Britain's population will hit 72.4 million by 2050. A UN report found its status as top destination in Europe for migrants will soon cause its population to overtake Germany's, making it the most peopled country in the EU.

Century Films, an award winning TV Company, is developing a new documentary about members of the African Diaspora who are returning to the Continent.

If you are a currently living in the UK and are either thinking about or are in the process of re-locating then we would like to hear from you. For an informal chat about your plans for the future or to simply find out more about the documentary, please e-mail Rob Miller:  robert.miller@centuryfilmsltd.com

With a $50,000 Building Education grant from Siemens Building Technologies, Inc., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will begin to launch a timely series of coursework and other programs designed to seed and foster academic excellence in professional disciplines associated with architectural/engineering and building energy management through its College of Engineering. A portion of the grant will also be used to fund three $5,000 scholarships for incoming freshman entering the College of Engineering. Siemens Building Technologies Building Education program is active nationwide supporting STEM initiatives and green curricula development. The goal is to provide students opportunities that will lead to careers in energyr-elated fields, including environmental and energy engineering as well as 21st century green technician jobs. The program partners with professional and philanthropic organizations such as the Association for Career Technical Education and the Ford Motor Company Fund.

IBM announced that it has ranked #3 overall on the 100 Best Corporate Citizens List, outranking all other information technology companies on the list. The annual list is published by the Corporate Responsibility Officer (CRO) Magazine. CRO's 100 Best Corporate Citizens List is the only such list based on 100% publicly-available information and ranks Russell 1000 companies on their performance in seven key areas: Environment, Climate Change, Human Rights, Philanthropy, Employee Relations, Financial and Governance. IBM's 2007-2008 Corporate Responsibility Report was issued in November reflecting how social and business strategies are connected and integrated and includes performance and results in the areas of governance, supply chain, environmental performance, employment policies and practices, client solutions and community engagements.

The Recession Poll is a survey of 2,000 established London small and medium sized enterprise (SME) owners on how they are coping with the recession and plan to manage their business during 2009. According to the poll, London's small and medium businesses are finding it harder to battle through the recession with 63% of those surveyed reporting that the recession had affected their business (up from 48% in October 2008). The most commonly cited difficulties were falling sales (52%); decreasing turnover (29%); and having less access to finance (9%). However, 58% of those surveyed are not only optimistic about weathering the storm – they're actively planning to grow their business during 2009. Most businesses that planned to grow want to do so aggressively by: seeking out new business opportunities (46%); offering new products and services (20%); and targeting new geographical markets (9%). London's SME owners are refusing to get bogged down in the doom and gloom – even as the recession begins to bite. More small and medium businesses are feeling better equipped to survive the recession than their larger counterparts - 73% of businesses now, compared with 53% in October 2008.

Recruiter Magazine reports that the public sector is now the second biggest employer of accountancy contractors in the UK. Research, from contract services provider Giant Group, shows 37% of accountancy contractors are employed by the government. This is up from 34% in the last quarter. Overall the public sector accounts for 19.5% of the UK workforce.

A new website has been launched to help third sector groups overcome the recession. Umbrella organisation the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) has unveiled their Recession Support portal in a bid to provide groups with the practical advice and guidance they need to emerge through the economic downturn. The website, which is free to use and also available to non-members of ACEVO, includes various guides written by a range of experts covering key topics such as finance, management and career development. It will also include the latest recession news, along with links to other useful organisations, sector events and training courses. For further information about the new portal, visit the Recession Support website

The Coca-Cola Company has announced that it has committed US $30MM over the next six years to provide access to safe drinking water to communities throughout Africa through its Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN). Implemented by The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, RAIN will provide at least 2 million Africans with clean water and sanitation by 2015. According to the World Health Organization, more than 300 million Africans lack access to safe drinking water, and millions of them die each year from preventable waterborne illnesses. Up to half of the region's population at any one time suffers from diseases related to unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation. The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation currently has water projects in 19 African countries – Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Cote d' Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia – reaching over 300,000 people. These water projects are all implemented in partnership with local communities in each country. They also contribute to The Coca-Cola Company's aspirational water stewardship goal of returning to communities and to nature an amount of water equivalent to what we use in all of our beverages and their production.

The 1975 Equal Pay Act is "no longer fit for purpose" according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The body is calling for radical reform of the act, including obliging larger companies to publish the number of men and women in each pay band to help identify segregation in workplaces and underlying reasons for the pay gap. It also wants to ban “gagging” clauses so employees are allowed to discuss their pay. Equal pay laws are almost exclusively reliant on individual women bringing lengthy and costly tribunal cases when they experience discrimination, a system that produces more conflict than change, the EHRC said. The commission has also published a guide for employers on high-risk pay systems - the types of scenarios that are increasingly ending up in court – and how to avoid them.

African Caribbean people affected by cancer in Lambeth, Newham and Hackney are being invited to become awareness volunteers for The Prostate Cancer Charity and help to spread the word about their increased risk of developing the disease. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, and risk increases with age. However, African Caribbean men are three times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than white men. To recognise this fact, The Prostate Cancer Charity has appointed a specialist project manager to work within the African Caribbean community to raise awareness of the disease and to train Community Champions to spread the word. Sarah Toule is looking for African Caribbean men who have experienced prostate cancer and their partners and friends, to step forward and give talks to others in the three boroughs. The Older and Wiser project will launch to coincide with the Charity’s first ever Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, which will involve thousands of people across the UK joining forces to raise awareness of the disease. African Caribbean men who would like to be involved in the Charity’s volunteer programme, are invited to contact Sarah Toule at Sarah.Toule@prostate-cancer.org.uk or on 020 8222 7149. For general queries about prostate cancer, call The Prostate Cancer Charity's confidential Helpline 0800 074 8383.

Female entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland are urged to get a helping hand in growing their business by signing up to take part in a free support scheme. Fully funded by Invest Northern Ireland, the Booster Programme will involve a series of workshops, seminars and networking events, as well as offering six days intensive training covering a range of key business topics, including marketing, exporting and leadership. The initiative, to be managed by women’s enterprise experts YTKO, aims to provide female entrepreneurs with the skills, confidence and know-how they need to take their business ideas to the next level. The Booster Programme is available to female entrepreneurs that meet a range of criteria, including: own (or 50% own) a business that has been trading for at least 18 months that has an annual turnover above £100,000 (with the potential to be above £250,000 within three years), are involved in manufacturing or the tradable services sector, are ambitious, committed to learning and developing their skills, and applying their learning experience to accelerate the growth of their business. For further information about the Booster Programme and to register an interest in taking part, visit the Enterprising Women website.

The Welsh strand of a major £12.5 million match fund aiming to encourage female entrepreneurship has been launched. Finance Wales, the Assembly Government's investment arm, will manage the Aspire Fund – a risk-capital scheme investing in high-growth, women-led businesses. Provided across the UK by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, the Government is making £12.5 million available to match fund other private sector co-investors. Female entrepreneurs with viable business ideas can apply for commercial investments ranging between £100,000 and £2 million. The fund is available to businesses that have an attractive and viable business proposition, already have a private sector co-investor in place, have 30% or more female representation at board or senior executive team level and are more than 30% owned by women (excluding third-party investors, such as venture capital funds and business angels). For further information about the Welsh strand of the Aspire Fund, visit the Finance Wales website.

Unemployment rates have spiked higher for Latinos and Blacks in the USA than whites during the current economic crisis, reports The Associated Press (AP). Since December 2007, unemployment for Blacks has risen 4.5 points to 13.4 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. During that same period, unemployment for whites has increased only 2.9 points to 7.3 percent. Part of the reason Black and Latino jobless rates are high is because they are concentrated in industries that have been hard hit by the economy, such as construction and service sectors. Blacks also didn't reap as much benefit as whites from the economic boom times. Unemployment rates for Blacks have been double that of whites since the government began tracking the rates by race in the 1970s. Latinos and Blacks in white-collar professions are also feeling the pain, mainly because they are often newer arrivals to those professions than their white counterparts, according to the AP.

Charities and community groups across the UK and Ireland can scoop a helping hand with getting to grips with the internet by entering a long-running competition. Established in 2000, BT’s Connecting Communities Awards can provide successful entrants with a brand new laptop computer and free broadband connection for a year. The scheme aims to tackle digital exclusion and increase the opportunities for people to use IT and the internet. A BT survey carried out last year discovered that 33% of people in the UK are “digitally excluded” by having no access to computers or the internet. The awards are open to entries from any UK or Ireland-based charity or community organisation that can show how improving IT and internet access will benefit their local area. Social enterprises, Community Interest Groups or profit-making bodies are ineligible. A new category has also been introduced this year, with up to five organisations encouraged to team up and apply for a Cluster Award, which aims to enhance networking and collaborations between local groups. As well as each participant receiving a free laptop and one year's broadband connection, Cluster Awards will also offer packages of specialist equipment, such as digital cameras and printers, along with a range of online support and advice. For further information about the scheme, visit the BT Community Connections website.

A new £4 million fund has been launched to help charities, community groups and social enterprises in England successfully bid for public service contracts. Futurebuilders England’s Cashflow Fund will offer short-term support, including bridging loans, reserves cover and overdraft guarantees, to third sector organisations interested in bidding for a share of the £20 billion worth of contracts predicted to be made available over the next two years. Tailored funding packages ranging from £50,000 will be available to help groups cover the short-term cashflow needs – or developmental capital – they require to bid for, and subsequently win, contracting opportunities. The Cashflow Fund is open to applicants that are a third sector organisation that is based in, or mainly benefits, people living in England. The £4 million will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, with interested organisations urged to get in touch with Futurebuilders England and discuss their ideas as soon as possible.

Some of the best business brains in Scotland are set to help the voluntary and community sector become more enterprising. The Scottish Government has awarded £186,200 for a consortium to provide mentoring and one-on-one skills development for third sector staff. The group, comprising the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, Forth Sector, Edinburgh Business Development and the Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), will offer assistance to a broad range of organisations, including social enterprises, credit unions, community groups and charities. Announcing the initiative at a conference on "Creating a Sustainable Third Sector" in Edinburgh, Finance Secretary John Swinney claimed that a thriving voluntary and community sector could play a vital role in helping Scotland overcome the economic downturn.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has revealed that a new programme will launch next month to help innovative businesses increase their export capabilities. The £3.5 million Gateway to Global Growth initiative will offer specialist, tailored financial and legal advice, enabling firms to overcome the economic downturn by taking advantage of overseas market opportunities. Mr Brown announced the scheme, which is aiming to support more than 1,200 companies over the next two years, at a special summit with 100 of the UK's biggest exporters. He told them that companies which export tended to be "more resilient" in a downturn, pointing to figures from December's SME Business Barometer Survey which revealed that 42% of exporters had increased their turnover in the past 12 months, compared to 23% overall. The new programme, he said, will be an important tool to help businesses now as they make the most of the opportunities we know are still out there. The £3.5 million Gateway to Global Growth started operating from April, helping SMEs to access foreign markets where they see potential for their business.

In 1987, the World Bank, with funding from the Government of Japan, established the World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (WBGSP) for graduate studies in subjects related to economic development. Each year, the Program awards scholarships to individuals from World Bank member countries to undertake graduate studies at renowned universities throughout member countries of the Bank. To apply for a JJ/WBGSP scholarship under the Regular Program, an applicant must be a national of a World Bank member country eligible to borrow, have at least 2 years of recent full time professional experience acquired after a university degree, in the applicant's home country or in another developing country and hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent. Eligible applicants should propose a program of study related to development at the master's level, in fields such as economics, health, education, agriculture, environment, natural resource management, or other development. The proposed program of study should start during the academic year 2008/2009 for a maximum duration of two years. For more information and an application see: (http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/WBI/
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The non-profit Center for Sustainable Innovation (CSI) has announced the release of a new model for measuring and reporting corporate sustainability performance. Referred to as the True Sustainability Index(TM) (TSI), CSI's model consists of only 15 indicators that sustainability managers can use to assess the full triple bottom line performance of organizations. SRI professionals and third-party analysts will also find the TSI useful in their attempts to understand, rate and rank the sustainability performance of organizations as a basis for making investment decisions. Unlike other sustainability indexes, the TSI is made up of metrics that are context-based, meaning that they express organizational performance relative to actual social and environmental conditions in the world. Water consumption, for example, is measured against renewable supplies; solid wastes are measured against landfill capacities; and impacts on social and economic conditions are measured against societal needs. The model released is an early prototype – an 80-percent solution – and remains a work in progress.

Olympic Champion Ed Moses and leading healthcare attorney Joy Stephenson have launched Mojo Marketing & Media, the first entertainment company whose mission is to encourage people to develop their personal social conscience, take action and get involved in making a positive difference in the lives of others. Mojo combines the power of entertainment with the immediacy of interactive experience in creating socially-responsible marketing vehicles that raise awareness for charities. Mojo is an outgrowth of its founders' experience in healthcare, charity, sports and entertainment and stems from their commitment to increase social responsibility and community involvement via creative avenues. Mojo will produce original, compelling family-friendly content – including music, movies, sports, docudramas, concerts and reality-based content – that spreads the word about what organizations can do for communities and individuals and what communities and individuals can do for these organizations. Mojo is especially relevant now as charities face an ever-growing demand for their services at a time when some are being forced to close their doors. All Mojo productions are charity neutral and offer viewers and participants a way to get immediately involved in socially-responsible organizations or causes in their own communities and beyond. Mojo will work with a wide array of charities, depending on the focus and location of the project, and all charities will be screened to ensure they are organized for the public benefit and recognized as such by the IRS.

Two hundred of IBM's future leaders from nearly 40 countries will participate for international assignments to emerging markets in 2009 as part of the company's Corporate Service Corps program, part of the Global Citizen's Portfolio initiative. Now in its second year, IBM's so-called "corporate Peace Corps" is sending teams of employees to nine emerging countries to work on projects that intersect economic development and information technology. In 2009, IBM is sending participants for the first time to Brazil, China, Malaysia and South Africa and will return to Ghana, the Philippines, Romania, Tanzania and Vietnam. The assignments are being selected to use the skills IBM employees possess in areas such as information technology, business consulting, marketing, finance and supply chain management. According to Stanley S. Litow, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs, IBM, "The Corporate Service Corps helps high-potential employees develop smarter leadership skills while engaging organizations in emerging markets and helping them grow their business. Not only do participants learn first-hand how business is done in local communities, but they share what they know with colleagues back home and gain a personal understanding of what it means to be a global citizen." Last year, the Corporate Service Corps worked on 36 projects that helped local businesses, non-profit organizations and governmental institutions improve their use of new technologies and expand their global reach. The Corporate Service Corps groups IBM employees in teams of 8 to 10, representing dozens of different countries and business units. An important design point for the program is to provide high-performance employees the chance to build networks with people they might never interact with. This will also enable employees to bring different perspectives and expertise to solving problems, as well as encourage interaction with people from different cultural backgrounds and traditions. More than 5,000 high-potential employees applied for 200 openings in the program this year, making it one of the most competitive employee programs ever created.

A survey by budget hoteliers Travelodge has revealed that British workers, evidently more entrepreneurial than traditionally thought, are apparently swindling their bosses by more than £1bn a year, through making up false expense claims. Travelodge discovered that the typical worker manages to claim an extra £17 per month – that's £204 a year – through falsifying their expenses. Some of the more outrageous claims include a new motorbike, a private number plate for a BMW, hiring a private investigator to find evidence to start divorce proceedings, a pet hamster called Barry for the office, lap dancers and £1000 hair extensions. Further research findings identified a smug 43% of British workers believe swindling expense claims is a legitimate way of making extra cash and 45% of people said all their colleagues are 'doing it'. An astonishing 84% of those polled said they didn't feel guilty about inventing claims. Despite rampant claims fiddling, only eight per cent of employees have been caught and sacked for fiddling their expenses. A shocking 60% of managers have let their team members get away with making a false expense claim. The top three expense scams exposed by respondents were: ask for extra taxi receipts and use them to claim back false taxi transport, add extra mileage when submitting an expense claim; and use a cheap restaurant to entertain a business client and use an expensive restaurant for personal use. When submitting the claim use the expensive receipt.

A new study suggests that while women are contributing more to the bottom line in families with dual incomes, men are experiencing more conflict over work/life balance, USA Today reports. A total of 59 percent of fathers in dual-income families said jobs and family life interfere with each other, up from 35 percent in 1977, according to a telephone survey by the nonprofit Families and Work Institute. For mothers, reported conflict between family and work rose from 40 percent to 45 percent in the same time period. Sociologists attribute the jump in conflict experienced by men to the fact that men are now spending more time taking care of children. Conflict hasn't risen as fast for women, they say, because stress from juggling work and family was already high. The survey of 3,500 workers also showed that 60 percent of men and women disagreed with the idea that men should bring home the bacon while women should take care of the family. Woman are also adding more to a family's bottom line. The survey showed that the annual income contributed by women in two-income families rose to 44 percent in 2008. More than a quarter of those women earned 10 percent more than their partners.

A group of philanthropic organizations, including social venture funds, foundations, business assistance providers and international development firms, have announced the launch of a new economic development network that would increase investment in small and growing businesses in the developing world. Supporters of the network said poverty reduction would require expanded support for small business owners in emerging markets who are ineligible for smaller microfinance loans and are often overlooked by traditional sources of investment because their businesses are not yet big enough. Based in Washington, DC at the Aspen Institute, the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs has garnered the financial backing of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Citi Foundation, Google.org, The Lemelson Foundation, Omidyar Network, The Rockefeller Foundation, Shell Foundation and Skoll Foundation. To-date, thirty-five organizations have joined the network, which organizers said would collectively manage more than $750 million during the next five years. The creation of the network marked a major step forward in addressing a well-documented disparity between investment in small and growing businesses compared to other business sectors in emerging markets. According to research conducted for the network by Dalberg Global Development Advisors, the volume of loans made in both the microfinance and small-scale private equity sectors were each six times greater than those made within the small and growing business sector. "The developing world is currently missing out on an engine of job creation and economic growth because entrepreneurs are unable to access appropriate finance and business training," said Chris West, director of the Shell Foundation. "Through the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, we have the potential to change this situation - unlocking latent, much-needed entrepreneurial potential."

A new "equality standard" is being developed for the police to help increase public confidence in forces across England and Wales. Eleven forces, including the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police, will be piloting new diversity approaches, developed by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA), over the coming three months. The trials will then be analysed and incorporated into an equality standard that will be available to all forces by the end of the year. The standard is aimed at helping the police assess the extent to which they have developed beyond basic equality legislation compliance, improve ways of delivering services and make better use of skills and resources. There will be a particular focus on improving long-standing problems with the recruitment, retention and career progression of under-represented groups.

According to research by the Pew Center Charitable Trusts, one in every 15 Black men in America is incarcerated. When the study looked at Black men ages 20-34, the incarceration rate jumped 40 percent to 1 in every 9, compared to 1 in every 106 white men. Black Americans are more pessimistic about their futures, with just 44 percent expecting their lives to get better financially, compared with 57 percent back in 1986, according to the Pew Center poll. Thousands of Blacks and Latinos are foregoing much-needed medical attention in an effort to pull together dollars to save their homes and many have lost their jobs too. In 2006, at the height of subprime lending, 41 percent of Latino homebuyers and 48 percent of Black homebuyers signed on for subprime mortgages, compared with only 18 percent of white borrowers and 17 percent of Asian borrowers, according to ACORN. But all isn't lost. In 2007, the Black share of total buying power is 8.4 percent, up from 7.4 percent in 1990, according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth. This is expected to rise to 8.7 percent by 2012, which accounts for nine cents out of every dollar spent nationwide.

Female workers are being hit harder than ever before by the effects of the current downturn, a report suggests. A study by the TUC showed the redundancy rate among women had risen by 2.3%, almost double the rate for men, since last year. It said more women were in work and more households depended on a woman's wage than in previous downturns. It also found many job losses were occurring in retail and hospitality, where more women than men work. Meanwhile, a separate study by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development showed half of employers had launched recruitment freezes in a bid to avoid making redundancies, while a similar number were shedding temporary or agency workers. The survey of almost 900 employers revealed one in seven had introduced short-term working or cut bonuses, while 7% had trimmed wage costs.

The colour bar is still alive for those seeking jobs and a home, a disturbing undercover investigation has found. Out of 30 recruitment agencies contacted, 25 readily agreed to a request that only white applicants be sent along for a job as a receptionist. The investigation, carried out for BBC One’s Inside Out West, also found letting agents were willing to discriminate, with 17 out of 30 agreeing not to offer a house to anyone from an ethnic minority. Prof Tariq Modood of the Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship, said: "I'm surprised how many people were willing to go along with a very blatant suggestion of discrimination. Past surveys have tended to suggest maybe a third of people will discriminate and you have found that it is greater than that." Tom Hadley, of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation said: "It shows there's still a lot of work we need to do. We will not tolerate this kind of discriminatory behaviour."  Source: Metro

During this current recession, certain groups are being affected by job losses to a greater degree than others. A report from the U.S. Department of Labor has confirmed that Blacks are at the top of list of the most adversely affected, with an unemployment rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate for Hispanics was 9.7% and the rate for whites was 6.9%. The report also said adult men are losing jobs faster than women. The unemployment rate for adult men is 7.6% and the rate for adult women is 6.2%. Older Americans are also among the hardest hit by unemployment. The labor department report said that the unemployment rate for workers over 55 years of age was 12.8%. The trend during this downturn has been for employers to lay off older workers who earn higher salaries in favor of younger workers that they can pay less. Also, since the baby boomers approaching retirement make up a very large portion of the workforce, they have suffered a larger share of the job cuts across all industries. Taking these statistics into consideration, it may turn out that older Black men may be the group at greatest risk during this recession.

Bettertheworld.com, the world's first, effortless fundraising platform that provides tools to empower millions of people to raise money for charity simply by surfing the web, has been launched. The platform targets internet users who have no money to give to charity and charity supporters who want to do more. In less than two minutes, people can join through www.bettertheworld.com, download the tools, start raising money, and track the impact of their activities. The tools include a browser sidebar, and Google powered search toolbar, both of which seamlessly integrate to Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. According to the Association of Fundraising Professionals, 2009 is expected to be a very challenging year for fundraisers. Many charities are viewing 2009 as an opportunity to re-evaluate and capture the trend toward low cost, high engagement models supported by the use of online tools and programs. By partnering with leading global and local charities and foundations like the Habitat for Humanity, TakingITGlobal, Children's Miracle Network, United Way Toronto, CANFAR, SickKids Foundation, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, Better The World plans to deliver high quality programs that are well managed and executed in the field.

MicroPlace, a website that enables everyday people to invest in the world's working poor, has announced the launch of a new investment opportunity that offers a 5 percent return, a first in the microfinance investment industry for everyday investors. Through MicroPlace (www.microplace.com), anyone can make microfinance investments that lift people from poverty and offer a 5 percent rate of return. Investors don't have to compromise their financial goals to help people escape poverty. By visiting MicroPlace, people can invest as little as $20 and have the opportunity to earn 5 percent interest. With money market funds currently offering an average of 1 percent and the stock market yielding negative returns over the past year, MicroPlace investments offer a healthier return while simultaneously making a positive impact in the world. The 5 percent investment opportunity listed on MicroPlace is offered by MicroCredit Enterprises (www.mcenterprises.org), a nonprofit organization committed to reducing poverty by providing small loans to the working poor around the world. MicroCredit Enterprises currently finances microloans in 15 nations on four continents. Women are the recipient of 89 percent of its microloans. Microfinance has been recognized worldwide as a simple but powerful tool that enables the poor to pull themselves out of poverty. Most commonly, it involves making small loans – as little as $20 - to the working poor in developing countries. The loans are used to establish or expand small businesses that generate additional income for the family, enabling them to buy food, access healthcare, educate their children, put aside savings and lay the foundation for a better future.

The economic downturn has created a new north-south divide – only this time the tables are turned, with small London firms hit harder than those in any other region. Almost three-quarters of London's small and medium-sized enterprises saw sales fall or stagnate in the fourth quarter of 2008, a study of almost 1,300 firms found. Small firms also suffered in the south-east, south-west and the West Midlands. But Scotland and the north-east fared better than other regions, with many SME's still growing.

Almost a quarter (24%) of British employees went to work in January despite feeling too unwell to do so, according to a survey by the TUC. Of these, 28% said that they did so because they didn’t want to let down their colleagues. Only 12% of the 1,389 respondents said that they had never gone to work when they felt too ill. The TUC said that the survey "paints a very different picture of sickness absence from the caricature that British workers are always taking bogus 'sickies' and stay home at first sign of a sniffle". It also pointed to CBI research showing that sickness absence has been falling steadily: in 1998 workers took an average of 8.5 days off sick a year. Last year 6.7 days was the average figure.  Source: CIPD

Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin. Votes from its financial services readership resulted in the list of the Top 100 firms in the global financial markets by hereisthecity.com. The Top 10 includes (last year's Top 32 positions in brackets): 2. Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, 3(2). UBS, 4(1). Merrill Lynch, 5(12). Barclays Group, 6(4). Credit Suisse, 7(3). Nomura, 8(7). Bank of America, 9. TIAA-Cref, 10(5). Aviva Investors.  Source:  hereisthecity.com

The Siemens Foundation has announced the winners of the 2009 Siemens Teacher Scholarships in collaboration with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). The program provides recognition and financial support to students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) who plan to become science or math teachers. Many Siemens Teacher Scholars gain their first interactive classroom teaching experience through the Siemens Foundation's Siemens Science Day program, a nationwide initiative in partnership with Discovery Education that has reached more than 50,000 elementary and middle school students since its inception in 2006. By participating in Siemens Science Days, Siemens Teacher Scholars are able to share their passion for math and science and gain a unique and concrete teaching experience.

A new fund offering assistance for Midlands-based businesses to train and up-skill their staff is accepting applications. First mooted before Christmas, the University of Derby is now inviting local firms to register their interest in the £250,000 Skills Development Fund. The programme, which is financed by a windfall received as a result of the Government’s 2.5% cut in VAT, will enable companies from across the Midlands to sign their staff up to undertake skills development and training courses at the University. It can also offer participating businesses in-depth consultancy worth up to £3,000 to help identify what areas of training would be most beneficial to them. The Skills Development Fund is available to businesses that are operating, or have considerable presence, in the Midlands, are a VAT-registered commercial business or voluntary organisation and are not in receipt of any other public funding or training. Participating SMEs (under 249 employees) are required to guarantee that at least two of their staff will undertake training, while larger companies (250 or more employees) must commit at least ten of their workers to the scheme. Interested businesses are asked to contact University of Derby Corporate, the institution's business-to-business operating division, and arrange a company visit to discuss what courses may be suitable for their staff members to undertake and determine what level of funding may be available to them. The deadline for signing up to take part in the programme is 30 April 2009.

Small firms can scoop a big prize package including up to £25,000 worth of new computer equipment if they can show how using IT has improved their performance. Entries are invited for this year’s Dell Small Business Excellence Awards, a global competition run across 13 countries by computer giant Dell Corporation Limited. Up to ten finalists in each participating country will get a Dell laptop worth £1,000, while the overall national winners will receive £15,000 worth of Dell products and support services, along with a ten-year membership of an Accredited Chamber of Commerce. The overall global winner will scoop £25,000 worth of Dell products and business support, along with lifelong membership to the International Council for Small Businesses. The awards are open to entries from any business that employs 100 or fewer staff. Participating firms are required to demonstrate how they have used IT to deliver a "superior customer experience" against criteria including : Innovative use of IT (20%) and How IT has led to better customer experience (40%).Interested companies can enter the contest online at the Dell website up to the closing date of 3 April.

Half a million pounds is being made available to fund skills training for West Midlands workers and businesses hit by the recession. Staffordshire University has launched their new Working Futures Fund, which will offer up to £3,000 to help people that have been made redundant, or whose jobs are under threat, to gain new skills and qualifications. The scheme has been funded by the windfall generated by UK Chancellor Alistair Darling's 2.5% cut in the rate of VAT last November. The university is believed to be one of only two educational establishments in the entire country to use to reinvest the cash in providing retraining. The £3,000 per person funding can be used to undertake a wide range of business-related courses at the university, including business leadership, management skills, public service leadership and counselling skills. For further information about the Working Futures Fund, contact Staffordshire University's Business Evolution team on 01782 294178 or email  c.watson@staffs.ac.uk

The EU directive on temporary agency workers should not be implemented in the UK until 2011, despite the plight of agency workers in the recession, employers groups have warned. The controversial legislation, which will entitle agency workers to some of the same basic employment rights as permanent workers after 12 weeks' employment, would have given some protection to agency workers laid off in recent weeks. But Kevin Green, chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, said that the legislation needed to be framed in such a way that firms should not be deterred from hiring agency workers in the first place. The Agency Work Commission's report recommends limiting the scope of equal treatment for agency workers to basic salary and other statutory rights and ensuring the 12-week qualifying period is easy to administer. It also states that highly skilled workers, who aren't in the group of "vulnerable" workers that the law is designed to protect, should be excluded from the regulations to ease the administrative burden.

A major year-long consultation into the future of UK third sector funding has been officially launched. Umbrella body the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) has revealed the eleven individuals tasked with exploring how the voluntary and community sectors can overcome the recession and look forward to a sustainable long-term future. The new Funding Commission will be headed up by former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England Rachel Lomax. The Commission will consult widely on how the voluntary and community sector can rise to the economic challenges and move towards a more securely funded longer- term future.

To encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa, EMRC and the Rabobank Foundation have collaborated in initiating the "Project Incubator Award". During EMRC's Africa Finance & Investment Forum 2008 in Paris, The Rabobank Foundation awarded the $10.000 prize to MUPECI, a microfinance institution from Cameroon. The next Project Incubator award will be next presented at EMRC's Agribusiness 2009 forum to be held in Cape Town, South Africa form the 14th to the 17th of June. The fund for the prize has been increased to US$15.000 and there will be 2 additional runner ups awards. The deadline for applications is the 10th of May. For further information on all the projects presented for the latest edition of the award please visit our website or contact us directly through Caterina Giuliano (cg@emrc.be).

The fifth Africa-Israel Economic Mission 2009 will be held from the 3rd to the 7th of May. This vocational trip will once again couple public and private sectors partners from Africa and Israel. Guided visits will include tours of greenhouses, drip-irrigation systems, solar energy plants, dairy and poultry farms as well as aquaculture sites. Biotechnology applications in agriculture will also be examined. This visit is organised in collaboration with Agritech (the International Exhibition for Technology in Agriculture), Mashav (The Israeli Centre for International Cooperation), CINADCO (Centre for International Agricultural Development Cooperation), the Israel-Africa Chamber of Commerce and the Israel Export & International Cooperation Institute. For further information please contact Francois Kacen:  fk@emrc.be

An annual business planning competition aimed at encouraging and rewarding new or early-stage science and technology ventures is open to entries. The Technium Challenge offers a prize package worth £30,000 to the overall winner, including £5,000 in cash, £5,000 worth of rent at a Technium facility, and £1,000 worth of consultancy and marketing support. The UK-wide contest, provided by the Welsh Assembly Government-backed business incubation network Technium, is open to technology or science-based businesses that have been trading for less than two years and can demonstrate a fairly well developed patentable idea or technology which involves a strong R&D element and a strong interest in receiving practical advice from external advisors to generate new ideas and support to develop a business plan.

A £100,000 fund to forge stronger relationships between Scottish SMEs and universities has been launched. Provided by the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SFC), the initiative will help businesses and academics work together on developing innovative new products, processes and services. The scheme will be run by Interface - the national matchmaking programme helping businesses team up with universities – and is modelled on a number of similar knowledge transfer funds successfully run across the UK and Europe. It is hoped the programme will enable Scottish businesses to become more competitive whilst at the same time helping to promote a "culture of innovation" and lay the foundations for longer term knowledge transfer relationships. Universities will be able to approach a suitable industry partner, or use Interface to find a collaborator, then claim grants worth between £500 and £5,000 to carry out projects such as feasibility studies, technology audits or new process, product and service development. Funding is available across all business sectors and university disciplines, with participating SME expected to match the SFC's contribution. For more details about business-university collaborations, visit the Interface website.

A new £1.5 million fund has been established to help people living in disadvantaged areas of North Tyneside to start their own business. Up to 1,500 aspiring entrepreneurs are expected to be offered advice and start-up support through the Raising Enterprise North Tyneside project over the next three years. Half of the initiative's funding is being stumped up by regional development agency One North East via the European Regional Development Fund, with scheme providers North Tyneside Council contributing the other 50%. The scheme will set up a Neighbourhood Enterprise Team (NET) who will hold a series of seminars, workshops and business advice sessions throughout the area's four most deprived boroughs - Riverside, Wallsend, Chirton and Howdon – with the aim of inspiring the next generation of business brains. Meanwhile, a Business Opportunity Sourcing Service will operate alongside the NET, focusing on local openings for those looking to start-up in business, including franchises. It will aid around 450 up-and-coming entrepreneurs who would like to become self-employed but lack the business ideas to progress further by guiding them through the pre-start up stage of development and forging initial contacts with the Business Link service. Individuals interested in becoming involved with the Raising Enterprise North Tyneside initiative are advised to contact North Tyneside Council on 0191 643 6409.

The development of agriculture in Malawi is severely hampered by an inadequate supply of a basic farming necessity – seed. Foundation seed is used to produce certified seed, which is what farmers' plant every season.

News from the UK and around the world

One in ten children in Britain lives in a racially mixed family. If trends continue, says the Equality and Human Rights Commission, some ethnic minorities may vanish as mixed-race families become the norm. A study by the Commission found that almost half of black Caribbean men are in a mixed-race relationship, compared with 8% of men of Pakistani background.

The International Growth Centre at the London School of Economics (LSE) has been launched to bring together a Nobel Prize winning economist with development experts from the London School of Economics and the University of Oxford, who will provide practical help to the governments of developing countries to support growth and improve their ability to cope with effects of the economic downturn. It will also provide innovative research on growth. The Centre is a new initiative to support growth in developing countries and improve their ability to cope with economic shocks. It represents a DFID financed venture to be undertaken by LSE and Oxford University in collaboration with a host of partners. The Centre will be supported by a range of international partners including, the Global Development Network (GDN), the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), the African Economic Consortium (AERC), the Abdulatif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (JPAL), the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Initiative on Global Market, Deloitte, the South Asian Network of Economic Research Institutes, the World Bank Microeconomics of Growth Network, the Bureau for the Economic Analysis of Development, the European Development Research Network. For further information:  S.gupta4@lse.ac.uk

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched a Call for Proposals to fund projects in the field of Migration and Development and Jamaica is one of the eligible countries. UNDP Jamaica is currently disseminating the call widely within the country and has already identified a number of interested applicants. However the aim of the Call is to enable NGOS, local authorities, and others to work on an initiative together with their counterparts in migrant countries of destinations. Any applicants from Jamaica therefore need partners based in Europe, and vice versa. The closing date is 13th March 2009   www.migration4development.org/call-for-proposals

A leading BME national partnership organisation has released two new reports highlighting the contributions made by black and minorities (BME) community and voluntary organisations. Voice4Change England a partnership of national and regional BME led organisations that speak for the interest of BME Third Sector at local, regional and national levels to all types of policy makers. The reports show how the sector helps people and the community in attempt to stop government plans to withdraw funding. Vandna Gohil, Director for Voice4Change England, said it is crucial that the worth of specialist services in the sector is recognised.

The Joint International Development Grants programme 2009 in collaboration with the John Ellerman Foundation is now open. The deadline for submitting applications is 27th March 2009. Successful applicants will be announced in October 2009. For further information visit the website of Baring Foundation on  www.baringfoundation.org.uk

Built to be the premier CSR outreach platform for Business Fights Poverty, the custom-built multimedia website includes videos, podcasts, the latest news and blog posts, press releases and event announcements from Business Fights Poverty's international network of members engaged in responsible business to reduce poverty. Business Fights Poverty is an international network for professionals passionate about fighting world poverty through good business. The on-line network connects practitioners and experts around the world to form a global community of pioneers pushing the boundaries of how business can fight poverty. Business Fights Poverty is using the new EMP to showcase a major new series of events in London that will explore the role of business in international development in the context of an economic downturn, in partnership with the UK Government's Department for International Development (DFID)(www.dfid.gov.uk), the Overseas Development Institute (www.odi.org.uk) and Business Action for Africa (www.businessactionforafrica.org).

Relatives, friends and colleagues have mourned the passing of Catherine Bailey in the UK. The late Catherine Bailey co-conceived, headed up and drove (since March 2006) the International Lawyers for Africa program in the UK which mobilised more than a dozen leading law firms (including SJ Berwin where she worked) and Berwin Leighton Paisner to fund and place African law graduates in a high-powered three-month training program at British universities (including Oxbridge) and provided in-house training at the top participating law firms. It wove together a network of South African, Ghanaian and Nigerian lawyers in the City of London to further what had become a dynamic support program. Bailey was immensely committed to furthering the cause of African graduates in the UK and in mobilising South African, Ghanaian and Nigerian lawyers in the City.

A survey from PricewaterhouseCoopers and the CBI indicates that spending on regulatory compliance is increasing. 88% of banks surveyed expect to increase their spending on regulatory compliance in the next 12 months. In addition, the survey revealed that 3% of general insurance firms expect to increase staff numbers in the next three months.

A third of young people believe volunteering is the best way for individuals to reduce poverty in poor countries, according to a survey. While nearly one fifth of the adult population believes volunteering is effective at reducing poverty overseas, over one third of 16 to 24 year olds think this. The Government is calling for more young people to volunteer for its Platform2 scheme, which gives them the chance to carry out help overseas. Mike Foster, Minister for International Development, said: "It is really encouraging to see that young people today feel that getting involved is the way to fight poverty. "Platform2 gives young people the opportunity to experience the ''reality check'' of development work first hand. We know this work can make a real difference to people's lives," he added. Platform2 is funded by the Department for International Development and run by Christian Aid, Islamic Relief and British Universities North America Club.

The Tech Awards is a programme that aims to honour and award innovators from around the world who use technology to benefit humanity. Five Laureates in each category are honoured, and one Laureate per category receives US$50,000. Individuals, for-profit companies, and not-for-profit organisations are eligible to apply. The purpose of The Tech Awards programme is to inspire future scientists, technologists, and dreamers to harness the power and "promise of technology to solve the challenges that confront us at the dawn of the 21st Century". The categories are: Education, Equality, Economic, Development, Environment and Health. The application of this technology, which may be either a new invention or an innovative use of an existing technology, makes a noteworthy contribution that surpasses previous or current solutions. Nominations and applications must be submitted online in English. The deadline for application is March 27 2009.  The Tech Awards website

The Directory of Social Change has published a fully revised and updated edition of the essential handbook for fundraising for the developing countries (including Africa, Asia, Latin America and countries of Eastern Europe). It is called the World Wide fundraiser's Handbook, 2nd edition, written by Michael Norton and published in association with the Directory of Social Change. The new edition contains; new sections on internet fundraising and branding and image and a completely updated section on income generation and guidance using case studies. To order a copy;  contact@resource-alliance.org

Efinancial careers reports that a greater number of technology roles within banks are likely to be outsourced in 2009, as banks look for ways to cut costs.

The Elsevier Foundation has announced today that it has committed a total of $555,000 in grants to ten institutions from around the world in support of initiatives that promote the work of libraries and scholars in science, technology and medicine. The winning proposals were selected from over 165 applicants worldwide for their innovation and potential for impact in the developing world, nursing community and academic workplace. Four grants have been awarded under the Innovative Libraries in Developing Countries program. The winners include institutions across Africa and Asia, dedicated to improving access to scientific information, developing information resources, and training librarians and researchers on how to use and deploy information for patient care, HIV/AIDS research, and agricultural development. The Elsevier Foundation provides grants to institutions around the world, with a focus on support for the world's libraries and for scholars in the early stages of their careers. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than 50 grants worth over a million dollars to non-profit organizations working in these fields. Through gift-matching, the Foundation also supports the efforts of Elsevier employees to play a positive role in their local and global communities. The Elsevier Foundation is funded by Elsevier, a leading global publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services.

For the tenth year, Deloitte has been named to FORTUNE magazine's list of "100 Best Companies to Work For." The annual survey, which appears in the February 2 issue of FORTUNE and on www.fortune.com, is the national benchmark that lists employers who consistently raise the bar on talent initiatives and corporate culture improvement for all employees. The FORTUNE list of "100 Best Companies to Work for in America" pays tribute to the companies that excel in motivating employees and helping them manage their personal and professional lives. Of the more than 1,000 organizations contacted, 253 of them participated in this year's survey. Nearly 81,000 employees at those organizations responded to a survey created by the Great Place to Work Institute, a global research and consulting firm. The employees are asked a variety of questions about credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie. Employee opinions factored heavily in the decision process for the list, as two-thirds of the company's score was weighted on responses from randomly selected employees.

The economic downturn has forced HR to change its priorities, with organisational performance and employee engagement now at the top of the list, according to new research. A survey by employee engagement specialists TalentDrain found that a third (30 per cent) of HR departments have changed their strategy as a result of the economic downturn. Over half (56 per cent) are putting less focus on recruitment and almost three-quarters (72 per cent) have increased their emphasis on organisational performance. The change of focus was often linked to reduced budgets; with 38 per cent of the 336 HR departments surveyed having cut their budget by more than 5 per cent. Some 13 per cent had reduced their workforce budget by more than 25 per cent. Ron Eldridge, director of TalentDrain and author of the report, said: "The new strategic focus, even for organisations that have not cut their HR budgets, seems to be around identifying, engaging and retaining those employees who are high performers, while more proactively managing any areas of underperformance."

Britons are apparently remaining upbeat despite the economic gloom. People are happier than they were at the start of the millennium, with just 17% feeling unhappy at work compared with 26% in 2000. Just 21% think their life is chaotic and out of control, against 27% in 2000, betdoctor.co.uk.

The number of British students at UK universities has fallen for the first time in recent history. Numbers are down 1% on last year, while there has been continued growth in the number of students coming from overseas - almost a 5% rise on last year. The Westminster government says the number of people going to university in England is at an all-time high. It wants more than half of young people to go on to higher education. The number of UK students at UK universities fell from 1.97 million in 2007 to 1.96 million last year. That is the first fall in numbers since they have been collected centrally. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills points out that the 1% fall in UK students is accounted for by falls in British students at universities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. There was no significant change in numbers of British students at England's universities between 2007 and 2008. England's universities saw an overall 1% rise in students over the same period, although this is only when students from overseas are included. While numbers of home students in the UK fell between 2007 and 2008, those coming from overseas rose by 4.8%. This broke down to a 6% rise in students from other European Union countries (total of 112,150 in 2008) and a 4% rise in those from non EU countries (total 229,640). The number of British part-time students in the UK fell 3% between 2007 and 2008, to 762,340.

Clifford Chance has been voted International Law Firm of the Year. Another recent success was their being voted Best Law Firm for Emissions Trading for a third successive year. In fact Clifford Chance was the first law firm to create an Environmental and Climatic Trading Group. The firm advises on all aspects of climatic and environmental law including trading carbon credits. Clifford Chance has also been shortlisted for three categories of The Lawyer HR Awards (Best Corporate Responsibility Initiative; Most Effective Internal Communication; Best Recruitment Website).

Futurebuilders England has launched a new scheme to help smaller third sector groups successfully bid for public sector contracts. Thanks to £150,000 funding from the Cabinet Office's National Programme for Third Sector Commissioning (NPTSC), the £220,000 Small Organisations Tender Fund will offer grants to cover capacity building work and the costs of tendering for contracts. The scheme is open to third sector organisations that have been operating for at least a year and have an annual turnover of less than £250,000. It can provide grants worth up to 10% of the overall contract value, to a maximum of £15,000. Announcing the initiative, Jonathan Lewis, chief executive of Futurebuilders England, said the new fund offers a great chance for smaller third sector organisations to realise their potential. To be eligible for funding, organisations must meet a number of criteria, including a turnover of less than £250,000. Futurebuilders England also provides a support scheme for larger organisations – the Tender Fund, which offers interest-free loans of up to £1 million.

