIIT-Baguio Campus, Baguio City, covered the following competencies: Fundamentals of Flash Animation, MS WORD, MS EXCEL, MS PowerPoint 2007, Desktop Publishing using MS Publisher 2007, Internet Essentials, Computer Troubleshooting with Formatting, Lap Top Maintenance, Basic Computer Networking, Electronics & Electrical Home Appliance Repair and Mobile Phone Maintenance.

Recognition and awarding of certificates was held last Dec. 22, with Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) CAR Assistant Regional Director Ted Delson and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)- Baguio Officer Evelyn Trinidad as guests of honor.In their statements, both Delson and Trinidad underscored the importance of continuous learning, the significance of technology and gaining affirmative skills enhancement to cope up with the current trends in today’s challenging and highly competitive world.

NIIT-Baguio School Administrator and Board of Directors member Vladimir Cayabas said that such special free training service program is part of their institution’s commitment to service excellence, strengthened by its partnership with TESDA Baguio-Benguet headed by Provincial Director Angela Gabriel.NIIT, in wanting to be a ‘School that Matters!’, shall continue to fulfill its service advocacies strengthened by its essential partnership with various service groups and organizations including LGUs and NGOs, regional line agencies and individuals, whose thrust are on the advancement of our people’s life through potent training and functional education, Cayabas added.

Meanwhile, NIIT Baguio opens its registration for its New Year Skills Enhancement Training Program set every Saturday starting this January 07, 2012, which includes the competencies; AutoCAD, Flash Animation, Computer Technician and Anti-Virus Administration, Computer Networking, Computer Science,Photo and Video Editing, Office Applications, SQL, Java Programming, .Net Programming,Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw, Adobe Premier, Printer Maintenance and Troubleshooting, Lap Top Maintenance and Troubleshooting, Web Server Administration, Industrial Engineering and Consumer Electronics Servicing, Mobile Phone Maintenance and Troubleshooting and even Online Reputation Management plus workshops on Personal Development, Career Enrichment Strategies, Job Prospecting and Application Strategies, among others.