NEAR Newsletter October 2008

Welcome to the NEAR Newsletter. In this edition you will find our most recent Action Alerts and also an ‘Academic Freedom in the Media’ section, listing news by country (October 2008). Any comments and suggestions about the content and layout of the newsletter will be gratefully received at roisin.joyce@nearinternational.org.

Academic Freedom in the Media *By country, taken from the NEAR website

Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Attacks deprive 300,000 students of education
IRIN News, 07/10/2008

Australia

Academic freedom: exit, far left
The Sydney Morning Herald, 21/10/2008

Cambodia

Cambodia's higher education dreams confront reality
Macau Daily Times, 21/10/2008

Egypt

Student denied university housing as punishment for opinions expressed on his blog
IFEX, 27/10/2008

Iran

Iran: Arrest of teachers attending a union meeting
Education International, 01/10/2008

An Arrest in Iran
Inside Higher Education, 24/10/2008

Iranian women: fighting for the right to learn
Radio Netherlands Worldwide, 24/10/2008

Israel / Palestine

Foreign Academics Protest Denial of Visas to Attend Health Conference in Gaza
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 27/10/2008

Italy

Italian streets hit by protests
BBC News, 30/10/2008

Morocco

Schoolboy Jailed for Failing to Respect the King
IFEX, 27/10/2008

New Zealand

University 'committed to academic freedom'
Waikato Times, New Zealand, 07/10/2008

Nigeria

Students protest against exorbitant exam fees
University World News, 26/10/2008

Rwanda

Rwanda: Global Higher Education Summit Opens
AllAfrica News, 23/10/2008

Somalia

Somalia: the end of education
Education International, 22/10/2008

Spain

Bomb Injures 28 at University in Northern Spain
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 30/10/2008

Sri Lanka

University fires employee for alleging provincial elections were rigged
IFEX, 10/10/2008

What is a university in SL now?
Dily Mirror Sri Lanka, 20/10/2008

Turkey

Philosophy course syllabus to have religious influences
Turkish Daily News, 04/10/2008

United Kingdom

Lecturers fear anti-terror laws
Times Higher Education, 02/10/2008

FoI documents reveal 'unfair promotion criteria'
Times Higher Education, 23/10/2008

Part-time study vital to UK's future economic success, review says
Times Higher Education, 23/10/2008

The brain drain leaving Britain 'vulnerable'
The Independent, 30/10/2008

United States of America

US: Poor students miss out in some universities
University World News, 05/10/2008

Putting What Works to Better Use
Inside Higher Education, 06/10/2008

Two Wins for Illinois Professors
Inside Higher Education, 07/10/2008

Security Threat or Political Threat?
Inside Higher Education, 20/10/2008

When Academic Freedom Lost its Meaning
The Wall Street Journal, 24/10/2008

Academic Freedom Under Many Assaults
Inside Higher Education, 31/10/2008

Zambia

Zambia: Lecturers' Pay Settled - For Now
AllAfrica News, 21/10/2008

Zimbabwe

Teachers' Unions Write-off 2008 As Academic Year
Zimbabwe Standard, 04/10/2008

The Network for Education and Academic Rights (NEAR) is a membership-based, non-governmental organisation which facilitates international collaboration between organisations active in issues of academic freedom and educational rights, and committed to promoting an understanding of, and respect for, the values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

For more information about NEAR, please visit our website at www.nearinternational.org

For further information please contact:-

Roisin Joyce
Deputy Director
roisin.joyce@nearinternational.org