30 martie 2019

EXCLUSIV! Cifre FINANCIARE ULUITOARE dintr-o celebra institutie publica din Iasi. Imagini SPECTACULOASE cu ultima investitie pe care o va realiza, de ZECE MILIOANE de euro

In ultimii trei ani, echipa manageriala a acestei celebre institutii publice din orasul Iasi si din intreaga Romanie a realizat o serie de proiecte si investitii spectaculoase! • Dupa ce s-a reusit intabularea a zeci de hectare intr-un areal extrem de important al urbei sau a unor cladiri valoroase, acum se pregatesc alte proiecte ce vizeaza modernizarea unor cladiri istorice sau realizarea unora noi • De asemenea, din perspectiva financiara, entitatea are un excedent bugetar (doar pentru anul 2018 - n. r.) de aproximativ NOUA milioane lei • In plus, foarte probabil, chiar anul acesta va demara o alta investitie de peste zece milioane de euro in cel mai modern si frumos camin studentesc, la nivel national  

Saptamana aceasta (joi, 28 martie 2018 - n.r.), in cadrul sedintei Senatului Universitatii "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" (UAIC) din Iasi, echipa de conducere care se afla în anul al III-lea de mandat (dupa ce în anul 2016, prof.univ.dr. Tudorel Toader, în prezent Ministru al Justitiei în Guvernul României, a câstigat alegerile pentru functia de rector al Universitatii) a prezentat raportul pentru anul 2018. În acest context, documentul a urmarit, pe de o parte, modul de implementare al Strategiei de dezvoltare institutionale pentru mandatul 2016 - 2020, iar pe de alta parte, a respectat exigentele impuse de Legea Educatiei Nationale (LEN) privind continutul si structura de elaborare.

Raportul anual prezentat în sedinta de Senat a cuprins urmatoarele aspecte: Situatia financiara, Educatia si formarea, Resursele umane, Cercetarea stiintifica si formarea tinerilor cercetatori, Cooperarea internationala, Activitati studentesti si parteneriate cu mediul de afaceri si sectorul public, respectiv Managementul calitatii, comunicare si imagine academica.

Anul 2018 a fost încheiat cu un rezultat bugetar curent excedentar de 8,813 milioane lei pentru Universitatea "Cuza"

Cu privire la situatia financiara a UAIC, putem mentiona ca anul 2018 a fost încheiat cu un rezultat curent excedentar de 8.813 milioane lei. Cheltuielile totale au fost de 278,213 milioane lei, iar încasarile au fost de 286,936 milioane lei. Cele mai importante plati au fost cu salariile (172,119 milioane lei), bursele studentilor (44,2 milioane lei).

"Din totalul cheltuielilor cu salariile, o parte din acestea se sustine din veniturile proprii ale UAIC, respectiv 10.204.370 lei (sase la suta - n.r.), în crestere usoara fata de anul 2016 (cu 3,72 la suta - n.r.). Un loc important il ocupa investitiile, deoarece UAIC a demarat 17 obiective de investitii, cu finantare din venituri proprii, din fonduri europene si fonduri nationale (prin Compania Nationala de Investitii). În perioada care a trecut din 2016 pâna în prezent, au fost întabulate 16 proprietati, între care se pot mentiona: Corp E (care se va reabilita si moderniza printr-un proiect european), peste 35 de hectare întabulate din Gradina Botanica «Anastasie Fatu», Corp B etc.", a precizat prof. univ. dr. Mihaela Onofrei, rectorul interimar de la "Cuza".

Peste 15 mii de candidati la Admiterea 2018

Mai departe, UAIC a înregistrat o performanta de exceptie la Admiterea din 2018, având peste 15.000 de candidati înscrisi (licenta, master), care au contribuit la ocuparea numarului de locuri bugetate si la cresterea numarului de studenti cu taxa. "Cu privire la activitatea de Cercetare, a fost încurajata politica de dezvoltare a Resurselor umane, în prezent fiind 95 de cercetatori. Desi UAIC are doar 729 de cadre didactice titulare, rezultatele activitatii de Cercetare au fost foarte bune, între care se pot mentiona publicarea a 690 de lucrari indexate ISI Web of Knowledge, 1.388 de participari la manifestari stiintifice nationale si internationale. UAIC a organizat 284 de conferinte în anul 2018", se mai arata in documentul prezentat de profesorul Onofrei.

În planul relatiilor internationale, UAIC si-a consolidat pozitia de lider national,

Un alt aspect reliefat este legat de îmbunatatirea indicatorilor de reputatie academica si numarul de citari (care a crescut cu peste 25 la suta fata de anul trecut, fiind 9.217 citari). În planul relatiilor internationale, UAIC si-a consolidat pozitia de lider national, în anul 2018 organizându-se 2.480 de mobilitati internationale, semnându-se 11 noi acorduri si fiind gestionate sapte proiecte internationale tip Erasmus+ în valoare de 8.255.460 euro. A fost îmbunatatita legatura cu mediul de afaceri, în anul 2018 a continuat procesul de modernizare a spatiilor de învatamânt.

"Este vorba de Sala de seminar B515 - Facultatea de Economie si Administrarea Afacerilor (FEAA), renovata cu sprijinul companiei Conduent - valoarea - 70.000 de lei (14 februarie 2018), Laboratorul de informatica Axapta - Facultatea de Economie si Administrarea Afacerilor, renovat cu sprijinul companiei Falcon Trading - valoarea peste 50.000 de euro (2 octombrie 2018); Sala de curs si lucrari practice «Constantin Martiniuc» - B658 - Facultatea de Geografie si Geologie, renovata cu sprijinul unei companii de constructii din Iasi - valoarea aproximativa 20.000 de euro (20 decembrie 2018); Amfiteatrului C309 - Facultatea de Informatica, modernizat prin implicarea a opt companii de IT din Iasi: Cegeka, Centric, Codeless, CRF Health, Go Daddy, Levi9, Sevio, si Xwiki - valoarea de peste 60.000 de euro (20 decembrie 2018); Compania Orange a finantat instalarea unei retele Wireless, la etajele I, II, III si demisol (corp C al UAIC), care va fi functionala în acest semestru al anului universitar 2018-2019 (40.000 euro)", a completat rectorul interimar.

Investitie de ZECE MILIOANE de euro in cel mai frumos camin studentesc din Romania

O dinamica deosebita a cunoscut si activitatea cu studentii la "Cuza", în anul 2018 desfasurându-se numeroare proiecte de mentorat, tutoriat, antreprenoriat. O mentiune speciala merita proiectele destinate prevenirii abandonului universitar, cu finantare prin Banca Mondiala, care au facilitat crearea Centrului de Învatare al UAIC (dat în functiune în octombrie 2018). Sumele procurate prin aceste proiecte finantate de Banca Mondiala au fost de 3,296,332 lei. La capitolul Investiti, suntem onorati si bucurosi sa anuntam ca luni, 1 aprilie, ora 12:00, la sediul UAIC va fi semnat contractul de Consolidare, reabilitarea, modernizarea si echiparea cladirii Corpului E, cu un buget de 17,478,081 lei. Va participa si Vasile Asandei, Director al ADR-NE. Speram sa demaram lucrarile la caminul studentesc nou, situat în strada Titu Maiorescu nr.15. Aici investitia este de 46,837,144,29 lei, din care Compania Nationala de Investitii (CN) participa cu 45,315,176,70 lei, iar UAIC= 1.521.967,59 lei. Este considerat cel mai frumos camin din cele 30 pe care CNI le va construi", a conchis prof. univ. dr. Mihaela Onofrei.

Publicație : Bună Ziua Iași

Proiectul Codului de Etica si Deontologie Profesionala Universitara si trei articole din Proiectul Cartei UAIC din Iasi, în DEZBATERE PUBLICA

În  sedinta Senatului Universitatii "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" (UAIC) din Iasi, din data de 28 martie 2019, s-a aprobat lansarea spre dezbatere publica a Proiectului Codului de Etica si Deontologie Profesionala Universitara, precum si a articolelor 50, 51 si 134 din Proiectul Cartei Universitatii "Alexandru Ioan Cuza", pentru care Ministerul Educatiei Nationale (MEN) a formulat obiectii.

"Propunerile vor fi trimise în fomat editabil (word) pâna la data de 3 mai 2019, la adresa de e-mail regulamente•uaic.ro. Mai multe detalii gasiti în procedura pentru transmiterea propunerilor privind Codul de Etica si Deontologie Profesionala Universitara si articolele revizuite din Proiectul Cartei UAIC de aici: http://www.uaic.ro/proiectul-codului-de-etica-si-deontologie-profesionala-universitara-si-trei-articole-din-proiectul-cartei-uaic-in-dezbatere-publica/", au transmis reprezentantii UAIC.

Publicație : Bună Ziua Iași

UAIC a castigat premiul special pentru educatie financiara la Gala EduFin 2019

Universitatea „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iasi (UAIC) a castigat joi, 28 martie, premiul special pentru educatie financiara la Gala EduFin 2019, organizata de Autoritatea de Supraveghere Financiara (ASF) la Cercul Militar National din Bucuresti. UAIC a fost reprezentata la eveniment de prof. univ. dr. Dinu AIRINEI, decanul Facultatii de Economie si Administrarea Afacerilor.

