Exchanging Education: Ensuring that Cross-Border Higher Education Contributes to the Common Good

News and information for college and university leaders

This past winter, the International Association of Universities, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, and the American Council on Education released Sharing Quality Higher Education Across Borders: A Statement on Behalf of Higher Education Institutions Worldwide.

Cross-border higher education-institutions from different countries exchanging ideas and people-aims to contribute to the now global society's cultural, social, and economic goals. Sharing Quality Higher Education Across Borders, directed at both higher education institutions and national governments, is based on the belief that market forces alone will not ensure that cross-border education contributes to the common good.

Recommendations for higher education institutions include:

* Strive to ensure that cross-border higher education contributes to the social and economic well-being of communities in the host country.

* Build a culture of ongoing quality review, feedback, and improvement.

* Work with associations and governmental bodies to develop effective quality assurance principles and practices.

* Proactively provide reliable information to the public, students, and governments on the institution's legal status, degree-granting authority, courses, and other relevant facts.

The statement on cross-border higher education, including a full list of recommendations, is available at www.unesco.org/iau/p_statements/.

Copyright American Council on Education Spring 2005
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