August 19, 2010
Best Colleges in the USA: U.S. News Media Group Announces the 2011 Edition of its Rankings
Photo: A Building at the Harvard University Campus.
• U.S. News Media Group has released the 2011 edition of Best Colleges, which includes rankings of more than 1,400 schools in the USA.
Harvard University is ranked No. 1 among Best National Universities, while Williams College tops the list of Best National Liberal Arts Colleges. The exclusive rankings, available online today at USNews.com, will also be published in the September issue of U.S. News & World Report, on newsstands starting August 31.
Over the past two decades, the U.S. News college rankings, which group schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has grown to be a comprehensive research tool for students and parents considering higher education opportunities.
"As soaring college costs make the decision more complicated than ever, U.S. News strives to provide students and families with the best information to help guide them through this process," said U.S. News & World Report Editor Brian Kelly. "This year the challenge comes down to finding the right college--at a cost you can afford. The 2011 edition includes specialty rankings, online guides for admission and paying for college advice to help navigate your search."
• Top 5 U.S. National Universities
1. Harvard University (MA)
2. Princeton University (NJ)
3. Yale University (CT)
4. Columbia University (NY)
5. Stanford University (CA)
• Top 5 U.S. National Liberal Arts Colleges
1. Williams College (MA)
2. Amherst College (MA)
3. Swarthmore College (PA)
4. Middlebury College (VT)
4. Wellesley College (MA)
The 2011 Best Colleges feature the established rankings of the Best National Universities and Best National Liberal Arts Colleges, while also including rankings of A+ Schools for B Students, Great Schools at Great Prices, and Up-and-Coming Schools, among others.
• The 2011 Best Colleges package provides an examination of how more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools compare on a set of up to 16 widely accepted indicators of excellence.
Among the many factors weighed in determining the rankings, the key measures of quality are: peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and for National Universities and National Liberal Art Colleges "graduation rate performance" and high school counselor ratings of colleges.
According to U.S. News, it has made some significant changes to the 2011 Best Colleges' ranking methodology and presentation.
Photo: Free "green bikes" parked at Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vermont.
• Meanwhile, responding to some dissatisfaction with traditional college rankings and the growing demand for universities to refocus on undergraduate education and value, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) unveiled today its 2011 college evaluations on WhatWillTheyLearn.com.
According to ACTA, its rankings grade more than 700 universities on education -- not reputation.
The free website evaluates more than 700 colleges and universities based on their general education curricula: the core courses aimed at providing a strong foundation of knowledge.
The website assigns each institution a grade from "A" to "F" based on how many of the following seven core subjects it requires: Composition, Mathematics, Science, Economics, Foreign Language, Literature, and American Government or History.
"The crisis in higher education is about more than money - it's about what we are paying for. And when it comes to ensuring graduates possess the basic skills and knowledge they need to succeed, universities are shortchanging students," said ACTA president Anne D. Neal, speaking at the National Press Club.
Photo: College student Stephanie Sequeira, right, buys herself a MacBook Pro while holiday shopping with her friend, Gillian Walsworth, center, at the Apple Store San Francisco. (Foto © Apple)
Key ACTA Findings:
• Colleges and universities have by and large abandoned a coherent content-rich general education curriculum, thereby allowing students to graduate with important gaps in their knowledge:
• More than 60% of all institutions receive a "C" or worse for requiring 3 or fewer subjects.
• Nearly 40% don't require college-level mathematics.
• Less than 5% of colleges and universities require economics.
• Less than a third require intermediate-level foreign language, a broad survey class in American government or history, or literature.
• ACTA concludes that universities have on the whole abdicated their responsibility to direct students to the most important subjects they will need for success after graduation, while continuing to charge a premium. A published report aggregating the data for the more than 700 schools will be sent to trustees of the institutions covered, as well as to the Governors and educational policymakers in the states.
• The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is an independent non-profit dedicated to academic freedom, academic quality, and accountability, while the U.S. News Media Group is a multi-platform publisher of news analysis, research and rankings which includes the monthly U.S. News & World Report magazine.
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Posted by Editors at 6:53 AM
August 1, 2010
UN Academic Forum calls on Businesses to Balance Social and Economic Objectives
Photo: Outside the United Nations Headquarters, flags fly in the north end of the building, on a sunny fall day. UN Photo/Mark Garten.
Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) meets with Christy Turlington, model and maternal health advocate, at a documentary film forum entitled "Envision: Addressing Global Issues through Documentaries". This Millennium Development Goals-focused forum is the result of collaboration between the non-profit Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) and the Department of Public Information. New York, United States. UN Photo/Mark Garten.
Photo: Trudie Styler, Co-founder of the Rainforest Foundation, addresses the General Assembly's informal meeting on climate change and the status of intergovernmental negotiations. Ms. Styler discussed the work of her foundation in protecting tropical rainforests and their indigenous populations. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Evan Schneider.
Educators and administrators from 37 countries, meeting at the second UN Global Forum on Responsible Management Education, recently held in New York, called on business leaders to better balance social and economic objectives and encouraged management education to prepare future leaders for this challenge.
• At the end of the conference, participants representing business schools and other academic institutions exhorted business to emphasize societal value just as much as its commitment to shareholder return.
Assuring their support for researchers, task forces and associations dedicated to the globalization of business education and development of effective leaders, academic leaders participating in the forum reaffirmed their commitment to the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME). The UN-backed initiative was launched in 2007 to better prepare current and future organizational leaders for their dual roles as economic developer and societal servant.
The Global Forum for Responsible Management Education, was organized by the PRME Secretariat and hosted by Fordham University Schools of Business.
Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) meets with Michael Doyle, Harold Brown Professor of U.S. Foreign and Security Policy at Columbia University. 28 July 2010. United Nations, New York . UN Photo/John McIlwaine.
Photo: Actress and fashion model Patricia Velasquez addresses a press conference on the "Fashion for Development" project in Colombia and its implementation in the context of achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The project aims at applying traditional techniques in manufacturing goods for the fashion industry. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Mark Garten.
Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon meets with Kurara Chibana, United Nations World Food Programme Celebrity Partner and 2006 Miss Universe from Japan. Tokyo, Japan. UN Photo/Mark Garten.
• Following is the Declaration of the 2nd Global Forum for Responsible Management Education, New York, NY.
"For more than 100 years, management education has sought to provide business leaders with the tools to invigorate economic growth. Yet economic gain is no longer a solitary end in the hearts and minds of the globe's six billion people. Business must emphasize societal and environmental value just as much as its commitment to shareholder return. Management education must also enhance its curricula, pedagogy, research and incentives, as well as lead by example, to prepare organizational leaders who will balance economic and social development.
We support the numerous business schools and universities, companies, governments, civil society groups and associations dedicated to the globalization of business education and development of effective leaders. These initiatives inspire us to make management education the hallmark for responsible leadership.
The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), written in 2007 and now endorsed by over 300 business schools from 62 countries, serve as guidelines for management education providers to better prepare current and future organizational leaders for their dual roles as economic developer and societal steward. Yet with more than 12,000 business degree granting institutions worldwide, our job has just begun. We aspire to the goal of 1,000 PRME schools by 2015. We urge business schools to adopt the Principles and organizations to balance their economic and social objectives.
-- Endorsed by the participants of the 2nd Global Forum for Responsible Management Education."
• Launched in 2007, the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) provide framework for academic institutions to advance corporate social responsibility through the incorporation of universal values into curricula and research. The PRME is coordinated by a Steering Committee constituted of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), the Aspen Institute's Business and Society Program, the European Academy for Business in Society (EABIS), the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI), Net Impact, and the United Nations Global Compact.
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"You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand."
-- Woodrow Wilson (28th President of the United States. President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910).