„Va multumim foarte mult pentru manifestarea de astazi si pentru premiul oferit. Suntem alaturi de Autoritatea de Supraveghere Financiara si sustinem educatia financiara, mai ales ca in era digitala avem oportunitati, provocari dar si riscuri noi, pe care avem datoria sa le gestionam intelept.”

Premiul a fost obtinut de UAIC pentru implicarea constanta in sustinerea educatiei financiare la nivel national si international dar si pentru multiplele actiuni realizate impreuna cu Autoritatea de Supraveghere Financiara (ASF) in ultimii trei ani.

Gala EduFin, aflata la cea de-a treia editie, isi propune popularizarea importantei educatiei financiare recunoasterea dezvoltarii de proiecte de educatie financiara la nivel national. La eveniment au participat reprezentanti ai entitatilor reglementate, ai asociatiilor de profesionisti si asociatiilor de consumatori, precum si reprezentanti ai Parlamentului, Guvernului, autoritatilor administratiei publice locale si centrale, universitati si alte institutii cu rol important in domeniu din Romania, ambasade, organisme internationale s.a.

Publicație : Bună Ziua Iași

Echipa UAIC, calificata in finala mondiala a concursului de programare ICPC 

Echipa Universitatii „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iasi, formata din studentii Cristian Vintur, Alexandru Ionita si Valeriu Motroi – Facultatea de Informatica, coordonata de doctorandul Paul Diac, participa  la finala mondiala a concursului de programare ICPC (International Collegiate Programming Contest), care va avea loc in perioada 31 martie – 5 aprilie 2019, la Universitatea din Porto, Portugalia.

Este prima calificare a Universitatii „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iasi in finala mondiala a concursului, ca urmare a clasarii pe locul al treilea la etapa Regionala a Europei de Est – SEERC, organizata in octombrie 2018, la Universitatea Politehnica din Bucuresti si la Universitatea Tehnica Nationala din Vinnytsia, Ucraina.

La etapele regionale ale concursului au participat 3233 de universitati din 110 tari. Dintre acestea, au fost selectate 135 de universitati pentru etapa finala.

Competitia va fi transmisa online, joi,  4 aprilie 2019, intre orele 13.00 si 20.00, pe http://icpclive.com/

Mai multe informatii despre concurs se gasesc la adresa:  https://icpc2019.up.pt/

Publicație : Bună Ziua Iași

Un important cardinal va primi la „Cuza“ titlul de Doctor Honoris Causa

 Universitatea „Alexandru Ioan Cuza“ din Iaşi îi va oferi titlul de Doctor Honoris Causa cardinalului Luis F. Ladaria, prefect al Congregaţiei pentru Doctrina Credinţei şi preşedinte al Comisiei Pontificale „Ecclesia Dei“ şi al Comisiei Pontificale Biblice din Vatican.

Ceremonia va avea loc miercuri, 3 aprilie, de la ora 11, în Aula Magna „Mihai Eminescu“.

Propunerea a venit din partea Facultăţii de Teologie Romano-Catolică, iar aceştia au susţinut că există două argumente pentru acordarea acestei distincţii, primul fiind legat de realizările avute de cardinal în cei peste 30 de ani de activitate didactică şi de cercetare teologică la Universitatea Pontificală „Comillas“ din Spania şi la cea similară „Gregoriana“ din Roma.

„Al doilea motiv se referă la ceea ce Eminenţa Sa reprezintă pentru comunitatea noastră locală, academică şi eclezială, ca membru al Societăţii lui Isus şi ca prefect al Congregaţiei pentru Doctrina Credinţei din Vatican“, au precizat reprezentaţii universităţii.

Cardinalul s-a născut în Insulele Baleare, la Mallorca, la 19 aprilie 1944. A făcut studiile superioare la Universitatea Naţională din Madrid, are licenţă în drept, iar din 1966 s-a format şi în domeniul teologic, având şi studiile de filosofie finalizate. A fost hirotonit preot, a plecat apoi la Roma, în 1975 a obţinut doctoratul, iar apoi a lucrat pentru mai bine de 30 de ani ca profesor. În 2014 a primit titlul de Doctor Honoris Causa al Universităţii Pontificale din Salamanca şi la 2 octombrie 2014 al Universităţii Pontificale Comillas din Madrid.

Publicație : Ziarul de Iași

  Liceenii sunt aşteptaţi la Palas

Cinci universităţi ieşene îşi promovează oferta educaţională în acest weekend

 Cele cinci universităţi de stat din Iaşi îşi vor prezenta oferta educaţională astăzi şi mâine, pe 30 şi 31 martie, la Palas Iaşi. Liceenii vor putea afla informaţii despre facultăţile la care pot studia, de ce facilităţi vor beneficia dacă vor deveni studenţi la una dintre cele cinci universităţi, dar şi ce oportunităţi de angajare pot avea la finalizarea studiilor.

„Târgul Universităţilor Ieşene le oferă liceenilor din întreaga regiune prilejul de a analiza, în acelaşi loc, oportunităţile academice propuse de instituţiile de învăţământ superior, de stat, din Iaşi. Astfel, tinerii care nu sunt încă decişi ce facultate vor alege sau cei care sunt hotărâţi şi îşi doresc să afle mai multe informaţii despre programele de studiu şi admitere vor găsi răspuns la toate întrebările lor, direct de la reprezentanţii universităţilor”, transmit organizatorii evenimentului.

Târgul universităţilor ieşene a fost organizat la iniţiativa companiei „Iulius” şi se va desfăşura în acest weekend în intervalul orar 10.00 – 18.00, la parterul Atriumului Palas Mall. La acest târg, Universitatea „Alexandru Ioan Cuza”, Universitatea Tehnică „Gheorghe Asachi”, Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie „Grigore T. Popa”, Universitatea de Ştiinţe Agricole şi Medicină Veterinară „Ion Ionescu de la Brad” şi Universitatea Naţională de Arte „George Enescu” din Iaşi vor fi prezente cu standuri de informare.

Pe lângă oferta educaţională, târgul reuneşte peste 20 de asociaţii studenţeşti, care le vor vorbi elevilor despre viaţa de student şi activităţile în care se pot implica, elevii având ocazia să discute şi cu reprezentanţii a trei companii cu privire la oportunităţile de carieră în cadrul acestora.

Târgul Universităţilor Ieşene face parte din programul „Iaşi – oraşul viitorului tău” al companiei „Iulius”, program adresat tinerilor şi care cuprinde conferinţe, caravane regionale, prezentări ale ofertei locurilor de muncă, târguri sau sesiuni de training specializate.

 Publicație : Ziarul de Iași

  Universities must do more for black students, warns watchdog

Data shows wide variations in attainment levels in England while students with mental health issues are more likely to drop out

Universities in England have been warned they need to improve their treatment of students, after new data revealed stark gaps in achievement for black students and higher drop-out rates for students with mental health difficulties or from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The figures released by the Office for Students, the higher education regulator for England, marks a shift towards a new focus on how students from different backgrounds cope with university life, what class of degree they emerge with and what they go on to do after graduating.

The five years of data collected by the OfS shows huge variations in how universities in England admit, retain and award degrees to their students based on their sex, economic background and ethnicity, with the figures showing especially wide gaps in attainment for black students compared with other ethnicities.

While overall white students were much more likely to be awarded first class or upper second class degrees than black students, the OfS’s data showed that at nearly half of universities in England the gap between the two groups soared to 20 percentage points or more.

Among the worst offenders were Canterbury Christ Church University, where the attainment gap was 41 percentage points, followed by the University of Gloucestershire, Sheffield Hallam University and the University of the West of England, with gaps of 30 points or more.

Chris Millward, the OfS’s director for fair access and participation, said the gaps in minority ethnic attainment was very clear across the data and that institutions would be expected to make a “step change” over the next five years in how they deal with that and similar issues.

“Universities now need to focus their attention on the specific areas where they face the biggest challenges,” Millward said.

“While some universities will need to focus on improving access to higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, the data shows that for many universities the real challenge is in ensuring these students can succeed in their studies, and thrive in life after graduation. This data will help them to do that, and to showcase their achievements.”

Some universities have already taken positive steps to tackle the issue, with Kingston University in London winning plaudits from the OfS for its approach.

Nona McDuff, Kingston University’s director of student achievement, said the attainment gap was a complex issue, but in many cases a major cause was the barriers placed in the way of some students.

“It has got to be an institutional approach, led by the university’s board and led by the vice-chancellor,” McDuff said. She advised universities to look at their own practices before assuming that underachievement was the fault of individual students.

While the figures showed that nationally there has been some improvement in admitting students from disadvantaged backgrounds, some elite universities still recruit few from the areas of highest deprivation.

The data showed that Imperial College in London had a 54-point gap between students recruited from areas with the highest educational attainment compared with those from the lowest. Oxford, Cambridge and Bristol universities were the others with gaps wider than 50 points.

The data also shows for the first time how students with mental health difficulties struggle both during and after their time on campus. The OfS data found that students with declared mental health conditions were more likely to drop out and less likely to go on to graduate-level jobs or further study if they did graduate.