Colleges across Scotland are set to receive £7 million so they can help businesses overcome the economic downturn. The Scottish Funding Council will stump up £2 million before April and a further £5 million after that to enable colleges to offer training and skills courses in areas that suffer major redundancies. Many institutions had already allocated their regular training and skills budgets, but this extra investment will allow them to continue their work as part of the Scottish Government's Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative. PACE is a national framework formalising quick, tailored support to help people who are made redundant develop the skills required to find new jobs.

Headcount reductions in the first half of the year will be broader and deeper in the UK than those made last year, but skill shortages will continue to exist, according to a survey of HR decision makers by global recruiter Randstad. Among the findings were: Almost half (46%) the organisations said they plan to make cutbacks in the next few months, compared to 38% who made headcount reductions between the summer and mid-November last year; The proportion of organisations planning reductions that expect to cut more than 10% of their employees is due to double to 22%; more than half (55%) of the organisations with more than 10,000 employees expect to make reductions in the next few months; 55% said that they were experiencing skills shortages, with the key areas of demand being managerial, operations and IT; 70% report that the UK still has a long-term skills problem. Fred van der Tang, managing director, Randstad UK Professional Services, says: "Whilst our research shows that headcount reductions are likely to be significant in the coming months, it indicates that many organisations believe they will still be short of key skills to cope with the recession."

South Africans will need visas to travel to the UK under new rules designed to tackle terrorism and illegal immigration. The UK Government says its position follows concerns that too many immigrants are obtaining South African passports and travelling to Britain without further checks. There are also fears al Qaida operatives are using South Africa as a transit point to enter Britain, according to a report in The Times. Six months ago South Africa and 10 other countries, including Brazil and Mauritius, were warned to improve their passport security systems or face new visa requirements. In 2007, 419,000 South Africans travelled to the UK legally, including 168,000 tourists and 46,200 business visitors. Nearly 3,000 were given work permits. They are the fifth largest group of visitors to Britain behind citizens of the US, Australia, Canada and Japan. Visitor visas lasting up to six months cost £65 and work visas £205. The move is likely to prompt fears of reciprocal changes affecting British holidaymakers going in the other direction.

The International Women's Media Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2009-10 Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship, named for the 1998 IWMF Courage in Journalism Award winner and Boston Globe correspondent who was killed in Iraq in May 2003. This program, created with Neuffer’s family and friends, aims to perpetuate her memory and advance her life mission of promoting international understanding of human rights and social justice while creating an opportunity for women journalists to build their skills. One woman journalist will be selected to spend an academic year in a tailored program with access to Boston-area universities as well as the Boston Globe and New York Times. The flexible structure of the program will provide the fellow with opportunities to pursue academic research and hone her reporting skills covering topics related to human rights. The fellow may also participate in the Elizabeth Neuffer Forum on Human Rights and Journalism. The Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship is open to women journalists whose focus is human rights and social justice. A successful applicant will be dedicated to a career in journalism in print, broadcast or online media and will show a strong commitment to sharing knowledge and skills with colleagues upon the completion of the fellowship. Excellent written and spoken English skills are required. A stipend will be provided, and expenses, including airfare and housing, will be covered. Applications will be accepted until April 15, 2009, and the fellowship will run from September 2009 – May 2010. For further information, visit  www.iwmf.org/neuffer

The fastest growing jobs in the UK, according to jobs website careerbuilder.co.uk, are for engineers, environmental consultants, cosmetologists, public relations specialists, human resources professionals, advertising executives, teachers, accountants, counselors and data communications analysts.

What could you do with £10,000 this year? Now into it's second year the Creme of Nature £10,000 Community Action Award is focused on those with great ideas and vision in African Caribbean voluntary, faith and community groups, whose primary objective is to support and encourage women. Now into its second year, the Award is focused on those in African Caribbean voluntary, faith and community groups, whose primary objective is to support and encourage women. Applications are welcome from individuals to small groups, but priority will be given to those who have an annual turnover of less than £50,000. The final closing date for applications is the 17th April 2009.

Cadbury plc has announced that the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership is now active across 100 Ghanaian communities, marking the 100th anniversary of cocoa trading with Ghana. The Cadbury Cocoa Partnership, established last year in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme, also announced the partners driving its community support at grassroots level in Ghana are CARE, Voluntary Service Overseas and World Vision. Since its launch last year, the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership has begun investing in Ghanaian farming as part of a ten-year £30 million commitment to secure the future of cocoa farmers and their communities.1 While Ghanaian cocoa trades at a premium due to its consistent high quality, the country's cocoa farming industry is facing increasing challenges ranging from the ever-present threat of crop disease to attracting the next generation of farmers. The Cadbury Cocoa Partnership's first year has seen a Ghana Board set up to oversee the programme which includes representatives from Ghanaian government ministries, farmer organisations and development specialists. The 100 communities who have now joined the partnership have been identifying their main development needs, including the construction of new school buildings or forming Cocoa Youth Clubs to encourage the next generation to remain with agriculture, particularly cocoa farming. In 2009 Cadbury Cocoa Partnership is extending its activities to focus on improving farm income levels by developing farmer education programmes that explore best cocoa management practices leading to high quality and increased yields. By 2018, Cadbury estimates it will have made a demonstrable difference to the lives of around half a million Ghanaian farmers.

With funding from the Citi Foundation, 15 non-profit community-based organizations across the country that help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses will be able to hire graduate students as summer interns this year. Called the "Citi Aspen Interns Project," the interns will help collect data on clients, while also learning about the microenterprise development field, which provides budding entrepreneurs with capital and/or training. This is the third consecutive year that Citi Foundation has supported the internship project. Funding allows each organization to recruit and hire an intern, who receives a $7,000 stipend. As part of the $250,000 program, the Citi Foundation is funding researchers at FIELD, the Microenterprise Fund for Innovation, Effectiveness, Learning and Dissemination, to manage the project and provide the interns with data collection training. FIELD is part of the Washington, D.C.-based Aspen Institute. Microenterprises are defined as very small businesses capitalized with $35,000 or less and employing five or fewer people. Today, approximately 500 organizations nationwide are engaged in the microenterprise field. Data collected through the project can be used by the organizations to identify gaps in service, fund-raise or advocate for entrepreneurship. The internship experience exposes college students both to the microenterprise field and to potential careers within the industry.

The 4th Women in Africa and the African Diaspora (WAAD) International Conference on Education, Gender & Sustainable Development in the Age of Globalization takes place in Abuja, Nigeria from August 3-8, 2009.For over a decade, the WAAD conferences have provided the space for researchers, students, policy makers, activists, women and men of different races, religious persuasions and ideological leanings to engage in vigorous and fruitful debates on issues relating to women in Africa and the African Diaspora. The first WAAD conference held in Nsukka, a small university town in rural Nigeria, gathered over 700 researchers, activists, policy makers, and students from five continents. The conference generated ten-volume proceedings of over 200 original papers and saw the beginning of the Association of African Women Scholars (AAWS). The second WAAD conference, held in Indianapolis (USA) in 1998, gathered hundreds of participants from 35 countries and 48 national and international organizations. The third conference in Madagascar was equally very well attended. The WAAD conference has succeeded in putting in place forward-looking strategies for continuing its work. It maintains a global network and has published three volumes of selected papers. With the theme (Education, Gender & Sustainable Development in the Age of Globalization), the 4th WAAD interdisciplinary conference will provide opportunities for constituencies inside and outside the academy, researchers, academicians, practitioners, policy makers, professionals, and students from various disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, pure and applied sciences, professional schools, etc. to discuss the education of women and girls in Africa and the African Diaspora and explore its relationship to sustainable development in a rapidly globalizing, complex world. Forms for paper, panel, roundtable and workshop proposals are available on the conference website:  www.waadconf.org. Click on "Proposals." Send as e-mail attachments the completed proposal form, abstract and curriculum vitae (as Word documents) by March 15, 2009 to the Convener at waadconf@iupui.edu. Selected papers will be published.

News from the UK and around the world

The new edition of the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings 2008 indicates an increasing acceptance of the importance of these rankings by the international higher education community and those that employ graduates from the top universities in the world. The THE-QS World University Rankings 2008 have received unprecedented response levels from both the international academic community and employers. 6,354 academics (compared with 5,101 in 2007) and 2,339 employers (compared with 1,482 in 2007) responded to the surveys, eager to reflect the position and influence of the world’s leading universities. Now in its fifth year, the research is conducted and compiled by QS Quacquarelli Symonds and features online on the QS web site www.topuniversities.com. This latest edition of the THE-QS World University Rankings also reflects the increasing profile of technology-based universities, with many of the world’s top universities in this area such as Caltech, MIT, ETH Zurich and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology improving their position. As demand by international employers for more technology-literate graduates has grown, the importance of these universities has risen in the Rankings. The UK and USA continue to dominate - Harvard University remains as the top university, with Yale moving ahead of Cambridge for the second spot. Oxford drops to fourth, while Princeton drops out of the top ten, replaced by the only new entrant in the Top 10, Columbia University.

A new £6.2 million scheme has been launched to fund staff training across the East of England. Financed by the European Social Fund, "Beyond 2010" will offer SMEs in ten priority sectors the chance of a full consultancy to identify staff skills needs, along with grants of up to 50% of the costs of undertaking the relevant training. It will also offer specific help to workers facing redundancy. The Response to Redundancy strand will provide advice, guidance, and re-training opportunities to help get people back into work. The programme aims to build on the success of the previous "Towards 2010" initiative, which supported nearly 2,400 businesses and helped train more than 8,800 workers. The programme is open to East of England-based small to medium sized enterprises that are operating in any of the following priority sectors: Automotive and high-tech manufacturing, Creative industries, Financial services, Food and drink processing, Life sciences and healthcare, Low carbon and sustainable technologies, Social enterprise, Sustainable communities and the built environment, Tourism and the 2012 Olympics and Transport gateways. For more information on Beyond 2010, contact Tom Bendy at the Essex Development and Regeneration Association (ExDRA) on 01245 702407 or email tom.bendy@exdra.co.uk

According to the "BSR/Cone 2008 Corporate Responsibility in a New World Survey", more than two-thirds of the business leaders say that more responsible business practices could have lessened, or even prevented, the current economic downturn. Additionally, nearly nine out of 10 survey respondents believe U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama will have a positive impact on advancing the corporate responsibility agenda. Survey respondents outlined the most important steps the Obama Administration should take to advance corporate responsibility around the world, including promoting major investments in renewable energy and carbon capture and storage technologies. (67 percent) and taking measurable steps toward progress on effective, efficient, and fair global climate change mitigation strategies (53%). At the same time, an overwhelming majority (94 percent) anticipate increased government regulation of issues related to corporate responsibility, including climate change (86 percent) and corporate governance and financial transparency (83 percent). Nearly three-quarters of business leaders (72 percent) expect that there will be increasing demands on business to solve societal problems, and more than half believe business will meet those demands. The BSR/Cone 2008 Corporate Responsibility in a New World Survey was conducted November 5, 2008, among a sample of corporate responsibility professionals attending the Business for Social Responsibility Conference. The sample population is comprised of 424 representatives from business, NGOs, government, and academia, representing 28 countries.

The UK Government has unveiled details of a new National Skills Academy (NSA) for Enterprise which is aiming to equip young people with the skills to set up in business. The new academy will be launched early in 2009 and will be headed by Peter Jones from the BBC television programme Dragons' Den. The NSA for Enterprise will deliver the UK's first NVQ level two and three qualifications in enterprise and entrepreneurship, with courses designed by employers and training specialists. It is expected to deliver vocational courses to 11,000 young people aged 16 to 19 within its first three years, offering training on-site, online and at a variety of dedicated NSA colleges to equip them to work for businesses or set up their own. Established businesses will also be able to take advantage of short courses at the new academy to help them to develop their own and their employees' skills. The National Skills Academies were started by the Government in 2006 as a way of involving employers in creating training programmes that suit their needs. The NSA for Enterprise has been announced alongside three others - the NSA for Power, the NSA for Information Technology and the NSA for Social Care - taking the total number of NSAs to 16.

The UK Government has increased the age at which someone can apply for a marriage visa from 18 to 21. From 27th November 2008, both parties in a marriage will have to be 21 before a marriage visa can be issued. The Government said that raising the age is just one part of its work to crackdown on forced marriage and on those who attempt to abuse the marriage visa route. The Home Office has helped businesses to prepare for the implementation of Tiers 2 and 5 of the points system by publishing detailed guidance on the two tiers. Under these tiers - which cover skilled and temporary workers - employers will be held accountable for the workers they bring into the country, with a new sponsorship scheme holding businesses responsible for those they employ. Tier 2 of the points system will ensure that British jobseekers get the first shot at jobs and only those foreign workers needed will be able to come to the UK. Under this tier, companies must pass the Resident Labour Market test by proving they cannot fill the post with a resident worker before they can bring in someone from outside the European Economic Area (EEA).

Thirty years after Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, a new study shows that the number of pregnancy-discrimination cases has increased, especially among women from traditionally underrepresented groups. The study, released by the National Partnership for Women and Families, found that discrimination cases jumped 65 percent from 1992 to 2007. According to the organization, race and ethnicity appear to be playing a significant role in the rise of pregnancy-discrimination complaints. During the discrete period from [fiscal year] 1996 to [fiscal year] 2005, "claims filed by women of color jumped 76 percent, while claims overall increased by 25 percent. During that time, complaints filed by Black women increased by 45 percent, by Hispanic women by 135 percent, by Asian/Pacific Islander women by 90 percent, and by American Indian/Alaska Native women by 109 percent. More than half the claims filed with the [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] during that period (53 percent) were filed in service, retail trade and the financial-services, insurance and real-estate industries--where some seven in 10 women work."

About 300,000 college-educated legal immigrants in the state, and 1.3 million nationwide, are unemployed or working in low-level jobs because their credentials aren't recognized here, a study finds. This represents a massive "brain waste" of highly educated and skilled immigrant professionals who potentially could, with a little aid, help ease looming labor shortages in California and nationwide in healthcare, computer sciences and other skilled jobs. Nationwide, more than 1.3 million college-educated legal immigrants are unemployed or working in unskilled jobs such as dishwashers or taxi drivers, according to the report by the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute. Nearly a quarter of them live in California. Professionals from Latin America and Africa fare worse than those from Asia and Europe, the study found. Two of the biggest barriers are lack of English fluency and non-recognition of foreign academic and professional criteria. Immigrants say shortages of time and money prevent them from pursuing the needed U.S. credentials. Michael Fix, senior vice president of the Migration Policy Institute, said the need to help immigrant professionals gain the requisite credentials and experience is particularly acute now that the nation faces the impending retirement of 77 million baby boomers, considered the most skilled workforce in history. In California, for instance, the fastest growing occupations are computer software engineer and registered nurse. The migration institute report noted that competition for such professionals is heating up, with other countries such as Canada and Australia moving aggressively to attract them with better transition programs. The report urged several new measures to help ease the way for immigrant professionals, including more language and workforce training, national coordination of credentialing criteria and three-year transitional visas to allow employers to "test the waters" with foreign workers. Source: LA Times

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has announced a partnership with AccountAbility to develop a unique corporate management system that will help companies based in emerging markets strengthen their businesses through corporate social responsibility. The new system will enable firms to build corporate-level strategies that support business development and link performance in social responsibility to quality, productivity, and efficiency. The main components are an integrated diagnostic process to quickly assess and plan according to key risks, business assets, and priority needs and a CSR Performance Excellence management framework that helps managers tie corporate social responsibility to business activities such as procurement, marketing, and product design. According to the IFC, this partnership will provide clients with a system that guides them step by step on how to align their CSR efforts with their core business priorities and competencies — while communicating their efforts to shareholders.

The latest league table of the world's leading universities shows Cambridge and Oxford losing ground to Harvard and Yale and a decrease in the number of UK universities in the top 200. The table, which is produced by QS World University Rankings for the Times Higher Education, shows Harvard in the number one spot for the fifth year running. Yale is second, having been joint second with Oxford and Cambridge last year. Cambridge is third, Oxford fourth, Imperial College, London is sixth and University College, London (UCL) is seventh. UCL was ninth in 2007 and like Kings College, London which has risen from 24th to 22nd is one of the few UK universities to improve its ranking. The London School of Economics slips from 59th to 66th. Other UK risers are University of Manchester, 30th to 29th; University of Bristol, 37th to 32nd; and the University of Glasgow, 83rd to 73rd. Overall there are 29 UK universities in the top 200- a decrease of one. Wendy Piatt, director-general of the Russell Group of leading universities, said that its members were performing well against international rivals, particularly the US institutions- which benefit from much higher levels of investment than UK universities. For example Harvard's endowment fund is greater than the total annual funding of all universities in England. The huge investment in higher education and science in China looks set to overtake the UK very soon in terms of research publications and its universities are steadily climbing up the international league tables. There are nine Asian universities in the top 50, including three based in Hong Kong.

Twice as many top U.S. companies publicly released sustainability data on their environmental, social and governance information in 2008 compared with three years earlier, and ethics outweighed economics for the first time as the primary reason for such disclosures, according to a KPMG International global analysis of corporate reports. Of the top 100 U.S. companies by revenue, 74% published corporate responsibility (CR) information in 2008 either as part of their annual financial report or as a separate document, up from 37% in KPMG International's 2005 research. Globally, 80% of the Global Fortune 250 companies now release CR data, up from 64% in the last KPMG International analysis in 2005. Meanwhile, 70% of all companies studied wrote in their 2008 reports to stakeholders that ethical considerations were a primary driver for making CR disclosures, while 50% cited economic concerns as the leading reason. By comparison, in 2005 the drivers were reversed, with economic considerations cited by 74% of the companies as the reason for reporting CR data, compared with 53% of the companies citing ethical reasons for the disclosures. The KPMG International Survey on Corporate Responsibility Reporting is the most comprehensive conducted on environmental, social and governance disclosures, reviewing reports from the Global Fortune 250 (G250) and from the 100 largest companies by revenue in 22 countries.

The downturn is causing mothers to re-assess their working options, according to another new survey. The survey, from jobsite Workingmums.co.uk, shows that 79% of mothers are now looking to return to work or increase their present working hours due to the credit crunch. An earlier survey conducted by the jobsite showed that 90% of mothers found it very difficult to find flexible work, although the vast majority wanted this so they could balance work and family life. According to the jobsite, the current economic situation presents "some good opportunities for mothers to assess their working options and look at what is available to help them meet their needs", calling working mothers "a fantastic pool of talent that many businesses should be calling upon."

QS Quacquarelli Symonds, the world's leading career and education intelligence provider, has created a preliminary university ranking technology, known as SAFE (System, Access, Flagship, Economics). It is the first attempt worldwide to compare entire national higher education systems, rather than individual institutions. SAFE utilizes latest research emerging from the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings 2008 to draw comparisons across 40 countries. The innovative methodology provides a direct comparison between the world's higher education-providing nations. It contains new criteria which avoid the pitfalls of ranking nations simply according to the number of universities those nations have in the top 200. Developed over the last twelve months by QS, SAFE allows a more direct comparison between two nations using the four key criteria. This preliminary analysis attempts to take the different economic and demographic realities of each country into account whilst evaluating the success of each national system in terms of its global competitiveness.

Poorly managed conflicts in the workplace are crippling British business, according to a new report 'Fight, Flight or Face It' from business psychology firm OPP and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. The average UK employee spends over two hours a week dealing with conflict, which means in total more than 370 million working days were lost last year at a cost to British employers of more than £24 billion. Personality clashes and warring egos are the number one cause of conflict, cited by 49% of respondents. Stress and heavy workloads follow, being cited by 34% and 33% of employees respectively. Over half of employees (54%) and many more HR professionals (80%) want managers to address underlying tensions before they escalate into conflict. A quarter (27%) of employees have seen disagreements involving personal attacks or insults, while one in six (16%) have actually seen conflicts lead to people being fired. Meanwhile, the majority of HR professionals (63%) have seen employees become ill or absent following a disagreement within their organisation. According to HR professionals, most conflict is seen in departments at the operational level, such as customer service, where it has a direct impact on the performance and reputation of an organisation. However, conflict also exists at the senior levels, where others in the organisation take their cue: 12% of employees say that disagreements among their senior team are frequent or continual. Over the course of the average 44-year career, employees will spend nearly six months dealing with workplace conflict. It could actually be time well spent, but only if they are able to do so effectively. The report revealed that where training is more prevalent, positive outcomes from conflict are far more common. Over half (58%) of employees who have had training now look for win-win outcomes from a workplace conflict. However, the research revealed that more than half of the UK workforce (55%) has had no training in the effective management of conflict. Around a third of all employees (28%) simply allow conflict situations to continue, causing untold damage to morale and productivity.

Millions of people plan to change careers in the New Year due to the economic downturn. More than 3 million might be considering a new line of work, a survey has found. And 8% expected to swap jobs in the next 12 months, it added – working out to 3.2 million across the workforce of 40 million. One in five adults also plans to gain extra qualifications, the survey by the Association of Colleges found.

There has been a demand for part-time experienced staff as many firms look towards cost-effective recruitment in the economic downturn. Women like Us, a social enterprise set up to support women with children to find flexible work at their appropriate skill level, recorded a 121% increase in employer enquiries month on month earlier this year. It has also recruited for twice as many employers on a monthly basis during 2008 compared with the previous year. According to the organisation, employers are more cautious about recruitment in light of limited budgets in the economic downturn and taking on high-calibre part-time workers was a less risky strategy than employing experienced hires full-time.

Migrant workers help boost rather than harm communities, an influential think tank has said. Migrants fill skills gaps and do jobs other British workers do not want to do. Migrants tend to be more entrepreneurial and can se up new markets by establishing links to their home countries, the report says. But local economies are not reaping the full benefits because many migrants have returned home, says the Institute for Public Policy Research. More than a million migrants have come to Britain from the eight states which joined the EU in 2004 but about half have left. The full report recommends new policies to attract and retain migrants while ensuring that British workers receive adequate skills and training.

A third of students work the equivalent of more than two days a week to help pay for university, a survey has found. Nearly half took jobs to cover basic living costs and 45% said working had a bad effect on their studies. The survey by the National Union of Students showed that many students find the level of financial support inadequate.

A lobby group has called for the introduction of a £1 billion emergency fund to help small businesses beat the credit crunch. The Federation of Small Businesses has urged the Government to scrap their current Small Firms Loan Guarantee scheme and replace it with a new “Survival Fund” backed by money from the European Investment Bank. The group claims such a programme would act as an emergency stop-gap measure to help businesses ride out the current financial meltdown and ensure vital funds were made available to the small business community. To further ease the current pressure on small firms, the group has called for a simplified system of bidding for public sector contracts and the removal of the fee for the Supply2.gov.uk website where government contracts are advertised. They also demanded that Companies House’s powers should be increased to enable it to “name, shame and fine” large companies that didn’t pay their suppliers on time. Recent research has claimed that SMEs are owed around £30,000 by large businesses not paying promptly. Source: Federation of Small Businesses

Women still lag far behind men in top political and decision-making roles, though their access to education and health care is nearly equal. In its 2008 Global Gender Gap report, the World Economic Forum, a Swiss research organization, ranked Norway, Finland and Sweden as the countries that have the most equality of the sexes, and Saudi Arabia, Chad and Yemen as having the least. Using United Nations data, the report found that girls and women around the world had generally reached near-parity with their male peers in literacy, access to education and health and survival. But in terms of economics and politics, including relative access to executive government and corporate posts, the gap between the sexes remains large. The United States ranked 27th, above Russia (42nd), China (57th), Brazil (73rd) and India (113th). But the United States was ranked below Germany (11th), Britain (13th), France (15th), Lesotho (16th), Trinidad and Tobago (19th), South Africa (22nd), Argentina (24th) and Cuba (25th). Middle Eastern and North African countries received the lowest ratings over all. The rankings of Syria, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia declined in 2008. The report said the inequalities in those countries were so large as to put them at an economic disadvantage. "A nation's competitiveness depends significantly on whether and how it educates and utilizes its female talent. To maximize its competitiveness and development potential, each country should strive for gender equality."

The UK Parliament needs to change, according to Harriet Harman, Leader of the House of Commons and Minister for Women and Equality, in a debate in the House of Commons on a motion to establish a Speaker's Conference, which will consider and make recommendations on how to improve representation of women, disabled, and minority ethnic people in the House of Commons, so that it better reflects society. According to the Minister, UK society has changed and the House needs to change too. Women in the British Parliament are outnumbered by men four to one. Despite the ethnically diverse nature of the UK today, out of 646 members, only 15 are Black or Asian. The Minister pointed out that, to reflect the population, the country needs more than four times more Black and Asian MPs, describing the lack of 'Black and Brown faces on our green benches' as a 'democratic deficit'. Black, Asian and Minority ethnic people make up about 10% of the population - but less than 3% of MPs in the House of Commons. Ms. Harman called for a change "More than twice as many white female MPs, more than twice as many Black, Asian and minority ethnic male MPs, more than ten times as many BAME female MPs."

New immigration rules in the UK will reduce by 200,000 jobs for migrant workers, the Government has revealed today. The Government has published the shortage occupation list following advice from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). Their recommended list has been adopted in full - with the addition of social workers, who will remain on the list while further evidence is considered by the MAC. The shortage occupation list sets out those jobs for which there are not enough resident workers, and will be used as part of the skilled worker tier (Tier 2) of the Australian-style points system, which will be launched on 27th November. Tier 2 of the points system will ensure that British jobseekers get the first shot at jobs and only those foreign workers the country needs will be able to come to the UK. Recent Government work to ensure British workers are skilled and competitive means that many of the previous gaps in the labour market have been filled. As a result, today's list is tighter than ever before and will see a reduction of more than 200,000 positions in occupations with shortages that need be filled by migrant workers. The number of positions available to migrants has been reduced from one million to just under 800,000. To get in under Tier 2 skilled foreign workers must meet the following conditions. They must have English language skills; prospective earnings of more than £24,000, or slightly less if they have a decent qualification - or an offer of a job on the shortage list; enough money to support themselves for the first month of their stay. In order to bring migrant workers from outside the European Economic Area to the UK, employers will be required to get a sponsor licence.

The number of employees working flexibly has risen sharply over the past four years, according to the latest CBI/Pertemps employment trends survey. The survey of 513 employers found that almost half (46%) now allow their employees to telework, up from 14% two years ago and 11% in 2004. The popularity of term-time working and job sharing has also increased dramatically. The survey also revealed that businesses were becoming more supportive of employees who took career breaks or sabbaticals. In 2009, another 4.5 million UK workers will be given the right to request flexible working when the current legislation extends from parents with children under the age of six up to 16.

UK unemployment is expected to rise by about 1.5 percentage points in 2009, half a percentage point more than the predicted EU average, according to the European Commission's latest economic forecast. The report states that employment growth is expected to turn negative as a result of falling output, dropping by 1.1 percentage points. Supply of labour is also projected to increase at a slower pace, reflecting reduced immigration. Across the EU, economic growth is expected to drop from 1.4 per cent in 2008 to 0.2 per cent. It is expected to rise again in 2010 to 1.2 per cent. The report wasn't all gloomy: inflation is expected to have peaked and will fall rapidly below 2.5 per cent in 2009 and 2.25 per cent in 2010 in the EU. PM Online

The 2008 PR Week/Barkley Cause Survey reveals that philanthropic activities reward businesses' bottom lines, even in the midst of economic constraints. In particular, the survey found that moms specifically channel their purchasing decisions toward companies that support a cause. Among the 83 million American moms, 82 percent say they drive household purchasing decisions, representing over $2.1 trillion in annual spending. The survey revealed that moms demand companies use their power for good, with 85.6% saying it's important for companies to support a cause. With regard to their purchasing decisions, 58 percent say they would pay more for a brand that supports a cause, 69.2% say they would try a brand because it supports a cause, and 76.8 percent say they would recommend a brand that supports a cause. Overall, 66 percent of moms say they have purchased a brand because it supports a cause. The survey, which also interviewed CMOs, found that companies are responding to consumer demand for cause marketing. Sixty-seven percent of companies today have a cause program. In fact, 97.3 percent of CMOs say that cause is a valid business strategy.

A free business support programme for London-based social enterprises that are led by ethnic minorities has been launched. Backed by more than £370,000 funding from Capacitybuilders, the Ready to Grow initiative will offer a number of organisations 12 days worth of intensive, one-to-one business support, along with in-depth consultancy, training and advice, and the chance to take part in a range of workshops. Run by community investment agency Olmec, in partnership with management consultants Red Ochre, the scheme is open to organisations that are black, Asian, minority ethnic, or refugee led and with more than half of the company’s directors or trustees are from a minority background. The organizations need to be based in London and intend to trade to meet social or environmental objectives. Participants on the scheme will be expected to demonstrate strategic thinking, passion, and commitment. Urging local not-for-profit ventures to register their interest in the scheme, Uday Thakkar, managing director of Red Ochre, said that the programme is open to aspiring social entrepreneurs looking to develop their ideas, as well as to established social enterprises looking for constructive advice and support to help them scale up.

New findings from the goodpurpose(TM) global study of consumer attitudes reveal that nearly seven in 10 (68%) consumers would remain loyal to a brand during a recession if it supports a good cause, and 71% say that when they think about the economic downturn, they have either given the same or more time and money to good causes. The study was released by goodpurpose(TM), a consultancy at Edelman dedicated to connecting brands and companies with consumers around a powerful, involving social purpose idea for mutual benefit. These findings, part of the second annual goodpurpose(TM) study, convey the eye-opening yet encouraging news that recent economic events have not had a negative impact on consumers' contributions to good causes. Despite the downturn, across the globe people’s sense of commitment to helping others - and to brands and companies that share that commitment - remains strong. The survey queried 6000 consumers in 10 countries and was conducted in August, September and October by StrategyOne. Around the world, consumers voice a strong desire for marketers to connect their brands to social action. Forty-two percent say that if two products are of the same quality and price, commitment to a social purpose trumps factors like design, innovation and brand loyalty when choosing one brand over the other. Half (52%) of consumers globally are more likely to recommend a brand that supports a good cause over one that does not, and 54% would help a brand promote a product if there was a good cause behind it. Around the world, a large majority of consumers, 87%, feel it is their duty to contribute to a better society and environment; 82% feel they can personally make a difference; and 83% are willing to change their own consumption habits to help make tomorrow's world a better place; these findings are statistically on par with last year’s study. Three-quarters (76%) say they like to buy brands that make a donation to worthy causes. StrategyOne conducted 6048 interviews in 10 countries between August and October 2008. The study was an online survey of consumers, nationally representative of each of the country populations.

Small businesses will benefit from up to £4 billion in loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB) over the next four years, according to the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling. Speaking at a seminar on supporting small business, the Chancellor described small firms as vital to the strength of the UK economy and that it was vital that these businesses have access to the loans and capital they need to help their businesses grow and develop. The EIB is the European Union's bank. As the UK has a 16.2 per cent shareholding in the EIB, UK small businesses should be able to benefit from around £4 billion of lending from the bank between 2008 and 2011. The EIB supports small and medium-sized enterprise investment through "SME Loans" (previously known as Global Loans), which are credit lines made available to national and regional intermediaries such as banks. They then lend on the finance as debt finance to small businesses that meet EIB criteria. Several UK institutions already take EIB loans to support their small business clients. They have now committed to discussing with the EIB the potential to draw further additional loans. Other institutions supporting small businesses that have not worked with the EIB in the past have also committed to discussing with the EIB how they can work together, and where they are commercially competitive, use EIB loans to deliver the most effective support to small businesses.

Small business entrepreneurs in the UK are chalking up more than half a billion man hours worth £1,046 billion to the UK economy every year, a study conducted for business insurer Hiscox reveals. Coined by Hiscox as the UK's 'EDP' measure – or Entrepreneurial Domestic Product – this represents every small business owner in the UK clocking up nearly 2,500 hours of work every year. Compared to an employee working a standard 37.5 hour week, small business owners work an extra 700 hours a year, or almost 2 hours every day. The significant value of the UK's EDP – where these long hours contribute a staggering 37% of UK businesses overall turnover each year - shows the enormous contribution small businesses make to the UK economy. The study shows that more than a third of small business owners put in over 50 hours a week, with 14% putting in more than 60 hours every week. Despite the long hours, running a business remains an attractive prospect, with 58% of UK small business entrepreneurs citing the desire to be their own boss as a motivating factor. The research reveals that it's not just a desire to boost their bank balance that is motivating British entrepreneurs to contribute to the country's EDP. Almost one-fifth of British small business entrepreneurs (18%) were prompted to start their own business due to redundancy while a sixth of UK entrepreneurs cited a desire to turn their back on the traditional, corporate world as a key factor in their decision to start their own business. 21% have turned their hand to running their own business, as they had a great idea that they wanted to bring to life. More than two thirds set up within a year of having that 'light-bulb moment.' A third set up out of confidence that they can make more money as their own boss.

A groundbreaking new £25 million equity fund for women-led businesses has been launched. The Aspire Investment Fund – said to be the first of its kind in the UK – will offer women who own businesses or who have entrepreneurial ideas the chance to secure financial support. Half of the budget has been stumped up by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), with private sector contributions set to provide the remaining £12.5 million. The scheme will be targeted at high growth businesses seeking an investment ranging between £100,000 and £2 million in order for the venture to develop. Business Minister Shriti Vadera, who launched the Aspire Investment Fund, cited the fact that there are 20% more people in enterprise in the US than in Britain, and the majority of that gap is made up of women. Getting more women entrepreneurs is an economic issue, she said, not just an equality issue. If the UK was to match US levels of women’s enterprise, there would be 900,000 new businesses in the UK. Overall responsibility for administrating the scheme has been allocated to Capital for Enterprise Limited, BERR’s equity capital scheme managers, but funding will be accessed through the Business Link service. Applicants will be offered support and assistance from a range of professional advisors to ensure their ideas are "investment ready".

An annual competition that shines the spotlight on the UK’s best young business brains has reopened to entries. The Daily Mail Enterprising Young Brits Awards 2009 offers £1,000 first prizes in five separate categories for entrepreneurs aged under 30 who have turned great business ideas into reality. Held as part of the Make Your Mark initiative, which is aiming to promote a culture of enterprise, the awards to be made include Business Entrepreneur – for the most enterprising individual who has set up their own business, no matter how large or small. Social and Community – for ventures that combine the principles of a successful business with an emphasis on providing social and environmental benefits. Teen – for the 13-19 year-old who has made entrepreneurial ideas happen. Creative – for the individuals, businesses and projects that have shown creative flair or are focused on the creative industry. Going Global – for businesses that are having success in both the UK and abroad. The closing date for entering the 2009 Awards has been set for 27 February 2009. For more information about the Awards and to find out how to enter, visit the Make Your Mark website

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has officially launched a social enterprise founded by Tim Campbell, winner of hit TV series The Apprentice. The Bright Ideas Trust will offer young entrepreneurs in London the advice and financial support they need to help them set up and run their own successful businesses. Backed by a number of major investors, including £600,000 from the Bank of America, the scheme will provide 16-30 year-olds with their own business mentor, a specialist network of business support, and equity investment of up to £25,000 to get their ideas off the ground. Mr Campbell, who became Sir Alan Sugar's first Apprentice, hopes the initiative will encourage people from all backgrounds to take an interest in business and enterprise. According to the Mayor, small and medium sized businesses make up 80% of London's economy and this is a chance for people to start them up.

The American Friends of the Phelophepa Train has honoured the Most Reverend Desmond N. Tutu and his wife, Leah Nomalizo Tutu for their commitment to advancing health care for the poor in South Africa and for their patronage of the American Friends of the Phelophepa Train. Robert W. Lane, Chairman and CEO of Deere & Company and Steve Killelea, Founder & President, Global Peace Index, and Chairman & Founder Integrated Research Ltd. were also honored for their outstanding contributions to South Africa. The Phelophepa Health Train, or Train of Hope, is a mobile medical unit that crisscrosses remote areas of South Africa by rail throughout the year. It has been in continuous operation since 1994 providing primary health, dental, optometry and counseling to patients living in remote rural areas. The American Friends of the Phelophepa Train is a registered 501c3 charity and is the US-based fundraising arm for the train whose mission is to provide American individuals, foundations and corporations with opportunities to contribute.

Bridges Ventures, a fund management company with a social mission, chaired by Sir Ronald Cohen, has launched a new fund dedicated to investment in social enterprises. The fund, which is an initiative of the Bridges Charitable Trust, has so far raised £4.25m from investors who include Sir Ronald Cohen, Nigel Doughty, Harvey McGrath, the Apax Foundation, the Generation Foundation, Lehman Brothers Foundation Europe, Deutsche Bank and 3i. NESTA- the National Foundation for Enterprise, Science and the Arts- is a partner in the venture, which is to be called the Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund. The new fund will work closely with UnLtd, the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs, to ensure that the social entrepreneurs seeking funding are investment ready.

According to research undertaken by the Financial Times, two out of three jobs created since 1998 have been in parts of the economy dominated by the public sector. The dominance of the public sector has been so pronounced that in some areas, such as the west and east Midlands, the number of people employed in the private sector actually fell between 1998 and 2006. The FT's findings, based on unpublished official figures, show that the private sector has been less dynamic than thought, suggesting that it may be worse equipped to weather the recession than ministers had hoped. That may raise fears of rising unemployment, especially since the most dynamic private sector areas of financial and business services have started to shed employees. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) collects data on public sector employment in three surveys-the Labour Force Survey, the Annual Business Inquiry and the Public Sector Employment survey- with each dataset giving a different picture of each sector's growth. The ONS's preferred measure of public sector employment shows the lowest growth rate but its method excludes workers such as general practitioners, agency supply teachers in state schools and university lecturers, whose salaries are usually entirely funded by taxpayers. The official figures suggest that the increase in public sector workers since 1998 has been 600,000, but when employees are asked to classify themselves, the increase goes up to 900,000.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned that workers in London and the south-east are likely to be the worst hit by the recession, with one in 12 jobs being cut in the next 18 months. The LGA report, which was compiled by Pacec, says that the capital is expected to be worst hit because of its dependence on the financial sector, where banks are expected to shed tens of thousands more jobs. Many construction firms, already hard hit by the housing downturn, are also based in and around London. Manufacturing districts in the North and the west Midlands, such as Hull, Bradford, Coventry and Birmingham, are also likely to be badly hit. However, some areas in the south-west and East Anglia, with big farming communities, will fare much better in relative terms, with only one in 30 posts projected to go by 2010. There was also a glimmer of hope for those living in the M4 corridor, Stoke-on-Trent and the areas around Newcastle, where roughly one in 20 posts would be lost. Pacec analysed data from the previous two recessions and the growth performance of areas in the past two years, which it said is critical in predicting job losses. It also looked at the breakdown of the commercial, public and industrial sector in each region to see which posts were most vulnerable. Although it argues that it is impossible to predict the impact of the recession on job sectors alone it does claim that anyone employed in business services, defence and public administration or the transport and service sectors may also be protected, with some job increases even being predicted.

The Association of Colleges say that research they have commissioned from YouGov shows that millions of adults are going back to college to retrain in an effort to survive the credit crunch. Those made redundant or who fear for the future of their jobs are at the forefront of the drive to upgrade skills. A fifth of adults intend to gain further qualifications in the coming year and a third of those want to do because of the economic downturn. Some colleges already report increased enrolments.

The French government has announced that it is banking on the €15bn domestic sector in the fight against unemployment. Laureant Wauquiez, the employment minister, speaking at the opening of a trade fairing Paris said that fiscal incentives would help 130,000 people to find work as cleaners, gardeners, nannies, home-helps and other similar services - a third of all jobs created this year. Domestic services firms such as Axeo (part of Lyonniase des Eaux France) and O2 provide domestic employees ranging from DIY experts to cooks available to families, who can deduct the costs from their taxes.

From January 2009, Black History Studies will be running a series of long and short term courses in North and South London. Amongst other topics, the courses will cover the Introduction to the study of Black History, Politics, Sociology, Psychology, Science, Art and Religion. The 30 week course – Introduction to Black Studies – will analyse all the major areas of the Black Experience – the History, the Politics, the Psychology, the Science & Technology, the Arts, and finally, the Religion. All of the information is selected to be of relevance and interest to the Black Community. The information itself is designed to inspire, challenge, and to provoke serious thought. The course is a highly accessible 30 week programme but it is also rigorous and content laden. It assumes no prior knowledge of the subject areas, but the adult student is taken through an avalanche of information. Reading lists and course materials are provided.

The biggest gender pay gap is in the consulting sector, according to a new piece of research. Men working as consultants earn, on average, 35 per cent more than women in the same roles, the survey from executive jobs website Experteer showed. The second most gender-biased sectors are finance and IT, where men are paid 20 per cent more than their female peers. The survey of 2,400 people earning more than £50,000 also showed that the retail sector has a lower level of pay inequality – a gap of 11 per cent. But the sectors showing the most pay equality are the public and charity sectors, where the gap is 6 per cent. Stricter equalities and human rights policy with the public and charity sectors are thought to help minimise the pay gap.
Source: PM Online

Entries are now open for the 2009 UK Enterprise Awards - aimed at individuals and organisations that provide support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The Awards will be presented on Thursday 16th April 2009. In a year which has proved particularly challenging, the role of the advisers, coaches, mentors and others who encourage and support small businesses has never been more critical, according to SFEDI, the small business watchdog and standards setting body. It hosts the Awards on behalf of its Advisory Board of which most of the key small business associations and organisations in the UK are members. The awards showcase the individuals, organisations, products and services which have done most to help start ups, the self-employed and small business owners during 2008. Categories include awards for professional advisers, such as accountants, through to volunteer business mentors. There is also an award for the business owner or entrepreneur who has done most to support other small and home business owners.

News from the UK and around the world

The new edition of the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings 2008 indicates an increasing acceptance of the importance of these rankings by the international higher education community and those that employ graduates from the top universities in the world. The THE-QS World University Rankings 2008 have received unprecedented response levels from both the international academic community and employers. 6,354 academics (compared with 5,101 in 2007) and 2,339 employers (compared with 1,482 in 2007) responded to the surveys, eager to reflect the position and influence of the world’s leading universities. Now in its fifth year, the research is conducted and compiled by QS Quacquarelli Symonds and features online on the QS web site www.topuniversities.com. This latest edition of the THE-QS World University Rankings also reflects the increasing profile of technology-based universities, with many of the world’s top universities in this area such as Caltech, MIT, ETH Zurich and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology improving their position. As demand by international employers for more technology-literate graduates has grown, the importance of these universities has risen in the Rankings. The UK and USA continue to dominate - Harvard University remains as the top university, with Yale moving ahead of Cambridge for the second spot. Oxford drops to fourth, while Princeton drops out of the top ten, replaced by the only new entrant in the Top 10, Columbia University.

A new £6.2 million scheme has been launched to fund staff training across the East of England. Financed by the European Social Fund, "Beyond 2010" will offer SMEs in ten priority sectors the chance of a full consultancy to identify staff skills needs, along with grants of up to 50% of the costs of undertaking the relevant training. It will also offer specific help to workers facing redundancy. The Response to Redundancy strand will provide advice, guidance, and re-training opportunities to help get people back into work. The programme aims to build on the success of the previous "Towards 2010" initiative, which supported nearly 2,400 businesses and helped train more than 8,800 workers. The programme is open to East of England-based small to medium sized enterprises that are operating in any of the following priority sectors: Automotive and high-tech manufacturing, Creative industries, Financial services, Food and drink processing, Life sciences and healthcare, Low carbon and sustainable technologies, Social enterprise, Sustainable communities and the built environment, Tourism and the 2012 Olympics and Transport gateways. For more information on Beyond 2010, contact Tom Bendy at the Essex Development and Regeneration Association (ExDRA) on 01245 702407 or email tom.bendy@exdra.co.uk

According to the "BSR/Cone 2008 Corporate Responsibility in a New World Survey", more than two-thirds of the business leaders say that more responsible business practices could have lessened, or even prevented, the current economic downturn. Additionally, nearly nine out of 10 survey respondents believe U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama will have a positive impact on advancing the corporate responsibility agenda. Survey respondents outlined the most important steps the Obama Administration should take to advance corporate responsibility around the world, including promoting major investments in renewable energy and carbon capture and storage technologies. (67 percent) and taking measurable steps toward progress on effective, efficient, and fair global climate change mitigation strategies (53%). At the same time, an overwhelming majority (94 percent) anticipate increased government regulation of issues related to corporate responsibility, including climate change (86 percent) and corporate governance and financial transparency (83 percent). Nearly three-quarters of business leaders (72 percent) expect that there will be increasing demands on business to solve societal problems, and more than half believe business will meet those demands. The BSR/Cone 2008 Corporate Responsibility in a New World Survey was conducted November 5, 2008, among a sample of corporate responsibility professionals attending the Business for Social Responsibility Conference. The sample population is comprised of 424 representatives from business, NGOs, government, and academia, representing 28 countries.