"Riches do not consist in the possession of treasures, but in the use made of them."
-- Napoleon Bonaparte.
"There must be, not a balance of power, but a community of power; not organized rivalries, but an organized peace."
-- Woodrow Wilson (28th President of the United States. President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910).
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Posted by Editors at 7:28 AM
July 18, 2010
Giffoni International Film Festival, Italy
GIFFONI EXPERIENCE
40TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: JULY 18 - 31, 2010
Photo: Giffoni Experience 2010: 40th Edition - Day 2. Actress Sofia Bruscoli attends the Giffoni Experience 2010 on July 19, 2010 in Giffoni Valle Piana, Italy. (Foto: Vittorio Zunino Celotto).
Photo: Actress Claudia Pandolfi and the children of the jury attend a photocall during Giffoni Experience 2010 on July 18, 2010 in Giffoni Valle Piana, Italy.
• The most important film festival for children.
• LOCATION: Giffoni Valle Piana, Italy.
• THE SELECTION:
162 films scheduled: 63 feature films and 99 short films.
• THE THEME: LOVE
LOVE will be the thin white line and theme of the Festival this year. In all its various facets, this feeling will be the focus around which all discussion, meetings, and screenings will revolve.
• THE JURY:
3000 children and youth from 43 Countries and 150 Italian cities. The films, as every year, will be judged by the juries made up of 3000 kids and youth from 43 Countries. The jurors come from all the 5 continents, including countries like Israel, Palestine, Jordan, India, Nigeria, South Africa, and Lithuania.
• THE FILMS
The fourteen days of the festival will be divided into two parts: the first week (18 to 23 July) for children aged 3 to 12 years, and a second (23 to 31 July) for youth aged 13 to 23. Children and youth will see and judge the 162 films including feature films and short films.
Here are a few shots (fotos © Giffoni) from the films being screened:
"A miracle once more," says Claudio Gubitosi, director and creator of the festival. "The driving force of Giffoni, the energy it produces, the desire of a smile, love, discovery, participation and the desire of being protagonists are all clear elements of the 40th Giffoni Film Festival."
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Posted by Editors at 8:13 AM
July 5, 2010
Science Serving Society: Nobel Laureates Gather in Lindau, Germany
Photo: Howard Shapiro, Global Staff Officer of Plant Science and External Research, Mars, Incorporated and Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, Physiology or Medicine Nobel Laureate, discuss the impact science can have on society with Tanya Petrossian, a selected young researcher from UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) during Scientific Panel Discussion at one of the Largest Ever Gatherings of Nobel Laureates in Lindau, Germany. Adam Smith, Editor in Chief, Nobelprize.org, moderated the panel and chaired an in-depth Q&A session with the diverse student audience.
The Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings are a globally-recognized forum which has been bringing Nobel prizewinners and the world's most promising young scientists together since 1951. The week-long, annual event takes place in Lindau, set on the banks of Lake Constance between Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The meetings consist of panel discussions, lectures, seminars and social events.
This year's meeting was an interdisciplinary event bringing together young researchers from all continents and 61 Nobel Laureates in physiology, medicine, physics and chemistry. Following more than 30,000 applications, 650 young researchers were selected to participate in the meetings that took place from 27th June - 2nd July 2010.
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Posted by Editors at 9:11 AM
June 7, 2010
Academic Reputation Survey
• Thomson Reuters Academic Reputation Survey Shows High Level of Engagement From Global Scholarly Community.
• Nearly one third of responses came from Asia.
Photos: Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland).
Thomson Reuters has announced preliminary results of its Academic Reputation Survey. The survey received responses from professional scholars from every corner of the world.
Thousands of responses were received in six subject areas: engineering and technology; physical sciences; life sciences; clinical, preclinical and health; social sciences; and arts and humanities. Nearly one third of these responses came from Asia, including a strong representation from China and Japan.
"We're particularly pleased with the number of responses from the Asia Pacific region," said Jonathan Adams, director of research evaluation at Thomson Reuters. "As other surveys have been criticized for over-representing North America and Europe, we took particular care to better balance regional representation."
To help control for language and translation bias the Academic Reputation Survey was offered in eight languages: Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese and English.
"Interestingly, country affiliation did not always predict language usage," Adams added. "For example, many United States-based participants took the survey in Chinese -- illustrating a highly mobile global academic community."
The Academic Reputation Survey is part of the Thomson Reuters Global Institutional Profiles Project. The initiative will create data-driven profiles of globally significant research institutions/universities -- combining reputation feedback, scholarly outputs, citation patterns, funding levels, and faculty characteristics across disciplines in one comprehensive database. The data can be packaged and analyzed to different specifications, giving organizations custom information for evaluating and benchmarking their performance and supporting efforts to secure research funding.
• The data gathered for the Global Institutional Profiles Project will also help inform the Times Higher Education's influential World University Rankings.
• Thomson Reuters is analyzing the Academic Reputation Survey and would soon release the detailed results.
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Posted by Editors at 6:46 AM
June 4, 2010
Widely-Used World University Ranking now on iPhone
• QS World University Rankings now an iPhone App.
• Top 500 Universities in the World can be contacted at the Touch of a Button.
The world's most popular university ranking is now accessible to its diverse users via an innovative new iPhone Application. The QS World University Rankings Application designed for students, parents and ranking fanatics, allows users to conduct their own study destination research by providing global, regional and subject-based rankings as well as profiles and contact details of 500 of the world's top universities.
QS World University Rankings can be viewed and interpreted in three different ways - globally, regionally and by subject area. Users who have reviewed the App said it is, "Very thorough and organized", and also "Great to be able to see info about the universities I'm interested in all in one place".
The iPhone App is the first of a series of initiatives to be launched by QS in the lead up to the release of the 2010 QS World University Rankings; it is free to download on iTunes.
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"Universities that function with public money (taxpayers' money they receive via the governments) are accountable to the public they serve."
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Posted by Editors at 1:59 AM
May 22, 2010
SOS LINK Signs Blackboard Content Network Agreement and Launches CAMPUS SOS LINK
• Delivering Automated Enhanced Physical Security Alerts, From Students to Their Helpers or Security Personnel.
SOS LINK(TM) announces it has signed on with Blackboard Inc. as a Content Network Provider. For this agreement, Campus SOS LINK(TM) has been custom designed and launches today adding to the physical safety and security needs of millions of students within global Blackboard communities.
Photo: New "City of Learning" Campus. Print Courtesy of American University in Cairo.
Campus is a software application that runs on selected smartphones. It is now available for download on Apple iTunes for iPhone and Blackberry App World for selected models. Campus retails for $14.99/year per person for a one year membership. The agreement between SOS LINK and Blackboard further results in students being able to access Campus from their Tools menu after they sign in to their Blackboard operated educational facility website.
Using SOS LINK's patented process, students can quickly and automatically issue alerts to their chosen friends, family members or security personnel, who may receive them in as little as 15 seconds.
These alerts include: numerous emailed photos of what the student sees, along with their GPS location, as well as a follow up phone call and text message that is sent to up to four chosen helpers. End-to-end encryption enhances the potential of using these photos as legal evidence, resulting in a new deterrent for perpetrators.
"There is published government research and many news stories documenting the tens of thousands of reported threats, stalking, assaults and other crimes on campus facilities annually," said Chris Rush, Vice President of SOS LINK. "Smartphones are in widespread use and are usually readily at hand. They are a natural device to use for issuing an alert, notifying those that care about you, and capturing valuable evidence. We believe Campus will contribute significantly to crime prevention. After all, no one wants to get caught in the act."
Campus SOS LINK runs on many smartphones and provides an added layer of security to students when they are commuting, walking between classes, exercising, or traveling - wherever wireless coverage is in place.
