CSEND chaired an expert panel and gave two papers during an International Seminar on the Development of Higher Education and Financing Policies co-organised by OECD, Paris and the Ministry of Education, Beijing, China July 2004. Papers presented were on "The link between higher education and employability" (Raymond Saner) and "Quality Evaluation in a Diversified Higher Education System (Lichia Saner-Yiu).
Bolivia is a country with contradictory trends which have often led to violent disputes about distrubution of wealth and reduction of poverty versus upholding of market based principles and legal framework. At the extreme, there are two ideological positions which appear totally incompatible that is socialist versus neoliberal policies. For more than 10 years, Bolivia followed IMF inspired financial, fiscal, trade and economic policies but did not improve its poverty nor did it manage to graduate from being a heavily-indebted poor country (HIPC). The new approach by Bolivia's new president, Mr. Evo Morales, appears to focus on redistribution policies following the examples of Cuba and Venezuela at the risk of loosing opportunities to make full use of its economic, energy and trade potential. CSEND has been involved in capacity building projects at government level in Bolivia at the beginning of the new millenium. The argument put forward by CSEND's publication below is that Bolivia does not have to choose between two extremes - socialism versus neoliberal capitalism- but should rather explore alternative options which could help it achieve both reduction of poverty while at the same time being an active partner in the world economy.
A documentary of the life of a diplomat abroad.
Sie dürfen ungestraft falsch parken, genießen Immunität und bewegen sich im feinen Zwirn elegant im Glanz der High Society. Soweit das Vorurteil über Diplomaten. Doch die Wirklichkeit sieht anders aus. Diplomaten machen einen harten Job. Sie repräsentieren Deutschland in aller Welt, bauen Brücken zwischen den Kulturen und helfen Krisen vermeiden. Für die ARD-Dokumentation 'Traumjob Diplomat - Alltag in Deutschlands Botschaften' gewähren zwei Botschafter seltene Einblicke in das Leben, das sich hinter den Toren ihrer Residenzen abspielt. www.ardmediathek.de
English Translation
You may park your car wrongly with impunity, enjoy immunity and move elegantly in fine attire in high society. Such are the prejudices many people have about diplomats. However, reality is quite different. The job of diplomats is tough and demanding. They represent Germany in the world, build bridges between cultures and help prevent crises. For the ARD documentary 'dream job Diplomat - documenting everyday life of two German ambassadors in their respective Germany embassy provides insights into their lives which takes place behind the gates of their residences. www.ardmediathek.de)