Blog

I can hardly believe it, but the ACU’s HR in HE Community, formerly the Human Resource Management (HRM) Network, is now in its 15th year of existence! I was present when the very first Steering Committee met way back in July 2002 in Trinidad and Tobago, and we launched the network the following year. During that first meeting, new Steering Committee members presented papers on HR in HE in their respective countries and ...

With London hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) this week, all eyes have been on the Commonwealth. Over the last two weeks every newspaper in the UK has offered their thoughts on the value of the Commonwealth – is it merely an outmoded relic of empire? Most have viewed the issue through UK eyes, asking questions like can the Commonwealth offer the UK its trading future post-Brexit? And will Prince ...

'As long as we invest in young people they will innovate in ways we never imagined...' – Bill Gates, speaking at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2018. The Commonwealth's youth have been in the spotlight this week, with a three-day Youth Forum taking place at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), and HRH Prince Harry taking up the mantle of Youth Ambassador. And with good reason: 60% of the ...

After a year in post as Secretary General, and a few days ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), this seems a good time to reflect on the role of universities in the world and how the ACU – as the voice of higher education across the Commonwealth – is making a difference. Debates about education funding often focus on the necessity to focus on primary and secondary levels. But as we know, without ...

Attracting and retaining faculty is a key strategic concern for universities, as a university’s most valuable intellectual asset – its faculty – is responsible for teaching the next generation and conducting research that enhances their institution’s profile and revenue. Staff recruitment and retention is particularly pressing for Commonwealth countries facing staff shortages due to ageing workforces and ...

In February 2018 ACU Secretary General, Dr Joanna Newman, and the ACU Membership team travelled to Canberra, Australia, to attend the Universities Australia (UA) Higher Education Conference 2018. As the representative body for all of Australia's 39 comprehensive universities, the UA conference was a great opportunity to meet our Australian members and also connect with other Australian universities who are not members of the ACU. ...

Last month, the 20th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (20CCEM) took place in Fiji – the ACU took a delegation of vice-chancellors and students to 20CCEM to represent the diversity of our membership. Ahinvar Peralta, a Commonwealth Scholar from Belize who studied for a Master's at the University of the South Pacfic in Fiji was a part of this delegation, representing students/youth views to ministers from across ...

Last month, the 20th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (20CCEM) took place in Fiji – the ACU took a delegation of vice-chancellors and students to 20CCEM to represent the diversity of our membership. Waradas Thiyagaraja, a Commonwealth Scholar studying at the University of Bath, UK, was a part of this delegation, representing students/youth views to ministers from across the Commonwealth. We spoke to Waradas to ...

Last month, the 20th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (20CCEM) took place in Fiji - the ACU took a delegation of vice-chancellors and students, to represent our diverse membership. Caitlyn McGeer, a Commonwealth Scholar studying at the University of Oxford, UK was a part of this delegation, representing students/youth views. We spoke to Caitlyn to find out how attending 20CCEM has impacted on her. I was ...

On 8 June 2016, the University of Bristol announced the launch of the 'Sanctuary Scholarship scheme', which provides access to higher education for forced migrants facing major barriers to accessing education. In doing so, Bristol joined a cohort of likeminded universities seeking to provide space and sanctuary for those forced to flee their countries of origin. At present, for example, there are approximately 40 universities in the ...