SOS LINK provides personal portable security and develops innovative patent-based software solutions for smartphones and other smart-wireless devices that take advantage of their portability and increasing global use.
Source: SOS LINK
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Posted by Editors at 4:13 AM
May 14, 2010
2010 QS Asian University Rankings Reveal Top-Class Institutions Throughout Region
University of Hong Kong Tops Table Ahead of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and National University of Singapore.
• QS Quacquarelli Symonds, the research and information specialists behind the QS World University Rankings™, have launched the new research round for the 2010 rankings, in association with partners including US News & World Report and Scopus, the Elsevier database that supplies bibliometric data.
Meanwhile, the excellence of Asia's universities is showcased in the 2010 QS Asian University Rankings, published today. With 11 countries represented in the top 200, highlights of the research include the continued dominance of Japan's universities and the success of Hong Kong's increasingly internationalized institutions, which take three out of the top four places.
Japanese universities occupy five of the top ten places in this year's table. Government-led investment, most recently through the 'Global 30' program, has helped drive up standards by attracting high-quality international students and staff.
Despite scoring highly in the academic and employer surveys, China's top universities, led by The University of Peking (12) and Tsinghua University (16), are again out-performed by their Hong Kong counterparts. Hong Kong's more international university culture is reflected in the international student and faculty measures, for which four of them achieve the maximum score.
Photo: University of Mumbai Clock Tower, Mumbai, India. The University of Mumbai (earlier known as University of Bombay) was established in 1857.
Strength in academic peer recognition helped 15 South Korean universities and seven Indian Institutes of Technology appear in the Asian top 100.
QS Managing Director, Nunzio Quacquarelli says, "The delivery of high-quality research, excellent employer networks and world-class facilities mean many of these top 200 Asian universities are playing an increasingly important role within the global knowledge economy."
Source: QS Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd.
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Posted by Editors at 3:53 AM
May 7, 2010
Daiichi Sankyo and Students 2 Science Help Students Learn Through Hands-On Experience
Innovative Program Encourages Local Students to Excel in Science.
Photo: Newark Science Park High School students work in a lab alongside a science mentor, Matt Wong, to conduct a series of scientific experiments. Thirty students participated in a day of hands-on learning during Students 2 Science "Supercharged Science" program, sponsored by the Pharmaceutical Company Daiichi Sankyo.
Students 2 Science, Inc. (S2S) hosted students from Newark Science Park High School for a day of hands-on science as part of its year-long "Supercharged Science" program. During the 'day of science,' students worked in a lab alongside mentor volunteers to conduct a series of scientific experiments, including:
• "Copper Electroplating," where students plated an iron nail with copper using electrolysis and compared results against theory;
• "Name that Salt," where students identified six different types of salt using visible spectroscopic flame test;
• "Sulfur identification," where students identified sulfur using an igniter; and a titration in the presence of a color indicator;
• "Molecular Structure identification," where students identified various sweeteners using infrared spectroscopy.
According to S2S, these experiments and curriculum taught students the fundamental principles of chemistry and also tapped into problem solving skills.
The "Supercharged Science" program is one of many integrated full-year science education programs offered by S2S that provides students the opportunity to work side-by-side with professional scientists to perform hands-on experiments using sophisticated laboratory instrumentation.
"At a time when our school systems are facing significant resource challenges, we are excited that socially responsible companies such as Daiichi Sankyo are focusing philanthropic initiatives around science education," said Paul A. Winslow, Ph.D., President and Co-Founder of Students 2 Science. "Their commitment underscores the importance of fostering science education among middle and high school students. When students are intrigued by a new idea, they are compelled to discover more. We believe this is an essential component that leads to creativity and a heightened state of exploration and excitement."
• Students 2 Science, Inc. is a New Jersey, USA, non-profit corporation inspiring, motivating, and educating students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). While Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of global pharmaceutical innovator Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.
• Daiichi Sankyo Company, Ltd., Japan, has subsidiaries in the USA, England, Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Turkey, Ireland, China, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Brazil, and Venezuela. Recently, Ranbaxy Laboratories, India's largest pharmaceutical company, became a subsidiary of Daiichi Sankyo.
Source: Daiichi Sankyo
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Posted by Editors at 1:43 PM
April 26, 2010
World Premiere Of Disneynature's OCEANS
Disneynature's OCEANS opened on Earth Day, April 22, 2010.
Disneynature, the studio that presented the record-breaking film "Earth," brought OCEANS to the big screen on Earth Day, 2010.
Nearly three-quarters of the Earth's surface is covered by water and OCEANS boldly chronicles the mysteries that lie beneath. Directors Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud dive deep into the very waters that sustain all of mankind -- exploring the harsh reality and the amazing creatures that live within. Narrated by Pierce Brosnan and featuring spectacular never-before-seen imagery captured by the latest underwater technologies, OCEANS offers an unprecedented look beneath the sea in a powerful motion picture.
All Photos are Copyright © Disneynature.
Photo: (Location: Hollywood, CA, USA.) Maguy Maccario, Vice President of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation-USA; Bob Iger, President and CEO The Walt Disney Company; Pierce Brosnan, the film's narrator; Demi Lovato, who sings the film's theme song; Rich Ross, Chairman of the Walt Disney Studios; Alan Bergman, President of the Walt Disney Studios.
The star-studded blue carpet screening of "Disneynature's Oceans" took place at the legendary El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. [El Capitan Theatre is a movie palace at Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. It serves as the venue for many of Walt Disney Pictures' movie premieres.]
Those present were the film's narrator, Pierce Brosnan; the duo who sing the film's theme song, "Make A Wave", Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas; renowned oceanographer and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, Sylvia Earle; the grandson and granddaughter of famed ocean explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Fabien & Celine Cousteau; the world's foremost ocean artist, Wyland; some of the film's crew members; and high-ranking executives from the Walt Disney Company. Representing the Principality of Monaco was Maguy Maccario, vice president of the US chapter of the Prince's Foundation.
• Download Educational Activity Guide. This 8-Page Guide can be used to enhance students' scientific and geographic knowledge of Earth's oceans as presented in the new DisneyNature film OCEANS.
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Posted by Editors at 5:03 AM
April 19, 2010
City Traffic Management: IBM Helps Stockholm, Sweden, Predict Better Commuting Options
Photo: IBM SMARTER ROADWAYS: IBM is creating smarter roadways for cities around the world using streaming analytics. While streaming analytics may seem highly complex, in reality, it is just a way for people to make sense of all the data in the world in real-time. In the case of traffic congestion, this means better commuting and travel options and better traffic management.
• IBM has announced a new collaboration with KTH Royal Institute of Technology to give city of Stockholm residents and officials a smarter way to manage and use transportation.
Researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden are using IBM's streaming analytics technology, to gather real-time information from the Global Positioning System (GPS) devices on nearly 1500 taxi cabs in the city and will soon expand to gather data from delivery trucks, traffic sensors, transit systems, pollution monitors and weather information. The data is processed using IBM's streaming analytics software, InfoSphere Streams, giving the city and residents real-time information on traffic flow, travel times and the best commuting options.
For example, a resident could send a text message listing their location and desired destination. The technology would instantly process the real-time traffic, rail and weather information and provide anticipated travel times via car and public transportation, giving people an accurate and instant view of the fastest way to get to their destination.
For the past year, IBM has worked with the city of Stockholm to monitor traffic flow during peak hours. The congestion management system has reduced traffic in the Swedish capital by 20 percent, reduced average travel times by almost 50 percent, decreased the amount of emissions by 10 percent and the proportion of green, tax-exempt vehicles has risen to 9 percent.
The value of InfoSphere Streams is its ability to analyze and integrate any type of data input continuously: text, voice, images, video, databases, weather reports, news, sounds, market feeds and application data in real time. The software automatically determines what information is relevant to solving a particularly problem and continually refines results as new data "streams" in giving organizations instant insights.