The UK Government has unveiled details of a new National Skills Academy (NSA) for Enterprise which is aiming to equip young people with the skills to set up in business. The new academy will be launched early in 2009 and will be headed by Peter Jones from the BBC television programme Dragons' Den. The NSA for Enterprise will deliver the UK's first NVQ level two and three qualifications in enterprise and entrepreneurship, with courses designed by employers and training specialists. It is expected to deliver vocational courses to 11,000 young people aged 16 to 19 within its first three years, offering training on-site, online and at a variety of dedicated NSA colleges to equip them to work for businesses or set up their own. Established businesses will also be able to take advantage of short courses at the new academy to help them to develop their own and their employees' skills. The National Skills Academies were started by the Government in 2006 as a way of involving employers in creating training programmes that suit their needs. The NSA for Enterprise has been announced alongside three others - the NSA for Power, the NSA for Information Technology and the NSA for Social Care - taking the total number of NSAs to 16.

The UK Government has increased the age at which someone can apply for a marriage visa from 18 to 21. From 27th November 2008, both parties in a marriage will have to be 21 before a marriage visa can be issued. The Government said that raising the age is just one part of its work to crackdown on forced marriage and on those who attempt to abuse the marriage visa route. The Home Office has helped businesses to prepare for the implementation of Tiers 2 and 5 of the points system by publishing detailed guidance on the two tiers. Under these tiers - which cover skilled and temporary workers - employers will be held accountable for the workers they bring into the country, with a new sponsorship scheme holding businesses responsible for those they employ. Tier 2 of the points system will ensure that British jobseekers get the first shot at jobs and only those foreign workers needed will be able to come to the UK. Under this tier, companies must pass the Resident Labour Market test by proving they cannot fill the post with a resident worker before they can bring in someone from outside the European Economic Area (EEA).

Thirty years after Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, a new study shows that the number of pregnancy-discrimination cases has increased, especially among women from traditionally underrepresented groups. The study, released by the National Partnership for Women and Families, found that discrimination cases jumped 65 percent from 1992 to 2007. According to the organization, race and ethnicity appear to be playing a significant role in the rise of pregnancy-discrimination complaints. During the discrete period from [fiscal year] 1996 to [fiscal year] 2005, "claims filed by women of color jumped 76 percent, while claims overall increased by 25 percent. During that time, complaints filed by Black women increased by 45 percent, by Hispanic women by 135 percent, by Asian/Pacific Islander women by 90 percent, and by American Indian/Alaska Native women by 109 percent. More than half the claims filed with the [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] during that period (53 percent) were filed in service, retail trade and the financial-services, insurance and real-estate industries--where some seven in 10 women work."

About 300,000 college-educated legal immigrants in the state, and 1.3 million nationwide, are unemployed or working in low-level jobs because their credentials aren't recognized here, a study finds. This represents a massive "brain waste" of highly educated and skilled immigrant professionals who potentially could, with a little aid, help ease looming labor shortages in California and nationwide in healthcare, computer sciences and other skilled jobs. Nationwide, more than 1.3 million college-educated legal immigrants are unemployed or working in unskilled jobs such as dishwashers or taxi drivers, according to the report by the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute. Nearly a quarter of them live in California. Professionals from Latin America and Africa fare worse than those from Asia and Europe, the study found. Two of the biggest barriers are lack of English fluency and non-recognition of foreign academic and professional criteria. Immigrants say shortages of time and money prevent them from pursuing the needed U.S. credentials. Michael Fix, senior vice president of the Migration Policy Institute, said the need to help immigrant professionals gain the requisite credentials and experience is particularly acute now that the nation faces the impending retirement of 77 million baby boomers, considered the most skilled workforce in history. In California, for instance, the fastest growing occupations are computer software engineer and registered nurse. The migration institute report noted that competition for such professionals is heating up, with other countries such as Canada and Australia moving aggressively to attract them with better transition programs. The report urged several new measures to help ease the way for immigrant professionals, including more language and workforce training, national coordination of credentialing criteria and three-year transitional visas to allow employers to "test the waters" with foreign workers. Source: LA Times

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has announced a partnership with AccountAbility to develop a unique corporate management system that will help companies based in emerging markets strengthen their businesses through corporate social responsibility. The new system will enable firms to build corporate-level strategies that support business development and link performance in social responsibility to quality, productivity, and efficiency. The main components are an integrated diagnostic process to quickly assess and plan according to key risks, business assets, and priority needs and a CSR Performance Excellence management framework that helps managers tie corporate social responsibility to business activities such as procurement, marketing, and product design. According to the IFC, this partnership will provide clients with a system that guides them step by step on how to align their CSR efforts with their core business priorities and competencies — while communicating their efforts to shareholders.

The latest league table of the world's leading universities shows Cambridge and Oxford losing ground to Harvard and Yale and a decrease in the number of UK universities in the top 200. The table, which is produced by QS World University Rankings for the Times Higher Education, shows Harvard in the number one spot for the fifth year running. Yale is second, having been joint second with Oxford and Cambridge last year. Cambridge is third, Oxford fourth, Imperial College, London is sixth and University College, London (UCL) is seventh. UCL was ninth in 2007 and like Kings College, London which has risen from 24th to 22nd is one of the few UK universities to improve its ranking. The London School of Economics slips from 59th to 66th. Other UK risers are University of Manchester, 30th to 29th; University of Bristol, 37th to 32nd; and the University of Glasgow, 83rd to 73rd. Overall there are 29 UK universities in the top 200- a decrease of one. Wendy Piatt, director-general of the Russell Group of leading universities, said that its members were performing well against international rivals, particularly the US institutions- which benefit from much higher levels of investment than UK universities. For example Harvard's endowment fund is greater than the total annual funding of all universities in England. The huge investment in higher education and science in China looks set to overtake the UK very soon in terms of research publications and its universities are steadily climbing up the international league tables. There are nine Asian universities in the top 50, including three based in Hong Kong.

Twice as many top U.S. companies publicly released sustainability data on their environmental, social and governance information in 2008 compared with three years earlier, and ethics outweighed economics for the first time as the primary reason for such disclosures, according to a KPMG International global analysis of corporate reports. Of the top 100 U.S. companies by revenue, 74% published corporate responsibility (CR) information in 2008 either as part of their annual financial report or as a separate document, up from 37% in KPMG International's 2005 research. Globally, 80% of the Global Fortune 250 companies now release CR data, up from 64% in the last KPMG International analysis in 2005. Meanwhile, 70% of all companies studied wrote in their 2008 reports to stakeholders that ethical considerations were a primary driver for making CR disclosures, while 50% cited economic concerns as the leading reason. By comparison, in 2005 the drivers were reversed, with economic considerations cited by 74% of the companies as the reason for reporting CR data, compared with 53% of the companies citing ethical reasons for the disclosures. The KPMG International Survey on Corporate Responsibility Reporting is the most comprehensive conducted on environmental, social and governance disclosures, reviewing reports from the Global Fortune 250 (G250) and from the 100 largest companies by revenue in 22 countries.

The downturn is causing mothers to re-assess their working options, according to another new survey. The survey, from jobsite Workingmums.co.uk, shows that 79% of mothers are now looking to return to work or increase their present working hours due to the credit crunch. An earlier survey conducted by the jobsite showed that 90% of mothers found it very difficult to find flexible work, although the vast majority wanted this so they could balance work and family life. According to the jobsite, the current economic situation presents "some good opportunities for mothers to assess their working options and look at what is available to help them meet their needs", calling working mothers "a fantastic pool of talent that many businesses should be calling upon."

QS Quacquarelli Symonds, the world's leading career and education intelligence provider, has created a preliminary university ranking technology, known as SAFE (System, Access, Flagship, Economics). It is the first attempt worldwide to compare entire national higher education systems, rather than individual institutions. SAFE utilizes latest research emerging from the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings 2008 to draw comparisons across 40 countries. The innovative methodology provides a direct comparison between the world's higher education-providing nations. It contains new criteria which avoid the pitfalls of ranking nations simply according to the number of universities those nations have in the top 200. Developed over the last twelve months by QS, SAFE allows a more direct comparison between two nations using the four key criteria. This preliminary analysis attempts to take the different economic and demographic realities of each country into account whilst evaluating the success of each national system in terms of its global competitiveness.

Poorly managed conflicts in the workplace are crippling British business, according to a new report 'Fight, Flight or Face It' from business psychology firm OPP and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. The average UK employee spends over two hours a week dealing with conflict, which means in total more than 370 million working days were lost last year at a cost to British employers of more than £24 billion. Personality clashes and warring egos are the number one cause of conflict, cited by 49% of respondents. Stress and heavy workloads follow, being cited by 34% and 33% of employees respectively. Over half of employees (54%) and many more HR professionals (80%) want managers to address underlying tensions before they escalate into conflict. A quarter (27%) of employees have seen disagreements involving personal attacks or insults, while one in six (16%) have actually seen conflicts lead to people being fired. Meanwhile, the majority of HR professionals (63%) have seen employees become ill or absent following a disagreement within their organisation. According to HR professionals, most conflict is seen in departments at the operational level, such as customer service, where it has a direct impact on the performance and reputation of an organisation. However, conflict also exists at the senior levels, where others in the organisation take their cue: 12% of employees say that disagreements among their senior team are frequent or continual. Over the course of the average 44-year career, employees will spend nearly six months dealing with workplace conflict. It could actually be time well spent, but only if they are able to do so effectively. The report revealed that where training is more prevalent, positive outcomes from conflict are far more common. Over half (58%) of employees who have had training now look for win-win outcomes from a workplace conflict. However, the research revealed that more than half of the UK workforce (55%) has had no training in the effective management of conflict. Around a third of all employees (28%) simply allow conflict situations to continue, causing untold damage to morale and productivity.

Millions of people plan to change careers in the New Year due to the economic downturn. More than 3 million might be considering a new line of work, a survey has found. And 8% expected to swap jobs in the next 12 months, it added – working out to 3.2 million across the workforce of 40 million. One in five adults also plans to gain extra qualifications, the survey by the Association of Colleges found.

There has been a demand for part-time experienced staff as many firms look towards cost-effective recruitment in the economic downturn. Women like Us, a social enterprise set up to support women with children to find flexible work at their appropriate skill level, recorded a 121% increase in employer enquiries month on month earlier this year. It has also recruited for twice as many employers on a monthly basis during 2008 compared with the previous year. According to the organisation, employers are more cautious about recruitment in light of limited budgets in the economic downturn and taking on high-calibre part-time workers was a less risky strategy than employing experienced hires full-time.

Migrant workers help boost rather than harm communities, an influential think tank has said. Migrants fill skills gaps and do jobs other British workers do not want to do. Migrants tend to be more entrepreneurial and can se up new markets by establishing links to their home countries, the report says. But local economies are not reaping the full benefits because many migrants have returned home, says the Institute for Public Policy Research. More than a million migrants have come to Britain from the eight states which joined the EU in 2004 but about half have left. The full report recommends new policies to attract and retain migrants while ensuring that British workers receive adequate skills and training.

A third of students work the equivalent of more than two days a week to help pay for university, a survey has found. Nearly half took jobs to cover basic living costs and 45% said working had a bad effect on their studies. The survey by the National Union of Students showed that many students find the level of financial support inadequate.

A lobby group has called for the introduction of a £1 billion emergency fund to help small businesses beat the credit crunch. The Federation of Small Businesses has urged the Government to scrap their current Small Firms Loan Guarantee scheme and replace it with a new “Survival Fund” backed by money from the European Investment Bank. The group claims such a programme would act as an emergency stop-gap measure to help businesses ride out the current financial meltdown and ensure vital funds were made available to the small business community. To further ease the current pressure on small firms, the group has called for a simplified system of bidding for public sector contracts and the removal of the fee for the Supply2.gov.uk website where government contracts are advertised. They also demanded that Companies House’s powers should be increased to enable it to “name, shame and fine” large companies that didn’t pay their suppliers on time. Recent research has claimed that SMEs are owed around £30,000 by large businesses not paying promptly. Source: Federation of Small Businesses

Women still lag far behind men in top political and decision-making roles, though their access to education and health care is nearly equal. In its 2008 Global Gender Gap report, the World Economic Forum, a Swiss research organization, ranked Norway, Finland and Sweden as the countries that have the most equality of the sexes, and Saudi Arabia, Chad and Yemen as having the least. Using United Nations data, the report found that girls and women around the world had generally reached near-parity with their male peers in literacy, access to education and health and survival. But in terms of economics and politics, including relative access to executive government and corporate posts, the gap between the sexes remains large. The United States ranked 27th, above Russia (42nd), China (57th), Brazil (73rd) and India (113th). But the United States was ranked below Germany (11th), Britain (13th), France (15th), Lesotho (16th), Trinidad and Tobago (19th), South Africa (22nd), Argentina (24th) and Cuba (25th). Middle Eastern and North African countries received the lowest ratings over all. The rankings of Syria, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia declined in 2008. The report said the inequalities in those countries were so large as to put them at an economic disadvantage. "A nation's competitiveness depends significantly on whether and how it educates and utilizes its female talent. To maximize its competitiveness and development potential, each country should strive for gender equality."

The UK Parliament needs to change, according to Harriet Harman, Leader of the House of Commons and Minister for Women and Equality, in a debate in the House of Commons on a motion to establish a Speaker's Conference, which will consider and make recommendations on how to improve representation of women, disabled, and minority ethnic people in the House of Commons, so that it better reflects society. According to the Minister, UK society has changed and the House needs to change too. Women in the British Parliament are outnumbered by men four to one. Despite the ethnically diverse nature of the UK today, out of 646 members, only 15 are Black or Asian. The Minister pointed out that, to reflect the population, the country needs more than four times more Black and Asian MPs, describing the lack of 'Black and Brown faces on our green benches' as a 'democratic deficit'. Black, Asian and Minority ethnic people make up about 10% of the population - but less than 3% of MPs in the House of Commons. Ms. Harman called for a change "More than twice as many white female MPs, more than twice as many Black, Asian and minority ethnic male MPs, more than ten times as many BAME female MPs."

New immigration rules in the UK will reduce by 200,000 jobs for migrant workers, the Government has revealed today. The Government has published the shortage occupation list following advice from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). Their recommended list has been adopted in full - with the addition of social workers, who will remain on the list while further evidence is considered by the MAC. The shortage occupation list sets out those jobs for which there are not enough resident workers, and will be used as part of the skilled worker tier (Tier 2) of the Australian-style points system, which will be launched on 27th November. Tier 2 of the points system will ensure that British jobseekers get the first shot at jobs and only those foreign workers the country needs will be able to come to the UK. Recent Government work to ensure British workers are skilled and competitive means that many of the previous gaps in the labour market have been filled. As a result, today's list is tighter than ever before and will see a reduction of more than 200,000 positions in occupations with shortages that need be filled by migrant workers. The number of positions available to migrants has been reduced from one million to just under 800,000. To get in under Tier 2 skilled foreign workers must meet the following conditions. They must have English language skills; prospective earnings of more than £24,000, or slightly less if they have a decent qualification - or an offer of a job on the shortage list; enough money to support themselves for the first month of their stay. In order to bring migrant workers from outside the European Economic Area to the UK, employers will be required to get a sponsor licence.

The number of employees working flexibly has risen sharply over the past four years, according to the latest CBI/Pertemps employment trends survey. The survey of 513 employers found that almost half (46%) now allow their employees to telework, up from 14% two years ago and 11% in 2004. The popularity of term-time working and job sharing has also increased dramatically. The survey also revealed that businesses were becoming more supportive of employees who took career breaks or sabbaticals. In 2009, another 4.5 million UK workers will be given the right to request flexible working when the current legislation extends from parents with children under the age of six up to 16.

UK unemployment is expected to rise by about 1.5 percentage points in 2009, half a percentage point more than the predicted EU average, according to the European Commission's latest economic forecast. The report states that employment growth is expected to turn negative as a result of falling output, dropping by 1.1 percentage points. Supply of labour is also projected to increase at a slower pace, reflecting reduced immigration. Across the EU, economic growth is expected to drop from 1.4 per cent in 2008 to 0.2 per cent. It is expected to rise again in 2010 to 1.2 per cent. The report wasn't all gloomy: inflation is expected to have peaked and will fall rapidly below 2.5 per cent in 2009 and 2.25 per cent in 2010 in the EU. PM Online

The 2008 PR Week/Barkley Cause Survey reveals that philanthropic activities reward businesses' bottom lines, even in the midst of economic constraints. In particular, the survey found that moms specifically channel their purchasing decisions toward companies that support a cause. Among the 83 million American moms, 82 percent say they drive household purchasing decisions, representing over $2.1 trillion in annual spending. The survey revealed that moms demand companies use their power for good, with 85.6% saying it's important for companies to support a cause. With regard to their purchasing decisions, 58 percent say they would pay more for a brand that supports a cause, 69.2% say they would try a brand because it supports a cause, and 76.8 percent say they would recommend a brand that supports a cause. Overall, 66 percent of moms say they have purchased a brand because it supports a cause. The survey, which also interviewed CMOs, found that companies are responding to consumer demand for cause marketing. Sixty-seven percent of companies today have a cause program. In fact, 97.3 percent of CMOs say that cause is a valid business strategy.

A free business support programme for London-based social enterprises that are led by ethnic minorities has been launched. Backed by more than £370,000 funding from Capacitybuilders, the Ready to Grow initiative will offer a number of organisations 12 days worth of intensive, one-to-one business support, along with in-depth consultancy, training and advice, and the chance to take part in a range of workshops. Run by community investment agency Olmec, in partnership with management consultants Red Ochre, the scheme is open to organisations that are black, Asian, minority ethnic, or refugee led and with more than half of the company’s directors or trustees are from a minority background. The organizations need to be based in London and intend to trade to meet social or environmental objectives. Participants on the scheme will be expected to demonstrate strategic thinking, passion, and commitment. Urging local not-for-profit ventures to register their interest in the scheme, Uday Thakkar, managing director of Red Ochre, said that the programme is open to aspiring social entrepreneurs looking to develop their ideas, as well as to established social enterprises looking for constructive advice and support to help them scale up.

New findings from the goodpurpose(TM) global study of consumer attitudes reveal that nearly seven in 10 (68%) consumers would remain loyal to a brand during a recession if it supports a good cause, and 71% say that when they think about the economic downturn, they have either given the same or more time and money to good causes. The study was released by goodpurpose(TM), a consultancy at Edelman dedicated to connecting brands and companies with consumers around a powerful, involving social purpose idea for mutual benefit. These findings, part of the second annual goodpurpose(TM) study, convey the eye-opening yet encouraging news that recent economic events have not had a negative impact on consumers' contributions to good causes. Despite the downturn, across the globe people’s sense of commitment to helping others - and to brands and companies that share that commitment - remains strong. The survey queried 6000 consumers in 10 countries and was conducted in August, September and October by StrategyOne. Around the world, consumers voice a strong desire for marketers to connect their brands to social action. Forty-two percent say that if two products are of the same quality and price, commitment to a social purpose trumps factors like design, innovation and brand loyalty when choosing one brand over the other. Half (52%) of consumers globally are more likely to recommend a brand that supports a good cause over one that does not, and 54% would help a brand promote a product if there was a good cause behind it. Around the world, a large majority of consumers, 87%, feel it is their duty to contribute to a better society and environment; 82% feel they can personally make a difference; and 83% are willing to change their own consumption habits to help make tomorrow's world a better place; these findings are statistically on par with last year’s study. Three-quarters (76%) say they like to buy brands that make a donation to worthy causes. StrategyOne conducted 6048 interviews in 10 countries between August and October 2008. The study was an online survey of consumers, nationally representative of each of the country populations.

Small businesses will benefit from up to £4 billion in loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB) over the next four years, according to the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling. Speaking at a seminar on supporting small business, the Chancellor described small firms as vital to the strength of the UK economy and that it was vital that these businesses have access to the loans and capital they need to help their businesses grow and develop. The EIB is the European Union's bank. As the UK has a 16.2 per cent shareholding in the EIB, UK small businesses should be able to benefit from around £4 billion of lending from the bank between 2008 and 2011. The EIB supports small and medium-sized enterprise investment through "SME Loans" (previously known as Global Loans), which are credit lines made available to national and regional intermediaries such as banks. They then lend on the finance as debt finance to small businesses that meet EIB criteria. Several UK institutions already take EIB loans to support their small business clients. They have now committed to discussing with the EIB the potential to draw further additional loans. Other institutions supporting small businesses that have not worked with the EIB in the past have also committed to discussing with the EIB how they can work together, and where they are commercially competitive, use EIB loans to deliver the most effective support to small businesses.

Small business entrepreneurs in the UK are chalking up more than half a billion man hours worth £1,046 billion to the UK economy every year, a study conducted for business insurer Hiscox reveals. Coined by Hiscox as the UK's 'EDP' measure – or Entrepreneurial Domestic Product – this represents every small business owner in the UK clocking up nearly 2,500 hours of work every year. Compared to an employee working a standard 37.5 hour week, small business owners work an extra 700 hours a year, or almost 2 hours every day. The significant value of the UK's EDP – where these long hours contribute a staggering 37% of UK businesses overall turnover each year - shows the enormous contribution small businesses make to the UK economy. The study shows that more than a third of small business owners put in over 50 hours a week, with 14% putting in more than 60 hours every week. Despite the long hours, running a business remains an attractive prospect, with 58% of UK small business entrepreneurs citing the desire to be their own boss as a motivating factor. The research reveals that it's not just a desire to boost their bank balance that is motivating British entrepreneurs to contribute to the country's EDP. Almost one-fifth of British small business entrepreneurs (18%) were prompted to start their own business due to redundancy while a sixth of UK entrepreneurs cited a desire to turn their back on the traditional, corporate world as a key factor in their decision to start their own business. 21% have turned their hand to running their own business, as they had a great idea that they wanted to bring to life. More than two thirds set up within a year of having that 'light-bulb moment.' A third set up out of confidence that they can make more money as their own boss.

A groundbreaking new £25 million equity fund for women-led businesses has been launched. The Aspire Investment Fund – said to be the first of its kind in the UK – will offer women who own businesses or who have entrepreneurial ideas the chance to secure financial support. Half of the budget has been stumped up by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), with private sector contributions set to provide the remaining £12.5 million. The scheme will be targeted at high growth businesses seeking an investment ranging between £100,000 and £2 million in order for the venture to develop. Business Minister Shriti Vadera, who launched the Aspire Investment Fund, cited the fact that there are 20% more people in enterprise in the US than in Britain, and the majority of that gap is made up of women. Getting more women entrepreneurs is an economic issue, she said, not just an equality issue. If the UK was to match US levels of women’s enterprise, there would be 900,000 new businesses in the UK. Overall responsibility for administrating the scheme has been allocated to Capital for Enterprise Limited, BERR’s equity capital scheme managers, but funding will be accessed through the Business Link service. Applicants will be offered support and assistance from a range of professional advisors to ensure their ideas are "investment ready".

An annual competition that shines the spotlight on the UK’s best young business brains has reopened to entries. The Daily Mail Enterprising Young Brits Awards 2009 offers £1,000 first prizes in five separate categories for entrepreneurs aged under 30 who have turned great business ideas into reality. Held as part of the Make Your Mark initiative, which is aiming to promote a culture of enterprise, the awards to be made include Business Entrepreneur – for the most enterprising individual who has set up their own business, no matter how large or small. Social and Community – for ventures that combine the principles of a successful business with an emphasis on providing social and environmental benefits. Teen – for the 13-19 year-old who has made entrepreneurial ideas happen. Creative – for the individuals, businesses and projects that have shown creative flair or are focused on the creative industry. Going Global – for businesses that are having success in both the UK and abroad. The closing date for entering the 2009 Awards has been set for 27 February 2009. For more information about the Awards and to find out how to enter, visit the Make Your Mark website

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has officially launched a social enterprise founded by Tim Campbell, winner of hit TV series The Apprentice. The Bright Ideas Trust will offer young entrepreneurs in London the advice and financial support they need to help them set up and run their own successful businesses. Backed by a number of major investors, including £600,000 from the Bank of America, the scheme will provide 16-30 year-olds with their own business mentor, a specialist network of business support, and equity investment of up to £25,000 to get their ideas off the ground. Mr Campbell, who became Sir Alan Sugar's first Apprentice, hopes the initiative will encourage people from all backgrounds to take an interest in business and enterprise. According to the Mayor, small and medium sized businesses make up 80% of London's economy and this is a chance for people to start them up.

The American Friends of the Phelophepa Train has honoured the Most Reverend Desmond N. Tutu and his wife, Leah Nomalizo Tutu for their commitment to advancing health care for the poor in South Africa and for their patronage of the American Friends of the Phelophepa Train. Robert W. Lane, Chairman and CEO of Deere & Company and Steve Killelea, Founder & President, Global Peace Index, and Chairman & Founder Integrated Research Ltd. were also honored for their outstanding contributions to South Africa. The Phelophepa Health Train, or Train of Hope, is a mobile medical unit that crisscrosses remote areas of South Africa by rail throughout the year. It has been in continuous operation since 1994 providing primary health, dental, optometry and counseling to patients living in remote rural areas. The American Friends of the Phelophepa Train is a registered 501c3 charity and is the US-based fundraising arm for the train whose mission is to provide American individuals, foundations and corporations with opportunities to contribute.

Bridges Ventures, a fund management company with a social mission, chaired by Sir Ronald Cohen, has launched a new fund dedicated to investment in social enterprises. The fund, which is an initiative of the Bridges Charitable Trust, has so far raised £4.25m from investors who include Sir Ronald Cohen, Nigel Doughty, Harvey McGrath, the Apax Foundation, the Generation Foundation, Lehman Brothers Foundation Europe, Deutsche Bank and 3i. NESTA- the National Foundation for Enterprise, Science and the Arts- is a partner in the venture, which is to be called the Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund. The new fund will work closely with UnLtd, the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs, to ensure that the social entrepreneurs seeking funding are investment ready.

According to research undertaken by the Financial Times, two out of three jobs created since 1998 have been in parts of the economy dominated by the public sector. The dominance of the public sector has been so pronounced that in some areas, such as the west and east Midlands, the number of people employed in the private sector actually fell between 1998 and 2006. The FT's findings, based on unpublished official figures, show that the private sector has been less dynamic than thought, suggesting that it may be worse equipped to weather the recession than ministers had hoped. That may raise fears of rising unemployment, especially since the most dynamic private sector areas of financial and business services have started to shed employees. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) collects data on public sector employment in three surveys-the Labour Force Survey, the Annual Business Inquiry and the Public Sector Employment survey- with each dataset giving a different picture of each sector's growth. The ONS's preferred measure of public sector employment shows the lowest growth rate but its method excludes workers such as general practitioners, agency supply teachers in state schools and university lecturers, whose salaries are usually entirely funded by taxpayers. The official figures suggest that the increase in public sector workers since 1998 has been 600,000, but when employees are asked to classify themselves, the increase goes up to 900,000.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned that workers in London and the south-east are likely to be the worst hit by the recession, with one in 12 jobs being cut in the next 18 months. The LGA report, which was compiled by Pacec, says that the capital is expected to be worst hit because of its dependence on the financial sector, where banks are expected to shed tens of thousands more jobs. Many construction firms, already hard hit by the housing downturn, are also based in and around London. Manufacturing districts in the North and the west Midlands, such as Hull, Bradford, Coventry and Birmingham, are also likely to be badly hit. However, some areas in the south-west and East Anglia, with big farming communities, will fare much better in relative terms, with only one in 30 posts projected to go by 2010. There was also a glimmer of hope for those living in the M4 corridor, Stoke-on-Trent and the areas around Newcastle, where roughly one in 20 posts would be lost. Pacec analysed data from the previous two recessions and the growth performance of areas in the past two years, which it said is critical in predicting job losses. It also looked at the breakdown of the commercial, public and industrial sector in each region to see which posts were most vulnerable. Although it argues that it is impossible to predict the impact of the recession on job sectors alone it does claim that anyone employed in business services, defence and public administration or the transport and service sectors may also be protected, with some job increases even being predicted.

The Association of Colleges say that research they have commissioned from YouGov shows that millions of adults are going back to college to retrain in an effort to survive the credit crunch. Those made redundant or who fear for the future of their jobs are at the forefront of the drive to upgrade skills. A fifth of adults intend to gain further qualifications in the coming year and a third of those want to do because of the economic downturn. Some colleges already report increased enrolments.

The French government has announced that it is banking on the €15bn domestic sector in the fight against unemployment. Laureant Wauquiez, the employment minister, speaking at the opening of a trade fairing Paris said that fiscal incentives would help 130,000 people to find work as cleaners, gardeners, nannies, home-helps and other similar services - a third of all jobs created this year. Domestic services firms such as Axeo (part of Lyonniase des Eaux France) and O2 provide domestic employees ranging from DIY experts to cooks available to families, who can deduct the costs from their taxes.

From January 2009, Black History Studies will be running a series of long and short term courses in North and South London. Amongst other topics, the courses will cover the Introduction to the study of Black History, Politics, Sociology, Psychology, Science, Art and Religion. The 30 week course – Introduction to Black Studies – will analyse all the major areas of the Black Experience – the History, the Politics, the Psychology, the Science & Technology, the Arts, and finally, the Religion. All of the information is selected to be of relevance and interest to the Black Community. The information itself is designed to inspire, challenge, and to provoke serious thought. The course is a highly accessible 30 week programme but it is also rigorous and content laden. It assumes no prior knowledge of the subject areas, but the adult student is taken through an avalanche of information. Reading lists and course materials are provided.

The biggest gender pay gap is in the consulting sector, according to a new piece of research. Men working as consultants earn, on average, 35 per cent more than women in the same roles, the survey from executive jobs website Experteer showed. The second most gender-biased sectors are finance and IT, where men are paid 20 per cent more than their female peers. The survey of 2,400 people earning more than £50,000 also showed that the retail sector has a lower level of pay inequality – a gap of 11 per cent. But the sectors showing the most pay equality are the public and charity sectors, where the gap is 6 per cent. Stricter equalities and human rights policy with the public and charity sectors are thought to help minimise the pay gap.
Source: PM Online

Entries are now open for the 2009 UK Enterprise Awards - aimed at individuals and organisations that provide support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The Awards will be presented on Thursday 16th April 2009. In a year which has proved particularly challenging, the role of the advisers, coaches, mentors and others who encourage and support small businesses has never been more critical, according to SFEDI, the small business watchdog and standards setting body. It hosts the Awards on behalf of its Advisory Board of which most of the key small business associations and organisations in the UK are members. The awards showcase the individuals, organisations, products and services which have done most to help start ups, the self-employed and small business owners during 2008. Categories include awards for professional advisers, such as accountants, through to volunteer business mentors. There is also an award for the business owner or entrepreneur who has done most to support other small and home business owners.

News from the UK and around the world

Working from Home Lowers Stress

New research shows that working from home can result in lower stress levels, although the opportunities to network may be reduced. The research, carried out by Durham Business School, studied the responses of 749 managerial or professional positions in UK-based knowledge-intensive industries and found a clear link between working from home and improved well-being, but also revealed worries that home working could harm career prospects. Although the report did not poll small business owners, it clearly shows a correlation between stress levels and home working. Removing the time and hassle of the daily commute between home and office is just one obvious example of how working from home can lower stress levels. There were no significant differences between the commitment of home and office-based workers to their companies. For example, in response to the question “I really feel as if this organisation’s problems are my own”, 69% of home workers and 67% of office workers respectively agreed with the statement. The research found that working from home does not harm an employee’s commitment and has real benefits for staff.

New Book asks ‘Can Business save the Planet?’

In their new book, "Positively Responsible," authors Erik Bichard and Cary Cooper CBE look at how individuals behave in a situation of global crisis and how businesses can start to take the necessary positive steps towards a more sustainable and financially stable future. Inspired by years of working with businesses to lessen their environmental and social impacts and improve their competitiveness, "Positively Responsible" shows how sustainable business practices can be achieved without having a negative influence on either corporate leaders or their employees, by using the forces of market advantage rather than opposing them. "Positively Responsible" challenges the assumption that incorporating sustainability into business strategy will be a necessarily painful and fiscally destructive process, exploring fundamental questions and issues. Illustrated by corporate case studies taken from Nestle, Wal-Mart, Marks & Spencer, South West Airliners (SWA), The Body Shop, Ben & Jerry's, Shell, ICI, BNFL, Boeing, DuPont, Dow, Mitsui and StoraEnso, Norsk Hydro, Amec, FRC Group, Electrolux and others, the authors show how a more proactive approach pays dividends for the future. It recommends a new strategy for corporate social responsibility, built on a market-based justification for change, and within the crucial timescales predicted by climate researchers.

Hutton Urges Companies to “Compete For” Online Olympics Contracts

UK Business Minister John Hutton has hailed the success of a website that enables businesses to bid for up to £6 billion worth of contracts. The Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform visited Stratford to see how the CompeteFor online service was giving businesses the chance to benefit from opportunities linked to the London 2012 Olympic Games. CompeteFor is part of the London 2012 Business Network. Developed by the London Development Agency (LDA), the service is run across the country by regional development agencies and the devolved administrations, alongside the Olympic Delivery Authority. The website matches registered companies of all sizes to thousands of potential tendering opportunities. More than 5,600 London businesses have already registered since it was launched in February 2008, but Mr Hutton has urged more businesses to take advantage of the opportunities available. For more information about the opportunities that the 2012 Olympics offer to businesses, visit the CompeteFor website (opens a new window)

New £36 Million Investment to Support Welsh Entrepreneurs

A scheme to help create a new generation of entrepreneurs in Wales has been unveiled by Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones. Joint-funded by the European Union, the £36 million Wales Business Start Up project will provide support to entrepreneurs looking to set up a business in Wales. The initiative could create more than 10,000 jobs and support the development of 8,000 new businesses across the country. Mr. Jones said the Wales Business Start Up project would enable more companies to use EU funds.

£2 Million to Transfer Talent From Universities Into Business

Two knowledge transfer programmes are helping North East businesses reap the rewards of the outstanding academic talent emerging from the region’s five universities. Regional Development Agency One North East has pumped £1.3 million and £700,000 respectively into the Technology Strategy Board’s Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) and Collaborative Innovation Partnership (CIP) initiatives that support collaboration between business and academia. The schemes involve experts working with regional companies to improve their competitiveness through better use of knowledge, technology and skills. KTP is focused on larger companies operating in the healthcare and health sciences, new and renewable energy and process innovation sectors, whilst CIP targets SMEs. Each partnership employs an associate, usually a post-graduate researcher or university graduate, who works with a company on a project which is core to its strategic development. They are supported by a regional university, which in turn gains a better understanding of the challenges businesses face.

United Technologies Named Corporation of the Year for Supplier Diversity

United Technologies Corp. has been named "2008 Corporation of the Year" by the Connecticut Minority Supplier Development Council for successfully increasing procurement opportunities with minority business owners. UTC has spent more than $1.3 billion with minority suppliers during the past five years, averaging 18 percent growth year over year. Earlier this year, DiversityBusiness.com honored UTC as one of the top 50 companies for multicultural opportunities. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Connecticut, is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the building and aerospace industries. Source: Diversity Inc.

National Society of Black Engineers Honors UNCF/Merck Science Initiative with Golden Torch Award

The UNCF/Merck Science Initiative was recently honored by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) with the 2008 Golden Torch Award for Corporate/Education Partnership at the NSBE Annual National Convention in Orlando, Florida. The Corporate/Education Partnership award is given to a joint program between a corporation and an educational institution or program dedicated to improving African-American access to quality education, employment and technology. The UNCF/Merck Science Initiative is a ground-breaking program established in 1996 to support the training and development of African-American scientists in the United States. The UNCF/Merck Science Initiative provides financial support through scholarships and fellowships awarded at the undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral levels to outstanding African-American students pursuing studies in the biomedical sciences. Undergraduate scholars also receive paid internships for two summers at the Merck Research Laboratories, where Merck scientists volunteer to mentor scholars and fellows. Mentoring is a key program component and provides opportunities for enhancing research, career development and networking skills. To date, more than 400 scholarships and fellowships have been awarded to promising African-American students through a competitive application process that selects candidates based on their academic achievements and their potential in the field of biomedical research. Fellows have gone on to pursue careers in a wide range of disciplines, from biochemistry and microbiology to pharmacology, neuroscience, biophysics and bioengineering.

Cash Injection for Scottish Graduate Support Scheme

A pioneering programme that is helping to develop the next generation of Scottish entrepreneurs has been given a £1 million funding boost. Strathclyde Entrepreneurial Network has secured the funding from the Scottish Government’s SEEKIT scheme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The Network will use the cash to continue their work helping students and graduates from the University to take their ideas and develop them into new businesses. Over the next three years the Network will offer a package including start-up support for new business ideas, product development funding, and access to a wide range of University services aimed at helping fledgling SMEs to grow and prosper.

Lunch and the City

A recent survey undertaken by recruiter Morgan McKinley on the lunch habits of London-based financial markets workers has revealed that although 78% feel that they are more productive if they take a proper break at lunchtime, only 15% actually do each day. 80% of respondents said that they never took a full lunch hour, with 24% saying that they got less than a 15 minute break each day. 68% of respondents said that they had too much to do to take a proper break. 23% said that they were on a roll (rather than going out for a roll) and didn't want to break the momentum. 20% said that they would rather work through lunch and go home early (although it's not clear how many of those actually do go home at a decent time). And 16% said that they didn't take a break as no-one else in their team did. Source: HereIsTheCity

Aspiring Arts Journalists Sought to cover RSC Artistic Programme

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is looking for its new intake of committed and aspiring arts journalists to regularly cover its productions and events over the next year (starting August 08 - August 09). The RSC is interested in hearing from upcoming journalists who have connections with youth, local, and ethnic minority media, be it print, broadcast, or online, and will provide bursaries to help you see its output in Stratford-upon- Avon. This is a great opportunity to interview leading directors, actors and other theatre practitioners at the RSC; see fantastic plays; and develop an informal mentoring relationship with an arts critic at a leading publication. Dominic Cavendish, theatre critic at the Daily Telegraph, will share his career tips at this event. If you would like to learn more about the scheme and hear about the experiences from participants on last year's scheme, then please do join us at this event in Stratford-Upon- Avon. Deadlines for written applications will be on July 11, 2008. Contact: Uchenna Izundu on 07734 986 359. To book a place, please send an email to mediachisolutions@googlemail.com Please assume that you have been registered unless you hear otherwise

UK Economy Likely to be ‘worse than expected’ in 2009

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) quarterly economic report says that British businesses need to prepare themselves for a worse than expected 2009 as a “very sharp deceleration in consumer spending” and a worsening external deficit put the squeeze on corporate Britain. The BCC say that although business prospects for next year have worsened over the past few months and while recession can still be avoided, the marked slowdown in growth will be enough to pit many businesses under pressure. David Kern, the BCC’s economic adviser, said: “British businesses are facing two difficult years. The Monetary Policy Committee and the Government must adopt pro-active policy measures aimed at countering the threats to growth”. However Trevor Williams, chief economist at Lloyds TSB, talking on BBC News pointed to the latest inflation indicators and doubted whether there were many rate cuts due in the rest of the year as the concerns grew about inflation reaching three per cent. A CBI survey of small and medium sized companies shows that they have been raising prices to try and tackle the strongest cost pressures seen for 20 years.

Liverpool heads List of Most Deprived Areas in England

Liverpool has been named as England’s most deprived area in a government report, which ranks all of England’s 354 local authorities in terms of deprivation, a measure based on factors that include crime, the availability of education, standard of housing, quality of health and the income of residents. Hart in Hampshire is designated as England’s least deprived area. The results are the same as when the last report was done in 2004. Areas of north-east Lincolnshire are the worst in terms of crime while Forest Heath in Suffolk is the least deprived. Hackney is the most deprived living environment while Harborough in Leicestershire is the least deprived. Brent is the poorest in terms of barriers to housing and services and poorest in terms of education and training a swell as having the lowest income levels. Richmond-upon-Thames is the best area for education and Forest Heath in Suffolk is the least deprived in terms of income and also in employment.

African Footballers must speak English

African, South American and other non-European footballers who cannot speak English will be barred from joining Premiership clubs from the autumn under the new points-based immigration system. The spoken English test is part of a package of tougher rules for skilled migrants from outside Europe applying to work in Britain and for temporary workers and students. Liam Byrne, the immigration minister, said that there would have been 20,000 fewer migrants coming to Britain last year if the new rules had been in place. Under the new system a vacancy will have to be advertised for at least two weeks (one week for jobs paid over £40,000). Migrants will have to show they are competent in basic English. Jobs to be classified as “shortage occupations” will be decided by a new Migration Advisory Committee, headed by David Metcalf, professor of industrial relations at LSE. It is expected that the new measures will deter five per cent of existing skilled migrants coming to Britain.

London and South-East Dominate UK Economy

The latest issue of the Office of National Statistics’ Regional Trends shows that workers in the capital and the Home Counties generate a third of the nation’s wealth, producing £375 billion a year in goods and services, out of an overall national total of £1,155 billion. London alone produces £218 billion. The report finds that the North-South divide continues to grow. Average weekly incomes in the North stood at only £455 in 2006, more than a third lower than London, which enjoys an average weekly income of £766. Paul Vickers, the ONS’s regional analyst, said that the productivity gap between North and South was particularly stark. “The South East and London dominate the gross value-added charts. London’s domination is such that it shows a productivity level nearly 50 per cent higher than the South East”.

Calling Playwrights of African/Caribbean Descent in the UK

Talawa invites entries for the Alfred Fagon Award for the best new stage play in English by playwrights of African/Caribbean descent who are resident in the UK. Its worth £5000 to the winner and the winning play will also be read at the Royal Court Theatre in November 2008. The closing date for entries is 31 August 2008. For more information visit www.talawa.com

World’s Most Ethical Companies Ranking Issued by Ethisphere Institute

The Ethisphere Institute, a think-tank dedicated to the research and promotion of profitable best practices in governance, business ethics, compliance and corporate social responsibility released its second annual World's Most Ethical Companies list. The recipients were honored at an evening reception at the June 3rd Ethisphere and Forbes joint conference, "Driving Profit through Ethical Leadership." The elite list also appears nationally in the Q2 issue of the quarterly magazine of the Institute, Ethisphere Magazine. Leaders from Google, PepsiCo, Kellogg, and American Express, which were included on the 2008 World’s Most Ethical Companies list, spoke on various panels which included Going Green and Supply Chain Sustainability; Human Capital and the Value in Values-Based Leadership; and Looking Ahead: The Future of Ethical Leadership, among others. The process included reviewing the companies’ codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluating the investment in innovation and sustainable business practices; looking at activities designed to improve corporate citizenship; studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers; and working with consumer action groups for feedback. www.ethisphere.com/WME2008

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Launches New TV Campaign in US to Recruit Male Volunteer Mentors

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America has added a new series of television commercials as part of its 2008 campaign for male volunteers. The commercials are part of the "Campaign for Men," a 13-month national program that began in January, funded by a $100,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. The organization launched its campaign to increase male recruitment, especially African-Americans and Hispanics, across Big Brothers Big Sisters’ 400+ agencies. More than 70 percent of the children waiting for a Big Brother are boys, but only three out of every 10 inquiries about volunteering come from men. More than 50 percent of the boys Big Brothers Big Sisters serves are African-American, while only 15 percent of its male volunteers are African-American. Big Brothers Big Sisters, BigBrothersBigSisters.org, is the largest youth mentoring organization in the United States. The organization is currently focusing on recruiting Big Brothers, especially African-Americans and Hispanics. www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org

PricewaterhouseCoopers Launches Impact Program for Talented African-American High School Juniors

PricewaterhouseCoopers has launched a unique educational community initiative to benefit academically talented African-American high school juniors. Called "Impact," the distinctive program is part of a broader commitment by PricewaterhouseCoopers to Corporate Responsibility and a focused community outreach effort to develop the next generation of leaders. Impact helps participants broaden their educational horizons and opportunities by nurturing talented students to achieve admission into some of the premier colleges and universities in the country. Impact helps participants navigate the college planning and application process through monthly workshops, dedicated professional mentors and access to tools and strategies that will broaden their education and career choices. PricewaterhouseCoopers began the program this year in the New York City and Washington, D.C. metro areas, but will expand it to other cities in future years. For more information about the Impact program, visit: www.pwc.com/impact.