“The data shows there are clear differences in outcomes for students who declare a mental health condition, compared to those students who have no known disability,” said Yvonne Hawkins, the OfS’s director of teaching excellence and student experience.

“Universities should look at the data closely and consider how they can continue to support students reporting mental ill-health. Work to improve the mental health of all students is a priority for the OfS.”

Publicație : The Guardian

University of Bath pays £16,000 for oil painting of UK’s highest-paid vice chancellor

Union president says portrait is ‘an insult to students’

A university has angered students by spending more than £16,000 on a portrait of Britain’s highest-paid vice chancellor.

The University of Bath paid £16,388.46 for a painting of Dame Glynis Breakwell, who recently resigned amid controversy over her £470,000 a year pay package.

The oil painting and an accompanying plaque have since been removed and have not been seen publicly since, according to student magazine Bath Time.

Freedom of Information request revealed the unveiling ceremony cost the university an additional £750 and the plaque that accompanied the painting cost £462.

The president of Bath’s student union told The Tab the figure was “an insult to students” amid campaigns on campus for better mental-health services and bursary support.

A model during a photo call for fashion presentation Fashion in Motion: Inspired by Christian Dior at the Victoria and Albert Museum, in South Kensington, London

PA

Dame Breakwell formally resigned on 28 February, according to The Tab, after facing criticism in 2017 over the size of her salary, which included a five-bedroom townhouse in Lansdown Crescent, Bath.

The former vice chancellor faced further criticism when it was revealed she had claimed dozens of first class train tickets and a number of first class flights on expenses.

It was also revealed she had put £2 on expenses for a packet of biscuits, despite her six-figure salary.

Dame Breakwell’s painting was unveiled by the Earl of Wessex, who is the university’s chancellor, at a ceremony on 25 February.

Eve Alcock, president of Bath’s student union, told The Tab: “In a climate where we’re always lobbying for more money for mental-health and wellbeing initiatives or bursaries and financial support, this news comes as a huge insult to students.

“It highlights just how much governance reform was needed as this was signed off between a small group of people with no check or balance. When you start to think about what sorts of things £16,000 could pay for to benefit students and their university experience, it is extremely frustrating that the money was used on this.”

Merry Chamen, a Bath student and chair of the Bath Music Society, said Dame Breakwell had been “an outrageous waste of university money”.

“It seems, with painful irony, that they have ‘honoured’ her in much the same way,” she added.

In a response to Bath Time, a University of Bath spokesperson said: “Portraits have been commissioned for all previous vice chancellors, including the most recent, to mark their contribution to the university.

“A procurement process for the painting was conducted and authorised by the University secretary and previous chair of council.”

Agencies contributed to this report

Publicație : The Independent

Please turn off your phone

Researchers Masha Krylova, Rodney Clifton and Gabor Csepregi argue for greater awareness around the negative academic impacts of students’ overusing mobile phones

We often hear about the devastating consequences of drivers being distracted by mobile phones. Indeed, using mobile phones while driving is illegal in most countries. Surprisingly little, however, has been said about the negative effects of mobile phones in an educational setting.

Of course, mobile phone use is not necessarily negative. Students use their phones to access personalised learning sites, timetabling, assignments pending and internet resources such as Wikipedia and the Oxford English Dictionary.

Even so, our recent study, conducted at the University of Manitoba, reveals that mobile phone usage has a remarkably strong and detrimental impact on the final course grades of first-year students.

The study, in fact, shows that a one standard deviation increase in mobile phone usage, measured in hours per day, results in at least 15 per cent of a standard deviation decrease in students’ grades.

To put this effect into context, that is nearly the strength of the association between chemotherapy and breast cancer survival rates, or between aspirin usage and a reduction in the risk of having a stroke.

Moreover, the effect persists even when we control for age, gender and high school grades, which is the strongest predictor of college performance.

While using a phone for one or two hours a day does little harm to students, spending six or more hours on a device leads to negative academic outcomes.

Arguably, the main problem with mobile phones is that they disrupt students’ concentration and take time away from their studying. But what about the psychological damage that they cause? Can phone overuse result in changes in students’ psychological states, which, in turn, jeopardise their academic success?

Our research casts some light on this question. It shows that the negative impact of mobile phones on students’ grades is independent of anxiety levels and perceived academic control – a very strong predictor of students’ academic performances.

But it also shows that, for female students, but not for male students, greater phone use increases their anxiety and impedes their sense of being in control, which subsequently hampers their academic success. Hence, while, for men, mobile phone use is mainly a distraction, for women it also has indirect negative effects — especially if phones are used to access messages about their social relations, attractiveness, and popularity, such as Facebook.

Fortunately, like cigarette smoking, the excessive use of mobile phones can be redressed with appropriate policies. We are moving in the right direction by increasing public awareness of the detrimental consequences of using phones while driving. Likewise, students should be informed about the negative consequences of excessive phone use on their academic performances.

To help, university instructors should limit their students’ use of phones during lectures. Instructors could, for example, begin a class by pulling up a large sign of a mobile phone with a big red X across it.

“No mobile phones, ladies and gentlemen. At least for the next 50 minutes.”

Publicație : The Times

Harvard makes more offers to Asian Americans after lawsuit

For most competitive class ever, Asian Americans claim more than a quarter of seats

Harvard University has announced its first freshman class since last autumn’s three-week trial challenging its admissions policies, with a notable boost in its acceptances of Asian American applicants.

Of the 1,950 students invited to Harvard’s Class of 2023, 25.4 per cent identify as Asian American, up from 22.7 per cent a year ago, the university said. Black students account for 14.8 per cent of the new class, based on admission invitations, down from 15.5 per cent a year earlier.

The lawsuit against Harvard was filed five years ago by opponents of affirmative action policies designed to increase minority representation in US universities. To press its claim, the plaintiff, Students for Fair Admissions, alleged that Harvard’s admissions process systematically excludes Asian Americans with high academic records by assigning them lower scores on personal characteristics.

The case is still pending, with a final resolution potentially awaiting a US Supreme Court decision that could complicate existing US legal precedents that clearly allow race-based considerations in college admissions.

While some conservatives have long pressed to end affirmative action, Harvard’s admissions record may leave Students for Fair Admissions struggling to prove that the university does not admit enough Asian Americans.

Even before the latest admissions figures, Harvard already had accepted 2,460 Asian American students over a six-year period – almost as many as its 2,693 black and Latino admissions combined – according to data presented at the trial in Boston.

Black students, in fact, may have the clearer grievance. The data presented at the trial showed that 2,680 white students admitted during the six years were athletes or had family ties to a donor, an alumnus or a university staff member.

Harvard’s announcement of its Class of 2023 does not indicate the degree to which that trend continues, as the university does not provide data on so-called legacy applications as part of its annual admissions report.

A Harvard spokeswoman said that the lawsuit by Students for Fair Admissions had no effect on the increase in Asian American admissions. The decline from last year in the number of black acceptances was also accompanied by a decline in black applications, she noted.

A record low of 4.5 per cent of applications to Harvard were approved. Those invited have until 1 May to respond.

Publicație : The Times

Qui sont ces étudiants qui organisent le mouvement des jeunes pour le climat?

Peu suivi aujourd’hui à Paris, le mouvement des jeunes pour le climat traverse une période creuse et de remise en question. Mais ses «organisateurs», qui évitent de se mettre trop en avant, continuent de se mobiliser.

Ce vendredi, comme tous les vendredis depuis le 14 février, les lycéens et les étudiants étaient dans la rue pour réclamer davantage de mesures en faveur du climat. Et malgré l’absence de chiffres officiels, les premiers retours font part d’une faible mobilisation d’environ 200 manifestants. Depuis deux mois les étudiants qui organisatent le mouvement, s’efforcent de coordonner, parfois difficilement, les dizaines d’associations et pages Facebook qui le composent.

Une hydre à mille têtes

L’une des figures majeures du mouvement en France s’appelle Romaric Thurel. Il a 22 ans et son engagement écologique s’est développé au cours de dix années passées chez les scouts avant de s’engager un an avec Greenpeace et de créer la page Facebook «Youth for climate France». Rejoint par d’autres jeunes militants, Youth for Climate est très vite devenu un site internet et un «outil qui permet de connecter toutes les initiatives qui naissent au niveau national et local», comme l’explique Martial Breton. Étudiant en master «Gouvernance de la transition» à Agro ParisTech, c’est lui s’occupe de faire le lien entre les 14 organisations différentes: syndicats lycéens et étudiants, réseaux, associations... Car l’une des caractéristiques du mouvement des jeunes pour le climat est bien sa difficile gouvernance, dûe à la pluralité des organisations qui le composent.

Romaric Thurel qualifie le mouvement de «très spontané», tandis que Martial préfère dire que son organisation est «verticale». En réalité, des discussions et des assemblées générales sont régulièrement organisées pour prendre des décisions sur l’avenir du mouvement. Pour Sandy Olivar-Calvo, étudiante en communication, il est important que le mouvement «reste indépendant des différentes associations, car cela permet de toucher un public plus large».