Harnessing the power of information with real-time analytics is going mainstream. This year alone, more than 1200 exabyles of digital information will be created. Just one exabyte is equal to one trillion novels. From predicting and managing traffic congestion to determine faster routes for commuters -- people are seeking ways to turn this explosion of data from a problem into an opportunity.
Additionally, IBM announced a new version of its streaming analytics software that includes enhanced processing speeds of up to three times faster and real-time Predictive Analysis for Data in Motion.
Photo: Dr. Greg Richards, professor of performance management at University of Ottawa Telfer School of Management, discusses the importance of business analytics for the 21st century workforce, Thursday, April 15, 2010, in Ottawa, at the launch of a new international centre of excellence for business analytics announced by IBM and the University of Ottawa.
• Streaming analytics software is a part of IBM's more than $10 billion investment in business analytics which includes organic innovation and acquisitions. In addition, IBM has assembled 4,000 analytics consultants with industry expertise, and opened a network of seven analytics centers of excellence.
• Annual Time Wasted by a Commuter in Traffic Jams: INRIX Traffic Scorecard for USA's Top 10 Most Congested Cities
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"A modern city must strive for a smooth and systematic flow of vehicles on its road networks.
WANTED!
City Universities/Business Schools that produce next generation 'Masters of City Traffic Administration' with curricula that includes Decision Making in Urban Infrastructure Planning and Development."
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Posted by Editors at 5:00 AM
April 5, 2010
Science of Business Intelligence
Universities Around the World Lack the Technology and Content to Prepare the Next-Generation Work Force in the Science of Business Intelligence, concludes a Survey.
Teradata Corporation has conducted an international survey. Responding to the survey were professors from more than 80 universities around the world, including Canada, China, Germany, Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Spain and the United States.
The survey shows:
• Universities around the world lack the technology and content to prepare the next-generation work force in the science of business intelligence.
• Their instructors are struggling to teach in conformity with the expanding demands for data analytics.
• With the rapid growth of business data, professors need access to larger systems and data sets to teach proper analysis of information.
• The Challenges, reported by the Survey Respondents, are: Technology (43%), Content (41%), Marketing (11%) and Staffing (5%).
• Teachers can't adequately prepare students because they lack access to the needed software, hardware and real-world business problems.
• Students are ill-prepared for the required rigorous statistical analysis.
• Companies are hungry for qualified new business workers. But the universities around the world are struggling to develop the next-generation business intelligence work force.
The two largest areas of concern are an inability to provide relevant and meaningful problems for students to solve, and the cost of providing the database technology needed to solve the problems.
"It's clear from the survey that instructors want to change the way students learn about business intelligence," states Barbara Wixom, associate professor at the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce. "Professors want to provide large data sets, contemporary software tools, and real-world content within their classrooms. But, factors like high technology costs, complex maintenance requirements, and steep learning curves present insurmountable obstacles."
Meanwhile, Teradata Corporation has stepped forward to provide the needed tools, including free software, hardware through the Teradata University Network.
"When we can help students understand what it means to use business intelligence to address problems faced by companies today, they are much better prepared to become productive employees," explained Scott Gnau, vice president and general manager, Research and Development, Teradata Corporation. "We recognize the obstacles universities face in teaching BI (Business Intelligence). By helping them prepare students, we're helping the business world capitalize on data analytics, one of the top technology priorities for companies today."
Source: Teradata University Network, Teradata Corporation
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"The age of chivalry is gone: that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded."
-- Edmund Burke [British Statesman] (1729-1797)
"The age of Academics is going: that of Professionals is succeeding."
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Posted by Editors at 12:37 PM
Apple Sells Over 300,000 iPads First Day
Apple® today announced that it sold over 300,000 iPads in the US as of midnight Saturday, April 3. These sales included deliveries of pre-ordered iPads to customers, deliveries to channel partners and sales at Apple Retail Stores. Apple also announced that iPad users downloaded over one million apps from Apple's App Store and over 250,000 ebooks from its iBookstore during the first day.
"It feels great to have the iPad launched into the world -- it's going to be a game changer," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO.
Source: Apple
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Posted by Editors at 9:33 AM
March 15, 2010
Global Institutional Profiles Project: Thomson Reuters Launches Academic Reputation Survey
Thomson Reuters today announced it has launched the highly anticipated Academic Reputation Survey, which will help inform the Times Higher Education's influential World University Rankings.
The survey reflects a new approach to data gathering and analytics to provide a one-of-a-kind resource to the global scholarly community.
A unique feature of the Thomson Reuters Academic Reputation Survey is an opportunity for disciplinary focus: academics will highlight what they believe to be the strongest universities in their specific fields, both in teaching and research.
With the ability to select from hundreds of disciplines and over 6,000 academic institutions, scholars will have great latitude in pinpointing their reputation assessment.
"Researcher engagement is critical to ensuring that this new initiative delivers what the industry has long been asking for -- a more accurate representation of the institutional landscape, from the source," said Jonathan Adams, director of research evaluation at Thomson Reuters. "The survey results, combined with clear methodology, will provide the community with a thorough, accurate, and multi-faceted data source to support institutional assessment, comparisons and rankings."
Participants of the survey have been carefully selected from Thomson Reuters internal databases and supplemented by a third-party source for balanced coverage of disciplines and geographic regions.
The survey will represent thousands of researchers, university administrators, and students worldwide. And their responses will provide the most reliable and accurate representation of academic viewpoints used in the World University Rankings' seven year history, says Thomson Reuters.
The Academic Reputation Survey is part of the Thomson Reuters Global Institutional Profiles Project. The initiative will create data-driven profiles of globally significant research institutions -- combining reputation feedback, scholarly outputs, citation patterns, funding levels, and faculty characteristics across disciplines in one comprehensive database.
• The data can be packaged and analyzed to different specifications, giving organizations custom information for evaluating and benchmarking their performance and supporting efforts to secure research funding.
• Get the Report: New Outlooks on Institutional Profiles
Source: Thomson Reuters
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World University Rankings 2009: TOP 200 WORLD UNIVERSITIES
"Soon, any Academic Institution with Higher Global Ranking would be an Automatic Candidate for Grants, Funds, and Investment."
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Posted by Editors at 5:09 PM
January 8, 2010
Thomson Reuters to work with Times Higher Education: Data-Driven Profiles of World's Leading Universities & Research Institutions to be Created
Thomson Reuters, the authority on research analytics and decision support citation data for more than half a century, announced today in PHILADELPHIA and LONDON that it has begun working with thousands of institutions and research facilities to produce a one-of-a-kind resource.
This initiative, the "Global Institutional Profiles Project", will create data-driven portraits of globally significant universities and research institutions - combining peer review, scholarly outputs, citation patterns, funding levels, and faculty characteristics in one comprehensive database.
"There is a need for robust, dynamic, and above all transparent and verifiable data on scholarly performance to reshape how administrators approach institutional comparisons," said Keith MacGregor, executive vice president at Thomson Reuters. "Thomson Reuters has the proven history of bibliometric expertise and analysis to provide the foundational data and consultative elements needed to create this tool."
The dataset can be packaged and analyzed to different specifications, allowing organizations to receive custom information for their specific needs. The Times Higher Education, a London-based weekly newspaper that covers higher education issues, is the first to request a customized dataset to produce an improved version of their annual World University Rankings. The publication will work closely with Thomson Reuters to create a balanced, transparent methodology to support their influential rankings.
The Global Institutional Profiles Project has already begun with a worldwide survey of opinion leaders at key research institutions. The advice they provide will inform the project both in terms of data collected and methodologies used. According to Thomson Reuters, its goal is to be fully transparent in approach and verifiable in outcomes, so the results of the opinion survey will be published in Q1 of 2010.