CBI and TUC show Business Benefits of Diversity

Further evidence for the business benefits of diversity has been illustrated in a joint report from the CBI and TUC. The report, Talent not Tokenism, showed how leading companies, including Arriva and Pinsent Masons, achieved a diverse workforce and the benefits it has brought them in. Transport company Arriva has sent 5,800 staff on diversity courses, set up 24 learning centres to raise skills, and begun a diversity recruitment programme. Now, Arriva North West & Wales has seen an increase of 60 per cent in female bus drivers and Arriva Yorkshire has seen the number of people leaving within two years of employment fall by a third. The report states that companies who look beyond the "usual suspects" for staff contribute to higher morale and productivity, improved retention rates and lower recruitment costs. A diverse workforce will also provide better understanding of customer needs and help address skills shortages, it adds. Source: PM Online

Huge Boost for Skills Training

Up to £65 million has been earmarked for a new England-wide drive to boost skills across the science, engineering, manufacturing and technology sectors. The cash, allocated from the Government's Train to Gain budget, has been made available for Sector Skills Council SEMTA to deliver urgently required skills training. Companies will be able to access grants of between £500 and £1,800 per employee, with support focused on tackling skills gaps in SMEs to help them become more competitive. The link-up between government and SEMTA will also allow participating employers access to further training through the Train to Gain scheme, and enable them to offer more apprenticeships. According to Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham, between 2004 and 2014 there will be an estimated need for an additional 324,000 skilled workers in science, engineering and manufacturing technologies. SEMTA research estimates a lack of skilled workers is costing the country approximately £700 million a year in lost productivity, with skills gaps of 29% in the pharmaceutical and bio-science sectors, and an 18% skills gap in engineering.

UNESCO/ANSTI Diaspora Award

UNESCO/ANSTI is inviting African scientists in the Diaspora to apply for the above award. The award is offered to scientists who wish to attend scientific thematic conferences and workshops in Africa. The award includes the cost of the air ticket, cost of accommodation and a daily subsistence amount for the duration of the conference. Women scientists in the Diaspora are encouraged to apply. The application should include the following documents: CV, Letter of invitation, Abstract of the Paper to be presented at the conference, budget breakdown and should be sent to the address below or to diaspora@ansti.org

Employees to be given the right to request training

The UK government has introduced plans to allow employees the legal right to request time to train from their employers. In a further announcement, apprenticeships will receive a boost under new legislation to unlock the potential of individuals and businesses. The government will now consult on how workers can be legally empowered to request time to undertake training that will benefit them and their employer. The practical arrangements which employers would follow would be modelled on the existing right to request flexible working. By introducing a new right to ask for time for training, employees will be able to talk to employers about their training needs, and employers will become more aware of the public funds available to support training. Employers will be legally obliged to seriously consider requests for training they receive but could refuse a request where there was a good business reason to do so. Employers will not be obliged to meet the salary or training costs to enable a request for time to train but it is expected that many will choose to do so, recognising the opportunity to invest in their business.

New start-up Packs for Small Businesses Released

The British Chambers of Commerce has just released its custom-built new business start-up pack as part of a long term commitment to encourage small companies to grow successfully. In association with commercial partners, the BCC's start-up pack includes features such as instant tender alerts, telecoms offers, free software, product discounts, free legal advice and half price BCC membership.

Small Companies lead the way with Flexible Working in UK

According to the recently published Walsh Review, small companies have a better record of accepting requests for flexible working than larger ones. Led by Sainsbury’s HR director Imelda Walsh, the Review recommends extending the right to request flexible working to parents of children up to age 16. The Government has accepted the recommendation. This means more small businesses are set to benefit from the advantages flexible working brings to the workplace, including increased productivity and recruitment savings. Around six million employees currently have the right to request flexible working; 3.6 million parents and 2.65 million carers. This will increase to over 10 million [6m plus 4.5m] if the extension goes ahead. The UK’s small businesses are already performing well in terms of flexible working practices; the British Chambers of Commerce found that 89% of small employers have already provided their employees with some form of flexible working. The arrangements include working from home, part-time work, compressed hours, flexitime or other arrangements agreed with employers. Alongside the benefits flexible working brings to employees, employers have found promoting work-life balance makes a positive contribution to their business, namely significant improvements in employee relations (71%), staff retention (60%) and productivity (58%). To help small businesses manage requests to work flexibly, the Government has developed a range of guides, interactive tools and advice available at www.businesslink.gov.uk/flexibleworking.

Skills Shortage Looms as IT Student Levels Drop

The number of computing students in universities and colleges in the UK has dropped almost 50% since 2001 to below 1996 levels, prompting fears that IT departments are on the verge of a new skills shortage. The shortfall, revealed in a study commissioned by IT professors and heads of computing at leading UK universities and colleges, coincides with rising demand from business for skilled IT professionals. The study predicts demand for IT skills will grow 15% over the next eight years as businesses prepare for long-overdue IT infrastructure and business application upgrades. Academics claim that without intervention, there will be serious shortfall in the number of professionals with the computing knowledge needed to support the growth of the UK’s knowledge economy in the next eight years. The study, commissioned by the UK’s Council of Professors and Heads of Computing (CPHC), calls for government funding to attract people with other degrees into post-graduate programmes and for the introduction of US-style tax breaks to encourage UK industry to invest more heavily in university qualifications. Source: Computer Weekly

Performance Reviews Often Skip Ethics, say American HR Professionals

In a new national survey, only 43 percent of American human resources professionals said their organizations include ethical conduct as part of employees' performance appraisals. In the study released jointly by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Ethics Resource Center (ERC), human resource professionals said they are their organizations' primary resource for ethics-related issues, and they help create ethics policies. But most don't feel that they are truly part of the ethics infrastructure. Instead, they are just asked to "clean up" the situations caused by ethics violations. The SHRM/ERC study, The Ethics Landscape in American Business, was conducted for the third time since 1997.It is the only measure of its kind--one that examines the attitudes of human resource professionals about ethics in their workplace. Results of the study were compared, or benchmarked, to ERC's National Workplace Ethics Survey, a broader study fielded in 2007.The current SHRM/ERC study questioned 513 human resource professionals on six key business ethics themes, while ERC's poll surveyed 3,452 employees. According to the SHRM/ERC study, only 23 percent of HR professionals say that their organizations have a comprehensive ethics and compliance program in place, and 7 percent report that their employer has no program at all. A complete copy of The Ethics Landscape in American Business is available at www.shrm.org/surveys. The ERC's National Workplace Ethics Survey can be found at www.ethics.org.

Welsh Apprentices to Get £70 Million Funding

A three-year project aimed at raising the skills of the workforce in some of Wales’ poorest areas has been revealed. A total of £70 million is to be spent on the Modern Apprenticeship World Class Skills scheme, which aims to help 22,500 workers raise their skill levels and provide more than 14,000 training places. The investment will be targeted across areas of West Wales and the Valleys, and includes £40 million from the European Social Fund’s Convergence programme. A similar apprenticeship drive financed by a previous European initiative has already helped 25,000 people in these regions to improve their skills. The scheme will provide three levels of training, through pre-apprenticeship, foundation, and modern apprenticeship levels, with the Assembly Government predicting that the drive would help achieve its goal of 80% of adults in Wales having basic literacy skills. A further £3.5 million is to be spent on developing a Modern Skills diploma that will offer more than 1,000 people the chance to enhance their vocational and managerial skills.

UK Labour Market Outlook

Despite the predicted economic slowdown following the global credit crunch, over four in five organisations surveyed are planning to recruit staff during the next three months (86). Seventy-seven per cent of organisations surveyed do not intend to make any redundancies during the next three months. For those who do, about half (48%) expect redundancies to total fewer than ten staff and the same proportion say it will be more than ten. When asked what the effect of this recruitment or redundancies will be, half (48%) of organisations surveyed say it is to maintain total staff levels. One in eight (12%) say recruitment and redundancies will decrease staff levels and over a third (37%) say they will increase staff levels. Similarly, 36% say they expect their total staff numbers to be higher year on year, while about half (47%) expect staff levels to be unchanged. Just under half of organisations (46%) expect to have recruitment difficulties during the next three months. Vacancies in engineering and skilled trades as well as those in general/middle management and senior management/directors are expected to be the hardest to fill in the coming quarter. Source: CIPD Labour Market Outlook Report

Other news from around the world

IOM announces Temporary Return of Qualified Nationals Project

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched a new project entitled ‘Temporary Return of Qualified Nationals’ (TRQN).  The project aims to make a contribution to the reconstruction and development of a number of countries in Eastern Europe and Africa, including Sierra Leone and Sudan.  Qualified nationals who wish to return to these countries temporarily will have the opportunity to work in areas where local expertise is lacking.  IOM will mediate between employers and qualified nationals.  The project runs until April 2008 and is supported by the Dutch government. 
For further details:  www.iom-nederland.nl

World Bank Opens Young Professionals Program

The World Bank’s Young Professionals Program is now accepting applications for the 2007 selection.  The Young Professionals Program is a starting point for an exciting career in the World Bank. The Program is designed to attract outstanding young and motivated individuals from around the world, who have demonstrated a commitment to development, supported by academic success, professional achievement and potential for leadership. The Program recruits through a highly selective and competitive process and then facilitates their rapid integration into the World Bank's business and culture.  The closing date for applications is August 31, 2006. www.worldbank.org/careers
source:  Pambazuka News

Harvard Students Launch new Africa Journal

Students at Harvard University’s John F Kennedy School of Government have launched the school’s first public policy journal focused solely on Africa. As one of the world's leading institutions devoted to public policy, the Kennedy School has trained numerous African leaders and policy-makers including Africa's first woman president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. The journal has been approved by the Kennedy School administration and the Kennedy School Student Government and is affiliated with the Kennedy School Africa Caucus. The Africa Policy Journal aims to provide rigorous analysis and practical solutions to some of Africa’s most pressing policy challenges. http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/kssgorg/apj/

Launch of DFID’s Central Research Department

DFID’s Central Research Department has developed the Research4Development portal (R4D), which promotes new research and provides information about research activities in Rural Livelihoods, Health, Social Sciences, Education and Infrastructure and Urban Development. R4D includes a searchable database containing records of around 6000 projects from around the mid 1990s onwards. It provides project information including data on the organisations and countries involved. The database is searchable by free text, keywords, or on internationally recognised subject categories.
R4D can be found at : www.research4development.info.
For more details :
http://www.research4development.info/aboutR4D.asp

UK Announces New Initiative to Attract Overseas Students

A new initiative has been announced by the UK government designed to increase the number of international students at UK further education colleges and universities. International students are worth around £5 billion a year to the UK economy and Britain is keen not to lose out to popular destinations like the US and Australia.  The initiative is intended to increase the number of international students by 100,000 by 2010. India and China have been designated as ‘priority’ countries, with just £3 million of the £27 million two-year budget earmarked for UK/Africa partnership initiatives.  UK Education Minister Bill Rammell said that some of the £3m budget has been invested with the Association of Commonwealth Universities while some of the funds will also be spent in South Africa on work with universities in ‘under-privileged’ areas.
source:  Black Britain.co.uk

South African Appointed to Board of United Nations Global Compact

Ms. Ntombifuthi Mtoba, Chair of the Board of Deloitte South Africa has been appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to serve on the Board of the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest voluntary corporate citizenship initiative.  The 20-member body is comprised of ten business representatives, four representatives of business associations and labour groups, as well as four representatives of civil society organisations.  Launched in 2000, the UN Gobal Compact is the largest voluntary corporate citizenship initiative in the world and brings business together with UN agencies, labour, civil society and governments to advance universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption.

Other news from around the world

World Bank Approves $8 Million Grant for Education in the Gambia

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors have approved an international Development Association (IDA) grant of US$8 million to assist the Government of The Gambia in providing equitable access to high quality education. The Third Education Sector project, Phase 2 aims to improve conditions for teaching and learning in basic education through improving performance of students, teachers and schools, strengthening capacity building and performance management expanding access to underserved communities. It will support the Government’s Education Policy, which aims to provide equitable access to education, from early childhood to tertiary education including adult and non formal education, and focus on improving learning outcomes at all levels. In Gambia, primary school completion is now at 62% and is expected to increase to 80% by 2010, and to 100% by 2015. Source: Databank

World Development Indicators 2006

NEPAD-COHRED partnership supports African health research by Africans

More funding must go directly to African countries for research on their health priorities, to be carried out by African organisations and their researchers. This is the goal of the partnership between NEPAD and COHRED – the Council on Health Research for Development. The two organisations are intensifying efforts with African countries to significantly improve their capacity and systems for doing health research over the coming five years. The ultimate goal of this effort is the generation of more African-based health research.  The partnership is framed in a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations. It taps COHRED’s experience and practical approaches to health research system building with many developing countries, and directly supports implementation of the NEPAD Health Strategy

Uganda receives support for Millennium Science Initiative

The World Bank has approved US$30 million for Uganda’s Millennium Science Initiative Project.  This development objective is for Ugandan universities and research institutes to produce more and better qualified science and engineering graduates, and higher quality and more relevant research, and for firms to utilize these outputs to improve productivity for the sake of enhancing Science and Technology-led (S&T) growth. The project consists of the MSI Funding Facility which provides competitively-awarded grants dedicated to a specific purpose. These include research groups led by senior researchers or emerging investigators to conduct relevant, high-quality scientific and technological research closely connected to graduate training and the creation of undergraduate programs in basic science and engineering at licensed public and private institutions and/or the rehabilitation and upgrading of existing degree programs in basic science and engineering. The funds will also support private sector cooperation and an Outreach Program.

UNESCO - African Students the Most Mobile in the World

Tertiary students from sub-Saharan Africa are the most mobile in the world, with one out of every 16 – or 5.6 percent - studying abroad, according to a report from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS).  "What this report shows is that the real dynamic in tertiary education is coming from African, Arab and Chinese students. They are the driving force behind the internationalization of higher education," says Hendrik van der Pol, UIS Director.  Source: Pambazuka News 

Young Professionals Program Accepting Applications

The Young Professionals Program is a starting point for an exciting career in the World Bank. The Program is designed to attract outstanding young and motivated individuals from around the world, who have demonstrated a commitment to development, supported by academic success, professional achievement and potential for leadership. The Program recruits through a highly selective and competitive process and then facilitates their rapid integration into the World Bank's business and culture.  Highly qualified and motivated young people skilled in areas relevant to the Bank's operations such as Economics, Finance, Education, Public Health, Social Sciences, Engineering, Urban Planning, and Natural Resource Management are encouraged to submit applications to the Young Professionals Program by August 31. Among other criteria, applicants must be citizens of a Bank member country, 32 years of age or younger when entering the Program, fluent in English and have obtained a master's degree or equivalent at the time of application. Those selected spend 18 to 20 months as Young Professionals before they are confirmed into regular positions in the Bank.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/ EXTHRJOBS/0,,contentMDK:20519630~menuPK:
1477630~pagePK:64262408~piPK :64262191~theSitePK:1058433,00.html

Enterprise Surveys

This Private Sector Development site contains data on the investment climate in 68 countries, based on surveys of almost 38,000 firms. Enterprise surveys measure business perceptions of the investment climate, and can be used to analyze the link to job creation and productivity growth. Benin, Chile, Mauritius, and Morocco have been added to the Enterprise Surveys database.
http://rru.worldbank.org/EnterpriseSurveys/

OECD Survey offers Optimism for Africa

A new report says that there is reason to be optimistic about the world's second largest continent.But the upbeat message is escorted by words of caution from two development economists of repute: Louka Katseli, director of the OECD Development Centre in Paris and Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank in Tunis.  "While prospects for much of Africa are more favourable than they have been in the recent past, human security continues to be severely affected by weak governance structures, conflicts and the vulnerability that accompanies extreme poverty," Katseli and Kaberuka write in the preface to the latest African Economic Outlook (AEO). This is the fifth in a series of annual Outlooks by the Development Centre of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development). The Development Centre is an interface between OECD member countries and the emerging and developing economies. The survey offers a comparative panorama of the economic, political and social evolution of 30 African economies from 2005 to 2007, covering 87 percent of the population and 90 percent of the continent's revenue. Source: IPS News Agency

Nigeria to Host African VOIP Forum

The world is again recognising the importance of the Nigerian telecoms market in the development of the African digital age as it shifts attention to Lagos, Nigeria between July 31 and August 3, 2006 for the third annual African VOIP Forum.  Source: Pambazuka News

SUDAN Launches Open Access Digital Library

The Rift Valley Institute (RVI) and the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) have launched the Sudan Open Archive, an open-access digital library for Sudan, containing documents that until now were largely unavailable in digital form. The first phase of the archive involved the digitisation of around 500 documents drawn from the records of Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS), the international relief effort that started in 1989.  Documents in the archive include ‘Operation Lifeline Sudan: A Review’ (1996); ‘An Introduction to the Food Economies of Southern Sudan’ (1998); ‘The Southern Sudan Vulnerability Study’ (1999 edition); ‘The Jonglei Field Officers Handbook’ (1998); and ‘Towards a Baseline: Best Estimates of Social Indicators for Southern Sudan’ (2004). Also included are the official, signed texts of more recent documents, such as the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (2005) and the report of the Abyei Boundaries Commission (2005, with maps).  The Sudan Open Archive is available at: www.sudanarchive.net

Contemporary African Art Exhibition held in Angola

An exhibition of contemporary African art has opened in Luanda.  The Sindika Dokolo Foundation, which organised the exhibition, said it included 90 paintings, drawings, sculptures, videos and installations by 48 artists from 22 countries. The aim, it said, was to create a contemporary art centre with the prerequisites for involving Luanda in international art networks.  The exhibition was part of a Luanda triennial that will continue for the whole of 2006.  It was planned and financed by public and private Angolan cultural figures and institutions with the aim of promoting African culture and art in Africa and the world.  

Ford Foundation Announces Africa Initiative

The Ford Foundation has announced the creation of a new philanthropic venture, led by Africans and based in Dakar, Senegal. The project, Trust Africa, aims to strengthen an expanding network of nonprofit groups across the continent that seeks to hold governments accountable.  Ford has committed $30 million to this new foundation. Half the money will finance a permanent endowment, and the other half will be used to provide grants to many groups over the next five years. Trust Africa's executive director, Akwasi Aidoo, a Ghanaian who formerly headed Ford's offices in Senegal and Nigeria, said it would strive to build links among civil society groups that could tackle regional problems of violent conflict, economic development and social justice. Trust Africa hopes to build a base of support that goes well beyond the Ford Foundation. It plans to raise donations from the African diaspora.

Rhodes University Announces Research Scholarships for South Africa

Applications are invited from suitably qualified students to study full-time at Rhodes University in 2007 through the Rhodes University Prestigious Scholarships for Research in the PhD. Programme on Citizenship, Nation and Identity.  Two awards are offered and the overriding criterion for the award of the Scholarship is academic merit (70%), although other factors such as service to the community, intra- or extra-murally, could be taken into account.  Applicants must pursue the PhD Programme on Citizenship, Nation and Identity.  Since these are Scholarships, financial need is not a criterion for these awards. Applicants must be younger than 36 years of age at the time of applying. Open to all citizens. Initially for one year but renewable depending on satisfactory progress for a further two years upon re-application each year.  Deadline: 3 July 2006 for applications to: The Dean of Research’s Office, Rhodes University.  Source: Pambazuka News

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Scholarship Exchange Programme

As part of its ongoing commitment to training, MISA offers a scholarship exchange programme, which is facilitated by the Regional Secretariat in Windhoek, Namibia. The programme assists individual media practitioners in all areas of the media (managerial, editorial, advertising, and technical) to work on attachment in another media institution to learn new skills and develop existing ones. This includes both full-time employees and freelancers. Individuals who are involved in human rights organisations in a media capacity may also be considered.  All applicants must be MISA members and annual subscriptions to the relevant MISA national chapter must be paid up in full. Applications can be made at any time of the year.  http://www.misa.org/exchange.html

Other news from around the world

Acknowledge the Support of the Diaspora to Africa’s Development

The head of an African Diaspora organization has called for greater acknowledgement and practical support from the British government and an end to the exclusion of the African Diaspora in policymaking and decisions affecting the development of the continent.  Dr. Emmanuel Argo, President of the Global African Diaspora Coalition, which has its headquarters in the UK, called for greater recognition of the contribution of the African Diaspora towards Africa’s development.
 “People from the Diaspora who are a natural link to the continent are always excluded from discussions on Africa’s development, yet remittances sent by the Diaspora are a vital resource, which if seriously channelled could not only help reduce debt but could also help eradicate poverty.”  According to Dr. Argo, “Africans in the Diaspora already contribute greatly towards world development. We would like to see the UK government and other western governments work more closely with the Diaspora and support the work that we are doing.”

EISA: Internship Programme 2007

The Election Institute of Southern Africa (EISA), a nonprofit whose mission is to strengthen electoral processes, good governance, human rights and democratic values through research, capacity building, advocacy and other targeted interventions, invites applications for the 2007 internship programme. Applications for 2007 should be submitted between 1 July and 30 September 2006 only. Applications should be marked for attention Internship programme, EISA and may be submitted via email to: eisa@eisa.org.za or fax to 011 482 61 63 or can be posted to: P.O. Box 740, Auckland Park 2196. 

£15 million Pledge to support African Higher Education Institutions to tackle Poverty

The UK Government and the British Council have called on higher education institutions in the UK and 25 developing counties to bid for a share of £15 million of new funding for ways to fight global poverty. The UK Department for International Development (DFID) is contributing the funds over seven years to support a range of partnerships that will include Higher Education institutions in the UK and overseas. The new projects will bring together understanding and expertise across the world which will contribute to reducing poverty, promoting science and technology and help meet international targets for providing basic health and education services by 2015.  The Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DELPHE) initiative will be managed by the British Council and the Association of Commonwealth Universities will assist by promoting DELPHE through its network of universities and academics around the world. Institutions which link up will work on initiatives for skills development, knowledge sharing, problem solving research and other activities that will contribute towards achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals. The selection criteria and guidelines will be posted on the British Council website by the beginning of June. Each grant will range from £15,000-£50,000 and successful applicants will be announced in September.
http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-delphe.htm 

Rwanda submits Country Peer Review Report to NEPAD

The Country Review Report on Rwanda was submitted to NEPAD at the recent AU Summit in Banjul, The Gambia by the APR Panel of Eminent Persons.    The African Peer Review Mechanism is a process conceived by NEPAD which enables African countries to voluntarily examine each other’s commitment and focus to development efforts.  Rwanda signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the APRM in March, 2003, in which the four benchmarks: Democracy and Good Political Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Corporate Governance and Socio-economic development, are measured.  The Rwanda Country Review Team consulted with a wide range of stakeholders, including, civil society organisations, the private sector, women, youth, and political parties.  The team visited all the 12 former provinces and gathered ideas with stakeholders countrywide, including President Paul Kagame.
Source: New Times (Rwanda)

Call for Nominations – 3rd Annual Development Gateway Award

The Development Gateway Foundation is calling for nominations from around the globe for the third annual Development Gateway Award. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve the lives of people in developing countries.  This year the award is highlighting projects that empower or improve the conditions of youth. The nominated projects must leverage the power of ICT to create fresh opportunities and address development challenges such as health, education, employment or other areas important to social and economic development. In addition to giving a significant cash prize to the award winner, the Development Gateway will highlight the stories of all the finalists on the Development Gateway Foundation website; their stories will also be available to the worldwide membership of dgCommunities online networks.  The deadline to receive nominations is August 11, 2006, and the winner will be announced toward the end of 2006. For further information, e-mail at award@developmentgateway.org

South Africans Score Highly in National Pride Rankings

According to a report from the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, South African citizens scored amongst the highest with a score 17 out of a possible 25 when asked if they would rather be a citizen in their country than any other country.  The report is based on a survey of people in 34 countries carried out by the International Social Survey Program and which asked people to rate how proud they were in their countries in ten different areas. The report showed some general patterns: former colonies and new nations had high levels of pride, while nations in Asia and countries in Europe, especially those in Eastern Europe, had lower levels of pride. http://www.norc.org/

Workshop for Women Leaders Held in Botswana

A workshop on 'Leadership, Gender Mainstreaming, Tracking HIV/AIDS and Poverty' has been organized by the International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA), UNESCO in collaboration with other UN agencies and the Tertiary Education Council (TEC) of Botswana. Participants examined modern theories of leadership in light of their experiences and contexts, gender mainstreaming in organisations and institutions and a range of approaches to tackle the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS and poverty. The first of its kind in Botswana, the workshop is meant to enable women in leadership positions to relate leadership to gender, HIV/AIDS, poverty, peace and conflict resolution challenges. It is one of a series planned for the sub-Saharan African region and further workshops will be run in Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia during 2006, with a further five countries targeted for 2007.

African Diaspora in Brazil holds Conference

During a 3 day state visit in Brazil, President Kufuor of Ghana attended the plenary session of the Second conference of Intellectuals from Africa and the Diaspora held in Salvador. The conference themed "The Diaspora and Africa Renaissance" is a follow up to the first conference held in Dakar in October 2004.   African statesmen and dignitaries attended the conference along with the heads of many international organisations.  The conference aims at reviving and harnessing the contribution of intellectuals in Africa and the Diaspora. It also aims at broadening mutual understanding and fostering greater cooperation for development between Africa and Diaspora countries. Source: Accra Daily Mail

Africa Investment Climate and Business Environment Research Fund

The International Development Research Centre and TrustAfrica have established an Investment Climate and Business Environment (ICBE) Research Fund, which will make available up to US$2.8 million through various initiatives and rounds of funding for researchers in private sector development based in African universities, business schools, and independent research institutions.  The grants will be awarded following an open, competitive process and the final deliberations of a pan-African jury.  The Fund anticipates research from African universities, business schools, professors, graduates students, African investment and SME promotion agencies.  The Fund will operate in English and French and will include all regions of the African continent.  The closing date for applications is October 16, 2006.
http://www.trustafrica.org/documents/ICBE_RF_Call_for_Proposals.pdf 

ODI Report asks ‘What’s Next in International Development?’

A new report issued by the Overseas Development Institute poses the question of ‘What’s Next in International Development?’ This report compares the international development agenda of the ‘20% Club’ - countries which derive around 20% of GDP from aid and the ‘0.2% Club’ -countries that are becoming aid donors themselves. These different agendas challenge aid agencies to rethink their roles and their competencies. They also challenge development researchers to work on new issues and in new ways. 
http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/working_papers/wp270.pdf

Tanzania tackles Shortage of Secondary School Teachers

The Tanzanian government will recruit almost 6,000 teachers within the next two months in a bid to address an acute shortage in its secondary schools.  According to the Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Margareth Sitta, the country needs 9,500 teachers to staff its 1,699 public secondary schools but currently suffers a deficit of 5,793 teachers. Sitta said the increased demand for teachers was the result of the successful implementation of a five-year Secondary Education Development Programme (SEDP) that began in 2004, under which 1,050 new secondary schools were built countrywide.  Recruiting so many teachers presents new challenges. Form Six leavers who meet specific criteria will be hired as teachers and undergo a one-month crash course before being deployed and 250 retired teachers will be recalled.  Plans are also underway to recruit 260 university graduates to pursue teaching careers.  Source: Irinnews.org

Handbook of Effective Labour Migration Policies Published

A handbook has been published is to assist States in their efforts to develop new policy approaches, solutions, and practical measures for better management of labour migration in countries of origin and of destination. It analyses effective policies and practices and draws upon examples from Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) participating States as well as other countries that have considerable experience in this field. http://www.eldis.org/globalisation/

Africa Progress Panel Announced to Monitor Promises of Aid

Tony Blair has announced the setting up of the Africa Progress Panel to produce an annual report for the G8, UN and the Africa Partnership Forum. an existing body tasked with monitoring progress in the continent.  The Africa Progress Panel will include Nigerian President Obasanjo and Kofi Annan among its members while Bill Gates of Microsoft has committed funding support for the Panel.  The British Prime Minister has stressed that the Panel will be independent of the British Government and says that its focus will be to track progress on promises made at last year's G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland.

South Africa Journalism Institute Offering Courses

The Institute for the Advancement of Journalism is offering several courses for working journalists: sports reporting, interviewing, basic reporting and writing for print, over the next few weeks.  Courses will be held in Johannesburg. Closing date for application is two weeks before the start of the course. Source: Pambazuka News  http://tinyurl.com/lr5q2

Other news from Africa and around the world

World Bank Opens Winter Internship Program

The Internship Program, which opens from September 1, 2006, is open to students who are nationals of the Bank's member countries. The goal of this Internship Program is to offer successful candidates an opportunity to improve their skills as well as the experience of working in an international environment. To be eligible for the Internship Program, candidates must possess an undergraduate degree and already be enrolled in a full-time graduate study program.  This Program typically seeks candidates in the following fields: economics, finance, human development (public health, education, nutrition, and population), social science (anthropology, sociology), agriculture, environment, private sector development, as well as other related fields. Fluency in English is required. Prior relevant work experience, computing skills, as well as knowledge of languages such as French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Portuguese, and Chinese are advantageous.  The application period for the Winter Program is September 1 to October 31and all applications must be submitted on-line.

Plans Launched to Mitigate African Brain Drain

Two initiatives have been launched to mitigate the 'brain drain' caused when scientists and others emigrate from African countries to work elsewhere.  In July, Government ministers from 58 European and African countries met in Rabat, Morocco (right) for the first Euro-African Conference on Migration and Development.  They approved an action plan that, among other things, calls for Euro-African partnerships and networks to be developed between scientists and research institutions, with a focus on training courses for young African professionals. African students should have greater access to top universities and institutes in both Africa and Europe, urges the plan. It also calls for incentives to encourage students to return home after their studies. Earlier in July the council for the African Union held a summit meeting in Gambia and backed a proposal from Mali to host an African Centre for Study and Research on Migration.  The Centre will identify how African nations can retain skilled personnel, especially scientists, and how they can take advantage of the brain drain to improve training and technology transfer.  Source: SciDev.net 

Egypt Introduces a 15 Year Education Strategy

Egypt has announced a series of initiatives intended to strengthen its scientific research and higher education sectors.  In the latest move, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak recently approved a 15-year strategy for higher education whose aims include increasing the proportion of students who study at scientific institutions from 40 to 60%.  Source: SciDev.net

Innovation Africa Symposium to take place in Uganda

The Innovation Africa Symposium is to take place in Uganda from 20-23 November.  It will convene a group of internationally recognised experts on innovation systems to share their latest thinking with agricultural researchers and development partners. The symposium will also provide an opportunity for participants to share their achievements in enhancing innovation processes.  For information on how to participate in the symposium, contact s.kaaria@cgiar.org 

Expressions of Interest for Board Member Vacancies, AFRUCA

AFRUCA will be running a recruitment campaign for new members of our Board of Trustees in September 2006. Africans Unite Against Child Abuse is an organisation concerned about cruelty against the African Child. They are the premier organisation promoting the welfare of African children in the UK and also work in partnership with other organisations in Africa and across Europe. To receive further details, email info@afruca.org

World Bank Small Grants Program

Created in 1983, the Small Grants Program aims to strengthen the voice and influence of poor and marginalized groups in the development processes, thereby making these processes more inclusive and equitable. Thus, it supports activities of civil society organizations whose primary objective is civic engagement of the poor and marginalized populations. By involving citizens who are often excluded from the public arena, and by increasing their capacity to influence policy and program decisions, the Small Grants Program helps facilitate ownership of development initiatives by a broader sector of society.  This is one of the few global programs of the World Bank that directly funds civil society organizations and with funds from the Development Grants Facility, the program is administered through the Country Offices. NGOs and other civil society organizations who are interested in participating in the Program should contact the local World Bank Country Office.

Cameroon could lose all its doctors by 2009

The ONMC association of Cameroonian doctors has called on the government to invest more in the country’s health service.  Cameroon could lose all of its 3,000 practising doctors within three years if the government does not act quickly to stem a brain drain in the health sector, according to the ONMC association of doctors' national, if nothing is done to stop the mass exodus from hospitals.  Cameroon officially has approximately 3,000 practising clinicians for its 17 million people but with the majority to be found in towns and cities, rural areas are often left with one doctor for 40,000 inhabitants. The ONMC said the government must make health a priority by raising wages.  

Academies urged to do more for Women Scientists

Science and engineering academies across the world have been urged to provide more support for women seeking to pursue a career in research, particularly for those who aspire to positions of scientific leadership. A report, “Women for Science”, published by the InterAcademy Council recommends that each academy set up a committee to monitor and report on gender issues and oversee plans to increase women's academy membership.  Scientific academies in developing countries have been told to raise awareness of science and technology among women in their communities as part of a strategy for technological capacity building.  The council was established by 90 science academies across the world.  Within the developing world, the panel describes the engagement and empowerment of women at the grassroots level as "essential" to building technological capacity.  Source: SciDev.Net

Nigerian President launches CANI

President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria has launched the Computer for All Nigerians Initiative (CANI) aimed at easing access to, and use of computers amongst all Nigerians in irrespective of class, age gender and location. The objective of the CANI scheme is to increase computer penetration in Nigeria in line with the National ICT policy, the multi-sectoral reform agenda of government and the realisation of the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals.  The Nigerian leader described the scheme is his administration's social programme designed to assist individual employee in both public and private sectors to purchase personal computers and laptops at discounted prices under an affordable and convenient repayment plan.   Source: Pambazuka News

TourismAfrica2006: "Special Days" for Women Entrepreneurs

TourismAfrica2006 which will be held in Geneva in September (10-15), is supported by leading international and Pan-African institutions such as the African Union, the World Tourism Organisation, UNCTAD, UNESCO, the World Bank and the African Development Bank. This international event aims at fostering the development of Africa's tourism industry and promoting destinations in African countries. It is the first initiative solely for African tourism that will gather qualified African and International decision-makers from the public and private sector in a congress, an exhibition and a Business Development Centre. Within the framework of the strategic forums, September 14th and 15th will be dedicated to the importance of women in Africa's tourism development. These "special days" will be placed under the patronage of the World Association of Women Entrepreneurs (FCEM) aiming at strengthening and promoting women entrepreneurs' initiatives throughout the world.

KPMG Plan to Enhance Skills of South African Professional Women

Auditing and advisory firm KPMG has launched the South African chapter of the KPMG Network of Women (Know), an initiative aimed at increasing the number of skilled professional women in key business areas in the country. Aligning itself closely with the government's drive to improve the skills of South Africans, Know will seek to increase access to professional skills development for South African women. KPMG will begin by employing 20 unemployed women graduates for 12 months in project management and information technology services "to ensure adequate exposure, knowledge, experience and skills development."

Compliance Training in South Africa

STRATE, the authorised Central Securities Depository (CSD) for the electronic settlement of all financial instruments in South Africa, is holding a series of one day seminars to provide candidates who have previously passed an examination module with an opportunity to participate in a refresher course on one or more of the individual topics and to give candidates the opportunity to gain an understanding of a specific STRATE topic.  In terms of the CSD Rules, a licensed CSD Participant is required to appoint a Compliance Officer as well as an alternate (Directive SAJ). Compliance Officers are required to write an examination as prescribed by the Controlling Body of STRATE. STRATE is committed to educating and upgrading the standing of those individuals working in the securities industry. Registration for this examination has therefore not been limited to members appointed as CSDP Compliance Officers, but is open to all candidates interested in obtaining STRATE accreditation. STRATE welcomes candidates from throughout the financial industry to register for the 2006 STRATE Compliance Examinations.  www.strate.co.za

Consensus Reached on Eastern Africa Cable System

The project structure of the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System, known as EASSy, and the roles of the respective stakeholder groups have been agreed upon by governments, NEPAD e-Africa Commission, telecommunications operators and the Development Financial Institutions. The consensus was reached during an all-stakeholders meeting hosted by the government of Kenya in Nairobi. A joint task force with representatives from each of these key stakeholder groups was also created. EASSy is an initiative to connect over 20 coastal and land-locked countries in East and Southern Africa via a high bandwidth, undersea fiber optic cable system and terrestrial backhaul links to the rest of the world. Source: World Bank

President Clinton Launches AIDS Programme in Ethiopia

Former US president Bill Clinton launched a program to help children suffering from AIDS in Ethiopia, where close to 3 million people are estimated to be infected with the deadly virus. Under the program, the Clinton Foundation will fund the program at a cost of $250,000 and provide 23 medical experts from Yale University to work in 13 hospitals across the country for one year.  Source: Pambazuka News

NEPAD Food Summit to agree Plan of Action

A NEPAD Food Security Summit, involving the availability, accessibility and affordability of food, will be held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 8-12 September 2006. It will be hosted by the Nigerian Government, through its Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in collaboration with NEPAD and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).  The summit will bring together African Heads of States and other key stakeholders from African Union (AU) member states, Regional Economic Communities, civil societies, institutions and international organisations to discuss and produce a revised food security Action Plan and appropriate strategies to be adopted by each nation in order to tackle the issue of national and continental food security.  Source: Nepad Dialogue

Uganda Government Recruits 2000 More Teachers for USE Plan

Education Minister Namirembe Bitamazire has disclosed that the Government has made available Sh30 billion and will recruit 2,000 teachers for the Universal Secondary Education (USE) programme commencing in February next year. "Plans will be finalised by December 2006 and the actual release will be done by February when schools open," she said.  Source: Allafrica.com

School Enrollments Rising as African Nations Reform Education Systems

After decades of setbacks in education, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are sending more children to school and taking steps to improve education quality. But the region still needs help from wealthy nations to achieve universal education by 2015, says a global partnership of donors and developing countries, known as the Fast Track Initiative (FTI).  Enrollment rates in Sub-Saharan Africa increased from 83 percent in 2000 to 95 percent in 2002, sending an additional 17 million students to school, says FTI.  The European Commission has pledged US$76 million to the Fast Track Initiative, launched in 2002 to coordinate education donations and technical support for poor countries that develop plans to strengthen their education systems.

Small and Medium Enterprise Toolkit

The Small and Medium Enterprise Toolkit uses the latest information and communication technologies to help small and medium enterprises in emerging markets learn sustainable business management practices. The Toolkit has now been launched in eight languages online with more than 3,000 CD-ROMs distributed to date. The Toolkit sites now collectively receive more than 12,000 visitors each month from around the world. Source: World Bank 

Africa Environment Outlook 2 – Our Environment, Our Wealth

A report on Africa Environment profiles Africa’s environmental resources as an asset for the region’s development. The report highlights the opportunities presented by the natural resource base to support development and the objectives of the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The report underscores the need for sustainable livelihoods, and the importance of environmental initiatives in supporting them. Emphasis is put on what should and can be done with existing (remaining) environmental assets, in the context of identified constraints (issues), rather than focusing on what has been already lost.  http://www.unep.org/DEWA/Africa/AEO2_Launch/index.asp

NEPAD e-Schools Promotion Wins International Awards

A video promotion by the NEPAD e-Africa Commission received two prestigious international awards at the 2006 New York Global Conference and Awards Show, organised by Promax & Broadcast Designers Association (BDA) World Awards and held on 21-22 June 2006.  Promax & BDA is a global non-profit association dedicated to advancing the role and effectiveness of promotion, marketing and broadcast design professionals in the electronic media.  The NEPAD e-Schools video promotion, produced in collaboration with MultiChoice Africa and running on more than 20 DSTV channels, was awarded Gold in the Cable and Satellite Systems “Special Project” category. It received Silver in the Broadcast Television Station, “Public Service Announcement (PSA)” category. Source: Nepad

Africa Forum appeals to countries to move ahead on Peer Review

An appeal to participating countries that have not yet launched the Peer Review process to respect the timetables was made by the outgoing chairman of the APR Panel, Ambassador Betheul Kiplagat, at the fifth Summit of the Committee of Heads of State and Government participating in the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APR Forum) held in Banjul, The Gambia.  Ambassador Kiplagat also called on the Heads of State and Government to place the APRM at the top of the agenda of their countries and to follow up its implementation regularly.  The new Chairperson of the APR Panel to succeed Ambassador Kiplagat is Prof. Dorothy Njeuma, of Cameroon. The Chairperson of the APR Forum, President Obasanjo of Nigeria reiterated that the APRM is a critical instrument for advancing reforms in governance and socio-economic development and emphasized that the APRM process is not a punitive instrument but rather a mechanism for identifying the strong and weak points, sharing them and helping to rectify the weak areas in governance. The review reports of countries that have completed the review missions will be presented at the next APR Forum during the AU Summit in January 2007 in Addis Ababa.  Source: Nepad

New programme for young African leaders supported by Archbishop Tutu

The Saïd Business School has launched a new programme in South Africa based on elements of the Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme (OSLP). The new programme, which is co-directed by Marshall Young, is the first initiative of the African Leadership Development Institute, a charity founded by Oxford MPhil in Management Studies graduate and former Rhodes Scholar, Peter Wilson. The Institute aims to support a new generation of African leaders in tackling the complex and formidable challenges facing the continent.  Twenty young African leaders participated in the programme. All are holders of Archbishop Tutu Fellowships, which are being offered in association with the new Institute and funded by a range of companies including Roche, Investec and Eskom. The Fellows come from Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Botswana, Liberia and Tanzania, and are all prominent in their respective fields, whether business, technology, government or politics.  The launch of the African Leadership Development Institute follows hard on the heels of several other African initiatives in which Oxford management faculty have been involved. “What all these initiatives demonstrate,” says Marshall Young, “is a growing recognition of the contribution business leadership development can make in helping move Africa forward.”   The second module of the African Leadership Development programme will take place in Oxford and London in September 2006. To find out more about the programme contact Marshall Young.