Réorienter ses études

Quoiqu’il arrive, pour certains de ces jeunes militants, les manifestations ne suffisent déjà plus. «On finit par carrément envisager de réorienter nos études pour cesser durablement de participer à un système économique qu’on ne cautionne pas» explique Sandy Olivar-Calvo. Âgée de 23 ans, la jeune femme est engagée dans plusieurs associations comme Youth for climate, Désobéissance écolo Paris, ou Alternatiba, une association environnementale dans laquelle elle réalise un service civique à l’occasion de son année de césure.

La remise en question de l’avenir professionnel est également très marquée chez Lucas, qui a récemment rejoint le groupement «Extinction Rebellion», lancé à Londres en 2018, puis en France il y a une semaine. «J’adore l’économie, mais pas celle qu’on nous enseigne. J’aimerais étudier la possibilité d’un modèle plus juste d’un point de vue environnemental et social», regrette le jeune homme. Aujourd’hui, il envisage d’arrêter ses études pour se dédier entièrement à son engagement militant.

Le 13 et le 14 avril, certains jeunes se retrouveront le temps d’un week-end pour débattre de la direction qu’ils souhaitent donner au mouvement dans les mois à avenir. «C’est important de prendre du recul, reprend Sandy Olivar-Calvo. À titre personnel, je pense qu’il faut diversifier nos modes d’action, en intensifiant les actions de désobéissance civile, qu’il faudra équilibrer avec des marches, mais aussi prendre du temps pour tenter de sensibiliser des gens au-delà du milieu étudiant». La prochaine marche internationale aura lieu le 24 mai, mais différentes mobilisations devraient être organisées entre-temps dans plusieurs villes.

Publicație : Le Figaro

Le gouvernement veut autoriser les étudiants transgenres à utiliser leur prénom d’usage

Dans un entretien accordé au magazine «Têtu», la ministre de l’Enseignement supérieur Frédérique Vidal a annoncé sa volonté d’autoriser les personnes transgenres à utiliser leur prénom d’usage pour les démarches administratives à l’université.

La ministre de l’Enseignement supérieur Frédérique Vidal veut que le prénom d’usage, choisi par des personnes transgenres lors de leur transition, devienne «un droit» dans l’ensemble des établissements du supérieur, annonce-t-elle vendredi dans un entretien à «Têtu».

«Il faut que chaque personne puisse utiliser le prénom qu’elle souhaite sur les listes d’appel et d’examen, ainsi que sur les cartes étudiantes», explique la ministre. «Il faut également simplifier les procédures afin de modifier les noms sur les diplômes une fois que le changement à l’état-civil a été fait».

Une quinzaine d’universités l’autorisent déjà

Une quinzaine d’universités reconnaissent déjà le prénom d’usage. Dernière en date, l’université de Nice, où la proposition a été votée à l’unanimité début 2019. Cette décision n’avait d’ailleurs fait l’objet d’aucune contestation lors du Conseil universitaire.

Le reconnaître «fait partie des petites choses qui ne sont vraiment pas compliquées à mettre en place, mais qui ont un impact important pour les personnes concernées», estime la ministre, dans son interview à «Têtu». Pour y parvenir, elle compte «adresser un courrier à l’ensemble des chefs d’établissements de l’enseignement supérieur». «Lorsqu’il y aura des difficultés et qu’elles seront signalées, il faudra comprendre d’où elles viennent et les lever», indique Frédérique Vidal.

Un soutien aux associations LGBT

La ministre de l’Enseignement supérieur a également annoncé que son ministère allait «soutenir financièrement plusieurs associations (Le Refuge, SOS Homophobie, le centre LGBT de Paris)». Elle va également demander aux Crous de mettre à disposition des chambres dans les cités universitaires, partout en France, au profit de l’association «Le Refuge», en commençant pendant les périodes où ces logements sont vides, pendant l’été et les vacances scolaires.

Une campagne de lutte contre les discriminations envers les personnes LGBT+ sera par ailleurs lancée à la rentrée 2019-2020, la première depuis 2015, souligne la ministre.

Pour améliorer la formation des enseignants sur le sujet, une formation sur «les valeurs de la République» sera ajoutée dans le tronc commun du programme des Écoles Supérieures du Professorat et de l’Éducation (ESPE). «Il y aura, à l’intérieur, un module pour aider les futurs professeurs du primaire et du secondaire à gérer les discriminations», indique Frédérique Vidal.

Une décision qui ne fait pas l’unanimité

Cette annonce de la ministre n’a pas fait l’unanimité. L’UNI (Union nationale inter-universitaire), syndicat étudiant de droite, y reste fermement opposée.

«Nous sommes contre la mise en place de ce prénom d’usage, explique Clément Armato, délégué national et porte-parole du syndicat étudiant. Les cartes étudiantes sont des documents officiels qui permettent de vérifier l’identité d’un étudiant. Et les diplômes sont délivrés officiellement par l’Etat sur la base de l’état civil et donc de l’identité lagale de la personne», argue-t-il. Et de conclure: «Les changements de prénom risquent de poser des problèmes administratifs».

Publicație : Le Figaro

« On a créé nous-mêmes les conditions de notre autonomie » : des jeunes s’engagent pour mieux se trouver

Construire une société plus solidaire et se sentir utile socialement sont les moteurs de l’engagement de nombreux jeunes, qui expérimentent ces changements à leur échelle. Une quête d’un autre modèle de vie, qui est aussi une quête de soi.

Lycéens, étudiants, professeurs, parents, jeunes diplômés... « Le Monde » vous donne à Paris les samedi 6 et dimanche 7 avril à Ground Control (XIIe) pour de nouvelles éditions des événements O21 /S’orienter au 21^e siècle. Des conférences et des rencontres inspirantes pour réfléchir à son avenir et trouver sa voie. Plus d’informations ici.

Peu visibles sur les ronds-points, peu audibles dans le grand débat national, les jeunes seraient-ils trop inquiets face à l’avenir pour s’engager au présent ? L’hypothèse est aussi répandue qu’erronée. « Il faut arrêter de se centrer sur ce qui est le plus visible des mouvements sociaux, affirme Geoffrey Pleyers, sociologue à l’Université catholique de Louvain (Belgique). Les manifestations ne représentent que la partie émergée de l’iceberg. Quand je demande à un jeune combien d’heures il consacre à son engagement, il ne peut pas répondre. Qu’on soit écologiste ou féministe, on l’est ou on ne l’est pas ! De l’alimentation à la sexualité, cela modifie la vie quotidienne du matin au soir, et même la nuit. »

« Puisqu’il n’existe plus de manière claire de changer le monde, on va mettre en œuvre soi-même l’autre monde, dans sa classe, dans son organisation étudiante… »
Geoffrey Pleyers, sociologue

Les petits matins auraient succédé aux grands soirs ? « Puisqu’il n’existe plus de manière claire de changer le monde, on va mettre en œuvre soi-même l’autre monde, dans sa classe, dans son organisation étudiante… », poursuit Geoffrey Pleyers. Le changement commence ici et maintenant, et comprend une transformation de soi. « Il y a bien sûr chez les jeunes une dimension de résistance extérieure – contre le capitalisme, le racisme, etc. – mais aussi une lutte interne, avec une mise en pratique directe d’alternatives locales et concrètes. »

Vivre dans sept mètres carrés, sans superflu, c’est le choix qu’ont fait Anton Deums et Romane Pessey-Magnifique à la fin de leurs études, en 2015. Diplômés de l’école supérieure de commerce et de développement 3A à Lyon, ils s’achètent un Ford Transit de 1983 pour y construire leur maison en bois. Inspirés par le mouvement des Tiny Houses,des petits habitats écologiques sur roues, ils passent des heures sur YouTube devant des tutos. « Nous ne sommes ni menuisiers ni plombiers… Ça a pris beaucoup plus de temps que prévu !, se remémore Romane, 24 ans. Mais nous voulions vivre en accord avec nos convictions. Réussir à mêler écologie, partage, éducation et voyage dans un seul projet nous semblait impossible. Alors on a créé nous-mêmes les conditions de notre autonomie. »

« Laboratoire mobile et collectif »

A l’aide d’une campagne de financement participatif, le couple invente le Mobilab Songo, un « laboratoire mobile et collectif pour un mode de vie durable », afin de « partir à la rencontre des artisans de ce monde en transition ». A l’instar d’un écosystème en permaculture, dans le Mobilab Songo, chaque élément peut être utile à un autre : récupération des eaux de pluie, toilettes sèches, machine à laver à pédales, poêle à bois fabriqué avec d’anciens matériaux recyclés… Sur les routes depuis mars 2017, le couple redouble d’inventivité pour atteindre sa propre version de la frugalité, transmettant aux autres ce qu’il apprend par de multiples ateliers physiques et vidéos en ligne.

« Au départ, nos proches s’attendaient à ce que l’on fasse carrière. Les premières discussions avec la famille ont été folklo ! », se souvient Romane, aujourd’hui ravie d’avoir fait disparaître « la part de travail subi » pour ne garder que le « travail choisi ». Anton souligne qu’ils ne cherchent pas à présenter leur projet sous l’angle idéologique : « C’est plus facile de tisser des liens par le “faire” : comment on mange, comment on travaille ensemble, etc. Cela décoince beaucoup de discussions avec des gens de tout bord. »

Signe que les frontières s’estompent entre vie quotidienne et engagement, certains activistes se disent même « activiens ». Il ne suffit pas d’aller chercher son panier bio dans une AMAP (association favorisant une agri­culture paysanne) chaque mercredi, on opte pour le véganisme sept jours sur sept. Selon Geoffrey Pleyers, les jeunes recherchent aussi une expérience, qui peut être éphémère mais aura un impact fort sur l’orientation et les parcours de vie.