• Following is the Thomson Reuters' Open Letter to University & Higher Education Institution Administrators Worldwide:
"Dear Friend:
We are writing to update you on major developments within academic rankings. As 2010 unfolds, your institution's researchers will likely receive multiple survey requests from various ranking initiatives. However, only one seeks to fundamentally change the way data is collected and analyzed.
As you're well aware, institutional rankings play an increasingly powerful and controversial role within the academic landscape. Yet many of the existing efforts have been largely criticized for being based on questionable data and flawed methodology. In response to heated industry debate, Times Higher Education, a global authority on higher education, recently announced plans to work with Thomson Reuters on revamping its popular World University Rankings. We are proud to have been chosen by Times Higher Education and believe this development underscores a major breakthrough within the rankings dialogue.
Our aim with the GLOBAL INSTITUTIONAL PROFILES PROJECT, which includes our work with Times Higher Education, is to develop a data source that provides the best informed and most effective resource to build profiles of universities and research-based institutions around the world.
As part of this initiative, some of your researchers may be contacted soon to complete our reputational survey. Their engagement is critical to ensuring this new initiative delivers what the industry has long been asking for -- an accurate representation of the institutional landscape, from the source. And we firmly believe your support is essential to notifying researchers and encouraging their participation.
We are excited to be a part of such a widespread initiative and look forward to working with you and your institution on bringing greater depth and transparency to institutional assessment."
• Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs more than 50,000 people and operates in over 100 countries.
Source: Thomson Reuters
|GlobalGiants.Com|
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Posted by Editors at 12:28 PM
December 14, 2009
World-Class Universities Debate Rankings
Over 700 university academics and administrators from around 45 countries gathered at the fifth QS Asia Pacific Professional Leaders in Education Conference in Kuala Lumpur to hear international experts from 25 countries speak on globalization and the role of rankings in higher education.
A Rankings Workshop, held on 23 November, brought delegates up to date with developments in the QS World University Rankings, and sought their feedback. QS, the authors of the World University Rankings, has conducted over 70 Rankings Workshops in the last five years, attended by more than 5,000 senior university officers, planners and strategists.
Nunzio Quacquarelli, Managing Director of QS says: "These workshops ensure the methodology, rigor and impartiality of the QS World University Rankings are constantly reviewed by the academic community and fed back to the QS rankings team."
Tony Sheil, Associate Director, Research Policy at Griffith University, Australia observes: "QS has always been open and accountable, willing to listen and quick to take on changes for the better. The QS method has become very difficult for institutions to 'game' due to its use of both qualitative and quantitative indicators."
QS Quacquarelli Symonds, one of the world's leading networks for careers and education, has been publishing world rankings since 2004.
These rankings have obtained increasing influence among academics worldwide and have a growing effect on prospective students and government policy makers.
• QS World's Best Universities: Top 200 has also been published by U.S.News & World Report.
Below are the world's top 400 universities according to the Times Higher - QS World University Rankings.
• TOP 200
2009 RANK --- INSTITUTION --- COUNTRY
1 HARVARD University, United States
2 University of CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
3 YALE University, United States
4 UCL (University College London), United Kingdom
5= IMPERIAL College London, United Kingdom
5= University of OXFORD, United Kingdom
7 University of CHICAGO, United States
8 PRINCETON University, United States
9 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States
10 California Institute of Technology (Caltech), United States
11 COLUMBIA University, United States
12 University of PENNSYLVANIA, United States
13 JOHNS HOPKINS University, United States
14 DUKE University, United States
15 CORNELL University, United States
16 STANFORD University, United States
17 AUSTRALIAN National University, Australia
18 Mcgill University, Canada
19 University of MICHIGAN, United States
20= ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute), Switzerland
20= University of EDINBURGH, United Kingdom
22 University of TOKYO, Japan
23 KING'S College London, United Kingdom
24 University of HONG KONG, Hong Kong
25 KYOTO University, Japan
26 University of MANCHESTER, United Kingdom
27 CARNEGIE MELLON University, United States
28 Ecole Normale Superieure, PARIS, France
29 University of TORONTO, Canada
30 National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore
31 BROWN University, United States
32= NORTHWESTERN University, United States
32= University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), United States
34 University of BRISTOL, United Kingdom
35 HONG KONG University of Science And Technology, Hong Kong
36= Ecole Polytechnique, France
36= University of MELBOURNE, Australia
36= University of SYDNEY, Australia
39 University of California, BERKELEY, United States
40 University of BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada
41 University of QUEENSLAND, Australia
42 Federal Polytechnic School of LAUSANNE, Switzerland
43= OSAKA University, Japan
43= TRINITY College Dublin, Ireland
45 MONASH University, Australia
46 The Chinese University of HONG KONG, Hong Kong
47= SEOUL National University, South Korea
47= University of NEW SOUTH WALES, Australia
49= TSINGHUA University, China
49= University of AMSTERDAM, Netherlands
51 University of COPENHAGEN, Denmark
52= NEW YORK University (NYU), United States
52= PEKING University, China
54 BOSTON University, United States
55= Technical University of MUNICH, Germany
55= TOKYO Institute of Technology, Japan
57 HEIDELBERG University, Germany
58 University of WARWICK, United Kingdom
59 University of ALBERTA, Canada
60 LEIDEN University, Netherlands
61= The University of AUCKLAND, New Zealand
61= University of Wisconsin-madison, United States
63= AARHUS University, Denmark
63= University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (U of I), United States
65 Catholic University of LEUVEN, Belgium
66 University of BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom
67= London School of Economics And Political Science (LSE), United Kingdom
67= LUND University, Sweden
69 Kaist - Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, South Korea
70= University of YORK, United Kingdom
70= UTRECHT University, Netherlands
72 University of GENEVA, Switzerland
73= Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore
73= WASHINGTON University In St. Louis, United States
75 UPPSALA University, Sweden
76= University of CALIFORNIA, San Diego, United States
76= University of TEXAS At Austin, United States
78 University of NORTH CAROLINA, Chapel Hill, United States
79 University of GLASGOW, United Kingdom
80 University of WASHINGTON, United States
81 University of ADELAIDE, Australia
82 University of SHEFFIELD, United Kingdom
83 DELFT University of Technology, Netherlands
84 University of WESTERN AUSTRALIA, Australia
85 DARTMOUTH College, United States
86 GEORGIA Institute of Technology, United States
87= PURDUE University, United States
87= University of ST ANDREWS, United Kingdom
89 University College DUBLIN, Ireland
90 EMORY University, United States
91 University of NOTTINGHAM, United Kingdom
92= NAGOYA University, Japan
92= University of ZURICH, Switzerland
94 Free University of BERLIN, Germany
95= NATIONAL TAIWAN University (NTU), Taiwan
95= University of SOUTHAMPTON, United Kingdom
97 TOHOKU University, Japan
98 Ludwig Maximilian - University of MUNICH..., Germany
99 University of LEEDS, United Kingdom
100 RICE University, United States
101 University of OSLO, Norway
102 Hebrew University of JERUSALEM, Israel
103= DURHAM University, United Kingdom
103= FUDAN University, China
105 University of MINNESOTA, United States
106 University of CALIFORNIA, Santa Barbara, United States
107 Universite De Montreal, Canada
108= ERASMUS University Rotterdam, Netherlands
108= University of BASEL, Switzerland
108= University of CALIFORNIA, Davis, United States
108= University of HELSINKI, Finland
112 University of SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, United States
113 University of WATERLOO, Canada
114= TEL AVIV University, Israel
114= University of PITTSBURGH, United States
116 MAASTRICHT University, Netherlands