Other news from Africa and around the world

UNESCO names Five African sites as World Heritage

The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has included five new African sites in the prestigious world heritage list. They include the fortified town of Harrar Jugol in Ethiopia, the stone circles of Senegambie (Gambia and Senegal), the Chongoni Rock Art Monument areas in Malawi and in Kondoa, Tanzania and the site of Aapravasi Chat in Mauritius.  Source: Tourism Africa news  

Job Candidates boycotting Brands with Poor Recruitment Policies

A survey by British firm, Reed Consulting, has found that rejected job candidates who feel recruiters have treated them unfairly take revenge on potential employers by not buying their products.   More than 30% of recent job candidates have changed brands following a bad recruitment experience, according to the organisation. Of those that boycotted a company's goods, 66% did so because they did not hear from it after applying for a job, while 60% did not receive feedback.  Others found out an advertised job had changed or become unavailable, while 31% did not receive enough information about the role or experienced long delays (22 %). Nearly 60 per cent of the 2,500 graduate jobseekers questioned said their experience of applying for work at a firm had affected their perception of its brand.  Source: PM Online  

World Bank Junior Professionals Program for Afro-Descendants

This Program provides young and motivated individuals with practical, on-the-job experience and training in a global development environment, while giving the Bank an opportunity to benefit from the knowledge, talent and diversity that they can bring to the institution. In addition, the program contributes to capacity-building efforts in the candidates' respective home countries, as some of the graduates choose to return to contribute economic development. The program is now accepting applications for 2007.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTHRJOBS/
0,,contentMDK:20515898~menuPK:64262360~page
PK:64262408~piPK:64262191~theSitePK:1058433,00.html

UK Employers seek Soft Skills and Work Ethic

UK employers are placing much more emphasis on the soft skills of school leavers such as communication skills and work ethic than on literacy and numeracy, according to research published in the latest CIPD/KPMG quarterly Labour Market Outlook.  A survey of over 1,400 UK employers revealed that while a quarter of employers list literacy, numeracy and formal qualifications as the key attributes they are looking for when recruiting school leavers, the attributes that top the list are communication skills, work ethic – the basic desire to do a good job – and personality. The report also reveals that when asked to assess the performance of school leavers at work, a third of employers believe that girls outperform boys, which compares with just 3% who find that the reverse is true.  Source: PM online  

PepsiCo Appoints Asian Woman CEO

Indra Nooyi, president and CFO of PepsiCo, has become the first female CEO, and the first CEO of colour, in the company's history. Of Indian origin, Nooyi will be the first female CEO of colour for a Fortune 100 company. Nooyi is a graduate of Yale University and joined PepsiCo in 1994 as its senior vice president of Strategic Planning. Ms. Nooyi is the PepsiCo Executive Council sponsor for women and was responsible for the creation of an internal women's-networking group. She also is leading the development of a new company website where women can learn how other women have advanced their careers and can receive mentoring.  Ms. Nooyi’s promotion will make PepsiCo, with $33 billion in sales, the largest United States company by market capitalization led by a woman.

AGR Publishes Handbook for Graduate Recruiters

A guide to help graduate employers develop a marketing strategy has been produced by the British Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR).  The handbook helps firms identify their key audience and gain a competitive advantage when attracting potential employees. Martin Cerullo, director of recruitment agency Euro RSCG Riley and co-author of the guide, said it urged graduate recruiters to "get in the mind of their target audience".  Source: PM online

Commitment to Development Index 2006

The Commitment to Development Index (CDI) rates 21 rich countries on how much they help poor countries build prosperity, good government, and security. Each rich country gets scores in seven policy areas, which are averaged for an overall score.  The Netherlands ranks 1st overall in 2006 with its best score on aid as a share of its income, and a high quality of foreign aid programmes. The United States ranks 13th overall in 2006, with U.S. barriers against developing country agricultural exports lower than those of most CDI countries. U.S. foreign aid is small as a share of its income and it “ties” a large share of this aid to the purchase of U.S. goods and services.  The United Kingdom ranks 12th overall in 2006, finishing first in two CDI components with the best environmental record from the perspective of developing countries.  Source: Oneworld.net

International Media Forum takes place in South Africa

Sponsored by organizations including the International Marketing Council of South Africa, the International Media Forum held in September in Johannesburg brought together for the first time senior editors from the world’s most important media with South Africa’s leading business decision-makers, government officials and communications professionals.  The Forum, which included a series of keynote speeches, discussions and workshops, was established to create a roadmap for future successful media relations between media who shape South Africa’s image abroad and within the country and to provide the tools and contacts to put it into practice.   The IMC was constituted in 2001 by President Thabo Mbeki to establish a compelling brand for South Africa and to implement a pro-active marketing and communication strategy locally and abroad with a view to promoting trade, tourism and investment. 

UK Government procurement to consider ethnic mix of bidders' staff

Firms bidding for British government contracts are to be vetted to root out those with low numbers of black or ethnic-minority employees. Under the "affirmative action" proposals, outlined in The Times, government departments will compare the ethnic composition of bidding companies with the racial mix of the local area when considering awarding a contract. The plans were drafted by the Ethnic Minority Advisory Group, which includes ministers from seven government departments. They will be piloted before the end of the year and, if successful, could be rolled out across government in 2007. People from ethnic minorities are twice as likely to be unemployed than those from the white majority, according to recent government statistics. Source: PM online  

Burkina Faso hosts Regional Tourism Forum

The World Tourism Organization and the Burkinabe Minister of Culture, Arts and Crafts, and Tourism are planning a regional forum on tourism on 3-4 November as part of the Ouagadougou international art and crafts trades fair on tourism (SIAO). The theme is Tourism, Arts and Crafts for Development. The conference is open to the tourism authorities of the member states, tour operators and travel agencies, craftsmen associations, the NGOs involved in tourism and art and craft, and individual craftsmen. The organizers aim to explore a sustainable partnership between tourism, arts and crafts in the vast frame of the fight against poverty.   Source: Tourism Africa news

Alcoa Foundation Funds New Youth Health Center in Ghana

Alcoa Foundation has pledged $68,000 funding for Mercy Ships creation of a new youth health and recreation center in Ashaiman, Ghana, a sub district of the Tema municipality in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Mercy Ships, a global charity, is the leader in using hospital ships to deliver free world-class health care and community development services to the forgotten poor.  Alcoa Foundation is working in partnership with Mercy Ships and Ghana Health Services, the Ghana government health agency, to establish the new center. Alcoa Foundation funding will support Mercy Ships, who will manage the construction of the center and equip the center, which will be staffed and managed by Ghana Health Services.  The planned youth-friendly center will offer young people improved access to health facilities, raise health and hygiene awareness, provide family planning and consultation services, and a recreational unit.  Established in 1952, Alcoa Foundation is a global resource that actively invests in improving the quality of life in the countries around the world where Alcoa operates.  Alcoa's presence in Ghana is through Volta Aluminum Company (Valco), a joint venture with the government of Ghana, and the Alcoa-Ghana Bauxite and Alumina Project.

AHORESIA Welcomes International Tourism Exhibition

The first International Fair on Tourism and Culture (FITEC) was held in Luanda in September. The Fair enabled concerned operators and specialists to evaluate the level of development attained by the sector. FITEC is an initiative by Expo-Angola and Central of Ideas, with support from the ministries of Culture and Hotels and Tourism, provincial governments and other entities associated with the tourism industry and culture. It is part of the celebrations of the World Tourism Day (September 17) and of the 3rd Symposium on National Culture. Source: ANIP

NEPAD ICT Infrastructure Network Protocol Signed

The NEPAD e-Africa Commission together with the Rwandan Government and the African Union hosted a protocol signing ceremony of ICT Ministers from Eastern and Southern African countries participating in the NEPAD ICT broadband infrastructure network, including the Eastern Africa Submarine System (EASSy) cable, in Kigali, Rwanda. President Kagame of Rwanda presided over the signing ceremony that was also attended by top officials from Rwanda, NEPAD and the African Union.  The ceremony will enable the project Steering Committee to fast-track implementation of the NEPAD ICT broadband infrastructure network that, among other things, involves construction of the 9900 km submarine cable from South Africa to Sudan.  23 countries are involved in the network in line with NEPAD’s priority ICT objective to ensure that all African countries are connected to one another by broadband fibre-optic cable systems that will in turn link them to the rest of the world through existing or planned submarine cable systems.  Since its adoption by the Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) in November 2004 as a NEPAD flagship project, the ICT broadband infrastructure project is being run under the auspices and principles of NEPAD, which emphasise collaboration among African countries, and specifically African ownership and leadership.  Source: Nepad News

Other news from Africa and around the world

Workshop on Economic Development for Physicists from Developing Countries

A one-week residential workshop on 'Economic Development for Physicists in Developing Countries' is taking place at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy from 27 November.  It is designed for physicists in developing countries who would like to learn entrepreneurial/ commercialisation skills, now a vital part of the education programme. The aim of the workshop is to foster the culture of enterprise that will help physicists in their careers help them make positive contribution to the economy of their countries. The workshop will include: how to spot opportunities, identification of market need, how to protect intellectual property, need for confidentiality, patenting, how to bring developments to market, licensing, raising capital, funding, venture capitalist route, legal issues, incubation, etc. This workshop will also provide delegates an opportunity to engage with successful role models who are expert in their field and to discuss real life issues, barriers and challenges.  The workshop is organized by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, the Institute of Physics and the European Physical Society.  Email : dipali.chauhan@iop.org 

Increasing Numbers of Skilled African Women Migrating

About 17.1 million international migrants live in Africa, but only five million Africans live outside the continent, according to a new report by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) launched prior to the recent high-level dialogue on migration and development in New York.  The report, International Migration and Development: Implications for Africa says contemporary African immigrants with a divergent range of skills -medicines, engineering, education, research and nursing - are increasingly establishing themselves in North America, Europe and the Gulf states, remitting billions of dollars to their home countries.  An increasing number of skilled and professional African women are joining the migration streams previously dominated by men. “For instance,” says the report, “approximately 33.7 percent of sub-Saharan African physicians currently practicing in the United States are women.”  “The growing feminization of migration is a key pathway to reducing gender inequality, reducing poverty and enhancing women’s economic security,” it says.  International migration directly affects level of poverty and promotes development. Citing studies, the report says that a 10 per cent increase in the share of international migrants in a country’s population could lead to a 1.9 percent decline in the number of people living in poverty.  It also says that a 10 percent increase in the share of international remittances in a country’s GDP will lead to a 1.6 percent decline in the share of people living in poverty.  The report adds that up to 40 percent of Somalis benefit from remittances and that poverty would increase by about 15 percent in Lesotho if migrant workers in South African mines were to stop sending money home.
http://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/Publications
/MigrationReport2006.pdf

New York Advertising Firms Agree to Hire More Black Managers

According to a New York Times report, finding that just 2 percent of the upper echelon of the advertising industry is black, New York City officials have announced agreements with several of the nation’s biggest ad firms forcing them to bring more black managers into this crucial sector of the city’s economy.  The city’s Human Rights Commission found that of 8,000 employees working for 16 agencies the commission examined, about 22 percent make more than $100,000 a year, and only 2.5 percent of those are black. Faced with the findings, nearly a dozen agencies have promised to set numerical goals for increasing black representation on their creative and managerial staffs and to report on their progress each year.  At the same time the companies have agreed to set up diversity boards and to link progress on the issue to their managers’ compensation.  African-Americans make up one-quarter of New York’s population but few African-Americans have risen higher than the ranks of secretaries and clerks in the sector.  Source: New York Times Online  

Creating More Local Jobs in Tanzania

According to Tanzania’s Labour, Employment and Youth Development Minister, the government plans to reduce foreigners from its job market to create opportunities for locals.  Jumanne Maghembe said a study into complaints about the influx of foreigners in the local job market had shown that locals were losing out in job openings in foreign firms and called on Tanzanians to change their work ethics.  The new administration in Tanzania has promised to create 500 000 new jobs in its first year in power. The Tanzanian government is conscious of the need to create jobs for its youth and while conceding that expatriates would still play a major role in Tanzania, there would be limitations on the number and type of skills required.  

World Service Enquiry publishes new Guide to Volunteering for Development

The World Service Enquiry Guide to Volunteering for Development as been updated and expanded and the 2006 issue is now available.  The Guide contains details of 350 volunteer agencies and a new detailed Professional Agencies listing. The Guide is suitable for anyone seeking to travel, work or volunteer overseas, short or long term and contains specialist information and advice on working or volunteering in the development sector.  www.wse.org.uk   

Entry Level Salaries fall for College Graduates in USA

The New York Times has reported that many entry-Level workers are feeling the pinch as entry-level wages have trailed inflation, making it hard for many to cope with high housing costs and rising college debt loads. Entry-level wages for college and high school graduates fell by more than 4% from 2001 to 2005, after factoring in inflation, according to an analysis of Labor Department data by the Economic Policy Institute. In addition, the percentage of college graduates receiving health and pension benefits in their entry-level jobs has dropped sharply.  Some labour experts say wage stagnation and the sharp increase in housing costs over the past decade have delayed workers ages 20 to 35 from buying their first homes.  Worsening the financial crunch, far more college graduates are borrowing to pay for their education, and the amount borrowed has jumped by more than 50% in recent years, largely because of soaring tuition. Source: New York Times Online  

South Africa’s Financial services sector attracts Largest Job Increases

The biggest increase in the number of jobs created during the first quarter this year was in the financial services sector, according to statistics released by Statistics South Africa. The strength of South Africa’s economy has created an increasing number of jobs in the service environment, as the country moves away from its agricultural and manufacturing base. Many financial services companies have strong international links, offering enhanced career prospects and additional numbers of graduates will be needed for the sector.  Source: Skills Portal 

Harvard Ends Early Admission, Citing Barrier to Disadvantaged

The New York Times has reported that Harvard isbreaking with a major trend in college admissions and will eliminate its early admissions program next year, with university officials arguing that such programs put low-income and minority applicants at a disadvantage in getting into selective universities.  Harvard will be the first of the nation’s prestigious universities to do away completely with early admissions, in which high school seniors apply early and learn whether they have been admitted in December, months before other students. The paper quotes Derek Bok, the interim President of Harvard as saying, “We think this will produce a fairer process, because the existing process has been shown to advantage those who are already advantaged.’’.  Harvard has taken a number of steps to make itself more accessible to working-class students including families with incomes below $60,000 a year now no longer having to pay for a students’ education.  Source New York Times Online

UK CIPD launches new International Recruitment, Selection and Assessment report

 This research report looks at the key areas of international recruitment, selection and assessment. These include international recruitment from overseas countries for employment in the home market, resourcing employees for international assignments, recruitment for expanding overseas and decentralising responsibility for international recruitment.  Source: CIPD

South African Government Supports Mathematics Institute

The South African Government has donated R3 million to a mathematics institute aimed at recruiting African students for training in research and teaching careers. The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) is to be funded to the tune of R3 million in 2006 by the Department of Education.

Salary Gap Widens for College Graduates in the USA

According to the New York Times, the wage gap between college-educated and high-school-educated workers has widened greatly, with college graduates earning 45% more than high school graduates, up from 23% in 1979.  Professor Rouse of Princeton said a college degree added $402,000 to a graduate’s lifetime earnings. Dropping out of high school has its costs around the globe, but nowhere steeper than in the United States. Adults who do not finish high school in the United States earn 65% of what people who have high-school degrees make, according to a new report comparing industrialized nations. Adults without a high-school diploma typically make about 80 percent of the salaries earned by high-school graduates in nations across Asia, Europe and elsewhere. Countries such as Finland, Belgium, Germany and Sweden have the smallest gaps in earnings between dropouts and graduates.  The figures come from "Education at a Glance," an annual study by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The new report says 44% of adults without high-school degrees in the United States have low incomes—that is, they make half of the country's median income or less.  About one-third of students in the United States do not finish high school on time or at all. The country has a high proportion of educated adults and greater gender equality than other nations.  But the United States is losing ground internationally because other countries are making faster and bigger gains.  The United States remains, by far, the most popular place for international students to study, but it is losing its market share of students studying abroad.  Source: New York Times Online  

Wealth of richest Asians in Britain grows 3 times faster than Economy

Asian entrepreneurs in Britain have increased their wealth at three times the pace of economic growth, thanks to a rising focus on high-value industries such as IT, a new report shows. Britain's richest Asians increased their wealth by 69% in real terms between 1998 and 2005, compared with GDP growth of 22.8%, according to a study published by Barclays Business Banking.  The report highlights a shift away from their traditional industries - such as textiles and manufacturing to a much broader base of entrepreneurs who are challenging traditional stereotypes and making money in hi-tech industries.  The report, written by Surrey University entrepreneurship lecturer, Spinder Dhaliwal, showed wealth creation was no longer reliant on the performance of a handful of people. In 1998 almost two-thirds of Asian wealth was generated by the top 20 entries in the rich list. Their contribution was just one third of overall wealth in 2005. Over the same period, wealth generated by women listed in their own right quadrupled to £87.5m from £21m.  The rich list, based on Asians whose main business activities are in the UK, includes the four Ugandan-born Jatania brothers who have expanded Lornamead by picking up famous names from big multinationals, recently acquiring the Yardley toiletries brand and Vosene shampoo, from Procter & Gamble.  Source: Business Guardian

Donna DeBerry Joins Nike as Company's First Vice President of Diversity

Nike has announced that Donna DeBerry has joined the company as its first Vice President of Diversity. In this newly created role, DeBerry will help to further integrate diversity into Nike’s global business strategies and employer of choice practices. Establishing a senior corporate-level leadership position underscores Nike’s strong belief that diversity creates competitive advantage, both in attracting, developing and leveraging diverse talent inside the company as well as in building strong brand relationships with diverse consumers worldwide.  She has worked with the Oprah Winfrey Show and on many other high-profile projects. Prior to founding DRP International, DeBerry was Executive Vice President of Global Diversity and Corporate Affairs at Wyndham International Inc., one of the world's largest publicly traded hospitality companies. In that role, DeBerry was the highest-ranking African American in the hotel and hospitality industry.

UN Global Compact to hold 4th International Learning Forum Meeting in Ghana

Participants from all over the world will meet in Accra, Ghana to learn about challenges of implementing the Global Compact principles and partnerships for development. The meeting targets managers and other experts from business, civil society and labour that are working on corporate citizenship, sustainability and partnership issues. The Meeting will be organized in partnership with the Centre for Corporate Citizenship of the University of South Africa and UNDP Ghana, with advice on the learning and facilitation methodology from the OASIS School of Human Relations.
http://www.ungc-learningforum.org

The United States Senate Shows Poor Diversity Record

A DiversityInc investigation found that of the 4,100 U.S. Senate employees across the country, approximately 6% are people of colour, in marked contrast to the fact that people of colour comprise more than 30% of the U.S. population. The publication said that people of color are virtually nonexistent when it comes to the most influential Washington, D.C.–based Senate aides who advise the senators on all issues. DiversityInc asked all 100 senators to provide information about the racial and ethnic makeup of their senior personnel, including committee staffers and With a few exceptions, senators of both parties refused to discuss their diversity problem. The publication points out that members of Congress have exempted themselves from most labour laws, including the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Equal Employment Act of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act, the Equal Pay Act, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Their hiring practices also are exempt from the federal Freedom of Information Act, which allows journalists and the public information about non-classified federal data, including most federal staff.  Source: DiversityInc Magazine 

UK Age Discrimination regulation will impact Redundancy Policies

The effect of the new Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 on redundancy will have an impact on how employers address redundancy. According to the UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, when the regulations come into force in October, employers will need to vet their selection criteria for redundancy to ensure they are not age discriminatory. They should also review any arrangements for enhanced retirement pensions, at least for new joiners, to check they will be lawful.  

2006 Global Education Digest

The 2006 Global Education Digest presents the latest education statistics from primary to tertiary levels in more than 200 countries. The Digest presents a wide range of comparable education indicators that can be used to assess progress towards the Education for All and Millennium Development Goals. These cross-national indicators are also useful for benchmarking the performance of a national education system to those in other countries.
http://www.eldis.org/cf/search/disp/DocDisplay.cfm?

Other news from Africa and around the world

New Study reveals High Performers Ready to Quit

According to a new study by Leadership IQ, 47% of high performers are actively looking for other jobs by posting and submitting resumes, and even going on interviews.  The survey points out that while this trend should worry employers, what is perhaps even worse is that low performers want to stay.  Only 18% of low performing employees are actively seeking other jobs, and 25% of middle performers are actively looking around.  Leadership IQ surveyed 16,237 employees on a range of workforce and retention issues. High performers keep companies in business, according to Mark Murphy, CEO of Leadership IQ, and companies are at risk if these people leave.  Yet, it appears that we ask our high performers to go above and beyond, making their jobs tough and burning them out.  Meanwhile, low performers often get easier jobs because their bosses dread dealing with them and may avoid them altogether.

Black and Minority Populations in UK set to reach 36% by 2050

Black and other minority ethnic groups could account for more than a third of the British population by the middle of the century, if immigration trends and inter-racial relationships continue at current rates.  Experts say people of mixed-race origin now represent the fastest growing ethnic group in the country while multi-culturalism has become more widely accepted.  Campaigners are however calling for greater equality to ensure a cohesive society.  According to the 2001 census, 4.9 million (8.3% of the total population) were born overseas.  This is more than double the number in 1951.  Figures from the Office of National Statistics in 2006 revealed that the British population is now more than 60 million and is growing at its fastest pace since the early 1960’s.  Source: The Voice

Achimota School Alumni Launch 3 Year Capital Campaign

Alumni of Achimota School, one of Ghana’s leading educational institutions, have launched AC2010, a 3 Year Capital Campaign on behalf of the School. Achimota School was founded to train leaders who would synthesize the best of African and western ideas and ideals and the school has produced three heads of state and a roll call of distinguished public servants.  The Capital Campaign is aimed at raising donations from all Akoras (alumni) and friends of Achimota School for the full restoration of Achimota to its former status as a West African centre of educational excellence and a leadership training ground.  The organizers are urging all alumni and friends to logon and to donate to the upkeep of the school. www.ac2010.org

U.S. Government Holds Forum on Cocoa Farming Labor Issues in West Africa

Experts focused on improving labor practices on West African cocoa farms held a unique, first-ever forum, led by the United States Department of State and United States Department of Labor in October.  The forum, "Cocoa Labor Issues in West Africa," brought together government, industry, non-governmental organization (NGO) and individual experts committed to encouraging responsible labor practices in cocoa farming.  70% of the world’s cocoa comes from the more than two million small, family owned farms that make up West Africa’s cocoa sector. The U.S. Government event provided a forum to exchange information on efforts underway to ensure cocoa is grown responsibly, and to address broader, related issues affecting cocoa farmers and the farming community.  Experts representing the governments of Ghana and the Cote d’Ivoire joined representatives from the State Department, Department of Labor, United States Agency for International Development, International Labour Organization, International Cocoa Initiative and other key stakeholders. Source: World Cocoa Foundation

Survey Shows MBA Students Believe Business Should Be Agent of Social Change

With the corporate scandals of recent years exposing severe moral and ethical transgressions, business schools have come under fire for failing to instill adequate ethical standards in students.  ANet Impact survey of more than 2,000 MBA studentssuggests that the overwhelming majority of today's MBA students believe that businesses should work toward the betterment of society that managers should take into account social and environmental impacts when making business decisions and that corporate social responsibility should be integrated into core curricula in MBA programs. Net Impact is an international network of MBAs, graduate students and professionals committed to using the power of business to improve the world. The Net Impact survey was conducted online from September 25 to October 15, 2006 at 110 MBA programs in the US and Canada. 78% agreed that the subject of corporate social responsibility should be integrated into the MBA core curriculum, and 60% said they believed CSR makes good business sense and leads to profits.

IFC Launches Lessons of Experience on BTC and Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has launched “External Monitoring of the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Project” to provide key environmental and social lessons and good practice.  The Chad-Cameroon pipeline project is a US$3.5 billion development of an oil field in Chad by a consortium headed by ExxonMobil, and a 1,070 km long pipeline extending through Chad and Cameroon to the Atlantic coast. The External Compliance Monitoring Group (ECMG), funded and logistically supported by the Consortium, serves as the team responsible for auditing the implementation of the Consortium's environmental and social commitments for this project.  “External Monitoring of the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Project: Lessons of Experience" provides lenders and project sponsors with an understanding of the business case for employing an external monitor, as well practical advice regarding the major steps and key issues for designing, implementing, and operating an external monitoring mechanism for complex projects. To highlight the practical challenges and value of the external monitoring mechanism, the publication draws illustrative examples from the experiences of IFC during the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Project.  PDF files can be downloaded at: www.ifc.org/enviropublications

Nokia and Plan Give a Voice to Africa's Youth

Nokia and international children's organisation, Plan, have joined forces to use modern communications technologies in Africa to raise children's awareness of their rights and opportunities. Nokia has provided an initial donation of 1 million Euros for 2006. The first stage of this new joint effort will see Nokia focus on supporting Plan's existing media and communications technology projects for Africa's children and youth. Involving children in digital media production either on the radio, in video productions or in music helps introduce the potential of ICT to communities affected by poverty and links remote communities to a much wider national audience. Producing their own digital media is often revolutionary for many children, providing them with the chance to gain self-confidence and further influence their own future. Plan is a humanitarian child-centred organization working in 46 developing countries, with families and their communities. Plan has 64 child media projects running in 31 countries at present.

UN Global Compact and Global Reporting Initiative Form Strategic Alliance

The world’s two most significant international corporate citizenship initiatives announced today that they have united in a strategic alliance aimed at providing the global private sector with an opportunity to embrace a responsible business strategy that is at once comprehensive, organizing, integrated and enjoys near or total universal acceptance.  The United Nations Global Compact and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) said they will undertake advocacy and other partnership efforts to encourage companies and corporate responsibility organizations to support the synergistic platforms of the Compact and the GRI. While the UN Global Compact covers citizenship “implementation” through its 10 universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption, the GRI’s new “G3” Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide guidance on transparency and how to report on performance results. The UN Global Compact today includes more than 3000 companies and stakeholders from approximately 100 countries, while nearly 1000 organizations from around the world are using the GRI Guidelines as the basis for reporting.

South Africa hosts 16th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers

 South Africa is hosting the 16th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (16CCEM) in Cape Town from 10 - 14th December.  The Ministerial Conference is complemented by a Teachers Forum, a Youth Forum and a Stakeholders Forum.  The latter is open to applications from all stakeholders in Commonwealth education (civil society. NGOs, academics, private sector etc.).   16 CCEM website for further details.

University Panel Calls for Brown University to Atone for Slavery Ties

The New York Times has reported that after extensively documenting Brown University’s 18th-century ties to slavery, a University committee has called Wednesday for the institution to make amends by building a memorial, creating a centre for the study of slavery and injustice and increasing efforts to recruit minority students, particularly from Africa and the West Indies.  The Committee on Slavery and Justice, appointed three years ago by Brown’s president, Ruth J. Simmons, a great-granddaughter of slaves who is the first black president of an Ivy League institution, said in a report: “We cannot change the past. But an institution can hold itself accountable for the past, accepting its burdens and responsibilities along with its benefits and privileges.”  The Committee did not call for outright reparations but also recommended that the University publicly and persistently acknowledge its slave ties, including during freshmen orientation. Dr. Campbell said he believed that the recommendations, if carried out, would represent a more concrete effort than that of any other American university to make amends for ties to slavery. The Brown Committee was made up of 16 faculty members, students and administrators, and its research was extensive. Source: The New York Times

Guidelines on Corporate Social Reporting are simplified

Following growing concern that interest in non-financial reporting will be confined to a handful of multinationals, a new set of simplified guidelines for corporate social responsibility have been drawn up in the hope of encouraging more companies to report on their environmental and social impact. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Amsterdam-based not-for-profit agency responsible for drawing up the guidelines, said that for the first time the framework included an “entry-level” option. This means that businesses can choose to report on a limited number of issues, which, it is hoped, will encourage SMEs. The new guidelines, which were launched at a conference attended by more than 1,000 businesses and organisations, are based on suggested improvements put forward by trade unions, NGOs and businesses

NEPAD Forum on strategy for partnership with China

A two-day seminar on “China and Africa in the 21st century” to assist NEPAD to plan a strategy of its engagement with China as a long-term strategic partner was held in South Africa. The seminar organised by the NEPAD Secretariat, the Royal Africa Society and the South African Institute of International Affairs was opened by Prof. Firmino Mucavele, Chief Executive of the NEPAD Secretariat. China is now the third most important investor in Africa after the US and Europe. The Chinese presence in sectors like mining and energy is being increasingly felt as Chinese companies have become key players competing with the traditional Western companies. Source: NEPAD

Anglo American appoints Woman CEO

American Cynthia Carroll will take the helm at Anglo America when current CEO Tony Trahar steps down in March. She also will chair the mining company's Executive Board, which focuses on long-term strategy and developing shareholder relationships. Carroll's appointment is a historic one within the traditionally male-dominated mining industry. In 2003, women comprised 35% of U.S. officials and managers but held just 10% of these positions in the mining industry, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Women comprise only 10.4% of board directors within the Fortune Global 200, according to Corporate Women Directors International. Anglo America is ranked No. 196 on this list.  A 24-year industry veteran, Carroll has international experience in divestitures, change management, safety, mergers and acquisitions, energy, finance, technology, marketing and commercial development, human resources and investor and government relations. Carroll holds a bachelor's and master's degree in geology from Skidmore College and the University of Kansas, respectively, and an MBA from Harvard University. Source: DiversityInc.

South Africa Joins the UN Human Rights Council

South Africa has been voted a member of the United Nation's new Human Rights Council.  The 47 founding members of the new Human Rights Council were voted in at the UN's 60th General Assembly in New York.  The Council replaces the Commission on Human Rights and will address violations of human rights and promote effective coordination and mainstreaming of human rights issues within the UN system. Of the African members, it was decided that South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria would serve on the council for one year; Ghana, Zambia, Mali and Gabon for two years; and Djibouti, Cameroon, Senegal, Mauritius and Nigeria for three years.

Mayor of London Backs Tax Relief for Remittances

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has supported calls for remittance tax relief, stating that funds sent to families for subsistence should qualify for tax relief as these funds are used to reduce poverty by feeding and sheltering poor families.  The founder of RemitAid™ and Chairman of African Foundation for Development (AFFORD) Mr Gibril Faal welcomed Mayor Livingstone’s support for remittance tax relief, given the impact of remittances in international development

Other news from Africa and around the world

Swiss Offer Support for NEPAD ICT

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), has signed a grant agreement with NEPAD e-Africa Commission, through the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), to support the commission’s information and communications technology (ICT) activities. In the agreement, SDC provides US $1,428,000 in a three-year grant. The NEPAD e-Africa Commission was set up to manage the structured development of the ICT sector on the African continent, by developing policies and broad ICT strategies and by initiating projects. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is the international development agency within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation. The Swiss Agency has provided the NEPAD e-Africa Commission’s start-up support since 2004 that enabled the commission to recruit staff and develop the institution.

South Africa invests in Science and Engineering Graduates

South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology will be investing R10 million in a joint internship programme designed for Science, Engineering and Technology graduates. In partnership with the National Research Foundation, the Department hopes to bridge the gap between theory and the workplace. The internship programme, which commenced in 2005 started with 49 students providing employment skills, mentoring and coaching. The Department intends to increase the pool of human resources available to the science councils, science institutions and the National System of Innovation, while responding to national priorities. The programme is also aimed at providing university graduates across different specialisations with exposure to related study fields. So far, 165 unemployed graduates have been placed in the Department and associated science institutions and councils this financial year.

Study Finds Blacks Lawyers Lag at Major Law Firms

According to the New York Times, a study by Prof Richard H Sander finds that while black lawyers are heavily recruited by major law firms and are well represented among new associates they are far less likely than whites to remain at firms or make Partner. The study also finds that elite firms ensure diversity by hiring minority lawyers with much lower grades, a double standard that may set them up to fail later. The findings have set off a debate within the profession. Women at large firms have slightly better grades than men and are also underrepresented as new partners, but do not report lack of mentoring; Source: New York Times

SC Johnson and RTI International Collaborate on Malaria Prevention Campaign in South Africa

More than half a million South Africans living in malaria-affected areas are closer to being protected from one of the world’s most deadly diseases due to the efforts of a malaria prevention program sponsored by SC Johnson’s Raid pest control brand and supported by RTI International. The program – “Healthy Children, Healthy Homes” – is a collaborative effort involving South Africa’s National Department of Health, Medical Research Council and three Provincial Malaria Control Programs. To date, it has reached 600,000 South Africans with health messages for malaria prevention and treatment. Based on an assessment conducted during the program, community member understanding of malaria prevention options increased seven times and recognition of the signs and symptoms of malaria increased nine times following participation in the education program. SC Johnson launched the Healthy Children, Healthy Homes initiative in 2004 in three South African provinces with endemic malaria - Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Kwazulu-Natal. The initiative delivers malaria education to schoolchildren and community members in order to improve knowledge about the disease, teach prevention methods, identify symptoms and encourage those with malaria to comply with prescribed medical treatment. Source: CSR Wire

Conrad Hilton Foundation Grants $1 Million to CARE to Support AIDS Orphans in Zambia

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has announced a grant of $1 million to CARE for its work supporting orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS in Zambia. CARE has developed an innovative program in Zambia to address the special needs of children aged 2-6 along with their caregivers. Its holistic approach includes nutrition, health, cognitive development and psychosocial support, and this grant will benefit 3,500 children and their caregivers. The funding is expected to provide a foundation for 3,500 children in their formative years between ages 2 to 6. Zambia is one of the countries hardest hit by the AIDS pandemic. UNAIDS estimates there are more than 700,000 orphans and vulnerable children as a result, with about 50 percent under nine years of age. Source: CSR Wire

Pay Packages for Presidents Rise at Public Colleges

Presidents of some of the nation’s biggest public universities are closing the salary gap with their rivals at private institutions, with the number of top executives earning more than $500,000 nearly doubling, according to an annual survey of compensation by The Chronicle of Higher Education. The survey also found that seven presidents of private colleges, universities and medical schools currently receive more than $1 million in compensation.  The latest survey of 853 colleges, universities and specialized schools for subjects like medicine found that 112 paid their presidents at least $500,000. The climb in income is driven largely by the greater competition for experienced university executives as the baby boom generation retires and by institutions’ increasing willingness to poach.  Source: The New York Times

Hewlett Packard and UNESCO combat African Brain Drain

Hewlett Packard (HP) and UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have announced the launch of a new project "Piloting Solutions for Reversing Brain Drain into Brain Gain for Africa", which aims to help to reduce brain drain in Africa by providing grid computing technology to universities in Algeria, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Zimbabwe.  The project was launched in Paris and aims to re-establish links between researchers who have stayed in their native countries and those that have left, connecting scientists to international colleagues, research networks and funding opportunities.  This new African Project builds on the success of the UNESCO-HP initiative launched in 2003 in seven countries in South East Europe to alleviate brain drain in the region.  After its first two-year implementation phase, the project may be extended to cover other countries.

A Decline in Foreign Students in the USA Is Reversed

According to the New York Times, the number of new foreign students coming to the United States grew this school year, after several years of weakness that followed the terrorist attacks of 2001, according to a survey released by the Institute of International Education.  The institute, in a separate report, also found that the number of American students studying abroad hit a record 205,983 in 2004-5, an 8% increase over the previous year and more than double the number in the 1994-95 school year. According to the survey, conducted by the institute and other education groups, the number of new international students at American colleges and universities increased 8% this fall over last, to 142,923.  More than half of the approximately 900 campuses that participated in the survey said they had seen increases in the number of foreign students this fall. Educators have long argued that being able to attract the best students from around the world is mutually beneficial to universities and students, and helps strengthen American research programs. For the fifth consecutive year, the University of Southern California led the United States in attracting international students, enrolling 6,881 in 2005-6. More than 140 campuses reported having at least 1,000 foreign students. Source: The New York Times

Female Medical Students outnumber Male Counterparts in South Africa

More women are enrolling at the undergraduate level at most medical schools in South Africa, research by the Human Sciences Research Council has found. The research found that female medical students began to outnumber their male counterparts in 2000 and, by 2003, they had increased to nearly 55 percent and formed even greater proportions at some medical schools. The research further found that the numbers of doctors registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa rose to 11 percent overall in the period 2002 to 2006. The research concluded that there was a need to train and employ more doctors.

Bainbridge Graduate Institute’s MBA in Sustainable Business Program Ranked Top

Bainbridge Graduate Institute, according to Net Impact’s Business as Unusual: The 2006 Student Guide to Graduate Business Programs, ranks #1 in sustainable business education.  Net Impact is an international organization of more than 10,000 business leaders, experts, entrepreneurs and students committed to using business to make a positive impact on our world. Students at each of 89 business schools, including 22 of the top 25 business schools as ranked by the Wall Street Journal, were surveyed on 20 questions. Bainbridge was top in preparation for ethical and socially responsible leadership, environmental sustainability, corporate social responsibility and in community development and student helpfulness. Net Impact’s, Business as Unusual:The 2006 Student Guide to Graduate Business Programs can be downloaded at:
 www.http://www.netimpact.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=1020

Kenyan Diaspora Forum Holds Event in London

A major investment forum for Kenyans living in the UK, Europe and beyond entitled ‘Kenyans for Kenya’ took place in London in December 2006. The Forum was jointly organized by the Commonwealth Secretariat, Governance and Institutional Development Division (GIDD), the Kenya High Commission in the United Kingdom and The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) to mobilize Kenyans living in the United Kingdom and Europe for greater investment in their home country. 

$461 Million Development Aid Package for Mali

Senior officials from the United States and the Republic of Mali signed a $461 million development Compact in November. The Compact is designed to reduce poverty in the West African nation.  President Amadou Touré of Mali and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice witnessed the ceremony for the Compact that was approved by the Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation in October. The MCC Compact aims to reduce poverty through economic growth by increasing production and productivity of agriculture and small- and medium-sized enterprises, as well as expanding Mali’s access to markets and trade. The investment will support the development of key infrastructure and policy reforms by addressing the country’s constraints to growth by capitalizing on two of Mali’s major assets, the Niger River which can be used for irrigated agriculture and the Bamako-Sénou International Airport, gateway for regional and international trade. The largest of the compact’s components is the $234.6 million Alatona irrigation project, which is expected to increase food production and productivity, improve land tenure security, modernize irrigated production systems, and mitigate the uncertainty from subsistence, rain-fed agriculture. Through this Compact, 40,000 Malian farmers and laborers as well as 100,000 school-aged children and their family members will have greater access to education, health services and markets. Over 50,000 workers will have formal employment because of improved opportunities in manufacturing and trade.

Banks Team Up to Support Women Entrepreneurs Worldwide

Fifteen banks from around the world met in Edinburgh in November to exchange best practices on supporting women entrepreneurs and ways of reaching into this highly profitable market. For the first time, banks from developing countries participated.  A number of banks from developing countries that recently joined the Global Banking Alliance for Women took part in the summit, including Access Bank, Nigeria; DFCU, Uganda; CIB Egypt; WDB, South Africa; and Exim Bank, Tanzania.  The IFC’s Director for Environment and Social Development called on alliance members to use their partnership and advocate for governments to create enabling environments for women entrepreneurs in developing countries. Recent data shows that women across the world are starting new businesses at increasing rates. In some countries, the percentage growth for women-owned businesses is actually greater than for private firms as a whole. But access to finance remains a critical issue for new and growing businesses owned by women. Hence, in addition to financial institutions paying greater attention to women as a market, many government agencies and private sector groups have begun to develop an increasing range of programs, including loans, loan guarantees, loan pools, financial literacy training, and technical assistance to serve this growing market.

Swiss University Announces Young Researchers Conference on Grounding Ethical Practice in Business and Professional Work

The Lugano Summer School of Systems Design at the University of Italian Switzerland in Lugano, Switzerland, has announced a Young Researchers' Conference on "Business Ethics, Professional Ethics, and Ethics of Whole Systems." This international two-week event will take place at the University's Lugano campus in Southern Switzerland from 18 to 29 June 2007, and is organized in cooperation with the Business Ethics Center of Corvinus University in Budapest, Hungary. The format of "Young Researchers Conferences" combines the broadness of inputs offered by a conference with the didactic guidance offered by a summer school. Many leading edge ideas on ethical practice will be presented. The conference is particularly for those who feel that calls for ethical practice often lack clear theoretical and methodological foundations and are not translated into practical tools. The event is open to mature students at the Masters or Ph.D. level as well as to practicing researchers or professionals in applied disciplines such as business and public sector management, information systems design, industrial and systems engineering, environmental design and management, operational research, consultancy, public policy analysis, social planning, evaluation research, and others. Admission is limited and requires formal application. Application is through the Registration Form in the School web site and the application deadline is 31 January 2007.

Women Still Sparse on UK Boards

Women remain few and far between on UK boards, despite making up 46 per cent of the overall workforce, according to the 2006 Female FTSE Report from Cranfield School of Management.  The total number of female–held directorships fell from 121 in 2005 to 117 in 2006. Only 15 of these were executive-director roles, out of 391 such posts. Across all FTSE 100 companies, 53 had women on their executive committees, 30 had all-male committees and the remainder did not reveal the gender mix of their senior executive team. The report did show women achieving non-executive director (NED) positions at a slow but steady pace. The research highlights a glass door to the executive boardroom, with a significant lack of women in the senior executive committee, the next generation of female executive and non-executive directors. The UK Deputy Minister for Women, Meg Munn, commenting on the report, emphasised the businesses benefits of appointing more female directors.  Source:PM Online

International Reward and Recognition Research Report

A research report, based on new research by Professor Stephen Perkins, examines how multinational organisations are using reward and recognition to support international business strategy. This publication is aimed at practitioners and reward consultants working in an international environment. It focuses on reward strategy and implementation in today's ever increasingly diverse global market.  Published: October 2006 ISBN: 1843981769

Second International Conference on Migrant Remittances held in London

People in developing countries do more to help themselves than they are given credit for, despite the desperate images of a poverty-stricken Africa projected by aid agencies and charitable organisations. There has never been better proof of that fact than the new report by the World Bank into migration and development. It has mapped remittances into developing countries since 2000 and over that period, there has been a 107 per cent increase of remittances from migrant workers. Remittances to Sub Saharan Africa stand at $ 7 billion, but the World Bank acknowledges that due to a lack of data on remittance flows to the region it is likely that this figure is “grossly understated.” Overall, since 2000 worldwide remittances have doubled from $132 billion to an estimated $268 million by the end of 2006 and the report by the World Bank predicts that remittances to developing countries will rise to almost $ 200 million by the end of this year. 

Global Compact and ISO Sign Memorandum of Understanding

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Global Compact Office. The purpose of this Memorandum is to encourage cooperation and mutual support between ISO and the Global Compact Office. Specifically, both parties agreed to collaborate extensively on the development, promotion and support of the new ISO International Standard on Social Responsibility, which will be consistent with the Global Compact’s ten principles. Launched in 2000, the UN Global Compact brings business together with UN agencies, labor, civil society and governments to advance ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption. Through the power of collective action, the Global Compact seeks to mainstream these ten principles in business activities around the world and to catalyze actions in support of broader UN goals. With over 3,000 participating companies from more than 100 countries, it is the world’s largest voluntary corporate citizenship initiative.

Caterpillar Inc. Donates $1.2 Million to Opportunity International

Opportunity International has announced a philanthropic grant of $1.2 million from the Caterpillar Foundation. Caterpillar has provided a dozen moderate-sized grants to Opportunity International since 1994, and this latest donation represents the largest gift ever by Caterpillar to a microfinance organization. The grant will assist Opportunity International in expanding initiatives in China and six African nations. A pioneer in microfinance since 1971, and today one of the largest microfinance organizations, Opportunity International offers small business loans, insurance, banking services and business training to the poorest of the working poor in 28 countries worldwide.  Approximately $750,000 of the Caterpillar Inc. funding is allocated to support Opportunity International's programs in China. The remainder of the grant will be distributed equally to Opportunity International's programs in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Mozambique, Malawi and Rwanda. In addition to providing credit in the form of micro loans, Opportunity International has opened banks in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa that feature innovations such as biometric fingerprint identification technology, mobile ATMs, savings accounts, low-cost money transfers and health, life and even crop insurance for the poorest of the working poor. The Africa portion of the grant will help more than 28,000 poor people, bringing the total expected impact of the Caterpillar grant to benefit more than 53,000 workers, entrepreneurs and their family members.

Global Executive Survey reveals nearly 80% Believe Responsible Companies Recover Faster after Crisis

A substantial majority of global business executives (79 %) surveyed believe that companies with strong corporate responsibility track records recover their reputations faster post-crisis than those with weaker records. Over 50% believe corporate responsibility is a critical driver of overall reputation. The survey, Safeguarding Reputation, was conducted in 11 markets by global public relations firm Weber Shandwick with KRC Research. Global business executives were also asked to rate factors that build company reputation today. Over one-half (55%) surveyed report that being recognized as committed to corporate responsibility contributes “a lot” to a company’s overall reputation. European and Asia Pacific executives were more likely than their North American counterparts to agree on the importance of corporate responsibility in driving reputation.