« Dans une ZAD ou dans un mouvement comme Nuit debout par exemple, mais aussi dans une association étudiante, explique le sociologue, on est à la fois dans le monde et en dehors. La notion du temps est différente, les relations interpersonnelles changent, la créativité augmente. » Il s’agit à la fois d’être soi-même et de cumuler les expériences pour réussir sa vie. Ces « espaces d’expérimentation » décrits par Geoffrey Pleyers permettent une construction de soi au contact des autres.

Ces espaces se multiplient. Ainsi, à Paris, dix organisations engagées pour la justice climatique et sociale ont décidé de partager « un lieu pour changer le monde ». A deux pas du canal Saint-Martin, dans le 10^e arrondissement, La Base occupe, depuis février, les 700 mètres carrés d’un ancien atelier de confection. Vers 16 heures, en ce dimanche de « portes ouvertes », Kristof et Claire, tous les deux en master à Sciences Po Paris, animent une formation à la communication militante pour une dizaine de lycéens et étudiants en grève pour le climat. Au rez-de-chaussée, le brunch à prix libre se termine. A l’étage, un atelier « pancartes » bat son plein ; on se prête la peinture et les idées.

« Villages des alternatives locales »

La Base se veut « accélérateur de mobilisation » et a pour ambition de devenir le QG des jeunes embarqués derrière la militante écologiste suédoise Greta Thunberg. Ce lieu éphémère (le bail a été signé pour treize mois) sert aussi de bureau partagé à plusieurs collectifs, dont Pauline Boyer, porte-parole d’Alternatiba et d’Action non violente COP21 (ANV-COP21), fait partie : « Cela fait à peine quelques semaines que nous sommes ici et on se demande déjà comment on a pu faire sans. C’est un point de ralliement formidable pour notre mouvement. » Pharmacienne de formation, âgée de 35 ans – « je suis l’une des plus vieilles des jeunes ! » –, elle travaille depuis bientôt quatre ans pour ce rassemblement citoyen qui organise des « villages des alternatives locales ». « J’ai eu une première vie professionnelle dans l’industrie du médicament, puis j’ai tout plaqué quand j’ai connu Alternatiba, raconte-t-elle. Construire une société plus juste, plus solidaire, plus conviviale, a bien plus de sens que ce que je faisais avant ! »

Lionel Bensemoun est l’un des nouveaux voisins de bureau de Pauline Boyer. Il a fondé Le Consulat il y a trois ans, autre « lieu éphémère et itinérant », émanant de son association GANG (Groupe Action Neo Green).

Son idée ? « A travers le festif et l’artistique, montrer qu’on peut être responsable tout en ayant un discours joyeux et pas moralisateur. » A 46 ans, cet entrepreneur dans l’événementiel s’adresse aux adeptes de la nuit parisienne : « Nous, il y a vingt ans, on était beaucoup moins conscients de ce qui nous attendait. Les jeunes d’aujourd’hui sont bien plus matures dans leur façon de consommer », remarque-t-il.

« Créer une onde de choc »

Aux yeux de Lionel Bensemoun, La Base permet une synergie, voire une convergence des luttes. « Notre puissance, c’est d’avoir réuni tous les outils pour passer à l’action. Alternatiba, par exemple, met en place des réunions de coordination avec une rigueur que nous n’avons pas du tout au Consulat en tant qu’autodidactes. Grâce à eux, on apprend la gouvernance et l’efficacité. Et eux, grâce à nous, trouvent les bons slogans », se félicite celui qui a fédéré divers collectifs pour organiser une « rave pour le climat » le samedi 16 mars pendant La Marche du siècle, à Paris, afin de « créer une onde de choc puissante et taper sur les tympans de [nos] dirigeants ».

Au-delà de la fête et des solutions plus concrètes et locales, grand nombre des jeunes interrogés prônent la désobéissance civile pour faire basculer le système actuel. Ils cherchent à créer un mouvement citoyen massif, radical et non violent. « Il y a effectivement une volonté de changer les choses plus rapidement,décrit la sociologue Valérie Becquet, professeure à l’université de Cergy-Pontoise et codirectrice du laboratoire Ecoles, mutations, apprentissages (EMA). Critiques à l’égard des institutions, les jeunes veulent voir le résultat à court terme et se sentir utiles socialement. »Dans un contexte de défiance et de suspicion vis-à-vis des partis politiques traditionnels, dont les modalités de fonctionnement ne sont plus attrayantes pour eux, ils préfèrent défendre leurs droits eux-mêmes, individuellement ou collectivement.

Au festival des jeunes engagé.e.s en Europe organisé le 16 mars à Paris par le réseau d’associations étudiantes Animafac, on a croisé Basile, 22 ans. En année de césure après un bachelor, il est en service civique pour l’antenne parisienne d’I-boycott, une plate-forme participative en ligne qui combat tout à la fois les pratiques fiscales de McDonald’s et la production de plastique par Coca-Cola. « J’ai un petit engagement politique aussi, mais par le bas : l’associatif et les actes de désobéissance. Je ne suis pas partisan. Puisque les gens pensent que les politiques sont tous des pourris, il faut faire front collectivement ! Je ne veux pas rentrer dans le système, je veux le dévier. Prendre la parallèle et montrer aux institutions que nous ne sommes plus une niche, mais un vrai contre-pouvoir. » Né à Marseille, habitant à Montreuil depuis treize ans, il souhaite poursuivre ses études en Scandinavie puis travailler dans le développement durable ou l’agroécologie.

S’engager pour mieux trouver sa voie ? Selon la sociologue Valérie Becquet, il y a toujours une utilité pour soi dans l’engagement : « Ce faisant, les jeunes accumulent de la confiance, des expériences et des compétences qui vont servir leur cursus ou leur carrière. Le tout dans une logique d’émancipation et de construction d’un point de vue sur le monde. »

Chiffres 2018

43 % des 18-30 ans ont signé une pétition ou défendu une cause sur Internet, un blog ou un réseau social.

15 % ont participé à une manifestation, une grève ou occupé des lieux.

50 % des jeunes déclarent donner du temps bénévolement, « même très rarement », soit 5 % de plus qu’en 2017.

37 % des jeunes qui s’engagent le font dans une association dévolue au sport, 20 % à la culture ou aux loisirs, 16 % à la jeunesse et à l’éducation, 15 % au social et à la solidarité.

(Source : Injep-Credoc, baromètre Djepva 2018 sur la jeunesse).

Publicație : Le Monde

1 aprilie 2019

UMF Iaşi pe cai mari: excedent bugetar de 36 milioane de lei pe anul trecut

Rectorul Universităţii de Medicină şi Farmacie „Grigore T. Popa“ din Iaşi, prof.dr. Viorel Scripcariu, a prezentat Senatului la finalul săptămânii trecute raportul cu privire la starea universităţii pentru anul universitar anterior.

Unul dintre cele mai interesante aspecte din această prezentare a reprezentat-o elementul financiar, care arată un aspect interesant: UMF nu mai trăieşte din bugetul de la stat, ci reuşeşte, conform cifrelor prezentate de rector, să-şi acopere mai bine de jumătate din bugetul instituţional din veniturile proprii, o componentă majoră a acestora fiind taxele plătite de studenţii străini.

Practic, pentru anul universitar 2017-2018, rectorul a precizat că finanţarea instituţională a fost în total de circa 96,5 milioane de lei, bugetul universităţii aprobat şi furnizat de Ministerul Educaţiei Naţionale.

Pe lângă acesta, a mai existat un contract complementar care a acoperit subvenţiile cămine-cantină, cu valoare de 3,1 milioane de lei, ducând totalul de venituri încasate de universitate de la stat la aproximativ 100 de milioane de lei.

În paralel, rectorul a precizat că UMF a reuşit să genereze venituri proprii din activitatea de bază cu valoare de 99,5 milioane de lei, ducând încasările, din venituri plus finanţare de la stat, pe 2018, la 199,5 milioane de lei.

„Din totalul încasărilor realizate pentru activităţile desfăşurate în anul financiar 2018, ponderea sursei de finanţare din contractul instituţional şi complementar reprezintă 50,14%“, a precizat prof.dr. Viorel Scripcariu.

Acest a concluzionat că în anul 2018 veniturile totale ale universităţi, din toate sursele, au fost de 200,5 milioane de lei, cheltuielile de 164,1 milioane de lei, iar universitatea a rămas cu un excedent bugetar de 36,4 milioane de lei doar în anul universitar anterior.

„Raportul anual al rectorului este o componentă a răspunderii publice asumată de universitate, în concordanţă cu prevederile Legii Educaţiei Naţionale şi ale Cartei Universităţii. Acest document analizează starea universităţii în anul universitar 2017-2018 cu scopul de a asigura transparenţa şi informarea corectă a comunităţii academice. Conţinutul acestui raport reprezintă rezultatul eforturilor de echipă de la nivelul tuturor departamentelor implicate, cărora le mulţumesc pe această cale“, a adăugat prof. dr. Viorel Scripcariu.

