Message-ID: <85256553.00733F33.00@WBLN0014.worldbank.org> Date: Tue, 18 Nov 1997 16:00:03 -0500 From: Aaron Hirsch <mailto:Ahirsch@WORLDBANK.ORG> Subject: Electronic Discussion: Mediterranean Education To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
(436.3 7-23-1997)) id 85256553.0073EF02 ; Tue, 18 Nov 1997 16:06:18 -0500 X-Lotus-FromDomain: WORLDBANK- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This message has been posted to multiple lists. We apologize to readers who have seen it more than once. Feel free to post this message to relevant lists. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Invitation to the TechNet Think Tanks on "Learning Society & Accreditation for Competencies in the Mediterranean Countries" You are invited to participate in TechNet's Think Tank Electronic Conferences on the topic of "Learning Society & Accreditation for Competencies in the Mediterranean Countries." ABOUT TECHNET TechNet is a program of the World Bank designed to encourage understanding and promote the use of science and technology (S&T) in development. TechNet hosts electronic conferences, "Think Tanks," to discuss how science and technology can effectively be used for development. Expert views are sought on how the World Bank and others can promote S&T contribution to economic development. TechNet's Think Tanks are administered by Volunteers in Technical Assistance, a non-government organization. For more information on TechNet, please visit our Web-Site at http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/technet/. ABOUT THE TOPIC The World Bank, together with the European Union and the Institut de la Mediteranee, will hold an international conference on "Learning Society & Accreditation for Competencies in the Mediterranean Countries." This conference will take place in early February 1998. As a prelude to this conference, TechNet is hosting two Think Tanks on "A new paradigm for a learning society" and "Defining an accreditation system for a learning society." The results of these Think Tanks will be summarized and presented to the February conference. The Think Tank "A new paradigm for a learning society" will define the learning society concept, discuss how this concept is being shaped by changes in information technology, what the opportunities are for distance education, and what the learning society paradigm means for developing countries. It will then address what role an accreditation system plays in this context, and how accreditation can be changed from being diploma-driven to competencies and skills-driven. This raises such questions as how to define competencies, standards, and skills based on labor market requirements. It will also serve to map existing experiences in developed and developing countries in this area. The Think Tank "Defining an accreditation system for a learning society" will discuss how to develop the accreditation system for the relevant competencies in the Mediterranean region, how to engage developing countries in this process and the appropriate roles by the private sector, professional organizations, universities, et al in the accreditation system. FORMAT OF THE THINK TANKS A Think Tank is a conference discussion conducted entirely via e-mail. Twenty to thirty experts from universities, governments, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and the World Bank will discuss each topic for about four weeks. In the first two weeks, the Think Tanks will be restricted to the experts, but their comments will be "broadcast" to everyone who subscribes to the conference. Then for two weeks, readers are encouraged to comment on the previous and current discussion, to pose questions, and articulate positions. All submissions will be available on the TechNet Think Tank Web site at http://www.vita.org/technet. The Think Tank "A new paradigm for a learning society" will start on November 19 and is scheduled to close on December 16, 1997. The Think Tank "Defining an accreditation system for a learning society" is scheduled to start on November 24 and is scheduled to close on December 22, 1997 (to be confirmed). HOW TO SUBSCRIBE You can subscribe to the Think Tank discussions, by sending an email message as follows: "A new paradigm for a learning society" To: mailto:listproc@vita.org Subject: (leave blank) Text: sub LSOCTECH FirstName LastName (give your own first and last name)
"Defining an accreditation system for a learning society" To: mailto:listproc@vita.org Subject: (leave blank) Text: sub ACCRTECH FirstName LastName (give your own first and last name) This information is also available on the TechNet Think Tank Web-Site: http://www.vita.org/technet
========================================================== Aaron Hirsch infoDev Research Assistant, The World Bank F4K-224, 1818 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20433 USA Telephone: 202-473-1836 Fax: 202-522-3186 or 202-522-3001 E-mail: mailto:ahirsch@worldbank.org Web: http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/infodev
========================================================== Aaron Hirsch infoDev Research Assistant, The World Bank F4K-224, 1818 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20433 USA Telephone: 202-473-1836 Fax: 202-522-3186 or 202-522-3001 E-mail: mailto:ahirsch@worldbank.org Web: http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/infodev