South Africa’s IMC scoops Africa Business 'Oscar'

The International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) was named Investment Promotion Agency of the Year at the 2006 Africa Investor Awards. This is the second year running that the IMC has scooped the award, in recognition for its work in promoting South Africa as open for business. Dubbed "Africa's Business Oscars", the annual awards honour the continent's investment achievements. The 2006 awards ceremony - the third year that the awards have been made - took place in Nairobi, Kenya. In May, European readers of The Economist voted Brand South Africa adverts developed by the IMC in the 10 most memorable adverts. The IMC came into being in 2000 to create a positive, united image for South Africa. Using the slogan "South Africa: Alive with Possibility," its mission is to articulate a brand for South Africa in order to attract tourism, trade and investment to the country.

Linking school and work in Ghana and Tanzania

The lack of preparedness of school leavers for the world of work is a long-standing and controversial issue. In countries such as Ghana and Tanzania, where the school system has expanded dramatically post-independence, many young people have faced difficulties finding jobs suited to their skills. A report from SACOST in Ghana, funded by DFID, investigates the link between academic curricula and the workplace in Ghana and Tanzania. The authors note that though there have been attempts to reform the educational systems in both countries, these have not addressed the gap between school and work, especially with formal employment so scarce, and employers have often complained about the mismatch between academic curricula and the skills required in the workplace. The problem is worse in developing countries like Ghana and Tanzania, where public sector jobs are no longer widely available. School leavers often find that they are forced to take up jobs in the informal sector, which their formal, academic education has hardly prepared them for. The authors conducted interviews with pupils, parents, teachers, teacher trainers, administrators and employers. ‘Bridging the Gap: Linking School and the World of Work’, SACOST, University of Education: Winneba, by Peter J. Towse, Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, Paul S.D. Mushi and David W. Kent, 2005

Other news from Africa and around the world

Oprah Winfrey Builds $40 Million School in South Africa

US TV host and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey has funded the building of a school in South Africa to educate girls from poor families. The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls of South Africais a 22 acre complex which comes equipped with a yoga studio and beauty salon. 152 young girls were handpicked by Oprahout of 3,500 applicants to attend. The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy will eventually cater for 450 girls who show outstanding promise but whose families cannot support their education.  The school incorporates 28 buildings, across a 50-acre site, with hi-tech classrooms, computers and science laboratories.  The girls who have been accepted come from families whose income is less than $700 (£350) a month.

The Oxford Nigeria Scholarship in African Studies Open for Applications

The African Studies Centre, University of Oxford, is offering an Oxford Nigeria Scholarship in African Studies for entry in October 2007. This scholarship is sponsored by Oxford and Cambridge society of Nigeria. The award is available only for study on the MSc in African Studies, and is open to citizens of Nigeria. In making the award, preference may be given to applicants who have obtained a first degree from an institution of higher education within Nigeria. Details of the MSc degree can be obtained by email from african.studies@sant.ox.ac.uk. The scholarship is open only to Nigerian citizens. Applicants should have a good 2.1 or equivalent for their undergraduate degree, and show evidence of a capacity for independent research as well as excellent writing skills in English. The scholarship will cover university fees, college fees and a stipend. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply simultaneously for other scholarships and financial assistance. All applicants may also apply for the ORISHA scholarship (see the African Studies website for details). Those applying for a place on the MSc in African Studies and who are eligible to be considered for this Scholarship must ensure that their applications reach the University by 16 March 2007. Students may apply to any college admitting students for the MSc in African Studies.

MLA Awarded Elsevier Grant to Train Librarians in Africa

The US Medical Library Association (MLA) has been awarded an $80,000 grant from one of its corporate partners, Elsevier, a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical books and journals, to train librarians in Africa, Asia and Latin America.The Elsevier grant is earmarked for 2007 HINARI/AGORA/OARE (HOA) related training workshops and will be used to fund 8 on-site workshops, one distance education course and the development of new training modules. This e-library training initiative will be based upon HINARI (Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative) training materials. The HINARI program, a collaboration between the World Health Organization (WHO) and major publishers, enables developing countries to gain access to one of the world's largest collections of biomedical and health literature. It is one of the principal projects designed to bridge the health information gap between developing and industrialized countries.

New Students' Loan Scheme to Begin in Ghana

The Students Loan Trust Fund, which is expected to replace the SSNIT loan scheme, would begin its operations in the next academic year. According to the trustees, the fund intends to issue loans amounting to ¢875.6 billion to students within the next three years. According to its Trustees, the Fund will be financed through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and is intended to reduce the burden on the country’s Social Security Trust, enabling it to focus on its core business of managing pensioners. The Trust is ready to issue out loans to students who will begin the next academic calendar year which is the 2007/2008 academic year, students who already are beneficiaries of the SSNIT loan scheme and are already in school, would not be part of the new scheme. Source: Accra Mail

GlobalGiving Connects US Diamond Consumers to African Causes

The socially responsible diamonds initiative launched in October 2006 by GlobalGiving and SA Gems, managing partner of The Private Collection of South African Diamond Program in collaboration with 27 US-based retail jewellers, has already raised more than $28,000 for four high-impact, grassroots projects in Africa. Through the programme, which will be ongoing, participating jewelers donate a portion of sales to locally-run projects in Africa selected by SA Gems in collaboration with GlobalGiving, the global online marketplace for philanthropy. Contributions will be allocated amongst four projects, which are enabling women in South Africa to fight the stigma of AIDS, poor communities in South Africa to install critically needed sanitation systems, coal-dependent communities in Kenya to develop and use alternative sources of energy and schoolgirls in Burkina Faso to have a mid-day meal, improving their ability to learn.

Women in Science Face Uphill Battle

Since the 1970s, women have surged into science and engineering classes in larger and larger numbers in the USA. Half of the nation’s medical students are women, and for decades, the numbers have been rising similarly in disciplines like biology and mathematics. Yet studies show that women in science still routinely receive less research support than their male colleagues, and they have not reached the top academic ranks in corresponding numbers. For example, at top-tier institutions only about 15 percent of full professors in social, behavioral or life sciences are women and at each step on the academic ladder, more women than men leave science and engineering.Institutions such as Rice University in the USA have been gathering promising female scientists who are graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to help them learn skills that they will need to deal with the perils of job hunting, promotion and tenure in high-stakes academic science. Source: New York Times Online

Internal Employee Conflicts Most Damaging to UK Businesses

Barclays Bank, City law firm Lewis Silkin and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) have come together to announce research that highlights the costs and consequences of the most common and most damaging business dispute facing employers today – internal conflict with an employee. The research, coordinated by CEDR, shows how the costs associated with dealing with a disgruntled employee can rise cumulatively. The research was compiled using the experiential observation of the three participants in the research, all leading experts in this field, combined with fieldwork among 570 respondents in British businesses. This research follows the announcement by CEDR earlier this year showing that conflict costs British businesses a total of £33 billion a year. The new research also found that, second only to disputes with customers, internal disputes involving managers and employees have the biggest impact on the performance of businesses, but that internal disputes were far more numerous. Source: bytestart.co.uk

Highly Skilled Test introduced for Migrants to UK

The UK has begun the implementation of the first part of a points based system for managing migration by introducing new rules for highly skilled foreign workers applying to enter the country. Professionals and entrepreneurs will now face a more rigorous test of their capability, enabling the UK to select who they determine as the most likely to benefit the UK’s economy. A mandatory English language requirement has also been added to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) both at initial application and also at the extension stage.

Gender Pay Gap, Once Narrowing, Is Stuck in Place

According to the New York Times, the gap between the pay of women with college degrees and the pay of male college graduates has actually widened slightly since the mid-’90s. For women without a college education, the pay gap with men has narrowed only slightly over the same span. Last year, college-educated women between 36 and 45 years old, for example, earned 74.7 cents in hourly pay for every dollar that men in the same group did, according to Labor Department data analyzed by the Economic Policy Institute. A decade earlier, the women earned 75.7 cents. The reasons for the stagnation include both discrimination and the rising number of women staying home with young children who might otherwise be earning high salaries. The pace at which women are flowing into highly paid fields also appears to have slowed. Today, the discrimination often comes from bosses who believe they treat everyone equally, women say, but it can still create a glass ceiling that keeps them from reaching the best jobs at a company. Women have continued to pour into high-paid professions like law, medicine and corporate management where they were once rare, but the increases seem to have slowed. At the very top of the income ladder, the gap is probably even larger. Source: New York Times Online

London's Employers rely on Foreign Skills

Almost half of London’s employers rely on migrant workers to plug skills gaps, new research has revealed. The CBI’s and KPMG’s London Business survey of 93 London employers, representing half a million workers, found that 48 per cent were reliant on staff from other EU countries and 37 per cent on non-EU workers. Two-thirds of respondents (67 per cent) expected skills shortages to be the biggest obstacle to growth over the next six months, up from 53 per cent a year ago. Source: cipd.co.uk

Flexible Working could Benefit UK Micro Businesses

Flexible and home working could help to alleviate the problems of transport capacity and congestion, as well as improving the UK's environmental credentials, according to Work Wise UK. The campaign, which is widely backed by business and the unions, believes that the Eddington Report on Britain's transport needs failed to consider the solution that, it insists, is both achievable and realistic. According to Work Wise, the rigid work structure adhered to by many of the UK's firms is largely dictated by culture - wasting time and resources, damaging the environment, and affecting stress levels. A recent survey by the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales found that three quarters of micro businesses agreed that flexible working could improve their productivity and efficiency, the Bristol Enterprise website reports.Source: PCG Group

Foreign Born Entrepreneurs Account for 25 % of US Startups

According to a study by researchers at Duke University, an estimated that 25% of technology and engineering companies started from 1995 to 2005 had at least one senior executive—a founder, chief executive, president or chief technology officer—born outside the United States. Immigrant entrepreneurs' companies employed 450,000 workers and generated $52 billion in sales in 2005, according to the survey.California led the nation, with foreign-born entrepreneurs founding 39% of startups, even though they make up only 25% percent of the state's population. In New Jersey, 38% of tech startups were founded by immigrants, followed by Michigan (33%), Georgia (30%), Virginia and Massachusetts (29%). The study also found that 26% of U.S. tech startups have founders, CEOs, presidents or head researchers from India. Source: diversityinc.com

South African Human Rights Centre wins Top UN Award

The University of Pretoria’s Centre for Human Rights, an institution established during the worst excesses of the apartheid era, has been awarded the prestigious Unesco Prize for Human Rights education for 2006, beating 49 candidates from 37 countries. Set up in 1986, the centre recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. In the early 1990s, it contributed to the creation of South Africa’s new Constitution and Bill of Rights, widely considered to be among the most progressive in the world. It then broadened its activities to human rights education and training in South Africa and other African countries. Unesco awarded the US$10,000 (about R70 000) prize in recognition of the centre’s “outstanding contribution to the cause of human rights in South Africa and to the advancement of a human rights culture by means of education and training of professionals in South Africa, other countries on the continent and beyond”.

Women Account for less than 2% of Fortune 500 CEO Jobs

Women have made some gains in navigating corporate hierarchies over the last 30 years, but it is still rare for a woman to reach the top. While top business schools are producing an increasing number of female M.B.A.’s, only about 16 percent of corporate officers at Fortune 500 companies are women, according to Catalyst, an organization that studies women in the workplace. The numbers are even fewer at the rank of Chief Executive jobs where women only account for nine, or less than 2 percent, of the chief executive jobs at Fortune 500 companies. While during the past year, several women have taken the reins at large, prominent Fortune 500 companies such as Kraft Foods, PepsiCo and Chevron, women remain underrepresented in the corporate suite. In the most recent Catalyst report on women in the workplace, 53 companies have no women as directors, while 182 other companies each have only one woman on the board, according to the report. Source: New York Times Online.

95% of Women in Business in UK Have No Regrets

Almost 95% of women who start up in business said it had 'exceeded' or 'lived up to' their expectations, an everywoman study reveals.The research, conducted by business support, training and networking organisation everywoman, found that over 94% of women who were running their own business had 'no regrets' and said that it had 'exceeded' or 'lived up to' their expectations. The biggest challenge facing women business owners is winning clients and securing new business.When asked what they considered to be the key factors in being a successful business owner, 7 in 10 said 'self-belief' was the most important. Source: Business Link

A Quarter of British Workers are considering a Job Change

According to a research study by ISR, 24% of UK employees are ready to change job compared to 10% in Germany and 12% in Italy. However, the figure for ‘high performing’ companies reduces to 13%.  Almost half of employees polled feel that their company is doing a poor job in keeping its most talented employees. The report states that organisations are finding it hard to motivate and retain their talented staff because they are not providing an acceptable level of development opportunities.  A further report by Bibby Financial Services reports that 49% of recruiters say that their major concern for 2007 is attracting good quality candidates and winning new business. Source: recruitmentmatters.com

2006 Global Accountability Report Now Available

The Global Accountability Index is the first initiative to measure and compare the accountability of transnational organisations across sectors. In doing so, it extends basic principles of democracy to the global level. The 2006 Report presents the findings of research into the accountability of 30 of the world's most powerful organisations based on four dimensions of accountability: transparency, participation, evaluation, and complaint and response.  Copies available for download from the Oneworld Trust website.  http://www.oneworldtrust.org/

African Scientists Eligible for European Funding

For the first time, researchers in Africa and other developing countries will be able to apply for European Union (EU) funding under nearly the same terms as European researchers, as opposed to a limited amount of funding for earmarked projects. The first round of calls for the European Union's US$ 69 billion Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) - which includes scientists from developing countries – was announced at the end of 2006.  Priority areas of research identified for African and other developing countries include health, environment, transportation and agriculture. In particular, the seven-year funding mechanism emphasises innovation for rapid diagnostics for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, and tests for drug resistance. Researchers from African countries will be eligible for all-funding mechanisms, as long as they apply as part of a team that includes at least three EU member states or EU partner countries. There is also specific funding available in each of the priority areas, for which up to two EU and two non-EU countries can apply in collaboration. The programme will give precedence to projects mutually beneficial to the EU and developing countries. FP7 will run from 1 January 2007 until December 2013. Information on how to apply for funds can be found at the website of the Community Research & Development Information Service.   Source: Afrol News/ SciDev.Net

Nigerian Diaspora Honours President Obasanjo

The Nigerians In Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), has honoured President Olusegun Obasanjo with an "Exemplary and Visionary Leadership Award". NIDO in Americas Chairman, Ola Kassim, announced the award at a dinner in Toronto, Canada, to end the four-day First Nigeria Worldwide Diaspora Conference and commended the president for his commitment to the organisation and for involving Nigerian Diaspora in national development efforts.  NIDO also honoured Nigeria`s Ministers of Education and the Federal Capital Territory as well as the Chairman of the anti-graft Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu.  The conference, attended by hundreds of Nigerians living in the Americas including the US and Canada, as well as from Europe, Asia and Africa, also discussed the building of partnerships for the socio-economic development of Nigeria.

Yale University Puts African Art in the Spotlight

A revamped and revivified version of the Yale University Art Gallery’s Louis Kahn building has a big new permanent gallery devoted to the arts of Africa, with an inaugural display of a size and quality to put Yale at the head of the class of university art museums.  Most of the recently arrived art is from a collection of nearly 600 African objects given to the museum by Charles B. Benenson (1913-2004), a New York real estate developer and Yale alumnus. In addition to leaving Yale one of the largest gifts of art in its history, Mr. Benenson has endowed a curatorial position in African art at the museum. Source: New York Times

Poor Grammar is Letting Down Candidates and Agencies

Job applications sent to employers are full of basic grammar and spelling mistakes, research carried out by the REC in association with the BBC has discovered. Nearly half of all CVs received by recruitment firms contain grammatical and spelling errors according to the survey of 266 firms. 47% of all CVs received by agencies contained mistakes with applicants aged between 21 and 25 likely to be the most error prone. 70% of firms said that female applicants made fewer mistakes than men. In a further recent survey by Kelly Services, they found that only 5% of their own candidates’ CVs contained no errors at all, with the rest having an average of 14 errors, mostly grammatical. Source: Recruitmentmatters.com

New UN Secretary-General Commits to Carry Forward the Global Compact

The new UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has deemed the Global Compact as central to the United Nations’ engagement with the private sector. He stated that widespread social and economic gains can result when business engages in responsible practices which respect human rights, ensure safe workplaces, exercise environmental care and are not corrupt.  In an address to the UNA-USA Business Council for the United Nations, the Secretary General stressed that business, trade and investment are essential pillars of peace and prosperity.  The UN Global Compact is the world's largest voluntary corporate citizenship initiative with thousands of participants located in over 100 countries. As a multi-stakeholder initiative, the UN Global Compact brings together all relevant actors – government, business, workers and civil society – to advance universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption.

Women make up 25% of top 100 UK Entrepreneurs

For the first time, one in four people who appear in Management Today’s list of the top 100 entrepreneurs are women. There were 25% less women in the first list, which was published in 2004. According to the UK Office for National Statistics, more than one million women in Britain are now running their own businesses - a rise of 355,000 since statistics were first drawn up in 1984. Source: Grapevine

Friends at Work make us Happy

The most important factor in employee happiness is not money but friendly, supportive colleagues, reveals research by Chiumento, a multi-disciplinary HR consultancy. 73% of British workers cited good relationships with colleagues as the key reason they enjoy their job, while only 48% cited financial reward. Despite frequent reports of dissatisfaction with work at this time of year, it is not all doom and gloom according to Chiumento’s ‘Happiness Index’. One quarter of employees described themselves as very happy at work, while only one in five described themselves as unhappy. However, the unhappier an employee is, the more likely they will see money, or a perceived lack of it, to be an underlying cause of their unhappiness.  The research also showed that happiness declines the longer people stay with an organisation. 82% of people who have been with their current employer for two years or less are happy. This drops to 76 % of those who have been with their employer for 10 years or more, as the ‘honeymoon period’ ends. Source: Chiumento

50% of people believe they have the skills to start a business

More people are engaged in starting new businesses than established business ownership, suggesting a challenge for policy makers to provide appropriate infrastructures and support to allow entrepreneurial businesses to flourish.  This was one of the findings of the eighth annual Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). The report is the largest annual measure of entrepreneurial activity worldwide, compiled by more than 150 scholars from 42 countries. The report also found that entrepreneurial activity is higher in countries with lower levels of GDP, where the necessity for enterprise is greater, whereas in high-income counties, like Japan and the EU 15, entrepreneurial activity is lower.  Entrepreneurs from developing countries are riding the wave of innovation and technology by bringing ‘new’ products to their markets, and similarly, entrepreneurial activity seems focused on export markets, with over 7.8% of early-stage entrepreneurs in the UK having 75 – 100% of their markets abroad.  Experience and gender also factor - those starting new businesses are young (24-25), and men are still more likely to entrepreneurially active. The exception is women from low-income countries who are more likely to be entrepreneurs than their higher income counterparts.

UK Businesses face Penalties for Employing Illegal Immigrants

The UK Home Office has started a £700,000 advertising campaign to draw attention to new laws enforcing civil penalties for employers with fines of up to £2,000 for every illegal immigrant they employ. Under the laws, those who knowingly use or exploit illegal workers could also face prosecution, with a maximum two-year jail term and an unlimited fine. The current rules on illegal working are seen by many as complex, making it difficult for employers to know for sure whether a migrant is allowed to work in the UK or not. Source: Grapevine

Diverse Workforce Better for Business

A survey undertaken by ICM on behalf of the UK’s Jobcentre Plus shows that a diverse workforce is better for business and could help to increase sales and attract recruits. One in two customers would be more likely to use a business that included people from different backgrounds, in particular disabled, female, ethnic minority and older workers and 79% of the 2,000 respondents said that it was important for businesses to have a good diversity employment policy in place. Source: Financial Times

South Africa’s Middle Class Expanding Rapidly

South Africans are among the most upwardly mobile people in the world, according to a number of surveys reported by the country’s Sunday Times.  Citing studies of class mobility in South Africa by researchers FutureFact and the University of Cape Town's Unilever Institute, the newspaper describes South Africa’s middle class as ‘exploding’ and the country as optimistic. According to the UCT Unilever Institute and Research Surveys, only around 2-million out of South Africa's population of 47 million make up the country's emerging black middle and upper classes. However, the group accounts for over 40% of total black spending power - currently R130 billion annually - and is growing at an estimated rate of 50% a year. And according to the FutureFact survey "Getting up and staying up," of the 2 500 adults surveyed, 45% see themselves as middle class, 31% as working or lower class, 12% as upper middle class and 2% as upper class (with 10% unsure). In a recent survey by the International Marketing Council of South Africa of 3 000 people, 94% said they were proud to be South African, 80% said their lives were better now than before 1994 - when the country held its first democratic elections - and 89% said they thought their lives would be better still in 10 years' time.

Ford Foundation International Fellows Programme

The International Fellowships Programme (IFP) provides opportunities for advanced study to exceptional individuals who will use this education to become leaders in their respective fields, furthering development in their own countries and greater economic and social justice worldwide. To ensure that Fellows are drawn from more diverse backgrounds than ever before, IFP will actively recruit candidates from social groups and communities that lack systematic access to higher education. http://www.fordfound.org/news/more/11272000ifp/index.cfm

NEPAD e-Schools Launch in Egypt

The Egyptian Government, HP Consortium, ORACLE Consortium and NEPAD e-Africa Commission, will launch the NEPAD e-Schools Demonstration Project on 11 February 2007 at Al Hadeen Secondary School, Kom Hamada, Al Behera in Egypt.The launch, which will cover six schools across the country, makes Egypt the sixth country to launch the project after Uganda, Ghana, Lesotho, Kenya and Rwanda. Egypt will also become the first Arab and North African country to launch the NEPAD e-Schools. The NEPAD e-Schools Project falls under the auspices of the NEPAD e-Africa Commission – the NEPAD Information and Communication Technology (ICT) task team responsible for developing the NEPAD ICT programme and implementing related projects. First announced in 2003 at the Africa Summit of the World Economic Forum in Durban, South Africa, the NEPAD e-Schools Project focuses on providing end-to-end ICT solutions that will connect schools across Africa to the NEPAD e-Schools network and the Internet. Solutions also include the provision of content and learning material and the establishment of health points at schools.  In total, more than 600 000 schools across the continent will enjoy the benefits of ICT and connectivity to the NEPAD e-Schools satellite network upon completion of the project. The HP and ORACLE Consortia, and a number of other private companies are sponsoring the demonstration project, consisting of six schools in each of the 16 participating countries, for a period of 12 months. Source: Nepad.

Angola invests US$19 Million in Construction of Polytechnic Institutes

The Angolan Government has invested approximately US$19 million in the construction of the Humpata and Matala polytechnic institutes, in the Southern Huila province.  The two polytechnic institutes, which begin operation in 2008, will run courses of civil construction, blacksmith, electronic, carpentry and computer studies. Each institute will consist of 26 classrooms, two laboratories, a library, offices, medical wards, technical workshops and sporting facilities, and will have capacity for 500 students.

Women Managers Increase by a Third in the UK

The number of women in managerial and professional roles has increased significantly over the last 10 years says a new report by UK's Work Foundation. Women have moved into higher skilled, higher paying work.  However, a further report by Peninsula shows a growing number of women feel their career is being held back due to gender and that firms are biased towards men, with 4 out of 5 women saying they have experienced discrimination. A BT study found women over 50 make ideal bosses for the future and that women are more likely than men to support flexible working trusting their staff to complete a job from home or office.  Source: Aurora

2007 Alcan Prize for Sustainability Call For Entries

Alcan and the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) are pleased to announce the US$1 million Alcan Prize for Sustainability 2007 is now open for entries. Information on eligibility criteria and how to enter the Alcan Prize for Sustainability is available at www.alcanprizeforsustainability.com. The closing date for receipt of entries is midnight March 31, 2007 (GMT). Since the Alcan Prize for Sustainability was introduced four years ago, it has become a significant mechanism for businesses and the NGO community to work together to address social, economic, and environmental issues and how they relate to sustainability. The Alcan Prize is open to all not-for-profit, non-governmental, and civil society organizations based anywhere in the world that are working to advance the goals of economic, environmental, and social sustainability. The Alcan Prize for Sustainability was created to recognize the not-for-profit sector for its contributions to global sustainability both in the community and more widely by influencing policy. In addition to the US$1 million Prize, Alcan Grants worth US$15,000 will be awarded to nine NGOs to invest in certifiable capacity training such as the one-year, part-time Postgraduate Certificate in Cross Sector Partnership accredited by the University of Cambridge.

South Africa’s UCT MBA is Top Value for Money

The UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) full-time MBA programme has been ranked as the fifth best value for money MBA in the world in the Financial Times Global Top 100 MBA Rankings and remains the only African MBA to be ranked in the prestigious Top 100. In 2006, the School was rated in the top four providers globally and given an Award for Excellence by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) for its executive programmes customised for organisations, with a rating of 4.3 out of 5.

Museum for African Art Finds Its Place in New York

According to the New York Times, the Museum for African Art, which has had a nomadic existence since it opened in 1984, will finally gain a permanent home in a new building designed by Robert A. M. Stern, on Fifth Avenue between 109th and 110th Streets. Models and renderings of the new structure, which will face the northeast corner of Central Park, have been unveiled and will comprise 90,000 square feet, including 16,000 square feet of exhibition space.  Officials hope to break ground in the spring of 2008 and complete construction by the end of 2009. The estimated cost is $80 million, of which $49 million has been raised, including $12 million from the city. At the museum’s center will be a great hall entered from Fifth Avenue, with the mullions on the left and a soaring wall on the right, made of richly colored etimoe wood from Ghana, that curves upward to form the ceiling. Founded as the Center for African Art in 1984 by Susan Mullin Vogel, now a professor of art history at Columbia University, the museum gained broad recognition for its innovative conceptual approaches to exhibiting African art. Source: New York Times Online

Quality Workforce Connections Help Retain Talent

A new report by Deloitte Consulting provides guidance organisations should consider on how they can significantly improve bottom-line results by fostering and promoting connections in the workplace. According to the report, "Connecting People to What Matters," creating effective workforce connections to people, purpose, and resources may increase competitive advantage by helping to improve an organisation’s s productivity, innovation, and growth.  The report concludes that changes including more complex technology, diverse workforces and generational differences have made it very difficult for today's workforce to make quality, value-driving connections. The report also concludes that even the most effective recruitment tactics, rich compensation packages, and "hot skills" bonuses won't help employers keep critical talent for the long haul because these tactics don't get to the root of talent churn.  The Deloitte Research/Deloitte Consulting report includes several case studies of top-performing organizations and identifies eight practical tips leaders should consider in creating such effective connections within their organisations. Source: Deloitte

International CSR Directory Goes Online

The world's first printed international corporate social responsibility directory has now gone online at http://www.ethicalperformance.net/csrdirectory.html.  The CSR Professional Services Directory 2007 lists 443 organizations worldwide under 49 different service categories, from consultants to academic institutions, rating agencies to ethical auditors, and training providers to research bodies.  The new online facility enables users to identify, at no charge, providers of services both globally and in different parts of the world.  The CSR Professional Services Directory, sponsored by Cafedirect, is from Ethical Performance, the independent monthly newsletter for socially responsible business.  Source: Ethical Performance

South Africa Scores Highly with a Slender Gender Gap

South Africa ranks 18th out of 115 countries surveyed in the World Economic Forum's (WEF's) latest Global Gender Gap Report, which measures progress made in narrowing the inequality gap between men and women. The report, which covers over 90% of the world’s population and over 20 sub-Saharan countries, measures the size of the gender gap in four areas of inequality between men and women: economic participation and opportunity; educational attainment; political empowerment; and health and survival. Nordic countries Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland topped the WEF's 2006 Gender Gap Index, with Germany, the Philippines, New Zealand, Denmark, the United Kingdom and Ireland completing the top 10 countries with the smallest "gender gap". South Africa also scored well for educational attainment, ranking first overall for equality in primary, secondary and tertiary enrolment. The index mainly uses publicly available "hard data" indicators drawn from international organisations, along with some qualitative information drawn from the WEF's own executive opinion survey - a comprehensive annual survey which in 2006 polled over 11 000 business leaders in 125 countries. http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/Gender%20Gap/GenderGap

Nearly Half a million Angolans have returned since 2002

According to the Angolan Government, the number of Angolans who returned to the country between 2002 and 2006 under the refugee repatriation programme totalled 426,952, approximately 107% of the number forecast.  In 2006 alone, 68,773 Angolans had returned home, mainly from neighbouring countries, while another 809 Angolan failed asylum seekers returned from Belgium, Germany, Holland, Indonesia, Portugal, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Zambia.  The Angolan Government’s family locating and reintegration programme aims to find homes for 60,000 children of whom, so far, 54,251 had been reunited with their families and another 17,529 had been placed with new families. Source: ANIP

Financial Times Ranks Top Business Schools

The Financial Times has released details of its top 100 global business school rankings. The survey took in criteria including salaries commanded by graduates, Alumni satisfaction, future career and employment prospects, gender and international diversity and idea generation. The University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) was ranked as number one, with Columbia, Harvard, Stanford and the London Business School ranked immediately behind. Source - The Financial Times

BBC World agrees to promote South African Tourism

South African Tourism and BBC World have signed an agreement for the British broadcaster to undertake an electronic marketing campaign on BBC World on South Africa’s tourism destinations to international tourists. South Africa will be promoted as a tourism destination through advertisements, commercial presentations and online marketing broadcast across Europe, Africa and North America on BBC World’s international 24-hour news and information channel. The advertisements and commercial presentations will showcase destinations in South Africa to audiences in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy in Europe, the US and Africa. In exchange, South Africa’s Tourism body will sponsor a number of BBC World programmes.

UCT GSB to boost SA call centre industry with management training

The UCT GSB is launching a landmark programme to address the skills shortage in middle to senior management in the South African Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Call Centre (CC) industry.  According to the country’s Department of Trade and Industry, the South African BPO and CC industry is fast gaining momentum as a preferred BPO and off shoring destination for the USA and the European market. However, a skills shortage in middle to senior management is a key factor holding back South Africa’s competitiveness in the global call centre industry.  The new Advanced Programme in Call Centre Leadership at the GSB has been developed to address key shortages and to developing management and organisational capacity in the South African call centre industry. www.gsb.uct.ac.za/callcentre.

US$900 million to be spent on Higher Education in Angola

The Angolan Ministry of Education is planning to spend US$900 million on the second phase of the plan to develop higher education, according to Adão do Nascimento, Deputy Minister of Education.  Interviewed by the Jornal de Angola in mid-January, he said the sum was necessary to ensure adequate equipment, teaching staff, libraries and social and academic facilities.  According to the Minister, the plan includes a specific programme for the training of lecturers in Angola and abroad.  Source: ANIP

Challenging Gender Discrimination in African Universities

In developing country universities, women staff members are under-represented in senior teaching and management positions, enrolment of female undergraduates is increasing but far too few are studying science and technology subjects and research and action are needed to identify the factors that slow or promote gender equity and identify examples of replicable good practice.  These are some of the findings of a research report from the University of London that adds to the limited literature on gender discrimination in higher education by assessing progress towards gender equity in universities in South Africa, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. It shows that while universities can reproduce gender inequalities, they also have potential to challenge them.  Barriers to women’s entry into ‘non-traditional’ subject areas such as agriculture, veterinary science, engineering and computing include poor careers advice, lack of role models, negative attitudes from families and fear of being in a minority.  Some universities are consciously tackling gender discrimination and have affirmative action initiatives to promote gender mainstreaming. L.Morley@sussex.ac.uk

2008 Women’s Leadership Scholarship

The Women's Leadership Scholarship (WLS) program (formerly the Native Leadership Scholarship) creates educational opportunities for women activists, grassroots leaders, and organizers from the Global South and/or from indigenous groups. WLS invests in women's leadership by supporting non-doctoral graduate education in human rights, sustainable development, and public health in many places around the world.  The Women's Leadership Scholarship Programme is accepting applications from women, grassroots leaders, organisers and activists from the global south and/or from indigenous groups, who wish to pursue non-doctoral graduate studies in human rights, sustainable development, and public health at accredited institutions worldwide.  http://www.nativeleaders.org/index.html

Entrepreneurship for Emerging Economies Conference

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Business School, Management College of South Africa, Tshwane University of Technology Business School and Potchefstroom Business School, North West University will be hosting a conference with the theme “Entrepreneurship for emerging economies” in Mauritius in August, 2007.  The aim of the conference is to provide a forum for the dissemination of research findings associated with entrepreneurship for specific regional environments to be used by entrepreneurs, policy makers and institutions of learning. It is also a goal of the conference to foster inspiration, skills, ideas, and fun. Papers/abstracts are invited on any of the key themes listed above and all submissions will be blind reviewed and acceptance/rejection is based upon quality and relevance to the conference. Annalize.Schoeman@nmmu.ac.za Tel: +27-41-504-3748

Rotary World Peace Fellowship and Conflict Studies Programme

The Rotary Foundation is now accepting applications for the Rotary World Peace Fellowship. Located in seven leading universities around the world, Rotary Centers provide Fellows the chance to study in a master’s level program in conflict resolution, peace studies, international relations, and other related disciplines.  Rotary World Peace Fellows work toward mediation, conflict resolution, and peace where there is war. Understanding where there is disharmony. Food security where there is hunger. Health care where there is disease. Education where there is illiteracy. Conservation where there is environmental degradation and sustainable economic development where there is poverty. Successful candidates would pursue a master’s degree in international studies, sustainable development, peace, and conflict resolution at one of the six Rotary Center university partners. Applicants must be committed to peace and have proven experience in their field. http://www.rotary.org/foundation/educational/amb_scho/centers/scholars/index.html

Portugal links with Africa to promote Biodiversity for Development

A strategic partnership between Portugal and Africa to promote biodiversity for development has been launched in Nairobi, Kenya.The strategic partnership will promote capacity building through training and exchange of experiences and best practices among the national focal points for the Convention on Biological Diversity, its Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the focal points of the Action Plan of NEPAD’s Environment Initiative and other senior policymakers. A series of training workshops will be organised jointly by the partners on issues of critical importance to the implementation phase of the Convention and its protocol in the context of the environment component of the NEPAD initiative. The signatories will facilitate the exchange of experts, study tours and fellowships between Portugal and selected African countries; establish information networks and databases to facilitate the exchange of information on best practices and lessons learned; and disseminate this information to all interested regions, with a view to promoting similar initiatives with other regions and parties to the Convention.

Egypt leads the way in North Africa with NEPAD e-Schools

The Egyptian Minister of Education, Dr Yousry Al-Gamal, has officially launched the NEPAD e-Schools Demonstration Project in Egypt. The project is a joint venture of the Egyptian Government, HP Consortium, Oracle Consortium and the NEPAD e-Africa Commission.Egypt is the sixth country and the first in North Africa to launch the project after Uganda, Ghana, Lesotho, Kenya and Rwanda. The NEPAD e-Schools Project is led by the NEPAD e-Africa Commission, the NEPAD information and communication technology (ICT) task team responsible for developing the NEPAD ICT programme and implementing related projects. The project focuses on providing end-to-end ICT solutions that will connect schools across Africa to the NEPAD e-Schools Network and the Internet. The HP and ORACLE Consortia, and a number of other private companies are sponsoring the demonstration project, consisting of six schools in each of the 16 participating African countries, for a period of 12 months.

In each country, the project aims to transform all African secondary schools into NEPAD e-Schools within five years of implementation start date and all African primary schools within 10 years of implementation start date. In total, more than 600,000 schools across the continent will enjoy the benefits of ICT and connectivity to the NEPAD e-Schools Satellite Network on completion of the project. Source: NEPAD

Short-term Expatriate Academic Exchange Programmes for South Africans

South Africa plans to attract expatriate academics to share their skills in short exchange programmes and research projects, as an alternative to moving back to South Africa, according to the country’s Education Minister.  In line with its intentions to attract South Africans back to the country, even for short periods, the Government is considering developing a mechanism to keep contact with skilled South African professionals working abroad and to provide opportunities for them to contribute their ideas and knowledge. South Africa aims to achieve 6% economic growth between 2010 and 2014 and to halve poverty and unemployment by 2014 and some of the critical skill sets needed include engineers, ICT and tourism professionals.

IFC Seeks Sustainable Emerging Markets Companies

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and SustainAbility, an international consultancy and think-tank, are launching new research into companies in emerging markets. The hunt is on for emerging-market businesses that have achieved investment-grade status through good environmental, social and governance practices. This work will build on a new publication: Developing Value 2 - a sequel to the 2002 original that IFC produced in partnership with SustainAbility. The International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, is the largest multilateral provider of financing for private enterprise in developing countries. IFC provides financial products for private sector investments, mobilizes capital in international financial markets, facilitates trade, helps clients improve social and environmental sustainability, and provides advisory services to businesses and governments. www.ifc.org/africa

Civil Society Forum on Migration and Development

From 9-11 July 2007, the Belgian government will host the first meeting of the 'Global Forum on Migration and Development'. The King Baudouin Foundation is organizing the first day of the Global Forum, which will be devoted to civil society. The '*Civil Society Forum on Migration and Development' on 9 July will gather a broad range of non-governmental actors to discuss the migration and development nexus and give input to the governmental discussions on the 10th and 11th of July. www.gfmd-civil-society.org.

Calls for Nominations for GPA Awards 2007

The search is on for Ghana’s Top Professionals and Business people to be recognised at The 7th Annual Gala Dinner and Awards event on Saturday, 7th July 2007, at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, W2 2TY. Closing date for the nominations is 31st May 2007. From humble beginnings of showcasing talent and networking in 2001, the GPA awards have emerged as an unparalleled annual calendar event for Ghanaians in the United Kingdom. Regarded as a prestigious and “cutting-edge” event cutting across the divide, it is also a platform highly sort after by Ghana’s UK professionals and entrepreneurs. The GPA, dubbed as the forum for “bridging the Gap” between Ghana and British citizens with Ghanaian Heritage is engineering a paradigm shift for, innovation dedication and excellence in its community. http://www.gpaawards.com

MIDA / Offres de Mission Rwanda Education

Dans le cadre du programme MIDA III au Rwanda, nous recherchons urgemment des candidats pour les missions de courte durée dans le domaine de l’éducation au Rwanda. Nous recherchons en particulier des personnes qualifiées dans l’enseignement de la biologie pour assurer des cours de botanique et de zoologie à l’Institut d'Enseignement Supérieur de Ruhengeri (INES), à l’Institut Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques et d'élevage (ISAE) et au Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), l’enseignement de la chimie pour assurer des cours en chimie, chimie organique et chimie physique à l’Institut d'Enseignement Supérieur de Ruhengeri (INES) et au Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), l’ingénierie civile, l’architecture ou le génie civil pour assurer des cours de génie civil, d’électricité, d’électronique ou de construction à l’Université nationale du Rwanda (UNR) et à l’Ecole Technique Officielle (ETO) de Muhima et de Kinbungo et l’expertise en système d’information géographique pour assurer des cours à l’Université nationale du Rwanda (UNR) et à l’Université d'Agriculture, de Technologie et d'Education de Kibungo (UNATEK). www.midagrandslacs.org.

UK Survey Shows Senior Female Managers have 'fallen by 40 %’

The number of female senior managers working in major UK businesses has fallen by more than 40 per cent in the last five years, according to a new survey. In 2002, women occupied 38% of senior manager level posts in the FTSE 350, but this has now sunk to 22%. The report by consulting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers found that although at the most senior level the number of FTSE 350 female chairs or chief executives had grown, progress was still “painfully slow” and the number could still be counted on one hand. The survey shows that middle management opportunities are shrinking. The report also blames the rising costs of child-care and an increase in women setting up their own businesses. The report was based on data from more than 10,000 UK management roles. Source: PM Online

NEPAD e-schools officially launched in Egypt

The Egyptian Minister of Education, Dr Yousry Al-Gamal, has officially launched the NEPAD e-Schools Demonstration (Demo) Project at Al-Haddain Secondary School in El Behaira Governate, Egypt. The project is a joint venture of the Egyptian Government, HP Consortium, ORACLE Consortium and NEPAD e-Africa Commission. Egypt is the sixth country to launch the project after Uganda, Ghana, Lesotho, Kenya and Rwanda. It is also the first North African country to launch the NEPAD e-Schools. The NEPAD e-Schools Project is led by the NEPAD e-Africa Commission-the NEPAD Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Task Team responsible for developing the NEPAD ICT Programme and implementing related projects. The project focuses on providing end-to-end ICT solutions that will connect schools across Africa to the NEPAD e-Schools Network and the Internet. Solutions also include the provision of content, learning material and the establishment of health points at schools. In total, more than 600 000 schools across the continent will enjoy the benefits of ICT and connectivity to the NEPAD e-Schools Satellite Network upon completion of the project.

MBAs - Are They A Waste Of Time?

A recent poll undertaken by eFinancialcareers in the UK found that 33.3% of respondents felt the value of an MBA in the workplace was 'invariably pointless'. Yet competition for MBAs amongst investment banks in the UK is thought likely to push their starting packages up again this year, while Bloomberg reports that salaries and signing bonuses for newly MBAs were the highest last year since the data has been tracked. Source: Hereisthecity.com

Top US Diversity Firms Announced

DiversityInc has announced its 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity????Two of the nominated companies, PepsiCo and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), respectively Nos. 10 and 12 in the 2007 Top 50, have also received recognition for their women's initiatives at the 20th annual Catalyst Awards Conference. Catalyst research reveals that at the current rate women ascend the corporate ladder, it would take 47 years for them to obtain parity with men in the execute suite. Overall progress has remained stagnant in the last year. Source: DiversityInc.

PepsiCo’s CEO Commended for Diversity Initiative

Chairman Elect and CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, the first woman of color to head a Fortune 50 corporation, has been commended for the Women of Color Multicultural Alliance. The Alliance—an employee-resource group—works to identify, nurture and retain female candidates of color for leadership positions in middle and senior management to create a solid pipeline of top talent. PepsiCo promotes accountability by tying management compensation to results, which is the most important personal statement of diversity commitment a CEO can make. As a result, senior-level representation of women of color increased by nearly 3% from 2002 to 2006; turnover rates for women who participate in the Alliance's Power Pairs mentoring program are half the rate of those who don't.

UK Facing Skills Shortages

More than half of today's businesses in the UK find it more difficult than five years ago to recruit employees with the skills they need, according to the results of a survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). According to the organization, UK business will be seriously disadvantaged if the current education and vocational training system is not improved. The report found that only 18% of businesses believe that the sector skills councils effectively represent their needs while 83% of businesses said they provided staff training and 77% offered staff professional appraisal and development. The main barriers to providing staff with training included the lack of staff to provide cover while colleagues were on courses and lack of money to pay for professional development. Source: recruitmentmatters.com .

Ethiopian Rainwater Harvesting Project Wins 5th Swiss Re Award for Sustainable Watershed Management

The Ethiopian Rainwater Harvesting Association (ERHA) has won Swiss Re's 2007 International ReSource Award for Sustainable Watershed Management. The ERHA will receive up to USD 80 000 for the implementation of a rainwater harvesting system to provide access to drinking water to a vulnerable community located in Southern Ethiopia, 600km south of Addis Ababa. According to the World Bank, 88% of the rural population in Ethiopia has insufficient access to clean drinking water. The ERHA project aims to improve water availability for household activities and small-scale production by installing water-harvesting techniques. Sand dams and storage tanks will be set up to provide access to reliable clean water for at least 2 000 people in more than ten rural communities. The award of USD 80 000 will be paid in two tranches: USD 50 000 upon completion of the pilot; a further USD 30 000 will be released upon scaling-up of the project.