117 University Pierre and Marie Curie - PARIS, France
118 QUEEN'S University, Canada
119 CASE WESTERN RESERVE University, United States
120= EINDHOVEN University of Technology, Netherlands
120= PENNSYLVANIA STATE University, United States
122= University of Fribourg, Germany
122= University of MARYLAND, College Park, United States
124 City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
125 University of OTAGO, New Zealand
126= Catholic University of LOUVAIN (UCL), Belgium
126= Ecole Normale Superieure de LYON, France
128 University of VIRGINIA, United States
129= GEORGETOWN University, United States
129= OHIO STATE University, United States
129= University of ABERDEEN, United Kingdom
132= TECHNION - Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
132= University of VIENNA, Austria
134 POHANG University of Science And Technology, South Korea
135 CARDIFF University, United Kingdom
136 University of GHENT, Belgium
137 University of LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom
138= CHULALONGKORN University, Thailand
138= University of GRONINGEN, Netherlands
140 VANDERBILT University, United States
141 University of ROCHESTER, United States
142 KEIO University, Japan
143 Mcmaster University, Canada
144= University of BATH, United Kingdom
144= University of BERGEN, Norway
146= HUMBOLDT University of Berlin, Germany
146= University of CAPE TOWN, South Africa
148 WASEDA University, Japan
149= Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Germany
149= University of CALGARY, Canada
151= The University of WESTERN ONTARIO, Canada
151= YONSEI University, South Korea
153 SHANGHAI JIAO TONG University, China
154 University of Science And Technology of China, China
155= KYUSHU University, Japan
155= LOMONOSOV MOSCOW State University, Russia
155= WAGENINGEN University, Netherlands
158 NEWCASTLE University, United Kingdom
159 Technical University of DENMARK, Denmark
160 TUFTS University, United States
161 University of CALIFORNIA, Irvine, United States
162 LANCASTER University, United Kingdom
163 Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India
164 QUEEN MARY, University of London, United Kingdom
165 VU University AMSTERDAM, Netherlands
166= University of ARIZONA, United States
166= University of SUSSEX, United Kingdom
168= NANJING University, China
168= Saint-petersburg State University, Russia
168= University of LAUSANNE, Switzerland
171= HOKKAIDO University, Japan
171= University of BARCELONA, Spain
173 STONY BROOK University, State University of New York, United States
174= Kth, ROYAL INSTITUTE of Technology, Sweden
174= University of BOLOGNA, Italy
174= University of TSUKUBA, Japan
177= University of ANTWERP, Belgium
177= University of ATHENS, Greece
179 TEXAS A&M University, United States
180 University of MALAYA (UM), Malaysia
181 Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD), India
182 RWTH AACHEN University, Germany
183 RUTGERS, The State University of New Jersey, United States
184 University of KARLSRUHE, Germany
185 University of GOTHENBURG, Sweden
186= University of Colorado At BOULDER, United States
186= University of Gottingen, Germany
188 University of CANTERBURY, New Zealand
189 MACQUARIE University, Australia
190 National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico
191= Free University of Brussels, Belgium
191= University of READING, United Kingdom
193= INDIANA University Bloomington, United States
193= University of BERN, Switzerland
195 The HONG KONG Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
196= SIMON FRASER University, Canada
196= University of LEICESTER, United Kingdom
198 CHALMERS University of Technology, Sweden
199 University of NOTRE DAME, United States
200 University of TWENTE, Netherlands
...............................................................................
• 201- 400
2009 RANK --- INSTITUTION --- COUNTRY
201= Queen's University of BELFAST, United Kingdom
201= University of FLORIDA, United States
201= University of INDONESIA, Indonesia
204 PARIS IEP Sciences Po, France
205 Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
206 University of STUTTGART, Germany
207= University College CORK, Ireland
207= University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
209 RENSSELAER Polytechnic Institute, United States
210 HELSINKI University of Technology (TKK), Finland
211= Autonomous University of BARCELONA, Spain
211= KOREA University, South Korea
211= Technical University of BERLIN, Germany
214 DALHOUSIE University, Canada
215= Autonomous University of MADRID, Spain
215= STOCKHOLM University, Sweden
215= University of DUNDEE, United Kingdom
218= KOBE University, Japan
218= Paris-Sud XI University, France
220= MAHIDOL University, Thailand
220= Radboud University NIJMEGEN, Netherlands
222 MICHIGAN STATE University, United States
223= National TSING HUA University, Taiwan
223= Rmit University, Australia
225 University of IOWA, United States
226 University of OTTAWA, Canada
227 Free University of BRUSSELS, Belgium
228 Paris-SORBONNE University (Paris IV), France
229= CHARLES University, Czech Republic
229= LOUGHBOROUGH University, United Kingdom
229= VICTORIA University of Wellington, New Zealand
232 University of Technology, SYDNEY, Australia
233 Goethe University FRANKFURT, Germany
234= ATENEO De Manila University, Philippines
234= BRANDEIS University, United States
234= SOAS - School of Oriental And African St..., United Kingdom
237= Indian Institute of Technology KANPUR, India
237= University of BONN, Germany
237= University of MASSACHUSETTS, Amherst, United States
237= WAKE FOREST University, United States
241= LA TROBE University, Australia
241= University of VICTORIA, Canada
243 National University of Ireland, GALWAY, Ireland
244= CURTIN University of Technology, Australia
244= QUEENSLAND University of Technology, Australia
244= University of MIAMI, United States
247= KING SAUD University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
247= ZHEJIANG University, China
249 University of SURREY, United Kingdom
250 GADJAH MADA University, Indonesia
251 University of WOLLONGONG, Australia
252= Complutense University of MADRID, Spain
252= University of CALIFORNIA, Santa Cruz, United States
254= FLINDERS University, Australia
254= University of Strasbourg, France
254= University of STRATHCLYDE, United Kingdom
257 STOCKHOLM School of Economics, Sweden
258 LAVAL University, Canada
259= HIROSHIMA University, Japan
259= University of MANNHEIM, Germany
259= University of UTAH, United States
262= GEORGE WASHINGTON University, United States
262= University of The PHILIPPINES, Philippines
264= University of TURKU, Finland
264= VIENNA University of Technology, Austria
266= KING FAHD University of Petroleum & Mine..., Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
266= University of EXETER, United Kingdom
266= University of NEWCASTLE, Australia
269 NORTH CAROLINA STATE University, United States
270 NORWEGIAN University of Science And Technology, Norway
271 Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees..., France
272 University of HAMBURG, Germany
273= Ecole Normale Superieure Lettres et Science, France
273= University of ESSEX, United Kingdom
273= University of HAWAII, United States
273= YORK University, Canada
277= Pontifical Catholic University of CHILE, Chile
277= University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne, France
279= DUBLIN City University, Ireland
279= University of ULM, Germany
281= DRESDEN University of Technology, Germany
281= Joseph Fourier University - GRENOBLE I, France
281= National CHENG KUNG University, Taiwan
284 Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India
285 University of CALIFORNIA, Riverside, United States
286 Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy
287 ASTON University, United Kingdom
288= DARMSTADT University of Technology, Germany
288= University MONTPELLIER II - Sciences and..., France
288= University of CINCINNATI, United States
291= GRIFFITH University, Australia
291= National University of Malaysia (UKM), Malaysia
291= University of DELHI, India
291= University of LIEGE, Belgium
295= State University of CAMPINAS (Unicamp), Brazil
295= TULANE University, United States
295= University of SOUTH AUSTRALIA, Australia
298 University of BUENOS AIRES, Argentina
299 MASSEY University, New Zealand
300 University of SOUTHERN DENMARK, Denmark
301 University of Cologne, Germany
302= JAGIELLONIAN University, Poland
302= University of EAST ANGLIA, United Kingdom
302= University of Tromsa, Norway
305 AUSTRAL University, Argentina
306 National YANG MING University, Taiwan
307= CHIBA University, Japan
307= HONG KONG Baptist University, Hong Kong
309= ARIZONA STATE University, United States
309= University of Warzburg, Germany
311 VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC Institute, United States
312= NOVOSIBIRSK STATE University, Russia
312= University of PADUA, Italy
314= University of Science, Malaysia (USM), Malaysia
314= University of WAIKATO, New Zealand
316 ROYAL HOLLOWAY University of London, United Kingdom