Conform raportului prezentat de rector, în anul anterior au fost 8.773 de studenţi înscrişi la programele de licenţă, cei mai mulţi la Medicină - 5.462 şi la Medicină Dentară - 1.902, la Farmacie fiind 849 şi la Bioinginerie 560.

„La începutul anului universitar 2017-2018 existau un număr de 14 programe de masterat în domeniile medicină, medicină dentară şi ştiinţe inginereşti aplicate, dintre care două în limbile engleză şi franceză, şcolarizând un total de 302 masteranzi în anii I şi II. În cadrul Facultăţii de Bioinginerie Medicală a fost înfiinţat un nou program de master în domeniul ştiinţe inginereşti aplicate, cu predare în limba engleză, «Inginerie biomedicală / Biomedical engineering»“, a punctat prof.dr. Viorel Scripcariu.

În ceea ce priveşte studiile de doctorat, majoritatea studenţilor admişi la doctorat au susţinut proiectul ştiinţific, 50 din cei 53 de la Medicină, toţi cei nouă de la Medicină Dentară şi patru de la Farmacie.

Anul trecut, în urma procesului de admitere, au fost înmatriculaţi 61 de noi studenţi doctoranzi. În ceea ce priveşte rezidenţiatul, la Iaşi s-au înscris 1.367 de candidaţi la examenul de anul trecut, cel mai mare număr după UMF Bucureşti, cei mai mulţi fiind la Medicină, unde au fost 995 pe 649 de locuri şi posturi, în timp ce Medicina Dentară a avut concurenţa cea mai mare, fiind 265 de candidaţi pe 50 de locuri.

„La nivel naţional, suntem a doua universitate ca opţiune pentru candidaţi la intrarea în specialitate pentru 2 din cele 3 domenii Medicină şi Medicină Dentară, excepţie făcând Farmacia, la care ne clasăm pe locul 3. În anul 2018 au fost organizate două sesiuni de examen medic specialist. La exa­menul de medic specialist în cele două sesiuni s-au înscris 490 candidaţi, 41,6% (204) dintre ei, obţinând medii peste 9“, a mai spus rectorul.

  Publicație : Ziarul de Iași  

In Studioul BZI LIVE este invitat profesionistul care, de un deceniu, face parte din echipa speciala a Universitatii Cuza din Iasi ce pregateste campionii olimpici internationali pe zona Informaticii si Matematicii

Luni, 1 aprilie, incepand cu ora 15.00, este programata o noua editie BZI LIVE proaspata, consistenta, riguroasa si de maximum interes pentru comunitatea locala si nationala! Emisiunea - dialog o va avea in prim-plan pe conf. univ. dr. Corina Forascu - profesor asociat al Facultatii de Informatica din cadrul Universitatii Alexandru Ioan Cuza (UAIC) din Iasi! De precizat ca aceasta face parte din echipa care, de un deceniu, coordoneaza lotul de studenti olimpici internationali pe zona Matematicii si Informaticii! Om de echipa, domnia sa alaturi de colegi - universitari, printre care se numara si Florin Iacob sau Adrian Zalinescu reuseste an de an sa creeze emulatie, pasiune, dorinta de a munci pentru ca tinerii sa aiba performante spectaculoase in afara tarii pe zona celor doua discipline - cheie! Om dedicat si implicat, conf. univ. dr. Corina Forascu are un parcurs profesional certificat prin colaborari cu mari unitati educationale din tara si strainatate. Aceasta va oferi detalii si informatii ce tin de ceea ce realizeaza, proiectele pe care le implementeaza, povesti de succes cu actuali si fosti studenti olimpici internationali, ultimele performante obtinute de tinerii pe care-i coordoneaza! Astfel, ultima reusita de acest gen tine de sase studenti ai UAIC au obtinut medalii de argint si bronz la Olimpiada Internationala de Matematica – SEEMOUS care a avut loc la Universitatea de Arhitectura, Inginerie Civila si Geodezie din Devin, Bulgaria, in perioada 12 – 17 martie 2019. Toti cei sase reprezentanti sunt studenti ai Facultatii de Informatica. Stefan Balauca si Denis Banu au obtinut medalii de argint, iar Dragos Olteanu, Madalin Florea, Cosmin Cruceanu si Florin Mihai Anghel au obtinut medalii de bronz. Pregatirea echipei a fost coordonata de lect. univ. dr. Florin Iacob, iar participarea a fost sprijinita de conf. univ. dr. Corina Forascu si conf. univ. dr. Adrian Zalinescu, care a si insotit delegatia. South Eastern European Mathematical Competition for University Students with International Participation (SEEMOUS) este un concurs cu participare internationala organizat de Societatea Matematica din Sud-Estul Europei si care se adreseaza studentilor din primii doi ani de studiu. Anul acesta a avut loc cea de-a 13-a editie, la care au participat, in total, 83 de concurenti de la 21 de universitati din Romania, Bulgaria, Grecia, Macedonia si Turkmenistan. Trei dintre editiile anterioare au avut loc in Romania: in 2011 competitia a fost organizata de Universitatea din Bucuresti iar in 2014 si 2018 de Universitatea Tehnica „Gheorghe Asachi” din Iasi. De reamintit ca, legat tocmai de colectivul din care face parte si universitarul Forascu s-a concretizat si in echipa Universitatii, formata din studentii Cristian Vintur, Alexandru Ionita si Valeriu Motroi – Facultatea de Informatica, coordonata de doctorandul Paul Diac, care participa la finala mondiala a concursului de programare ICPC (International Collegiate Programming Contest), care va avea loc in perioada 31 martie – 5 aprilie 2019, la Universitatea din Porto, Portugalia. Este prima calificare a Universitatii din Iasi in finala mondiala a concursului, ca urmare a clasarii pe locul al treilea la etapa Regionala a Europei de Est – SEERC, organizata in octombrie 2018, la Universitatea Politehnica din Bucuresti si la Universitatea Tehnica Nationala din Vinnytsia, Ucraina. La etapele regionale ale concursului au participat 3233 de universitati din 110 tari din intreaga lume. Dintre acestea, au fost selectate 135 de universitati pentru etapa finala.

Toti cei care au intrebari pentru profesorul asociat al Facultatii de Informatica din cadrul Universitatii Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Corina Forascu, le pot adresa la rubrica de comentarii sau in direct, pe Facebook.

 Publicație : Bună Ziua  Iași

OFICIAL! Astazi, Universitatea "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" din Iasi SEMNEAZA un contract de patru milioane de euro pentru reabilitarea unei cladiri din centrul Iasului

Astazi, 1 aprilie 2019, de la ora 12:00, in Sala Senatului a Universitatii "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" (UAIC) din Iasi (Corp A, Rectorat, etaj II) se va semna contractul de finantare intre "Cuza" si ADR Nord-Est (ADR-NE) pentru proiectul de reabilitare si consolidare a Corpului E din municipiu, din Fundatie. Acesta are o valoare de 17,478,081 lei. La eveniment va participa si Vasile Asandei, director general al Agentiei pentru Dezvoltare Regionala Nord-Est.

"Vom semna in parteneriat cu Universitatea "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" un proiect pe POR, Axa 10, care are drept scop reabilitarea unei cladiri abandonate de foarte mult timp. Este primul proiect prin POR pe care UAIC il semneaza. In ultimii doi- trei ani am reluat relatiile cu Universitatea "Cuza" si sunt bucuros sa vad ca este un interes deosebit pentru dezvoltarea unor astfel de proiecte si parteneriate. Felicit conducerea Universitatii, cu aceasta ocazie, pentru ca dau dovada de foarte mult interes si implicare", a declarat Vasile Asandei, director ADR-NE.

De precizat ca, aici a functionat an buni prima inchisoare moderna a Iasului. Ea se afla intr-o avansata stare de degradare, deoarece nu s-a mai investit aici de peste trei decenii. Situat pe strada Pacurari, numarul 9, Corpul E al Universitatii "Cuza" sta sa se darame sub ochii trecatorilor.

Pe de alta parte, demn de remarcat este ca eforturile privind implementarea acestui proiect au fost coordonate de prof. univ. dr. Tudorel Toader (actualmente ministru al Justitiei - n.r.), respectiv rectorul ales al UAIC. Avand in vedere toate acestea, rectorul interimar de la "Cuza" - prof. univ. dr. Mihalela Onofrei a tinut sa arate ce inseamna acest moment.

"Semnarea contractului pentru consolidarea, modernizarea si echiparea cladirii Corp E reprezinta un debut reusit al investitiilor majore ale UAIC si, totodata, o recunoastere a eforturilor depuse în ultimii trei ani. Finantarea acestui proiect a fost conditionata de existenta titlului de proprietate (întabularea cladirii realizându-se tot în anul 2016), precum si de continutul proiectului în acord cu cerintele axei de finantare si exigentele specifice evaluarii. În vederea pregatirii bunei implementari a proiectului, Universitatea noastra a fost invitata joi, 28 martie 2019, la sediul ADR-NE, la o sedinta de instruire, în care se vor aborda chestiuni legate de realizarea procedurilor de achizitii, monitorizarea proiectului, verificarea cheltuielilor eligibile, publicitatea proiectului", a evidentiat profesorul Onofrei.