Commonwealth Report on HIV/AIDS and Education in Africa

A new report by the Commonwealth Secretariat summarises the key issues regarding HIV and AIDS and the education sector and is based primarily on a review of published literature and the findings of the recently held regional workshop organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA). http://tinyurl.com/2vl4zo

Africa Union Commission Calls for CVs for African Women in Science and Technology

The African Union Commission is calling for African women in the area of Science and Technology to submit their CVs. For further information contact: masheleni@africa-union.org Source: Pambazuka News

Majority of Women Stuck in Low-Paid Jobs

More women are working than ever but the majority of them are stuck in low-paid jobs, according to a report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Most women are also paid less than male colleagues, the research shows. The ILO points out that about 100 million more women were working in 2006 than in 1996 but, for the 1.2 billion employed or seeking work, there still remains gaps in their status, job security and pay.

Kellogg to Offer Undergraduate Courses in USA

For the first time in nearly 40 years, the Kellogg School will offer courses for undergraduates at its parent Northwestern University. Kellogg is following in the footsteps of other top-rated American schools such as MIT Sloan, which already runs a programme for engineering students at MIT. The Kellogg school is going one step further by offering two different certificate programmes for undergrads; one for engineers and the other for humanities and science students. The University says the two programmes are in recognition of the needs of recruiters, who are increasingly looking for bright graduates with knowledge of arts or sciences as well as business acumen. Source: The Financial Times

Business Schools Tackling Corporate Social Responsibility

Following corporate scandals in the US and Europe and rapidly heightening concerns about corporate social responsibility and climate change, business schools are increasingly addressing these topics on their curricula. According to research in the Journal of Business Ethics (Ethics, CSR, Sustainability Education in the Financial Times Top 50), the 50 business schools surveyed reported a five-fold increase in the number of ethics courses in the past 8 years, with 25% of schools requiring students to take a course in business ethics. The deans surveyed from the top 50 global business schools, as ranked by the Financial Times in 2006, reported high levels of interest, with many taking the approach that these subjects are part of cultivating and supporting future leaders. Source: the Financial Times

BD and Direct Relief International Launch Volunteer Service Program to Improve Healthcare in Ghana

BD, a leading global medical technology company, and Direct Relief International, a humanitarian medical aid nonprofit organization, today announced a joint volunteer initiative to strengthen healthcare in two areas of Ghana. Working for three weeks with clinic staff from Direct Relief partners at the Maranatha Maternity Clinic and Motoka Clinic, 12 BD employee volunteers from around the globe will help build local healthcare capacity in the region. This is the third company-sponsored service trip BD employees have made to sub-Saharan Africa. In 2005 and 2006, BD employees volunteered at five clinics in Zambia to help strengthen the country’s capacity to diagnose and treat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Through training healthcare providers, constructing a new health facility, upgrading existing laboratory capabilities and incorporating clean water solutions at existing facilities, these volunteers in Ghana will bolster the clinics’ ability to provide vitally needed services to their patients.

Global Survey Shows Business is more Trusted than Governments

A survey of 3,100 ‘opinion leaders’ across 18 countries has shown that business is regaining the public’s trust across the world after recent scandals. The survey by PR firm Edelman suggests that corporate governance and the rising wealth of individuals in many developing countries are helping the corporate sector to regain credibility. According to the respondents – top earners with an interest in politics and economics –business was more trusted than governments in every continent, with NGOs seen in North America and Europe as the most trusted entities. Business leaders were less favourably viewed with less than one in five British, French and German respondents trusting their CEO’s statements on their companies, while only 22% of Americans in the US trusted their corporate leaders.

Diversity Inc Announces Top 10 US Companies for Recruitment and Retention

According to census estimates, white Americans will become a minority in the USA by 2050 and smart companies are aggressively recruiting minority employees. Diversity Inc has announced its top US companies for recruitment and retention based on a survey of these companies’ recruitment strategies. The publication’s Top 10 R&R hire 45% people of color in comparison with the US workforce of 29% people of colour. 27% of the top 10 companies’ management is of colour, compared with 12% in management nationwide. For retention, companies must demonstrate level rates across race/ethnicity and gender in both the work force and the management ranks. The Top 10 include Bank of America (which also placed top for executive women), Consolidated Edison Company of New York, AT&T, the Pepsi Bottling Group (36% of Board is female, compared with 19% for the Top 50), JPMorgan Chase, Xerox, Verizon, Proctor & Gamble and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, 25% of whose Board of Directors comprises people of colour. Source: DiversityInc.

Deloitte Foundation and the Management Education Alliance Award New Minority Faculty Grants for Executive Business Programme

The Deloitte Foundation, a not-for-profit arm of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP and the Management Education Alliance (MEA) has announced the first education grant recipients of its jointly-sponsored Minority Faculty Executive Education Programme. The new programme was designed to provide professional development opportunities to minority professors on real-world business issues and management trends. The $25,000 grant from the Deloitte Foundation will send thirteen minority faculty chosen from schools that are members of the MEA to Executive Business Training programs to be held at either Harvard Business School or the Harvard Kennedy School of Government's Executive Education Programs. The programme, which will run from May to October 2007 is a targeted executive training programme designed to familiarize minority educators with key business developments, with instruction in a range of topics including human capital management, marketing strategy, mergers and acquisitions, leadership development, performance management and financial analysis. The MEA is dedicated to fostering professional growth and development among business educators in schools serving African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans.

South Africa Skills Acceleration Programme Records Success

According to the South African Government, the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (Jipsa) has achieved significant progress in the first nine months after it was launched. Launched in March 2006, Jipsa is aimed at addressing skills shortages in order to achieve the objectives of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) and, thus, to push economic growth to 6% by 2010 and to halve unemployment by 2014. Jipsa has identified a number of priority areas to address skill shortages including engineering and planning skills for the transport, communications and energy sectors, urban and regional planning and engineering skills, technical skills, for infrastructure development and management and planning skills. The Government is also targeting skills required by its priority sectors including Tourism, Business Process Outsourcing and Biofuels. JIPSA has managed to implement some short-term programmes such as matching unemployed graduates and employers and the creation and coordination of placement opportunities. Almost 5,000 people have been trained and a detailed plan has been established to increase the country’s engineering graduates.

Coca-Cola and USAID to Expand Water Partnership in Africa

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and The Coca-Cola Company have announced a $7 million joint investment in nine new water projects in Africa. The projects will be located in Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Ghana/Ivory Coast. Working together since November 2005, USAID and The Coca-Cola Company have supported water partnership activities in Bolivia, Mali, Indonesia, Malawi, Egypt, Thailand, Uganda and South Africa. The new projects in Africa provide locally driven solutions to address the global water crisis, growing the global partnership's investments from $3 million to $10 million. In cooperation with implementing partners in 16 countries, USAID and The Coca-Cola Company are helping more than 300,000 people who struggle for daily access to safe and sustainable sources of water. Planning is underway to expand and deepen the impact of the USAID/Coca-Cola partnership in future years throughout the countries where both organizations work.

South Africa and the UK Establish Dialogue on Sustainable Development and Climate Change

The UK and South Africa have announced the establishment of a partnership aimed at dealing with key international sustainable development issues including climate change. The establishment of a South Africa-UK High-Level Dialogue on Sustainable Development will also include a Working Group on Climate Change. The dialogue is designed to strengthen bilateral ties in a broad range of policy areas and provide leadership on sustainable development and to provide a framework for cross-government collaboration and contact between stakeholders in each country. The dialogue is expected to lead to cooperation between the two countries on a range of sustainable development issues, including climate change, environmental enforcement and mainstreaming sustainable development and joint research on possible forms of long-term global action on climate change.

Djibouti to host African Horn Intellectuals' Conference

To activate the role of intellectuals in the conflict-ridden Horn of African region, Djibouti will offer a forum to the region's intellectuals to debate and start a dialogue on the region's economic, political and social problems in a conference due to be held in November 2007. According to the conference organizers, intellectuals from the region and its Diaspora have a stronger role to play in addressing the region’s political, social, economic and environmental challenges. The conference is intended to contribute to building a strong consensus on a long-term vision in favour of stability, sustainable development and regional integration; to create a forum or "think tank" to promote reflection and exchange on specific issues of concern to the region; to generate studies and analyses, which may contribute to the formulation of proactive policies responding to the new challenges in the region; to organise periodic training sessions in the field of inter-cultural dialogue and regional integration for various stakeholders; to encourage universities and research institutions to develop focused studies on the main trends in the region utilising anticipatory and scenario-building approaches. Organizers are appealing to all intellectuals from the Greater Horn of Africa, including those living and working in the Diaspora, to participate. Source: afrol News / Awdal News Network

Nigeria to Use Native Languages to Promote Science

Nigeria's traditional rulers have launched a new initiative to encourage the development of science and technology by using local languages. Using Nigeria's three main native languages in science aims at making science results more easily applied by the country’s regional and local administrations. The Council of Traditional Rulers in Nigeria says that science and technology is not perceived as culturally relevant, and is not being used in local situations because development strategies are communicated in English - a language not spoken by a large percentage of people. Launched at UNESCO in Paris, the initiative follows a call by the African Union to make 2007 a year of developing and promoting science, technology and innovation in Africa. The initiative will develop teaching and communication materials on science and technology in Nigeria's three official languages - Ibo, Hausa and Yoruba - to promote a culture of science and innovation for building local innovation systems. Scientists, engineers and information and communication technology experts will participate in the scheme, working closely with institutes and universities. Source: Afrol News

Nominations Open for Southern Africa Drivers of Change Award

Nominations have opened for the 2007 Drivers of Change award. The award is expected to attract entries from individuals and organisations in the southern Africa region that in their work to overcome poverty, are making a real and lasting difference in the lives of the poor. The award is in three categories, civil society, government and business. Recipients in each of the categories will demonstrate innovation in the strategies used to develop and implement better public policy and significance for ending poverty and inequality in southern Africa as a whole. Other criteria are inclusion of diverse voices, especially voices of the poor, and policy work that has a real impact on poverty. Established as part of the Mail and Guardian's Investing in the Future awards, the Drivers of Change Award provides a great opportunity to organisations and individuals to gain visibility and recognition in their approach to overcoming poverty. Nominations for the Awards close on 6 July, 2007 and the winners will be announced in October 2007 at a gala event in Johannesburg, South Africa. For more information: info@southernafricatrust.org

Firms Warned of Increasing Staff Demands

Businesses have been warned that they must adapt to a changing workforce in which ‘employee is king’. According to PriceWaterhouse Coopers, a new generation of workers has been identified, and dubbed by some as ‘the Millenials’. These employees will have certain expectations and demands of their employers, and will be more likely to leave if these expectations are not met. According tot eh company’s findings, businesses will have to keep up with employees’ demands in order to have the best workforce. With talent at a premium globally, companies will need to work hard to keep these people engaged and provide the flexibility they demand at work. Employees will be less loyal to employers than any generation before them, and will be more interested in using their work as a bridge to other career opportunities through further education and training. Moreover, it is not all about money. The companies that offer the best package of benefits and brand are going to get the best staff. Source: PriceWaterhouse Coopers

Tanzania to Receive 100 scholarships a year from India

The Indian government has increased its annual quota for scholarships offered to Tanzanians to 100 to help with vocational training in the east African country. The scholarships, offered by the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Training Program, have been funding training programs in information technology, agriculture, rural and urban development, banking and financial management, small and medium enterprises, mass communication and trade. With the increased quota of scholarships, Tanzania now has the largest number of trainees benefiting from the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Training Program. Tanzania already has more than 1,200 graduates from the Indian training program. Some 1,000 people from around the world are trained each year through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Training Program.Source:chinaview.cn

South Africa to Launch New Work Permit system to ease Hiring of Foreign Skilled Workers

The Home Affairs Department has announced that 34 000 work permits will be available for foreign citizens who possess skills that are scarce in South Africa. The new quota system is intended to make it easier for companies to employ foreign workers with skills from 53 different categories that are considered scarce in South Africa. 50,000 additional skilled workers are needed over the next five years. The new quota system will make 34 825 work permits available across 53 different categories of scarce and critical skills. Applicants with the appropriate qualifications and experience will be able to secure a work permit without first having a job in South Africa.

Applications for World Bank Young Professionals Program Open

Applications are sought for the World Bank's Young Professionals Program (YPP). The program is a starting point for an exciting career in the World Bank and is designed for highly qualified and motivated young people who demonstrate a commitment to development, supported by academic success, professional achievement, and potential for leadership. Applicants must be 32 years of age or younger when entering the YP Program in September 2008 (born on or after September 30, 1975), hold at least a masters degree (or equivalent), specialize in a field relevant to World Bank operations such as: economics, finance, education, public health, social sciences, engineering, urban planning, and natural resource management and have a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience, or continued academic study at the doctoral level. Fluency in English is also mandatory. Interested candidates may apply on-line until July 15, 2007. www.worldbank.org/careers.

UK Introduces New International Graduates Scheme

A new program that will enable international students to stay in the UK for a year to work after completing their studies was launched on 1st May. The program called the International Graduates Scheme (IGS) will replace the Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme, and will enable non-EEA students who have successfully completed and obtained a degree, Master's degree, PhD, or postgraduate certificate or diploma on or after 1st May 2007 to work in the UK for up to 12 months upon completion of their studies. If the students want to remain in the UK beyond this time, they can switch into an appropriate immigration category to pursue their career, provided they meet the relevant requirements. During their leave under IGS, participants can take any type of employment or self-employment. The students who complete their course on or after 1st May 2007 can apply regardless of which course they studied. Those who have been sponsored by a government or international scholarship agency will need to obtain written permission from their sponsor before applying for IGS. According to the UK Government, the new changes will help ensure Britain continues to attract students who contribute so much to the UK's economic and cultural life. Allowing them to work in the UK for a year will provide them with valuable work experience to augment the knowledge and skills they have acquired at UK universities and colleges and allow UK employers to benefit from skilled people who have gained UK qualifications and have experience of living in the UK. Source: Africa News

Johannesburg Opens Helpdesk for Migrants

Johannesburg has opened a migrant helpdesk to provide legal migrants and asylum seekers with information on basic services such as housing, education and healthcare in the city. The helpdesk, which has been running since November, complements rather than replaces existing immigration facilities. Johannesburg Mayor Amos Masondo, who officially opened the helpdesk, said the city is committed to ensuring the welfare of foreign residents. He recognized the diversity of the city, saying that rapid urbanisation and accompanying migration had become part of the Johannesburg landscape and that migrants contribute to the cultural diversity of and assist to create such a vibrant city. Diversity, although an urban strength, should allow migration to be properly managed. The helpdesk provides foreign residents with information on basic services and puts them in touch with non-governmental organisations that assist migrants and asylum seekers. Source: City of Johannesburg

Howard University's President Swygert to Retire

Howard University President H. Patrick Swygert has announced his plans to retire at the end of June 2008. In a memo to the Howard community, Swygert noted several of the university's achievements, including producing Rhodes Scholars, Fulbright Scholars and a Marshall Scholar; raising $250 million in a successful capital campaign ahead of schedule and recruiting 142 new tenure-track faculty and 17 others with tenure since 2001. Swygert said he plans to work on a number of important initiatives during the upcoming academic year and work with the Howard community to assure a smooth transition to new leadership. A search committee is being formed to begin the search for Howard's 16th president. Source: Diverse Education.com

Female Career Progression Hindered by Family Commitments

According to an online survey conducted by Accenture of 201 business executives in mid-to-senior management positions, the top two factors chosen most frequently as career hindering by females are the need to need to devote energy to children/family and gender - 26% of women believe the former plays a key role in limiting their achievement, compared to 15% of men.. Women comprised 65% and men 35% of respondents. Other key findings were that twice as many women than men believe their gender is career hindering- 20% of women, compared to ten per cent of men. Gender ranked 11th on the list of barriers to achievement for men. When asked about career progression just under a quarter of women saw themselves reaching the very top level when they first started out in their careers, and this number has not changed over time. With regard to work/life balance, Accenture's findings indicate that women are significantly more likely than men to find it challenging to balance personal and professional matters. Women are more likely to consider leaving the workforce for longer than a year. Aside from designated maternity leave, 38% of women compared to 26% of men have seriously considered leaving the workforce for longer than a year. Furthermore, women are more likely to work fewer hours because of becoming mothers.

Survey reveals More Women Drop out of Senior Management

A report based on figures from PricewaterhouseCoopers Monks pay database which records pay benchmarking information on over 10,000 UK management roles reveals that in 2002, around 38% of senior manager level posts in the FTSE 350 were occupied by women, but this has now sunk to just 22%. The report breaks down management into six levels of seniority and the departure of senior manager females is mirrored for heads of function, the next level up. At the most senior level, things are moving in the opposite direction but progress is painfully slow. The ranks of FTSE 350 female full-time chairmen or chief executives have grown, but can still be counted on one hand. One possible reason for this is the growing cost of childcare. There is also evidence that more women are going into business for themselves. The number of self-employed females in the UK recently rose above a million for the first time according to the Labour Force Survey. The number of businesses that are wholly or predominantly owned by women has risen to 17% based on the latest DTI Small Business Survey.

Harvard Class of 2011 Admits Beat Lowest Odds

According to the Harvard Crimson, people stand a better chance of surviving a particularly fatal strain of the Ebola virus than getting into Harvard College. This year fewer than 9% of applicants were accepted to the Class of 2011, according to figures from the Admissions Office. Last year 9.3% were accepted. The group of 2,058 was picked from 22,955 applicants and represents the most socio-economically and racially diverse group accepted to Harvard and, as acceptance rate continues to fall, minority representation rises slightly. Slight increases resulted in record highs for minority groups, with a pool that is 10.7 percent African American, 19.6 percent Asian American, 10.1 percent Latino, and 1.5 percent Native American. Meanwhile, the percentage of female admits fell by about one percent to 50.5 percent, and the percentage of international students rose slightly, from 8.7 to 9.1 percent. In total, foreign citizens, students with dual citizenship with the U.S. and another country, and U.S. permanent residents make up roughly 19 percent of the admitted class, about the same as last year. Source: The Harvard Crimson

Nominations Open for 2007 HR Africa Award

Nominations are open for the 2007 HR Africa Award. The HR Africa Award is an award given by the Institute for International Research (IIR) and is designed to reward HR Professionals and their HR department for moving away from the historical Administration Officer, to the new-age Business partner/strategic HR department. As HR moves more to being a business asset, the Award recognises the growth and changes the function is undergoing for the organisation. Ingrid Gabler, HR Director from KPMG at HR Africa 2006, won the HR Africa 2006 Award. Nominations for this award for 2007 can be sent to Stella Tselchous stselchous@iir.co.za. http://www.hr-africa.com/award.html

UK Employers failing on Employee Development

Employers do not provide the right career development support for staff despite having the best intentions, research has found. Only a third (30 per cent) of nearly 1,000 UK employees surveyed by HR consultancy Blessing White felt their employers' existing approaches to career development were hitting the mark, even though almost half (48 per cent) believed their firm was committed to helping them achieve their personal goals. The research, State of the Career, identified printed resources, career centres and online communities as the least useful tools in supporting career progression. The most effective methods were those that were personalised to meet employees' needs, such as training workshops and secondments (27 per cent) and career coaches and consultants (26 per cent). For a copy of the report, email :blessingwhite@midnight.co.uk Source: People Management

NEPAD e-Schools to be launched in South Africa

The South African Government, HP Consortium, Cisco Consortium, ORACLE Consortium, and NEPAD e-Africa Commission have launched the NEPAD e-Schools demonstration project at Maripe Secondary School in Mpumalanga Province. The launch, which will cover six schools across the country, makes South Africa the seventh country to launch the project after Uganda, Ghana, Lesotho, Kenya, Rwanda, and Egypt. The NEPAD e-Schools project falls under the auspices of the NEPAD e-Africa Commission, the information and communication technology task team responsible for developing the NEPAD ICT programme and implementing related projects. First announced in 2003 at the Africa Summit of the World Economic Forum in Durban, South Africa the NEPAD e-Schools project focuses on providing end-to-end ICT solutions that will connect schools across Africa to the NEPAD e-Schools network and the Internet. Solutions also include the provision of content and learning material and the establishment of health points at schools. In each country, the programme aims to transform African secondary schools into NEPAD e-Schools within five years of implementation start date and all African primary schools within 10 years of implementation start date. In total, more than 600,000 schools across the continent will enjoy the benefits of ICT and connectivity to the NEPAD e-Schools satellite network. Source: Nepad

Lesotho and Cameroon Join African Red Cross

Two new countries, Lesotho and Cameroon, have joined the New Partnership for African Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (NEPARC), of which Fritz Institute is a founder and enabling partner. NEPARC also recently announced the appointment of Mr. Kebour Ghenna as its Executive Director. Mr. Ghenna, an accomplished Ethiopian executive with deep experience in the corporate and humanitarian aid sectors in Africa, will be charged with leading the expansion of NEPARC membership, fundraising and the addition of new programs. Fritz Institute is a non-profit dedicated to improving global disaster relief by creating innovative approaches to ensure help arrives when and where it is needed most. Source: The Fritz Institute

Guide for Financing Business Growth Offers Advice for Women Business Owners

For the first time, years of research on the business practices of women business owners has been distilled into an accessible and comprehensive guide to obtaining and strategically using capital to grow a business. Financing Business Growth: Proven Strategies for Women Business Owners from Women Business Owners provides not only the stories of successful women entrepreneurs but also dos and don'ts, ideas, resources and an overview of the appropriate options for financing growth. KeyBank, a longstanding sponsor of the Center for Women's Business Research, underwrote the guide through its women business program, Key4Women. The Center for Women's Business Research has been tracking women entrepreneurs' access to and use of capital for almost two decades. The guide provides all women entrepreneurs the opportunity to tap into the wisdom and knowledge of the thousands of women included in our research who can show the way to business growth. Women business owners featured in the guide exemplified what the research found regarding success strategies for obtaining capital which included: consulting with professional business advisers, establishing ongoing relationships with their banks, and utilizing financial records to measure their status on a regular basis. The full report, Financing Business Growth: Proven Strategies for Women Business Owners from Women Business Owners, may be purchased from the Center for Women’s Business Research. info@womensbusinessresearch.org.

NEPAD and DBSA sign Partnership on African Centres of Excellence

A partnership agreement to develop a framework and criteria for the establishment of five African centres of excellence has been signed by the NEPAD Secretariat and the Knowledge Management Africa programme of the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA/KMA). The DBSA/KMA and NEPAD Secretariat will provide financial support for a research project on the development of the framework, which will build on work done by other institutions subscribing to an African renaissance. The DBSA/KMA has pledged to release R1 million towards the partial funding of the research. The second phase of the project will include raising additional funding for investigating the availability of resources and what is on the ground within the five regions, and how the identified centres will be sustained. The broad objective is to develop Africa to become a region free of poverty that experiences sustainable growth and development through key institutional, technical, knowledge and governance capabilities and mechanisms. At the same time, the aim is to raise the profile of knowledge as a key factor in the development of appropriate solutions for Africa's challenges and problems. The signing of the partnership agreement follows a proposal for developing a conceptual framework and criteria for African centres of excellence as a collaborative project between the Centre for African Renaissance Studies (CARS) at the University of South Africa, the NEPAD Secretariat and DBS. Source: Nepad

Acceptances for US Ivy League Colleges at a Record Low

Spring 2007 has been the most selective spring in modern memory at America's elite schools, according to college admissions officers. More applications poured into top schools this admissions cycle than in any previous year on record and rejection letters have overwhelmingly outnumbered the acceptances. Harvard turned down 1,100 student applicants with perfect 800 scores on the SAT math exam. With an acceptance rate of 9 percent. The university called that "the lowest admit rate in Harvard's history." The low acceptance rates this year were a result of an avalanche of applications to top schools, which college admissions officials attributed to three factors. First, a demographic bulge is working through the nation's population - the children of the baby boomers are graduating from high school in record numbers. Another factor is that more high school students are enrolling in college immediately after high school. In the 1970s, less than half of all high school graduates went directly to college, compared with more than 60 percent today, said David Hawkins, a director at the National Association of College Admission Counseling. The third trend driving the frantic competition is that the average college applicant applies to many more colleges than in past decades. Multiple applications per student exponentially crowds the college admissions environment. Source: New York Times Online

ECOSOCC to Hold Elections to General Assembly

The Interim Standing Committee of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the African Union has announced that it will hold elections in all Member States of the AU between June and December 2007 to elect one hundred and thirty (130) Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to its General Assembly. The representatives will be drawn from national, regional and continental Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), social and professional groups, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), as well as cultural groups. Applicants may participate in the process either as candidates for election or members of the Electoral College. In order to ensure a democratic election with the widest involvement of the African people, the African Union Commission has also appealed to all Members States and the African Civil Society Community to assist in the mobilization of African people in their respective countries and regions to participate actively in the forthcoming elections, so as to seize the historic opportunity offered by ECOSOCC to add their voices to the decision-making processes of the African Union. Additional information and other details regarding the election can be obtained from both the AU and the ECOSOCC websites (www.africa-union.org and www.ecosocc.org). The ECOSOCC is an advisory organ of the African Union, which supports the promotion of an effective partnership between African governments and the African civil society community.

Dutch Business University to Offers MBA Scholarships to South Africans

Nyenrode Business University, one of the oldest and most prestigious business schools in Europe, is offering South Africans the opportunity to apply for one of 25 Cedo Nulli Scholarships as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations. South Africans applying must meet specific criteria, such as writing a business plan or giving a presentation on entrepreneurship. All of the scholarships provide the winners with a personal coach to guide them throughout their intensive MBA studies. The International MBA is a full-time accredited programme that lasts for 13 months, featuring international modules and geared towards globally minded successful business leaders and managers.

Africa Needs Improved Levels and Numbers of Secondary School Graduates

According to the World Bank, African countries must find ways to deliver more and better secondary school graduates. The continent will need to do so while simultaneously achieving significant efficiency gains to realise economic growth. African countries will need to rapidly adapt their education system to develop the skills and talents of their young people across the full range of abilities, said Jacob Bregman, a lead education specialist of the World Bank's Africa Region Human Development section. Studies that have investigated the link between education and economic growth show that, on balance, secondary education is associated with an acceleration of economic growth and can make a significant contribution to a country's economic performance.

Postgraduate Degree in Oil, Gas, Energy Begins in Angola

A Law postgraduate degree in Oil, Gas and Energy, funded by British Petroleum (BP) began in Luanda's Law Faculty of Agostinho Neto University (FDUAN). The purpose of the course is to equip Law practitioners and non-practitioners, working in the oil sector, with integrated and specialized skills in the field. Approximately 100 candidates from the various oil companies operating in the country applied for the program, but only 40 have been taken, due to shortage of places. The Scientific Committee, the course coordinating organ, has already made up the list of the candidates admitted. Angolan, US and Brazilian Law teachers, will lecture the course.

40% of UK Employers Struggling to Find Skilled Staff

A recent research report by Manpower reports that almost 40% of UK employers are struggling to fill positions due to a lack of staff with the right skills. The research reveals that the four hardest to fill positions are skilled manual trades, administrative assistants and PAs, engineers and sales representatives. The four positions also comprised the hardest to fill positions in 2006. It also found management/executives are now much harder to find compared to last year, having moved up the hardest to find list from tenth to fifth position. The research found that the skills shortage appears to be least problematic in India (9%), Ireland (17%) and China (19%). According to the company, employers need to maintain a flexible approach to their recruitment needs - such as thinking about using temporary staff to meet short-term needs, looking to older workers and mothers returning to work or looking to staff from outside the UK. Good people are in demand and it is very much a candidate's market. Source: Recruitment Matters

Survey Cites Poor Learning and Development Skills in Line Managers

Around two fifths of businesses say that their line managers are not very effective in supporting learning and development, according to a survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). This is despite 74% of respondents saying that their line managers have taken on greater responsibility for learning and development activities during the past two years, and overwhelming agreement that line managers are critical to supporting learning and development. A lack of training for line managers, competing business pressures and a need to align learning and development objectives with the wider organisational strategy are all reasons cited for this gap between theory and practice. The research found that more than 90% of respondents believe that line managers are important or very important in supporting learning and development in their organisations. However, only 12% feel that line managers take learning and development very seriously. It found that half of UK organisations only train a minority of line managers to support learning and development. On the job training and formal training courses are were identified as the most effective form of learning. Source: Recruitment Matters

International CSR Directory Now Online

The world's first printed international corporate social responsibility directory is now online at http://www.ethicalperformance.net/csrdirectory.html. The CSR Professional Services Directory 2007 lists 487 organizations worldwide under 49 different service categories, from consultants to academic institutions, rating agencies to ethical auditors, and training providers to research bodies. The new online facility enables users to identify, at no charge, providers of services both globally and in different parts of the world. The CSR Professional Services Directory, sponsored by Cafedirect, is from Ethical Performance, the independent monthly newsletter for socially responsible business.

South Africa's Banking Sector Collaborates on Developing Skilled Women

Banks and micro finance institutions in South Africa have collaborated to create and implement a development programme with the primary objective of building a pool of highly skilled women in banking. Although women hold more than 58% of positions in the banking sector, very few women make it up the corporate ladder into senior and executive management positions. Currently, Black women hold only 4% of executive management positions; Black women hold only 3% of senior management level; 7% at middle management and 17% at junior management level.To assist the banking and micro finance sector to meet Finance Sector Charter targets for human resources, the Bankseta will support the achievement of the Financial Sector Charter targets through focused Women Development Programmes. The Bankseta's Women's Development Programme will run for a three-year period. Forty women are guaranteed participation in the programme each year. To qualify for nomination,candidates needed to be employed at a middle management or professional level; a minimum of 5-7 years work experience; the ability to operate in an environment of multi disciplined teamwork; and excellent communication skills.

Applications for World Bank Young Professionals Program Open

Applications are sought for the World Bank's Young Professionals Program (YPP).The program is a starting point for an exciting career in the World Bank and is designed for highly qualified and motivated young people who demonstrate a commitment to development, supported by academic success, professional achievement, and potential for leadership.Applicants must be 32 years of age or younger when entering the YP Program in September 2008 (born on or after September 30, 1975), hold at least a masters degree (or equivalent), specialize in a field relevant to World Bank operations such as: economics, finance, education, public health, social sciences, engineering, urban planning, and natural resource management and have a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience, or continued academic study at the doctoral level.Fluency in English is also mandatory.Interested candidates may apply on-line until July 15, 2007. www.worldbank.org/careers.

U.S. Population of Color Tops 100 Million

The nation's population of color reached 100.7 million, according to the national and state estimates by race, Latino origin, sex and age released by the U.S. Census Bureau. A year ago, this population totaled 98.3 million. "About one in three U.S. residents is a minority," Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon said in a statement."To put this into perspective, there are more minorities in this country today than there were people in the United States in 1910. In fact, the minority population in the U.S. is larger than the total population of all but 11 countries."

Afro-Caribbean Parents Urged to Help Boys Take Education Seriously

Launching a charter 'Born to be Great' to promote achievement amongst Afro-Caribbean boys, the UK National Union of Teachers (NUT) has called on parents to take more responsibility for their children's education and urge them to take it seriously. The NUT says that black Caribbean boys are the lowest-achieving ethnic group in England and must be lured away from a culture that was causing mayhem on the streets. The NUT also calls on the government to undertake an inquiry into the impact of street culture on society. Last summer only 23% of black Caribbean boys achieved five A*-C GCSEs, including Maths and English compared to a national average of 44%.

Female College Graduates Earn Less 10 years after graduation.

Women make only 80%of the salaries their male peers do one year after college; after 10 years in the work force, the gap between their pay widens further, according to a study by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation.The study found that 10 years after college, women earn only 69% of what men earn.Even after controlling for hours, occupation, parenthood, and other factors known to affect earnings, the study found that one-quarter of the pay gap remains unexplained. The group said that portion of the gap is "likely due to sex discrimination." Catherine Hill, the organization's director of research, said: "Part of the wage difference is a result of people's choices; another part is employer's assumptions of what people's choices will be. Employers assume that young women are going to leave the work force when they have children, and, therefore, don't promote them."The organization found that women's scholastic performance was not reflected in their compensation. Women have slightly higher grade point averages than men do in every major, including science and math.

Obese Workers Costs Firms More

Obese employees in the USA lost many more workdays and filed twice as many workers' compensation claims, and those cases cost nearly seven times as much as those filed by their slimmer counterparts, according to a report. The average workers' compensation medical claims cost per 100 employees was $51,019 for obese workers and $7,503 for non-obese workers, according to the study, conducted by Duke University researchers and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The report comes as employers are grappling with rising health care and workers' compensation costs, and are focusing on wellness programs and other ways to create a healthier workforce and reduce medical expenses. The study found the most obese workers lost 13 times as many days of work as their colleagues who weighed less. Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

Teaching IT in South African Languages

Language is no longer a barrier to using a computer in South Africa, thanks to a non-profit organisation that has translated a range of computer software into the country's 11 official languages - and created the first all-South African language keyboard. Translate.org.za, which focuses on the localisation of open source software, has released the popular word-processing, spreadsheet and presentation software OpenOffice.org, web browser Mozilla Firefox and e-mail programme Mozilla Thunderbird in all 11 official languages. Overcoming the language barrier means that the more than 20% of South Africans who did not speak fluent English could now use a computer in their own language.Translate.org.za's "South African keyboard" is released as open source software and can be downloaded from the Translate.org.za website. Translate.org.za has also developed spell checkers for all official South African languages.

Professional Exodus Hitting Many UK Cities

An exodus of highly skilled people from more than half of the UK's cities is increasing the class divide and putting weaker cities' economies at risk according to a soon-to-be published academic report by Professor Tony Champion of Newcastle University. The report into migration between 27 city-regions, which is based on the 2001 Census, says that economically weaker regions such as Sheffield, Nottingham and Birmingham are losing a greater proportion of higher managerial and professional workers than any other occupational group. For every ten highly skilled people leaving Nottingham only six arrive compared to over nine low skilled workers migrating in for every ten that leave. However, London saw 13 professional or managerial workers arrive for every ten leaving. Only four of the 26 cities paralleled London in having more skilled workers coming in than moving out.

Fifth Everywoman Awards - Celebrating Female Entrepreneurs

The NatWest Everywoman Awards are now open for applications.The awards celebrate inspirational businesswomen who have achieved significant success, particularly those who have had to overcome adversities such as financial constraints, social disadvantages or skills gaps.The Awards play an invaluable role in both recognising success and inspiring other women to venture into the field of business.The Artemis, Demeter, Athena,Hera categories are open to any female business owner whether they operate as a limited company, sole trader, or in partnership with others.Closing date for entries is Friday 31 August 2007.Application forms can be found at the following web link: http://www.everywoman.co.uk/everywomanAwards/Abouttheawards

New ILO Report on "Equality at Work: Tackling the Challenge"

The second Global Report on discrimination under the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work examines emerging issues in patterns of workplace discrimination and inequalities and recent policy responses, and outlines the ILO's experience and achievements to date and the challenges it faces. http://tinyurl.com/ys3tp6

Ghana Signs Up for Universal ICT Education

Ghana's Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Papa Owusu Ankomah, has announced that his country's government will introduce universal ICT education into Ghana's core educational system in September. The Minister took the opportunity to make the announcement while opening a training workshop for researchers from both Ghana and neighbouring countries to consider his country's future policy on ICT.

UK Employees in their 40's Seek Ethical Jobs

According to research by Norwich Union, the number of resignations by British workers in their 40's is increasing as people chase fulfilment. It found that 66% of people are "unfulfilled", "miserable" or "drifting" in their jobs, and 52% claim they would happily earn less money in a role that made them feel better about themselves. It says that people start planning for their second careers typically around the age of 36 and found that financial commitments (66%), lack of training/qualifications (34%) and also fear of failure (25%) restricts workers from moving into compassionate careers now. Animal welfare worker, counsellor, yoga teacher, gardener, artist and politician feature on the list of compassionate careers being planned. The ethical and spiritual dimensions of work are more of a priority, and people want to believe their careers contribute towards a better future - not just for themselves but for society as a whole. The survey found the trend, being labelled "Zenployment", has led to 28% of people to call on their current employers to provide them with the opportunity to do unrelated charity, or pro bono work in their field. Source: Recruitment Matters

Ghana's KNUST Takes the Lead in E-Networks

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has become the first tertiary institution in Ghana to acquire the services of e-campus network facility to support learning and research work among students and lecturers. The facility will also serve as a platform for distance learning and enhance research between the university and other academic institutions in Europe and North America through advanced technologies such as the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) aided communications.

Youth Enterprise Game Awards Open

Young people in London are being given the opportunity to develop their business and community project ideas with a new project run by Black Business Initiative (BBI).The Youth Enterprise Game (SLYEG), the brainchild of the organisation's leader, Sunny Lambe, is offering cash prizes to three young people aged 16 to 30 with a winning enterprise or community idea. The winners will also benefit from mentoring and business support to help bring their ideas to fruition.The aim of the project is to encourage young people to develop key business skills, including strategic planning, budget management and leadership, with the hope they will utilise these skills in their everyday lives. The closing date for entries is 30 July 2007 and a panel of enterprise experts will judge applications. For more information about SLYEG: 020 7277 7333 or e-mail info@bbinitiative.com

South Africa Allocates R600 million in Further Education Bursaries

The South African Government has set aside R600 million in bursaries for students at Further Education and Training Colleges in order to significantly contribute to the country's growth targets.The non-repayable bursaries to be awarded over the next three years will help South Africa develop the crucial skills currently required by the country's growing economy, according to the government.This is in line with the objectives of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (AsgiSA) and its sub-project, the Joint Acquisition for Priority Skills Development (Jipsa).Under the scheme, FET college students who cannot pay to study at these institutions, which provide crucial skills needed in the economy, will be given financial assistance without being required to repay this after graduation.On top of the R600 million for student bursaries, R700 million has been set aside to boost education levels among the country's teachers.

African Development Bank sets Higher Education strategy

The African Development Bank group has announced a development strategy for higher education, science and technology. The strategy was adopted by the 53 member countries of the bank at a consultative workshop in Accra, Ghana and aims to establish public-private sector partnerships and programmes aimed at developing skills and strengthening science and technology infrastructure in order to bring about institutional and policy reforms. The Group aims to boost research activities on the continent and will mobilise government finance ministers and key partners, including the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in supporting the plan.

ExxonMobil Plans to Award More than $4 Million to African Nations Battling Disease

The ExxonMobil Foundation has announced the award of a series of grants, totaling more than $4 million, which will support efforts in Angola, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria to battle malaria and other infectious diseases. These critical grants will support several organizations actively combating malaria including Safe Blood for Africa, JHPIEGO, Medisend, Africare, Population Services International and the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. Their efforts cover a wide range of tactics in the fight against malaria: training and capacity building; improving accountability in metrics; and providing on-the-ground intervention. A primary goal of ExxonMobil Foundation's Africa Health Initiative is to strengthen the ability of Africans to stop the spread of malaria and treat more effectively the people who are ill with the disease.Since 2000, ExxonMobil has contributed nearly $100 million to African community projects and is committing an additional $10 million this year to the fight against malaria. ExxonMobil is the largest non-pharmaceutical corporate donor to malaria research and development efforts and the largest corporate donor to the U.S. President's Malaria Initiative (PMI).ExxonMobil Foundation is the primary philanthropic arm of the Exxon Mobil Corporation in the United States.

Howard University's President Swygert to Retire

Howard University President H.Patrick Swygert has announced his intention to retire at the end of June 2008.In a memo to the Howard community, Swygert noted several of the university's achievements, including producing Rhodes Scholars,Fulbright Scholars and a Marshall Scholar; raising $250 million in a successful capital campaign ahead of schedule and recruiting 142 new tenure-track faculty and 17 others with tenure since 2001.Swygert said he plans to work on a number of important initiatives during the upcoming academic year and work with the Howard community to assure a smooth transition to new leadership. Source: DiverseEducation.com

UK Points Based Migrants System to be introduced in 2008

A new points-based system aimed at ensuring that only migrants with in-demand skills enter the UK will come into operation in the New Year, according to UK Immigration Minister Liam Byrne.The measures are intended to enable the British Government to manage migration to the UK more effectively and tackle abuse.The new system, which will allow migrants to come to the UK under one of five tiers replacing more than 80 existing routes of entry, will begin its rollout at the beginning of 2008. Tier 1 of the system, which caters for highly skilled migrants such as scientists and entrepreneurs, will be launched at the beginning of 2008; Tier 2, targeting skilled workers with a job offer and Tier 5, for youth mobility and temporary workers, will come on line in the third quarter of 2008; and Tier 4, for students, will follow at the beginning of 2009. The Government will also introduce a system of sponsorship by employers and educational institutions. Under the new system, would-be migrants will be awarded points based on aptitude, experience and age as well as the level of need in any given sector, to allow the UK to respond flexibly to changes in the labour market.The new system also aims at ending employment routes to the UK for low-skilled workers from outside the EU except in cases of short-term shortages.Source: Africa News

Fortune's Top 20 US Employers for New US Graduates

Experience Inc.,an online career adviser and recruitment database firm that serves as a liaison between US colleges and universities and the companies that seek to employ recent graduates, has helped Fortune Magazine to compile a list of companies which offer some of the best jobs in the US to new graduates. Lehman Brothers tops the final list, with PricewaterhouseCoopers taking third place and Microsoft at number 13.Source: Fortune magazine

Ghana launches New Education Reform Programme

Ghana's President Kufuor has launched a new Education Reform Programme that proposes eleven years of Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) and four years of Senior High School (SHS) formerly Senior Secondary School (SSS). According to GNA reports, the new system will be implemented from September 2007. It starts with two years of kindergarten for pupils at age four, six years of primary school at which the pupil attains age 12, to be followed by three years of Junior High School (JHS) till the pupil is 15 years.After the JHS, the student may choose to go into different streams of the four years of Senior High School which would offer General Education with electives in General, Business, Technical, Vocational and Agricultural Education options for entry into Tertiary Institutions or the job market. President Kufuor said the objectives of the reform included to prepare the appropriate human resource in the form of skilled, technologically advanced and disciplined workforce with the right ethics to service the growing economy.He said the Reform placed emphasis on Mathematics, Science and Technology, but to develop a well rounded society, the Arts and Social Sciences would continue to receive the necessary support in the curriculum. Source: Africa News

National Consortium for Study in Africa Resources

The National Consortium for Study in Africa provides an extensive list of volunteer, research and work opportunities in Africa according to organisations that are predominantly based, but not limited to, the United States.http://www.isp.msu.edu/ncsa/volteer.htm

African Economic Outlook 2007 Launched

The African Economic Outlook is a unique tool combining the expertise of the OECD Development Centre and the African Development Bank to understand the economic and social developments of African countries. Five editions have already been published and the sixth edition was launched in May 2007 at the Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank in Shanghai.The Outlook provides comprehensive and comparable data and analysis of 31 African economies (compared to 22 countries in the third edition), accounting for 86% of Africa's population and 91% of its economic output. This year's edition focuses on drinking water and sanitation.

South African Business Leaders and Government Join Forces to Tackle Crime

The South African Government and business leaders in the country have established an Anti-Crime Leadership Forum to fight crime.Co-chaired by Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula and Business representative, Derek Cooper, the Forum consists of four working groups focusing on various strategies to deal with the question of crime. The groups, according to the Department of Safety and Security, will look at mobilising the society against crime, reducing violent organised crime, improving the criminal justice system and enhancing delivery effectiveness. Some of the key activities from businesses and government in the group include crime operations across provinces, establishing operational control centres, improvement of arrest, investigation, prosecution capabilities and processes within government. Other activities are the development and upgrading of the closed circuit television systems to support crime prevention, law enforcement, and prosecution.

Africa Union Summit to Work towards a 'United States of Africa'

African leaders are to meet in Ghana for an African Union summit in June to discuss ways of working towards a "United States of Africa", the bloc said in a statement on Friday. The summit, from June 25 to July 3, will be devoted to a "grand debate on the union government", the statement said. "The ultimate goal of the African Union is full political and economic integration leading to the United States of Africa," it said. The goal of political and economic integration DisplayDCAd('220x240','1',''); Â of African countries has existed since the AU began in 2002, but the issue divides the body's 53 members. The meeting will also see the appointment of new AU commissioners and a new commission president to replace Alpha Oumar Konare, who has announced he will step down. It will also discuss regional conflicts, notably in Darfur and Somalia, where the pan-African body has deployed a vanguard force of about 1 500 Ugandan peacekeepers. Ghana currently holds the bloc's rotating leadership. The AU, which replaced the Organisation of African Unity in 2002, comprises 53 African territories and aims to promote political, social and economic development as well as security on the continent.