317 Friedrich Alexander University of Erlang..., Germany
318= BRUNEL University, United Kingdom
318= Umeå University, Sweden
320 University of Technology, Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia
321 University of The WITWATERSRAND, South Africa
322 University of PISA, Italy
323 BEN GURION University of The Negev, Israel
324= Heinrich Heine University of Dusseldorf, Germany
324= POMPEU FABRA University, Spain
326= DUBLIN Institute of Technology, Ireland
326= University of TASMANIA, Australia
328= KUOPIO University, Finland
328= University of LEIPZIG, Germany
330 IOWA STATE University, United States
331= Johannes Gutenberg University of MAINZ, Germany
331= University of OULU, Finland
333 University of Lille 1, France
334 Paris Diderot University, France
335 Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, India
336 University of GRAZ, Austria
337= University of ALABAMA, United States
337= University of ST GALLEN (HSG), Switzerland
339= HANYANG University, South Korea
339= MONTERREY Institute of Technology and Hi..., Mexico
339= University of CONNECTICUT, United States
342 BIELEFELD University, Germany
343= BOSTON College, United States
343= University of CHILE, Chile
345 Putra University, Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia
346= HOWARD University, United States
346= Ruhr University BOCHUM, Germany
346= University of KONSTANZ, Germany
349 University of WARSAW, Poland
350 National University of Sciences And Technology, Pakistan
351= American University of BEIRUT (AUB), Lebanon
351= BANDUNG Institute of Technology (ITB), Indonesia
351= NATIONAL TAIWAN University of Science An..., Taiwan
354 University of MARBURG, Germany
355= DEAKIN University, Australia
355= JAMES COOK University, Australia
357= Saarland University, Germany
357= Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea
357= SWANSEA University, United Kingdom
360 BILKENT University, Turkey
361= GOLDSMITHS, University of London, United Kingdom
361= University of INNSBRUCK, Austria
363 COLORADO STATE University, United States
364= HITOTSUBASHI University, Japan
364= University of PARIS V - Descartes, France
366= University of COIMBRA, Portugal
366= WASHINGTON STATE University, United States
368= SHOWA University, Japan
368= University of GEORGIA, United States
368= University of TEHRAN, Iran
371= FLORIDA STATE University, United States
371= Paul Sabatier University - TOULOUSE III, France
371= PUSAN National University, Korea, South
374= Heriot-watt University, United Kingdom
374= KYUNG HEE University, South Korea
374= UNITED ARAB EMIRATES University, United Arab Emirates
377= University of FLORENCE, Italy
377= YOKOHAMA NATIONAL University, Japan
379 SOGANG University, South Korea
380 University of TENNESSEE, United States
381= City University of New York, United States
381= University of NAVARRA, Spain
383= Federal University of RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil
383= University of BRADFORD, United Kingdom
383= University of NEW MEXICO, United States
386= ABERYSTWYTH University, United Kingdom
386= CARLETON University, Canada
386= University of BAYREUTH, Germany
389= National CHIAO TUNG University, Taiwan
389= University of MANITOBA, Canada
389= YESHIVA University, United States
392= ILLINOIS Institute of Technology, United States
392= NAGASAKI University, Japan
394= BANGOR University, United Kingdom
394= CZECH TECHNICAL University in Prague, Czech Republic
394= Universite Du QUEBEC, Canada
397= DREXEL University, United States
397= EWHA WOMANS University, South Korea
399= OSAKA CITY University, Japan
400 University of BREMEN, Germany
Source: QS Quacquarelli Symonds (www.topuniversities.com). With permission.
Copyright © 2004-2009 QS Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd.
• Read the full edition of the QS Top Universities Guide online.
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Posted by Editors at 5:48 AM
November 5, 2009
General Colin Powell Receives American Patriot of Character Award
U.S. Civil servant and retired Army General honored for "outstanding service to America, commitment to ethical conduct"
General Colin Powell, former US Secretary of State, received the American Patriot of Character Award presented by The Character Education Partnership during their 16th annual National Forum on Character Education, in Alexandria, VA.
The American Patriot of Character Award honors one American citizen whose leadership exemplifies the very best of the nation's founding principles.
"The award recognizes individuals not only for great success in their chosen field, but also for upholding the highest ethical standards in service of the common good." "General Powell is a remarkable public servant who has truly made a positive difference in our nation," CEP's executive director Joe Mazzola said. "He is a shining example of integrity for young people, and all American citizens, to emulate. We are honored to have him as the first recipient of this award."
In his acceptance remarks Powell talked about his family's emphasis on good character and achievement.
General Powell also congratulated the National Schools of Character award winners who were in attendance to receive their awards. He commended the educators for their efforts to develop students of good character.
Character Education Partnership advocates for quality, comprehensive character education in U.S. schools. It is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition of organizations and individuals based in Washington, DC.
Source: Character Education Partnership
|GlobalGiants.com|
"Most people say that is it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character."
-- Albert Einstein
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Posted by Editors at 9:15 AM
October 28, 2009
Students from Top Academic Institutions Choose The World's Top 50 Most Attractive Employers
Compiled from 11 out of the 12 leading economies, nearly 120,000 students from top academic institutions chose their ideal companies to work for.
Google is the world's most attractive employer, followed closely by its rival, Microsoft. This is the only global index of employer attractiveness and highlights the world's most powerful employer brands, i.e., those companies that are the most successful in talent attraction and retention.
The study has been conducted by Universum. Universum is a global Employer Branding company. It is headquartered in Sweden and has presence in more than 28 countries.
Employers today are faced with a shrinking global workforce, a lack of skilled workers and an increasingly demanding generation of new talent. To secure talent under these conditions, employers must develop true and differentiating employer brands. The employers that feature in this Top 50 all have one thing in common: they successfully appeal to current and future talent, and they are aware of how scarce talent is.
The global ranking is based on the national rankings that Universum conducts annually all over the world. The companies that are featured in at least eight out of the twelve leading economies were included in the global ranking, and the 50 most attractive employers were identified. The countries represented in the Global Top 50 rankings are the US, Japan, China, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain, Canada and India.
• Despite it being one of the toughest years for car manufactures, BMW and Daimler appear in the Global Top 50 rankings.
The Big Four accountancy and professionals service firms; financial services companies and management consultancies, still remain strong. In spite of this year being one of worst recessions since the Second World War, they remain globally attractive employers and are especially popular with business students. IT employers are highly placed in the engineering ranking, which can be expected, with Google, Microsoft and IBM in the top three.
The fast moving consumer goods companies and employers in the retail sector are also attractive employers, recognised for their universal appeal as employers in the graduate recruitment market, attracting students from both a business and engineering background.
"These companies in the Top 50 really work with employer branding strategically. The Big Four, for example, are all in the top 10 business ranking, as they have employer branding as part of their business strategy. Many associate their corporate brands to people. This is normal for the service industry, but it is a new approach for other companies" says Michal Kalinowski, Universum CEO. "These companies are in the Top 50 because they are focused, consistent and differentiate themselves in their communication."
Irrespective of rank, the Top 50 Global Employers for business and engineering students are very similar, showing strong employer brands transcend many skill and industry groups. Conversely, Oracle and Philip Morris make it to the Top 50 for business students, but not for engineering students. GlaxoSmithKline and Alcatel-Lucent appear in the engineering ranking, yet not in the business ranking.