Publicație : Bună Ziua  Iași

 How can UK universities thrive in a precarious world?

Solutions to the funding crisis will depend on universities’ abilities to build new business partnership models supported by new ways of working, says Mike Boxall

Since 2012 English universities have had to rely on income from student tuition fees to finance a host of activities that were formerly supported with government grants. For a while the switch worked because the £9,000 fee cap initially represented a significant uplift in per-student funding, to the extent that the Treasury came to view the sector as “awash with cash”.

That period of apparent prosperity is now a fading memory as the falling real value of capped tuition fees is further eroded by rising costs, increased regulatory conditions and flatlining student demand.

All the signals indicate that this squeeze will become even tighter over coming years and that the fee cap might even be cut, at least for some courses. As a result, confirmed by the latest report from the Financial Sustainability Strategy Group, most universities find themselves struggling to make their economic sums add up, prompting growing speculation about the viability of some providers and leading others to fast-forward cost-cutting and other retrenchment measures.

What we are seeing is a widening polarisation between institutional winners and losers, with most universities experiencing worsening finances while a minority have managed to remain resilient and relatively profitable.

This raises two key questions: how have some institutions managed to prosper despite the adverse trends affecting their peers? And what should others be doing to secure their futures in a hostile funding environment?

Many institutions have sought to counter austerity with more austerity, by rationing non-core activities and cutting back ruthlessly on their operating costs. There is plenty of scope for efficiency gains of this kind as outmoded systems and processes often cost more than modern best practice. But improving efficiency is not sufficient to restore the sustainability of a broken business model, and simply doing less of the same is hardly an adequate strategy for responding to changing times.

To compensate for falling income and loss-making research funding, universities need to build their positions in areas of growing opportunity for their distinctive capabilities. There is no shortage of such opportunities as the prosperity of individuals, businesses, public services and communities comes to depend more than ever before on purposeful, cutting-edge learning.

Whether reflected in the government’s commitment to raise research and development spending to 2.4 per cent of GDP or in the place-based priorities of the Industrial Strategy, demands for advanced knowledge building are set to spiral.

In this world, universities must learn how to earn their living by sharing in the value they help create with others. Some are already committed to this new model: Aston University and Cranfield University have entered into partnerships for business innovation, the University of Northampton has set up social enterprises with public service providers, London South Bank University is convening local partnerships for skills pathways and Newcastle University is partnering within civic and regional development programmes.

This trend of outcome-based, partnership working offers a basis for universities to reduce their traditional reliance on state-regulated education or publicly-funded research provided that they can grow viable earnings in these areas. But it brings with it fresh challenges. For universities to build sustainable and resilient business partnerships demands levels of organisational agility that the sclerotic structures and processes of traditional university operations struggle to cope with.

This legacy of organisational inertia is a real threat to the responsiveness of universities to new challenges and opportunities. In recent PA Consulting surveys UK vice-chancellors have lamented weaknesses in their institutions’ capabilities and systems – especially in digital working – and the lack of agile and collaborative working practices.

These constraints are partly structural and partly cultural. Some, like Coventry University and the University of Sunderland, have addressed restrictive staffing practices by setting up separate operating units to serve different student or employer groups. Meanwhile, Sheffield Hallam University has realigned its governance structures to its outward-facing strategic themes.

However, developing organisational agility must extend beyond structural reforms. It demands changes in behaviours right across the system, not least to free the necessary time, capacity and energies to introduce reforms.

In just about every institution the tyranny of regulatory impositions and the upward delegation of day-to-day decision making swamps leadership teams and governing bodies. Strategic transformation becomes almost a “nice to have”, once the distractions of more urgent but far less important demands have been resolved.

At the same time, imaginative and enterprising initiatives are frequently trapped in pockets around the institution, often recognised more outside the university than within. Progressive universities are finding ways to identify and encourage these examples of guerrilla innovation, and use them to build new futures on the best of what they are already doing.

Publicație : The Times

There’s more to business school students and graduates than meets the eye

They’re not all selfish and corrupt Gordon Gekkos, say Riina Koris and Anders Örtenblad

Business schools do not have the best reputation these days. They’ve been accused of promoting wealth over work, selfishness over sacrifice and greed over responsibility; of turning young people’s minds and hearts into ice; of propagating ideologically inspired, amoral theories; of producing the uncritical Gordon Gekkos of the world; of being corrupt and corrupting, and ethically bankrupt. These claims make one wonder if a business school is a decent institution to study in or work at at all.

What’s more, if these accusations hold water, business schools and business education have no legitimate place either in academia or society in general.

Such strong and overly critical rhetoric inspired us to conduct a study of business students with 17 different nationalities to find out how they view themselves in today’s business world and within existing business practices.

We used vignettes: short, carefully crafted descriptions of people who represent a combination of characteristics related to business schools. We asked the students to identify themselves to a greater or lesser extent with the characters.

From this, we were able to identify whether the students view themselves as “replacers” (those who primarily view their purpose as replacing today’s managers and maintaining an organisation’s current standards), “effectiveness increasers” (managing companies more effectively than the former managers, thus contributing to the companies’ competitiveness), “pragmatic world improvers” (stressing sustainability, economic and social welfare, and justice as long as it does not interfere with the bottom line), “radical world improvers” (stressing sustainability, economic and social welfare, and justice even if it interferes with the bottom line) or “reflectionists” (those primarily concerned with critically reviewing the business perspectives and perceived wisdom, and are strong believers in free thinking and inquiry).

We were happily surprised to find that students viewed themselves as a combination of the “effectiveness increaser”, “pragmatic world improver” and “reflectionist”. The proportion of students who identified as a “replacer” was marginal.

Things became even more hopeful after we conducted a similar study among business school alumni and learned that the alumni did not view themselves as “replacers”, “effectiveness increasers” or “world improvers”, as we had expected. Rather they identified mostly as “reflectionists”, meaning they value introspection and critical re-examination of existing business practices much more highly than the skills to replicate what their predecessors have accomplished. Additionally, they approach management education in the same way that one would political science: studying it, without necessarily wishing to become a politician.

To say that we were surprised at the results we obtained is an understatement. Like many others, we had started to believe the negative rhetoric about business schools. The fact that media coverage of business is primarily concerned with business misconduct made us wonder if we embrace the negative narrative because this is what we have mostly been fed by the media.

Based on existing rhetoric and our research results, we recommend that business schools aim to provide a balanced education and recruit faculty who have a range of different perspectives, and who will teach all of the different approaches to business (illustrated by our survey vignettes), no matter which approach is their own preference.

Such education, we believe, would serve the wider moral outlook of society. Moreover, perhaps it could help legitimise once again the place of business education in the academic world. Unless this change takes place, and unless business schools promote free thinking and introspection, the degree-awarding institutions currently operating at university level risk being reduced to vocational institutions whose primary objectives are to equip students with the required toolkit for their professions.

 Publicație : The Times

Half of UK private providers ‘exit sector in three years’

For-profit institutions at particular risk of collapse, researchers say

Half of the private higher education providers operating in the UK exited the sector in the space of three years, according to new research.

Researchers from Durham University and the UCL Institute of Education found that there were 813 private providers in operation in the UK in 2017, an 11 per cent increase compared to 2014.

However, of the 732 institutions listed as operating in 2014, half – 363 – had ceased to operate, at least as higher education providers, by 2017. Of these, 165 were listed as having been dissolved at Companies House, 70 had “simply vanished without trace”, and a further 128 were still in operation but were no longer providing higher-level courses.

The study, which also drew on data from provider websites and sector agencies, found that for-profit providers were particularly at risk of closure, accounting for nine out of 10 of the institutions found to have shut their doors between 2014 and 2017.

The data covers the period in which the Westminster government imposed student number controls on private providers operating in England amid concern about the rapid growth of the sector and standards in it. The same period saw some institutions lose their licence to sponsor international student visas.

It also raises questions about the ability of the private sector to live up to English ministers’ hopes that “challenger” institutions will add innovation and choice to a higher education sector which continues to be dominated by traditional universities.

Stephen Hunt, a research associate at UCL’s Centre for Global Higher Education, who conducted the study with Durham University’s Vikki Boliver, said that there was a “huge amount of churn in the private higher education provider sector”.

“Most of the losses confirmed by Companies House data were associated with for-profit institutions. These tend to be more recently founded. These may be newer arrivals offering similar subjects at similar levels, amounting to a greater concentration in an already crowded market, increasing competition and the likelihood of market exit”, Dr Hunt said.

“The threat of market exit is though seldom experienced by the sector’s larger or higher profile providers.”

The study finds that only 39 per cent of providers claimed to have been the subject of any form of external review, most typically by the Quality Assurance Agency. Eighty-seven per cent of providers, however, claimed to guarantee the quality of their provision via some form of oversight or validating arrangement, either with a professional body or a university.

