How Academia Resembles a Drug Gang

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2013/12/11/how-academia-resembles-a-drug-gang/

Academic systems rely on the existence of a supply of “outsiders” ready to forgo wages and employment security in exchange for the prospect of uncertain security, prestige, freedom and reasonably high salaries that tenured positions entail. Drawing on data from the US, Germany and the UK, Alexandre Afonso looks at how the academic job market is structured in many respects like a drug gang, with an expanding mass of outsiders and a shrinking core of insiders.

Scholars-at-Risk releases report on attacks on universities

SAR releases Free to Think, a path-breaking report on the crisis of attacks on higher education

June 23, 2015 -- At the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Scholars at Risk released Free to Think, the first report of its kind demonstrating the alarming frequency and scope of attacks on scholars, students and other members of higher education communities worldwide.

The report, which culminates four years of monitoring and reporting from SAR staff and researchers around the world, analyzes 333 attacks on higher education arising from 247 verified incidents in 65 countries between January 2011 and May 2015.

"Attacks on higher education are at crisis levels"

(New York) - Scholars at Risk announces the release of Free to Think, a report of the Academic Freedom Monitoring Project. The culmination of four years of monitoring and analysis by SAR staff and researchers around the world, the report analyzes 333 attacks on higher education communities in 65 countries from January 2011 to May 2015, demonstrating the pressing need to raise awareness and document attacks on higher education:

• There is a crisis of attacks on higher education communities around the world.
• Attacks on universities, scholars and students are early warning signs of political, social and cultural insecurity.
• Universities and scholars are critical parts of national infrastructure that is essential to rebuilding conflict torn states.

The report calls on all stakeholders, including the international community, states, the higher education sector, civil society and the public at large to undertake concrete actions to increase protection for higher education communities, including documenting and investigating attacks, and holding perpetrators accountable.

SAR invites you to download and share the report with your networks over social media. Use the hashtag  #Free2Think and join the conversation! 

Forum: Education for Development?

UWN: Success of blueprint depends on buy-in and politics

http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=2015060214590283

The  Malaysia Education Blueprint (Higher Education) 2015-2025 provides a comprehensive articulation of the goals for Malaysian higher education in the form of student and system aspirations. The 10 key areas highlight issues that are critical to the development of individuals as well as the ecosystem of higher education. 

UWN: Political will, planning behind rapid rise in research

http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20150529080547140

Malaysia’s research achievements and challenges were outlined by Professor Zakri Abdul Hamid, science adviser to the prime minister and one of 26 members of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s scientific advisory board, at a major conference in Johannesburg from 10-14 May co-hosted by the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association.

Kenyataan media GERAK

PERGERAKAN TENAGA AKADEMIK MALAYSIA (GERAK)

MALAYSIAN ACADEMICS MOVEMENT (MOVE)

KENYATAAN MEDIA

16 Mei 2015

GERAK merasa resah akan pembatalan tiga forum di universiti dalam tempuh tiga minggu. Forum-forum tersebut adalah:

1) The Great Debate Series 2: Everything in Moderation - Ways of Living Together, pada 29 April 2015 di UIAM

2) Forum Industri penerbitan buku pada 13 May 2015 di UM

3) Forum Goods and Service Tax (GST), pada 13 May 2015 di UIAM

Pembatalan forum pada saat akhir merupakan satu perlakuan yang tidak bijak. Lagi tidak bijak adalah apabila satu dari forum tersebut tersebut telah diganggu. Nyata sekali ini merupakan perlanggaran hak kebebasan akademik yang patut wujud di dalam sebuah kampus universiti, seperti yang disyaratkan dalam 'Recommendation concerning the status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel'. Recommendation ini telah diluluskan semasa perhimpunan umum UNESCO pada 11 November 1997. Sebagai ahli UNESCO, Malaysia dikehendaki melaksanakan Recommendation ini, Pada peringkat antarabangsa, reputasi dan prestasi sesebuah universiti adalah diukur dari tahap keakuran dengan Recommendation ini.

GERAK mengesa dihentikan kegiatan membatalkan sesuatu aktiviti akademik setelah kelulusan diberi. Ianya akan mematikan usaha untuk meningkatkan univesiti-universiti ke tahap dunia. Malah kelulusan tidak patut diperlukan untuk mana-mana aktiviti akademik. Semua forum-forum yang telah dibatalkan mesti diadakan semula di universiti-universiti berkenaan.

GERAK is troubled by the cancellation of three university fora in the last three weeks. The three fora are:

1) The Great Debate Series 2: Everything in Moderation - Ways of Living Together, on 29 April 2015 at IIUM

2) Forum on book publishing industry, on 13 May 2015 at UM

3) Forum on Goods and Service Tax (GST), on 13 May 2015 at IIUM

The cancellation at the eleventh hour of the fora is not a wise decision. What is worse is the harassment at one of the fora. This is a clear abuse of the academic freedom right that should have existed in all university campuses as required in the 'Recommendation concerning the status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel'. This Recommendation was approved by the UNESCO general assembly on 11 November 1997. As a member of UNESCO, Malaysia is required to implement this Recommendation. At the international level, the reputation and performance of a university is measured from the level of compliance with this recommendation.

GERAK urged that academic activities should not be cancelled after prior approval has been given. It would discourage all effort to push our universities to be world class universities. In fact, approval should be required for any academics activity. All the cancelled fora must be reconvened at the affected universities.      

Bagi pihak GERAK,

ROSLI H MAHAT

Setiausaha Agung

Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK)

akademikmalaysia@gmail.com                             

NATURE: Rana Dajani: Why I teach evolution to Muslim students

http://www.nature.com/news/why-i-teach-evolution-to-muslim-students-1.17364?WT.ec_id=NEWS-20150423

Encouraging students to challenge ideas is crucial to fostering a generation of Muslim scientists who are free thinkers.