What the rankings most certainly reveal is that the big multinational brands are favored. Due to the globalization of the talent market, multinational companies are generally recognized as being attractive employers. Findings from Universum's various student surveys show that students would like a good career reference, an international career and an employer that can offer secure employment. Lovisa Öhnell, head of research and consulting at Universum, comments, "These multinational brands are globally well-known, they offer relocation opportunities and business travel, interaction with clients and colleagues in various countries, and due to their size and economic strength, they are also seen as being the safest choice."
• GLOBAL TOP 50 - ACCORDING TO BUSINESS STUDENTS
Company - Ranking 2009
Google - 1
PricewaterhouseCoopers - 2
Microsoft - 3
Goldman Sachs - 4
Ernst & Young - 5
Procter & Gamble - 6
J.P. Morgan - 7
KPMG - 8
McKinsey & Company - 9
Deloitte - 10
The Boston Consulting Group - 11
BMW - 12
Coca-Cola - 13
L'Oréal - 14
Morgan Stanley - 15
Sony - 16
IBM - 17
Johnson & Johnson - 18
Deutsche Bank - 19
General Electric - 20
Citigroup - 21
HSBC - 22
Accenture - 23
Nestlé - 24
Credit Suisse - 25
Bain & Company - 26
Unilever - 27
UBS - 28
Nokia - 29
Intel - 30
Esso/ExxonMobil - 31
Kraft Foods - 32
Shell - 33
Hewlett-Packard - 34
Mars (Masterfoods) - 35
Pfizer - 36
Siemens - 37
Philips - 38
Oracle - 39
Bayer - 40
Philip Morris - 41
DHL - 42
BP - 43
Bosch - 44
Cisco - 45
Daimler - 46
Ericsson - 47
ABB - 48
Novartis - 49
Schlumberger - 50
• GLOBAL TOP 50 - ACCORDING TO ENGINEERING STUDENTS
Company Ranking 2009
Google - 1
Microsoft - 2
IBM - 3
BMW - 4
Intel - 5
General Electric - 6
Sony - 7
Siemens - 8
Shell - 9
Procter & Gamble - 10
Johnson & Johnson - 11
Hewlett-Packard - 12
Cisco - 13
Esso/ExxonMobil - 14
McKinsey & Company - 15
Schlumberger - 16
BP - 17
L'Oréal - 18
Nokia - 19
Accenture - 20
Coca-Cola - 21
Philips - 22
Goldman Sachs - 23
Nestlé - 24
Pfizer - 25
Bosch - 26
The Boston Consulting Group - 27
J.P. Morgan - 28
Deloitte - 29
Morgan Stanley - 30
GlaxoSmithKline - 31
Ericsson - 32
Ernst & Young - 33
ABB - 34
Bayer - 35
Unilever - 36
PricewaterhouseCoopers - 37
Deutsche Bank - 38
HSBC - 39
Kraft Foods - 40
Bain & Company - 41
Citigroup - 42
Alcatel-Lucent - 43
Daimler - 44
Novartis - 45
Mars (Masterfoods) - 46
KPMG - 47
Credit Suisse - 48
DHL - 49
UBS - 50
The Global Top 50 rankings are based on the employer preferences of nearly 120,000 final year students, who were surveyed at the top academic institutions in the world's 11 largest economies. The global rankings are based on the annual surveys conducted on a global level in 2009. Each student is presented with a list of 130 to 150 national and international employers, chosen by university students through an independent and structured nomination and assessment process. On a global level, this represents 800 considered employers. Students acknowledge those companies they would consider working for. Out of the companies selected as 'considered employers', each student then selects his or her five Ideal Employers. The Global Top 50 is based on the frequency of being selected as an Ideal Employer overall within 11 markets: US, Japan, China, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain, Canada and India.
• The Global Top 50 is the most comprehensive study ever conducted on employer attractiveness.
• This Practical Global Business Study is being presented for the First Time.
|GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 6:34 AM
October 6, 2009
Discovery Education and 3M Announce USA National Science Competition Winner
• "America's Top Young Scientist" Receives $50,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds.
Discovery Education and 3M today awarded Marina Dimitrov of Bozeman, MT with the title of "America's Top Young Scientist" as winner of the 2009 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Dimitrov was one of 10 finalists who competed today in a series of live science challenges at Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City. A student of Sacajawea Middle School, Dimitrov will receive $50,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds ($25,000 cash value) and a trip to 3M's global headquarters to meet with some of the world's best scientists.
Photo: Marina Dimitrov, an eighth grade student at Sacajawea Middle School in Bozeman, Montana, today was named America's Top Young Scientist and received $50,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds ($25,000 cash value) as the winner of the 11th annual Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Dimitrov showcased scientific innovation and creativity through a series of challenges, including the removal of graffiti from replicas of New York City icons.
Selected from a field of hundreds of students across the country, the finalists tackled live challenges focused on "The Science of Everyday Life," and used their science prowess to:
1. Invent a solution to a common problem using only household items.
2. Remove impurities from water.
3. Restore an historic icon.
4. Build a tower that can withstand a simulated earthquake.
Finalists were evaluated by a panel of judges on their science skills and their ability to communicate scientific knowledge.
Finalists were awarded an all-expenses paid trip to New York City, a $1,000 cash prize, a personalized competition medal, an assortment of 3M products, the Science Channel Essential Space Collection DVD from www.DiscoveryStore.com, as well as a DVD set from Discovery Education featuring programs such as Discovery Channel's award-winning PLANET EARTH.
Photo (Added October 16): U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Dr. John P. Holdren congratulate Marina Dimitrov (along with her parents) of Bozeman, MT on being named "America's Top Young Scientist," winner of the 2009 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, on October 8, 2009.
Source: Discovery Communications
|GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 11:43 PM
October 5, 2009
The International VELUX Award 2010 is Open for Registration
The International VELUX Award 2010 is now open for registration. The Award challenges students of architecture worldwide to work with daylight in architecture under the overall theme "Light of Tomorrow". This was announced today in Copenhagen, Denmark.
"Our vision is to promote daylight and quality of life. We present the International VELUX Award every second year to encourage students all over the world to explore the theme of sunlight and daylight in its widest sense and to propose new ideas and approaches for a sustainable future," says VELUX CMO Michael K. Rasmussen.
The Award contains no specific categories and no requirements to the use of any specific materials or VELUX products. The Award, however, seeks to widen the boundaries of daylight in architecture through an open-minded and experimental approach, taking advantage of the students' curiosity, willingness to take risks and to experiment considering social, psychological and environmental dimensions of light.
Photo: The International VELUX Award 2010 for Students of Architecture is open for registration for students of architecture and their teachers from all over the world. The award challenges students of architecture to explore the theme of sunlight and daylight in its widest sense to create a deeper understanding of this specific and ever-relevant source of light and energy.
• International jury to evaluate all entries
The jury for the International VELUX Award 2010 will be announced by the end of 2009. The jury is comprised of renowned architects. Among the jury members participating in previous Awards were Glenn Murcutt (AUS), Kengo Kuma (JP), Per Olaf Fjeld (NO) and Hani Rashid (USA).
Hani Rashid, chairman of the jury for the 2008 Award reflects on the quality of the projects for the Award: "I was very surprised to see students from all over the world who confront the problem of light, the large amount of work and its quality. The way they represent their ideas of "Light of tomorrow" is inspiring."
The International VELUX Award is part of the continuous VELUX effort to establish close relations with building professionals and future generations of architects.
The Award is organized in cooperation with the International Union of Architects (UIA) and the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE).
Source: International VELUX Award, Copenhagen, Denmark.
|GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 6:48 AM