Perhaps more concerning was the finding that less than one in five current private providers was likely to become registered with the English regulator, the Office for Students, although the largest and most significant institutions will. Providers outside the register “will continue to remain an unknown quantity, unregistered, and essentially unregulated”, the study says and – crucially – these institutions will not be covered by OfS-mandated student protection plans covering arrangements for supporting students in the event of closure.

“The private provider sector as currently configured is unlikely to provide a more general alternative to the public system of standard undergraduate higher education envisaged by the government”, the study concludes. “Many providers are small scale, concentrating on sub-degree or postgraduate qualification across a narrow band of subjects – often characterised as being popular but with low overheads. This means private providers are as likely to compete amongst themselves as with the public sector.”

 Publicație : The Times

Dutch populists seek reports of ‘left indoctrination’ on campuses

‘Hotline’ created by Thierry Baudet’s party ‘goes against everything we stand for’, says Maastricht president

A Dutch right-wing populist party set up by an ex-academic has renewed its attack on universities following its election victory, setting up a “hotline” for reports and videos of left-wing “indoctrination” by lecturers.

The antimulticulturalism, anti-European Union Forum for Democracy was launched as a political party in 2016 by 36-year-old former Leiden University law lecturer Thierry Baudet – a movement born from his Leiden PhD thesis, his former supervisor told Times Higher Education last week.

The Forum for Democracy gained more votes than any other party in provincial elections for the upper house of the Dutch parliament held on 20 March (although it only won 14.5 per cent of the vote).

Since the election, the party has provoked outrage among many in Dutch universities and condemnation from the education minister by setting up a “hotline” for “reporting indoctrination at schools and universities”, inviting videos and other evidence of supposed left-wing bias in teaching.

This followed Mr Baudet’s election victory speech, in which he said that “civilisation” was being destroyed “by the people who should protect us”. He went on to say: “We are undermined by our universities, by our journalists, by the people who receive our art grants and who design our buildings.”

The Forum for Democracy “hotline” has brought condemnation from a number of Dutch university presidents and rectors, although it is widely regarded as a political stunt.

Carel Stolker, Leiden’s rector magnificus and president, said in a tweet that the hotline was “idiotic” and an attempt to attract attention. Universities were among the world’s most enduring institutions, he said.

Martin Paul, president of Maastricht University, told Times Higher Education: “Although I am generally not getting nervous about political soundbites, the recent statement of Mr Baudet that universities are a sort of ‘enemy of the people’ needs to be corrected.

“Also, the action of his party to create a ‘hotline for reporting indoctrination at school and universities’ goes against everything we stand for: free speech, tolerance, openness and respect for each other. As academic communities, we need to take a strong stand against anybody who is trying to undermine our academic principles.”

Earlier this year, THE reported that academics around the world were increasingly facing threats of secret recording and denunciation online by their own students, as tactics used by far-right activists in the US have been taken up in nations including Germany, Brazil and Hungary.

An open letter circulated among Dutch university staff expresses alarm “at the recent actions and statements” of the Forum for Democracy and Mr Baudet.

“Given the strong interest Baudet expresses in dismissing climate science and promoting history based on national pride, it is clear that this initiative is not genuinely interested in reducing bias in academic institutions,” says the letter. “Rather, it is interested in selectively discounting knowledge that does not fit its political and ideological aims.”

The letter urges Dutch academics to unite in making clear that “our society will not tolerate any political infringement on the freedom to conduct critical academic research and education”.

Publicație : The Times

Norway-plus plan for UK’s post-Brexit super-university unveiled

Brexit uncertainty could see several top UK universities relocate to a windblown North Sea island, Times Higher Education understands

Plans to move some of the UK’s top universities to a little-known North Sea island to circumvent post-Brexit restrictions on accessing European research funding have faced a mixed reception from academics.

With the UK’s involvement in Horizon Europe still undecided thanks to deadlock in Westminster over the Prime Minister’s withdrawal agreement, it has emerged that several leading universities are in advanced talks about relocation plans that would enable them to remain part of the EU’s €100 billion (£85 billion) research framework.

While Universities UK was believed to favour a move to the French Riviera, most institutions are said to back the “Norway-plus-plus option”, which would see leading institutions set up shop on the remote Norwegian island of Olegunnarsøya, which is exactly midway between Bergen and Newcastle in the North Sea’s Dogger area.

Under the top-secret plan revealed today by Times Higher Education, several Russell Group universities would move research laboratories to the storm-blasted island and join forces in a bid to take on the mighty Crick Institute in London, which itself may also move to the rocky outpost.

Several Oxbridge colleges have also indicated that they are willing to move their historic landmarks – including King’s College Chapel and the Bridge of Sighs – to the island to help their dons feel more at home in the desolate environment.

Thousands of students could also be based on the island, with the opportunities for whale watching and kite surfing believed to be a strong draw for many would-be undergraduates.

It is not yet known whether the handful of top universities involved in the deal would remain separate or merge to form a new UK “super-university” – but it is understood that Theresa May has expressed an interest in becoming its first vice-chancellor after leaving Downing Street.

“Adapting to the changing political and economic landscape has always been crucial for the success of UK universities, so this move is really nothing out of the ordinary for UK higher education,” explained Håvin Olaf, the billionaire Norwegian financier who is masterminding the project, which he hopes will increase UK-Norway research collaboration.

“Norway gives a Christmas tree to London each year, so donating an island to start this kind of bilateral project is many ways the logical step for the UK and our country,” he said.

Some academics have, however, reacted angrily to the idea of working in the middle of the North Sea, despite a proposed high-speed underwater commuter shuttle built by Elon Musk meaning they could live on the British mainland or next to a Norwegian fjord.

“Moving to the island certainly has some appeal given the importance of European Research Council funding, but I would need a cast-iron guarantee that the local seal community and famously friendly puffin colonies would not be put at risk by the arrival of several thousand academics and PhD students,” said Avril Foole, senior lecturer in kinesiology at Manchester Medway University.

Publicație : The Times

Engage internationally to boost brand recognition, Chinese universities told

More joint papers would ‘spread the word about China’s strengths’, summit hears

Faint global recognition is denying Chinese universities the profile that their research achievements warrant, the inaugural Times Higher Education China universities summit has heard.

THE chief knowledge officer Phil Baty said research reputation was the only indicator in which China’s standing had declined in what was otherwise a stellar year for the country’s rankings performance, with the number of globally ranked Chinese institutions soaring to 72 and Beijing’s Tsinghua University seizing top place in Asia.

Mr Baty said China’s challenge was exemplified in conflicting views about the frontrunners’ strengths, which were perceived differently at home and abroad.

In THE’s reputation survey, Tsinghua and five other top universities – Peking, Zhejiang, Shanghai Jiao Tong, Fudan and the University of Science and Technology of China – had garnered international votes mainly for their engineering and technology and physical sciences programmes, and to a lesser extent their business and economics.

Chinese academics, on the other hand, often rated them more highly for their arts and humanities or social sciences. Mr Baty said the lack of international recognition for these disciplines partly reflected the difficulty Chinese HASS researchers faced in publishing their work in English language journals.

But it also raised questions over whether these universities could “work harder to tell their story”, he said. “Even big global names like Tsinghua and Běidà [Peking] are still dependent on votes from inside Asia.”

This differed from “superbrand” universities like Harvard, which garnered more votes from Asia than its home continent of North America.

Mr Baty said China lagged much of the world on the proportion of staff and students from abroad, and the percentage of papers written with international co-authors – a metric in which China ranked second last among 27 countries. This isolated Chinese universities from the “virtuous circle” of internationalisation.

“Collaboration enhances your footprint, your name recognition, the understanding of your work,” he said. “Better reputation enhances your ranking position, which then enhances your opportunities to collaborate internationally and attract international talent.”

He said a worldwide rise in internationally co-authored papers – part of a deliberate strategy to “build capacity through partnership” – had largely bypassed China, where the growth had been “quite modest”.

“China’s been building capacity more through extremely strong domestic investment,” Mr Baty said.

He said the East Asian giant had “huge potential” to capitalise on its rapidly improving citations, particularly by ramping up its joint international publications – a trend already taking place “organically”.

“At a strategic level, [administrators] can support active outreach and build relationships with new universities,” he said. “But you can’t replace the organic sense of supporting your scholars in reaching out and trying to make new contacts within their fields – attending international conferences and making sure there are opportunities to share data and research.

“The questions is not how to do it; it’s how quickly it can be done. The drive is already there.”

 Publicație : The Times

Important:

• Revista presei conţine fragmente preluate, fără nici o modificare, din articolele despre învăţământul superior ce apar în presa locală, regională şi naţională.
• Revista presei este o reflectare imparţială a presei educaţionale, cu misiunea clară de a prezenta noutăţile şi ştirile cu adevarat importante pentru mediul academic.
• Universitatea "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" atrage atenţia că nu îşi asumă responsabilitatea pentru corectitudinea informaţiilor apărute în presă, redate pe această pagina exact în forma în care au aparut în publicaţiile respective.
• Responsabilitatea juridică pentru conţinutul articolelor aparţine în totalitate autorilor acestora (sursei).

Serviciul de monitorizare a presei

Realizator: Dr. Bogdan Baghiu
Contact: promovare@uaic.ro