Mauritian Prime Minister Launches Nepad E-Schools

The Mauritian Prime Minister, Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, launched the NEPAD e-Schools Demonstration Project on 3 May 2007 at Belle Rose State Secondary School,in Plaine Wilhems District, in southeastern Mauritius. The project is a joint venture of the Mauritian Government, Cisco Consortium, Microsoft Consortium, and NEPAD e- Africa Commission. The launch, which covers six schools across the country, makes Mauritius the eighth country to launch the project after Uganda, Ghana, Lesotho, Kenya, Rwanda, Egypt and South Africa.

New Nigerian Law Establishes IT Development Agency

A bill establishing the Nigerian National Information Technology Development Agency has been signed into law. Called the National Information and Technology Development Act 2007, the law empowers the agency to oversee the development of IT in Nigeria and gives legal recognition to NITDA, which was created as a unit of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology since 2001, but had been operating without an enabling law, thereby limiting its effectiveness.The lack of legal backing for NITDA has been identified as one of the major reasons for the inadequate funding of the agency and the subsequent limited effectiveness it had exerted on the IT industry in Nigeria. Besides recognizing NITDA as a legal entity, the bill also establishes the National Information Technology Development Fund.This fund would be financed partly by contribution of one per cent of the annual operational profit that IT firms contribute to a common pull for the development of the Nigerian IT sector.

Africa Thesis Award 2007

If you are interested in Africa and have you written your Masters thesis on an African-related subject, the African Studies Centre (ASC), the Netherlands institute for Southern Africa (NiZA) and the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) are offering the chance to win 4000 in The Africa Thesis Award. The deadline for the submission of theses is 15 June 2007.

Internship Opportunities in Human Rights and Development

Human Rights Activist Network provides a link to Internships, Employment, Volunteering and Travel Opportunities in Human Rights and Development on their website.http://www.webcom.com/hrin/worktrav.html Source: Pambazuka News

IFC Launches a New Handbook on Stakeholder Engagement

The IFC has launched a new publication, "Stakeholder Engagement: A Good Practice Handbook for Companies Doing Business in Emerging Markets." The Handbook draws on IFC's own learning as well as the current thinking and practices of our client companies and other institutions to provide the good practice "essentials" for building and sustaining constructive relationships over time as a means of risk mitigation, new business identification, and enhancing development outcomes. The Handbook reflects advances in thinking about the centrality of stakeholder engagement to all other aspects of environmental and social performance, and the link between good stakeholder relations and good risk management. Over thirty case examples from private sector operations across regions and sectors illustrate various aspects of the engagement process. In addition to providing practical guidance on key concepts and principles, the publication helps clients work out how these approaches can be implemented at each phase of the project cycle from concept and planning, through construction and operations, to divestment, downsizing, and decommissioning. The publication will be made available in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic and Russian as of July 2007.  To download this publication: www.ifc.org/enviropublications.

United Nations Labour Study Notes Discrimination

The disabled, gays and lesbians, and people living with HIV/AIDS are suffering from new and more subtle forms of workplace discrimination, according to the U.N.’s labour agency. Despite major advances in the fight against discrimination, gender, race and religion continue to determine how people are treated in the employment market and at the workplace, the International Labor Organization said in its flagship report on global working conditions. Women are especially prone to labor discrimination, the ILO said in outlining only a mixed bag of success since the last installment of its "equality at work" series four years ago. While more women are joining the work force around the world, they continue in every geographical region to be paid less than men for the same jobs, the report said.  Underlining the persistence of the "glass ceiling" preventing female employees from winning top posts, the agency said women still represent only "a distinct minority" in legislative and senior official or managerial positions. 

Association of Business Executives on Africa Visit

Lyndon Jones, Founder Chairman of The Association of Business Executives (ABE), accompanied by Dr Penelope Hood from Anglia Ruskin University, will be visiting Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique in September. During their visit seminars will be held in Gaborone, Botswana, Blantyre, Malawi and Lusaka in Zambia, to which all accredited colleges, plus employer representatives will be invited. The aim is to update colleges on latest developments at ABE. They will be arriving in Gaborone on Thursday, September 6 and will depart for Blantyre on Friday, September 7.where they will spend two days before departing for Lusaka on Tuesday, September 9. On Tuesday, September 11, they will leave for Maputo in Mozambique, accompanied by Professor Jack Makhaza from the Share World Open University in Malawi. The aim of the visit in Mozambique will be to seek potential new colleges to add to ABE’s portfolio. If you are interested in meeting with Lyndon Jones and Dr Penny Hood, please contact Gillian Parkinson at the following e-mail address – gillp@abeuk.com

Increase in Immigrants among Black US Students

A rise in the number of black students from Africa and the Caribbean, and a downturn in admissions of native blacks Americans have been noted in a study released this year. Among students at 28 top U.S. universities, the representation of black students of first- and second-generation immigrant origin (27 percent) was about twice their representation in the national population of blacks their age (13 percent). Within the Ivy League, immigrant-origin students made up 41 percent of black freshmen. Source: New York Times Online

2007 Directory of Development Organisations Available

The Directory of Development Organizations, listing 51.500 development organizations, has been prepared to facilitate international cooperation and knowledge sharing in development work, both among civil society organizations, research institutions, governments and the private sector.  http://www.devdir.org/

The Ideal Place to Work for UK Graduates

According to the respondents to Universum's UK Graduate Survey 2007, PricewaterhouseCoopers is the most 'ideal' place for a graduate to work for in the UK. PwC is closely followed by investment bank Goldman Sachs, the BBC, L’Oreal and accounting and consulting firm Ernst & Young.  Other Entries in the top 10 include Google, Virgin and BMW, while Microsoft features at number 14.  Leading employers in Africa Barclays, Shell, Nestle and Cadbury Schweppes are placed in positions 27 to 30 respectively.  Source - www.universum.se

Call for Papers for 3rd African Women in the Diaspora Conference

The 3rd African Women in the Diaspora Conference, sponsored by Minnesota African Women's Association, MAWA, is scheduled to take place from 20 to 21 June 2008 in Minneapolis, United States of America.  The working Title of the conference is ‘Eliminating Abusive Cultural Rites, Values and Practices – the Role of
African Men, Women and Youth’. The organizers have issued a call for abstracts and proposals.  The deadline for abstracts/proposals is 31 January 2008.  Enquiries: mawa0302@yahoo.com, Web address: http://www.mawanet.org

Cameroon wants education for all, Minister tells NEPAD e-Schools launch

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), paving the way for the launch and implementation of the NEPAD e-Schools Initiative Demonstration Project in Cameroon, was signed in Yaoundé in May 2007 by Cameroon’s Minister of Education, Louis Bapes. According to Bapes, the Government of Cameroon has put in place a national education plan for education for all and the introduction of ICTs in schools is key in this initiative.  Cameroon has also installed 17 multimedia centres throughout the country in response to a call made by President Paul Biya in 2001, to ensure that modern ICTs are incorporated into the schools curriculum.  The NEPAD e-Schools Project was first announced in 2003 at the Africa Summit of the World Economic Forum in Durban, South Africa and focuses on providing end-to-end ICT solutions that will connect schools across Africa to the NEPAD e-Schools network and the Internet.

Goldman Sachs to Donate $2 Million to Morehouse College to Endow Chair in Civil and Human Rights

Goldman Sachs has donated $2 million to endow The Goldman Sachs Leadership Chair in Civil and Human Rights at Morehouse College. The first academic to hold the Chair will be the new director of the Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection, consisting of 10,000 pieces of the late Dr. King's writings and memorabilia. King is a 1948 alumnus of Morehouse College.  The donation will enable the College to fulfill one of the most important aspects of its stewardship of the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection by making the papers available to scholars and others interested in studying his work.  Goldman Sachs will work closely with the Chair to develop programs both on campus and at the Firm around the theme of leadership as exemplified by the life of Dr. King.  The connection between Goldman Sachs and Morehouse dates back nearly 100 years to when John Hope, the first black president of Morehouse and Walter Sachs, the son of one of the founders of Goldman Sachs, played significant leadership roles in founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Affordable Computers for Small-scale African Entrepreneurs

The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and Microsoft have announced a joint initiative to help bridge the gap between corporations disposing of their used computers and small and medium enterpreneurs (SMEs) in Africa that can use these PCs to help grow their operations. This is the third collaborative program, in less than a year and it is designed to enable new avenues of economic and social empowerment through access to innovative technology. The program will develop a business model for refurbishment centers in Africa and will pilot the first computer refurbishment center in Uganda. The initiative was announced during the three-day ICT Best Practices Forum for West and Central Africa, which was organised by the Government of Burkina Faso, the African Development Bank, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and Microsoft.  The Forum is also expected to provide opportunities for countries to learn from these experiences and allow these solutions to be replicated in other countries.

Women Open Small Windows of Opportunity through Glass Ceiling to Global 200 Boardrooms

The glass ceiling in corporate directorships remains firmly in place according to the 2007 report titled "Women Board Directors in the FORTUNE Global 200 Companies," presented by Corporate Women Directors International (CWDI). Women hold a mere 11.2 percent of posts atop the 200 largest companies in the world. Tokenism seems to prevail as board membership is marked by a solitary woman's role at nearly half (45.6 percent) of the companies with female board representation. However, compared to 2004, the first year of this unique global study, CWDI saw a significant increase of 4% in corporate boardrooms with at least one female board member, raising the ratio to 77.5 percent. Whereas the United States continues to be the pacesetter in appointing women to board seats in the Global 200, European companies -- especially those in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands -- show promising increases in female representation at the top, with two European companies taking the lead in this ranking. The global report looks at the world's 200 leading companies in 24 countries.  The study reveals a persistence of vast regional differences; top career opportunities are far more prevalent in the United States, where women hold 17.6 percent of board seats in the 75 companies analyzed. In Europe, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands achieve the top ranks, at 13.9 percent and 12.2 percent, respectively.

US Study reveals that Immigrants Do Not Take Jobs from Americans

In a new study, researchers from Duke University, the University of California-Berkeley, and the Kauffman Foundation show that there is a strong correlation between educational attainment in the STEM disciplines and innovation among immigrant founders of U.S.-based engineering and technology companies.  The authors say that “Education, Entrepreneurship and Immigration: America’s New Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Part II” follows the earlier report which showed that immigrants are helping to create more jobs in the hi-tech business, instead of taking away jobs from American workers.  The researchers used the D&B Million Dollar Database to obtain a listing of 2,054 hi-tech companies founded during 1995-2005, of which immigrants founded around 500 or 25.3%. The companies had more than $1 million in sales, 20 or more employees, and company branches with 50 or more employees. Out of the 500 companies, 144 were surveyed and it was found that 96 percent of founders held bachelor’s degrees, 47.2 percent held master’s degrees and 26.8 percent held a doctorate degree. More than half (53 percent) of the immigrant founders completed their highest degrees from U.S. universities.  Immigrants from India, China and Taiwan were interviewed for the survey, but Indians founded more companies than any other group combined.

UCT Business School Cited as One of 6 Leading Business School Innovators

UNICON has identified the UCT GSB as one of six leading business school innovators. Along with IMD in Switzerland, Ashridge in the UK, the BI Norwegian School of Management in Norway, the University of Notre dame, Mendoza College of Business in the US and UNC Kenan Flagler in the US, the School has been chosen to be one of the six case studies for Innovation in Executive Education. A UNICON team will visit the GSB in August to write up a case study to be disseminated globally of the learning methodology entitled “Alchemical Learning” which the School is developing.  In 2006, the UCT GSB Executive Education Unit became the first in Africa to be ranked in the top 10 by the Economist Intelligence Unit and received and award for excellence for its customised programmes.

Most Powerful Black Celebrities Listed on Forbes 100

The Forbes List of the ‘100 Most Powerful Celebrities’ has placed Black television producer and talk show presenter Oprah Winfrey has the most powerful global celebrity.  Winfrey is followed by golfer Tiger Woods as well as other Black celebrities from the fields of sport and music. Source: www.blackprof.com

Business Survey Highlights Skills Shortage in South Africa

A recent survey conducted amongst forty South African businesses by the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) has highlighted the impact of skills shortages on the South African economy. The survey confirmed that shortage of skills is one of the most costly and troublesome issues affecting the management of South African businesses over the last two years. The findings of this survey offer options for addressing the skills crisis through the restoration of the apprentice system, opening up of immigration and a government re-think on the pressures for employment equity.  The survey results are documented in a CDE Report titled The South African Skills Crisis: A Report from the Corporate Coalface which is based on a survey of 40 South African companies recruiting skilled labour in Gauteng. Only CEOs or other senior company representatives were interviewed. Nearly half (19) of the businesses surveyed were in manufacturing with the remainder spread across mining, retail and services. Source: Skills Portal

Frank Horwitz elected to Association of African Business Schools

Professor Frank Horwitz, Director of the UCT Graduate School of Business, has been elected as the South African representative to the five member governing body of the Association of African Business Schools (AABS). The AABS has some 20 business school members throughout Africa and promotes excellence in business and management education in Africa by supporting graduate business schools through capacity building, collaboration and quality improvement. The AABS, with funding assistance form the IFC of the World Bank, supports graduate schools of business through capacity building, collaboration and quality improvement programmes. AABS members also focus on developing business school academic discipline leadership and managerial skills to improve the practice of management in African organisations; and enhancing the relevance and contribution of business schools to policy debate, leadership development, business acumen and practice.

Spain and NEPAD sign Historic African Women Empowerment Agreement

The NEPAD Secretariat and the Spanish Government through the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI) have entered into a cooperation which will see the Spanish Government support a Spanish-NEPAD Fund for the Economic Empowerment of the Women of Africa. The fund aims to empower African women with financial resources to unlock their economic potential, fight poverty, create wealth and contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), economic growth and sustainable development.  The objectives of the Spanish-NEPAD fund are to mobilise financial resources for women entrepreneurs involved in handicrafts, textile production, agro-business/agro-processing, mining, trade and commerce and the service industry and to enlist their participation, set up a NEPAD Technical Team and activate a Joint NEPAD/Spanish Funds Committee to identify the institutions to work with in mobilising and providing resources to women, set up and operationalise regional business incubation centres and convene and facilitate regular forums for women entrepreneurs initially in Spain and later in Europe, US and Asia.  The project will be evaluated after the first 18 months initially and every two years thereafter to assess the progress made.

Milestone for U.S. Black College Enrolment in South

For the first time ever in the Southern United States, blacks are as well represented on college campuses as they are in the region’s population as a whole — something not yet true of the country overall.  The milestone is noted in a new fact book by the Southern Regional Education Board, a non-profit organization that promotes education.  In the 16 states measured, the number of blacks enrolled in colleges has risen by more than half over the last decade. They now make 21 percent of college students and 19 percent of the overall population.  In 2005 about 61 percent of public high school graduates in the South were white, the education board said, but by 2018 that figure is expected to be 45 percent.

IFRA Nigeria Research Grants on Offer to West African Researchers

The French Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA Nigeria) is offering small grants to assist young European and West African researchers to undertake field research in Nigeria. The grants are open to European and West African doctoral scholars who have received their doctorate in the last two years.  The deadline for European candidates is August 15 and for West African candidates is September 1, 200.  Contact: ifraibsecretariat@yahoo.fr

New Website to Help NGOs use Mobile Technology for Social Change

Nokia and Vodafone have launched a new website designed to help share ideas on how to use mobile communications for social and environmental benefits. The site, www.shareideas.org, was created in direct response to NGO calls for better tools and information to help them use mobile services more effectively in their work. Although initially created with support from Nokia and Vodafone, the site will be developed by a wide range of individuals and organizations interested in using mobile technology for social change. The wiki format means people can edit, update or comment on case studies and stories on the site, and add their own from wherever they are around the world.  Case studies are grouped into six key areas - civic engagement, economic empowerment, education, environment, health and safety, and humanitarian relief projects – topics chosen after consultation with many NGOs.  Tips and advice to help NGOs use mobile devices to help manage their work and communication between their teams or their supporters are also available on the site.

USB-ED launches Business Women's Academy in South Africa

The first activity of the USB Business Women's Academy will be a five-day, interactive, professional development seminar for business women in southern Africa taking place from Sunday 21 to Friday 26 October 2007. It is aimed at women currently employed at senior management level, or possessing the potential to develop to that level.  The Academy provides a unique opportunity for women to utilise and “shape” the programme to suit their development needs. Since 2001 USB-ED has been delivering high-quality non-degree management, leadership and specialist programmes as public (open) or company-specific, tailor-made courses.

Investors Say: Female Directors on Boards Important to Where They Invest

A recent survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation for Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management reports two-thirds of investors surveyed say corporate boards that include women produce decisions that are the same quality as boards without women members. However, half of the respondents say having women on corporate boards is relatively important in their decision to invest in a company. "The fact that 51 percent of investors consider whether a board has women on it as important to their investment decision supports the contention that many investors value a broader range of perspectives on the board," said Dr. Linda A. Livingstone, Dean of the Graziadio School of Business and Management. The Graziadio School Corporate Board Study is based on interviews with 482 investors, defined as those with $100,000 or more in either mutual funds, individual stocks or a combination of the two. 25% percent think a board with female members would make better decisions than an all male board. http://bschool.pepperdine.edu/newsevents/directorship/.

Study of U.S. Charity Groups’ Boards Highlights Lack of Diversity

The nation's non-profit boards are overwhelmingly white, and just over half are entirely white, raising questions about how well such homogeneous bodies can serve diverse constituencies, according to a study by the Urban Institute, a non-partisan research group.  The study is based on a survey of more than 5,000 public charities across the country. It found that, on average, 86 percent of non-profit board members are white, non-Hispanics. Ten percent of the non-profit executives who responded to the survey ranked racial or ethnic diversity as very important in recruiting new board members; 25 percent rated it as somewhat important. Francie Ostrower, a senior researcher at the Urban Institute, said her study suggests "a level of insularity on boards that really isn't consistent with their mandate to serve the public." Her findings show that even nonprofits that serve mostly minority clients may not have minority board members. Eighteen percent of those organizations with a majority of black clients had no black trustees, and almost a third of groups that serve mainly Hispanics had no board members from that background.

UKTI Announces September Trade Mission to Nigeria

Small, medium and large companies that are looking to develop their export business in Nigeria or promote their goods or services may be eligible for grant support by the UK Trade and Investment body.  Trade missions also offer British High Commission support and advice through a team of dedicated commercial officers in Nigeria as well as business contacts and networking.  For the full application pack please contact the market visit manager, Craig Pym, London Chamber of Commerce.  Email: cpym@londonchamber.co.uk   Tel: 020 7203 1826.  The deadline for completed applications will be Friday 17 August.

Women Entrepreneurs climbing UK Wealth Ladder

Entrepreneurialism among women has meant that inheritance and divorce are no longer the main circumstances behind women’s personal wealth, a new report has shown. Increasing numbers of women entrepreneurs are contributing to a growing rate of female millionaires, according to research by Barclays Wealth Management.
This year, the combined wealth of Britain’s 100 richest women is more than £33bn and the report estimates that by 2020, 53% of millionaires will be women. However, despite the increasing number of women setting up their own businesses, the report said ‘the glass ceiling persists’ and an equal number of women and men on company boards is still some way off. The findings come despite recent research from Catalyst which found companies with the highest female representation on their senior management teams had a 34% higher return on their equity than those with the lowest female reorientation. Source: Crimson Business Ltd. 2007

Ethnic Minority Business Task Force launched in UK

A new Ethnic Minority Business Task Force will help foster growth among black and minority ethnic (BME) firms and boost economic participation by BME entrepreneurs, according to Small Business Minister Margaret Hodge. One of its tasks will be to investigate why ethnic minority businesses face additional barriers in access to finance, as highlighted by a recent survey commissioned by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI). According to the survey (available at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file39925.pdf), ethnic minority owned businesses pay higher bank loan charges than White-owned businesses and are much more likely than Indian, Pakistani and White-owned businesses, to be rejected for loans outright. Over the next two years the new Task Force will propose ways to encourage more ethnic minority participation in enterprise. It will also reach out to potential entrepreneurs in underrepresented BME groups, including ethnic minority women, looking to help remove the barriers to doing business which face them.

Conflict in HR Departments Rife says Report

Conflict in the workplace is rife, especially in the HR department, says new research from law firm Eversheds.  A study of 1,000 UK employees found almost 1/3 of workers regularly clash with colleagues although 60% respondents believe clashes are unhealthy. Most likely to engage in conflict are 16-24 year-olds in HR, travel and finance. Over 50% workers shy away from disputes but 20% believe it pushes people to do a better job.

$150m Grant to Support Sustainable Land Management Programs in Africa

An innovative $150 million dollar grant program aimed at supporting Sustainable Land Management (SLM) in Africa was approved by the Council of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) at a meeting in Washington on 14 June 2007.  Called the Strategic Investment Program for SLM in Sub Saharan Africa, the SIP has been developed over the course of the last two years through an extensive consultation process led by NEPAD, and brings together under one umbrella six agencies including the World Bank.The SIP forms a key part of the new NEPAD-TerrAfrica Initiative - a partnership specifically developed to provide a mechanism through which the operational objectives of NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the NEPAD Environmental Action Plan (EAP) can be actively pursued.  In addition agencies have committed to a 1-to-4 leveraging ratio for use of SIP resources, with already over US$1 billion in leveraged resources identified.

South Africa's Banking Sector Collaborates on Developing Skilled Women

Banks and micro finance institutions in South Africa have collaborated to create and implement a development programme with the primary objective of building a pool of highly skilled women in banking. Although women hold more than 58% of positions in the banking sector, very few women make it up the corporate ladder into senior and executive management positions. Currently, Black women hold only 4% of executive management positions; Black women hold only 3% of senior management level; 7% at middle management and 17% at junior management level.To assist the banking and micro finance sector to meet Finance Sector Charter targets for human resources, the Bankseta will support the achievement of the Financial Sector Charter targets through focused Women Development Programmes. The Bankseta's Women's Development Programme will run for a three-year period. Forty women are guaranteed participation in the programme each year. To qualify for nomination,candidates needed to be employed at a middle management or professional level; a minimum of 5-7 years work experience; the ability to operate in an environment of multi disciplined teamwork; and excellent communication skills.

Applications for World Bank Young Professionals Program Open

Applications are sought for the World Bank's Young Professionals Program (YPP).The program is a starting point for an exciting career in the World Bank and is designed for highly qualified and motivated young people who demonstrate a commitment to development, supported by academic success, professional achievement, and potential for leadership.Applicants must be 32 years of age or younger when entering the YP Program in September 2008 (born on or after September 30, 1975), hold at least a masters degree (or equivalent), specialize in a field relevant to World Bank operations such as: economics, finance, education, public health, social sciences, engineering, urban planning, and natural resource management and have a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience, or continued academic study at the doctoral level.Fluency in English is also mandatory.Interested candidates may apply on-line until July 15, 2007. www.worldbank.org/careers.

U.S. Population of Color Tops 100 Million

The nation's population of color reached 100.7 million, according to the national and state estimates by race, Latino origin, sex and age released by the U.S. Census Bureau. A year ago, this population totaled 98.3 million. "About one in three U.S. residents is a minority," Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon said in a statement."To put this into perspective, there are more minorities in this country today than there were people in the United States in 1910. In fact, the minority population in the U.S. is larger than the total population of all but 11 countries."

Afro-Caribbean Parents Urged to Help Boys Take Education Seriously

Launching a charter 'Born to be Great' to promote achievement amongst Afro-Caribbean boys, the UK National Union of Teachers (NUT) has called on parents to take more responsibility for their children's education and urge them to take it seriously. The NUT says that black Caribbean boys are the lowest-achieving ethnic group in England and must be lured away from a culture that was causing mayhem on the streets. The NUT also calls on the government to undertake an inquiry into the impact of street culture on society. Last summer only 23% of black Caribbean boys achieved five A*-C GCSEs, including Maths and English compared to a national average of 44%.

Female College Graduates Earn Less 10 years after graduation.

Women make only 80%of the salaries their male peers do one year after college; after 10 years in the work force, the gap between their pay widens further, according to a study by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation.The study found that 10 years after college, women earn only 69% of what men earn.Even after controlling for hours, occupation, parenthood, and other factors known to affect earnings, the study found that one-quarter of the pay gap remains unexplained. The group said that portion of the gap is "likely due to sex discrimination." Catherine Hill, the organization's director of research, said: "Part of the wage difference is a result of people's choices; another part is employer's assumptions of what people's choices will be. Employers assume that young women are going to leave the work force when they have children, and, therefore, don't promote them."The organization found that women's scholastic performance was not reflected in their compensation. Women have slightly higher grade point averages than men do in every major, including science and math.

Obese Workers Costs Firms More

Obese employees in the USA lost many more workdays and filed twice as many workers' compensation claims, and those cases cost nearly seven times as much as those filed by their slimmer counterparts, according to a report. The average workers' compensation medical claims cost per 100 employees was $51,019 for obese workers and $7,503 for non-obese workers, according to the study, conducted by Duke University researchers and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The report comes as employers are grappling with rising health care and workers' compensation costs, and are focusing on wellness programs and other ways to create a healthier workforce and reduce medical expenses. The study found the most obese workers lost 13 times as many days of work as their colleagues who weighed less. Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

Teaching IT in South African Languages

Language is no longer a barrier to using a computer in South Africa, thanks to a non-profit organisation that has translated a range of computer software into the country's 11 official languages - and created the first all-South African language keyboard. Translate.org.za, which focuses on the localisation of open source software, has released the popular word-processing, spreadsheet and presentation software OpenOffice.org, web browser Mozilla Firefox and e-mail programme Mozilla Thunderbird in all 11 official languages. Overcoming the language barrier means that the more than 20% of South Africans who did not speak fluent English could now use a computer in their own language.Translate.org.za's "South African keyboard" is released as open source software and can be downloaded from the Translate.org.za website. Translate.org.za has also developed spell checkers for all official South African languages.

Professional Exodus Hitting Many UK Cities

An exodus of highly skilled people from more than half of the UK's cities is increasing the class divide and putting weaker cities' economies at risk according to a soon-to-be published academic report by Professor Tony Champion of Newcastle University. The report into migration between 27 city-regions, which is based on the 2001 Census, says that economically weaker regions such as Sheffield, Nottingham and Birmingham are losing a greater proportion of higher managerial and professional workers than any other occupational group. For every ten highly skilled people leaving Nottingham only six arrive compared to over nine low skilled workers migrating in for every ten that leave. However, London saw 13 professional or managerial workers arrive for every ten leaving. Only four of the 26 cities paralleled London in having more skilled workers coming in than moving out.

Fifth Everywoman Awards - Celebrating Female Entrepreneurs

The NatWest Everywoman Awards are now open for applications.The awards celebrate inspirational businesswomen who have achieved significant success, particularly those who have had to overcome adversities such as financial constraints, social disadvantages or skills gaps.The Awards play an invaluable role in both recognising success and inspiring other women to venture into the field of business.The Artemis, Demeter, Athena,Hera categories are open to any female business owner whether they operate as a limited company, sole trader, or in partnership with others.Closing date for entries is Friday 31 August 2007.Application forms can be found at the following web link: http://www.everywoman.co.uk/everywomanAwards/Abouttheawards

New ILO Report on "Equality at Work: Tackling the Challenge"

The second Global Report on discrimination under the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work examines emerging issues in patterns of workplace discrimination and inequalities and recent policy responses, and outlines the ILO's experience and achievements to date and the challenges it faces. http://tinyurl.com/ys3tp6

Ghana Signs Up for Universal ICT Education

Ghana's Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Papa Owusu Ankomah, has announced that his country's government will introduce universal ICT education into Ghana's core educational system in September. The Minister took the opportunity to make the announcement while opening a training workshop for researchers from both Ghana and neighbouring countries to consider his country's future policy on ICT.

UK Employees in their 40's Seek Ethical Jobs

According to research by Norwich Union, the number of resignations by British workers in their 40's is increasing as people chase fulfilment. It found that 66% of people are "unfulfilled", "miserable" or "drifting" in their jobs, and 52% claim they would happily earn less money in a role that made them feel better about themselves. It says that people start planning for their second careers typically around the age of 36 and found that financial commitments (66%), lack of training/qualifications (34%) and also fear of failure (25%) restricts workers from moving into compassionate careers now. Animal welfare worker, counsellor, yoga teacher, gardener, artist and politician feature on the list of compassionate careers being planned. The ethical and spiritual dimensions of work are more of a priority, and people want to believe their careers contribute towards a better future - not just for themselves but for society as a whole. The survey found the trend, being labelled "Zenployment", has led to 28% of people to call on their current employers to provide them with the opportunity to do unrelated charity, or pro bono work in their field. Source: Recruitment Matters

Ghana's KNUST Takes the Lead in E-Networks

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has become the first tertiary institution in Ghana to acquire the services of e-campus network facility to support learning and research work among students and lecturers. The facility will also serve as a platform for distance learning and enhance research between the university and other academic institutions in Europe and North America through advanced technologies such as the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) aided communications.

Youth Enterprise Game Awards Open

Young people in London are being given the opportunity to develop their business and community project ideas with a new project run by Black Business Initiative (BBI).The Youth Enterprise Game (SLYEG), the brainchild of the organisation's leader, Sunny Lambe, is offering cash prizes to three young people aged 16 to 30 with a winning enterprise or community idea. The winners will also benefit from mentoring and business support to help bring their ideas to fruition.The aim of the project is to encourage young people to develop key business skills, including strategic planning, budget management and leadership, with the hope they will utilise these skills in their everyday lives. The closing date for entries is 30 July 2007 and a panel of enterprise experts will judge applications. For more information about SLYEG: 020 7277 7333 or e-mail info@bbinitiative.com

South Africa Allocates R600 million in Further Education Bursaries

The South African Government has set aside R600 million in bursaries for students at Further Education and Training Colleges in order to significantly contribute to the country's growth targets.The non-repayable bursaries to be awarded over the next three years will help South Africa develop the crucial skills currently required by the country's growing economy, according to the government.This is in line with the objectives of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (AsgiSA) and its sub-project, the Joint Acquisition for Priority Skills Development (Jipsa).Under the scheme, FET college students who cannot pay to study at these institutions, which provide crucial skills needed in the economy, will be given financial assistance without being required to repay this after graduation.On top of the R600 million for student bursaries, R700 million has been set aside to boost education levels among the country's teachers.

African Development Bank sets Higher Education strategy

The African Development Bank group has announced a development strategy for higher education, science and technology. The strategy was adopted by the 53 member countries of the bank at a consultative workshop in Accra, Ghana and aims to establish public-private sector partnerships and programmes aimed at developing skills and strengthening science and technology infrastructure in order to bring about institutional and policy reforms. The Group aims to boost research activities on the continent and will mobilise government finance ministers and key partners, including the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in supporting the plan.

ExxonMobil Plans to Award More than $4 Million to African Nations Battling Disease

The ExxonMobil Foundation has announced the award of a series of grants, totaling more than $4 million, which will support efforts in Angola, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria to battle malaria and other infectious diseases. These critical grants will support several organizations actively combating malaria including Safe Blood for Africa, JHPIEGO, Medisend, Africare, Population Services International and the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. Their efforts cover a wide range of tactics in the fight against malaria: training and capacity building; improving accountability in metrics; and providing on-the-ground intervention. A primary goal of ExxonMobil Foundation's Africa Health Initiative is to strengthen the ability of Africans to stop the spread of malaria and treat more effectively the people who are ill with the disease.Since 2000, ExxonMobil has contributed nearly $100 million to African community projects and is committing an additional $10 million this year to the fight against malaria. ExxonMobil is the largest non-pharmaceutical corporate donor to malaria research and development efforts and the largest corporate donor to the U.S. President's Malaria Initiative (PMI).ExxonMobil Foundation is the primary philanthropic arm of the Exxon Mobil Corporation in the United States.

Howard University's President Swygert to Retire

Howard University President H.Patrick Swygert has announced his intention to retire at the end of June 2008.In a memo to the Howard community, Swygert noted several of the university's achievements, including producing Rhodes Scholars,Fulbright Scholars and a Marshall Scholar; raising $250 million in a successful capital campaign ahead of schedule and recruiting 142 new tenure-track faculty and 17 others with tenure since 2001.Swygert said he plans to work on a number of important initiatives during the upcoming academic year and work with the Howard community to assure a smooth transition to new leadership. Source: DiverseEducation.com

UK Points Based Migrants System to be introduced in 2008

A new points-based system aimed at ensuring that only migrants with in-demand skills enter the UK will come into operation in the New Year, according to UK Immigration Minister Liam Byrne.The measures are intended to enable the British Government to manage migration to the UK more effectively and tackle abuse.The new system, which will allow migrants to come to the UK under one of five tiers replacing more than 80 existing routes of entry, will begin its rollout at the beginning of 2008. Tier 1 of the system, which caters for highly skilled migrants such as scientists and entrepreneurs, will be launched at the beginning of 2008; Tier 2, targeting skilled workers with a job offer and Tier 5, for youth mobility and temporary workers, will come on line in the third quarter of 2008; and Tier 4, for students, will follow at the beginning of 2009. The Government will also introduce a system of sponsorship by employers and educational institutions. Under the new system, would-be migrants will be awarded points based on aptitude, experience and age as well as the level of need in any given sector, to allow the UK to respond flexibly to changes in the labour market.The new system also aims at ending employment routes to the UK for low-skilled workers from outside the EU except in cases of short-term shortages.Source: Africa News

Fortune's Top 20 US Employers for New US Graduates

Experience Inc.,an online career adviser and recruitment database firm that serves as a liaison between US colleges and universities and the companies that seek to employ recent graduates, has helped Fortune Magazine to compile a list of companies which offer some of the best jobs in the US to new graduates. Lehman Brothers tops the final list, with PricewaterhouseCoopers taking third place and Microsoft at number 13.Source: Fortune magazine

Ghana launches New Education Reform Programme

Ghana's President Kufuor has launched a new Education Reform Programme that proposes eleven years of Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) and four years of Senior High School (SHS) formerly Senior Secondary School (SSS). According to GNA reports, the new system will be implemented from September 2007. It starts with two years of kindergarten for pupils at age four, six years of primary school at which the pupil attains age 12, to be followed by three years of Junior High School (JHS) till the pupil is 15 years.After the JHS, the student may choose to go into different streams of the four years of Senior High School which would offer General Education with electives in General, Business, Technical, Vocational and Agricultural Education options for entry into Tertiary Institutions or the job market. President Kufuor said the objectives of the reform included to prepare the appropriate human resource in the form of skilled, technologically advanced and disciplined workforce with the right ethics to service the growing economy.He said the Reform placed emphasis on Mathematics, Science and Technology, but to develop a well rounded society, the Arts and Social Sciences would continue to receive the necessary support in the curriculum. Source: Africa News

National Consortium for Study in Africa Resources

The National Consortium for Study in Africa provides an extensive list of volunteer, research and work opportunities in Africa according to organisations that are predominantly based, but not limited to, the United States.http://www.isp.msu.edu/ncsa/volteer.htm

African Economic Outlook 2007 Launched

The African Economic Outlook is a unique tool combining the expertise of the OECD Development Centre and the African Development Bank to understand the economic and social developments of African countries. Five editions have already been published and the sixth edition was launched in May 2007 at the Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank in Shanghai.The Outlook provides comprehensive and comparable data and analysis of 31 African economies (compared to 22 countries in the third edition), accounting for 86% of Africa's population and 91% of its economic output. This year's edition focuses on drinking water and sanitation.

South African Business Leaders and Government Join Forces to Tackle Crime

The South African Government and business leaders in the country have established an Anti-Crime Leadership Forum to fight crime.Co-chaired by Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula and Business representative, Derek Cooper, the Forum consists of four working groups focusing on various strategies to deal with the question of crime. The groups, according to the Department of Safety and Security, will look at mobilising the society against crime, reducing violent organised crime, improving the criminal justice system and enhancing delivery effectiveness. Some of the key activities from businesses and government in the group include crime operations across provinces, establishing operational control centres, improvement of arrest, investigation, prosecution capabilities and processes within government. Other activities are the development and upgrading of the closed circuit television systems to support crime prevention, law enforcement, and prosecution.

Africa Union Summit to Work towards a 'United States of Africa'

African leaders are to meet in Ghana for an African Union summit in June to discuss ways of working towards a "United States of Africa", the bloc said in a statement on Friday. The summit, from June 25 to July 3, will be devoted to a "grand debate on the union government", the statement said. "The ultimate goal of the African Union is full political and economic integration leading to the United States of Africa," it said. The goal of political and economic integration DisplayDCAd('220x240','1',''); Â of African countries has existed since the AU began in 2002, but the issue divides the body's 53 members. The meeting will also see the appointment of new AU commissioners and a new commission president to replace Alpha Oumar Konare, who has announced he will step down. It will also discuss regional conflicts, notably in Darfur and Somalia, where the pan-African body has deployed a vanguard force of about 1 500 Ugandan peacekeepers. Ghana currently holds the bloc's rotating leadership. The AU, which replaced the Organisation of African Unity in 2002, comprises 53 African territories and aims to promote political, social and economic development as well as security on the continent.

Mauritian Prime Minister Launches Nepad E-Schools

The Mauritian Prime Minister, Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, launched the NEPAD e-Schools Demonstration Project on 3 May 2007 at Belle Rose State Secondary School,in Plaine Wilhems District, in southeastern Mauritius. The project is a joint venture of the Mauritian Government, Cisco Consortium, Microsoft Consortium, and NEPAD e- Africa Commission. The launch, which covers six schools across the country, makes Mauritius the eighth country to launch the project after Uganda, Ghana, Lesotho, Kenya, Rwanda, Egypt and South Africa.

New Nigerian Law Establishes IT Development Agency

A bill establishing the Nigerian National Information Technology Development Agency has been signed into law. Called the National Information and Technology Development Act 2007, the law empowers the agency to oversee the development of IT in Nigeria and gives legal recognition to NITDA, which was created as a unit of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology since 2001, but had been operating without an enabling law, thereby limiting its effectiveness.The lack of legal backing for NITDA has been identified as one of the major reasons for the inadequate funding of the agency and the subsequent limited effectiveness it had exerted on the IT industry in Nigeria. Besides recognizing NITDA as a legal entity, the bill also establishes the National Information Technology Development Fund.This fund would be financed partly by contribution of one per cent of the annual operational profit that IT firms contribute to a common pull for the development of the Nigerian IT sector.

Africa Thesis Award 2007

If you are interested in Africa and have you written your Masters thesis on an African-related subject, the African Studies Centre (ASC), the Netherlands institute for Southern Africa (NiZA) and the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) are offering the chance to win 4000 in The Africa Thesis Award. The deadline for the submission of theses is 15 June 2007.

Internship Opportunities in Human Rights and Development

Human Rights Activist Network provides a link to Internships, Employment, Volunteering and Travel Opportunities in Human Rights and Development on their website.http://www.webcom.com/hrin/worktrav.html Source: Pambazuka News

Call for Expressions of Interest for British Council Footprints Project

The British Council is looking for young people who have an interest in exploring past and present relationships between Africa and the UK by documenting the personal histories of families over three generations, highlighting shared experiences, and creating fresh understanding to build new relationships for the future. Footprints is one of the regional projects that together constitute Africa 2007, a three-year programme in East and West Africa. The programme aims to explore notions of culture and identity to generate fresh ideas and create new understanding between individuals and communities in Africa and the UK. It will focus on current identities and future possibilities, enabling people in Africa and the UK to explore relationships, trace journeys in the past and understand them from new perspectives. Participants should be aged 18-35 with strong communication skills, evidence of interest in family history, evidence of Africa-UK and UK-Africa links, evidence of strong stories, linked to the project's aims, good understanding and appreciation of local culture and available for the project period ( up to 2 years). Applicants will be short listed by 7 September 2007. Application forms must be returned by 3 September 2007 to: Sarah Nicholas, British Council Connect Youth, 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN. Tel: 0207 389 4617 sarah.nicholas@britishcouncil.org

United Nations Global Compact Issues International Call for Responsible Business Education

The United Nations has issued a call for business schools and academic associations to do their part to advance corporate social responsibility worldwide. The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), were unveiled at the 2007 Global Compact Leaders Summit in Geneva in July to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and hundreds of leaders representing business, civil society, government, and academia from around the world. The Principles of Responsible Management Education are a framework for academic institutions to advance the broader cause of corporate social responsibility and a call for the incorporation of universal values in curricula and research. The initiative was developed by an international task force of sixty deans, university presidents and official representatives of leading business schools. It was co-convened by the United Nations Global Compact, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), the Aspen Institute’s Business and Society Program, the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI), and Net Impact.

Groundbreaking Studies Show Benefits of Corporate Responsibility

Three groundbreaking studies by organizations such as the UN Global Compact and Goldman Sachs presented today at the Global Compact Leaders Summit show that an increasing number of business leaders see corporate responsibility as a way to compete successfully and to build trust with stakeholders – and that sustainability front-runners in a range of industries can generate higher stock prices. A report released by Goldman Sachs, one of the world's leading investment banks, showed that among six sectors covered – energy, mining, steel, food, beverages, and media – companies that are considered leaders in implementing environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies to create sustained competitive advantage have outperformed the general stock market by 25 per cent since August 2005. In addition, 72% of these companies have outperformed their peers over the same period. Goldman Sachs analyzed the companies with respect to three areas: ESG performance; how well they are positioned vis-à-vis long-term industry trends; and the strength of their underlying financial returns.

UN Global Compact Releases its first Annual Review

At the recent UN Global Compact Summit, the UN Global Compact released its first Annual Review, a comprehensive survey that monitors the extent to which companies have implemented the ten Global Compact principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Among the key findings were: a majority of survey respondents have policies in place related to human rights, labour conditions, the environment and anti-corruption. 75 per cent of respondents have engaged in cross-sector partnerships with one or more of the following sectors: non-governmental organizations, business, academia, the UN, and other multi-lateral organizations. 63 per cent of respondents said they participate in the Global Compact to increase trust in the company. At the same time, there are important "performance gaps" in implementation, as highlighted by a complementary survey of chief executives participating in the Global Compact. The survey, prepared by McKinsey & Company, revealed that more than 90% of CEOs are doing more than they did 5 years ago to incorporate environmental, social and governance issues into strategy and operations. 72 per cent of CEOs said that corporate responsibility should be embedded fully into strategy and operations, but only 50 per cent think their firms actually do so. 59 per cent of CEOs said corporate responsibility should be embedded into global supply chains, but only 27 per cent think they are doing so.

South Africa’s Strate Develops E-Learning for Securities Industry

Strate is committed to educating individuals working in, or interacting with parties who operate in the securities industry. In an effort to offer the best training available, Strate has developed an E-learning solution for training in this sector. E-learning is a vehicle, which uses technology to enhance the traditional approach to learning. Historically Strate has offered the traditional lecture / classroom style training where candidates have attended either evening lectures or participated in a half day or full day seminar. Strate E–learning has now been launched and allows for training “anytime / anywhere”. The benefits and advantages of E-learning include encouraging students to take responsibility for their learning; overcoming timing, attendance and travel difficulties and eliminating the problems associated with different instructors teaching slightly different material on the same subject; Knowledge Disks have been created in order to tailor the training material to a specific topic which is then aligned to specific chapters of either the Equities or Bonds Handbooks. The Equities E-learning program consists of 11 modules – each module is presented in a separate Knowledge Disks. The Bonds program consists of 10 Knowledge Disks. Strate-training@strate.co.za or phone 011 759 5352).

South Africa’s Top Business Schools Awarding Training Prizes

Leader.co.za has teamed up with the top business schools in the country to offer a substantial investment in the development of broad-based management and leadership skills. Leader.co.za in association with South Africa’s leading business schools is giving managers, executives and entrepreneurs an opportunity to win R150 000 worth of leadership, management and career related programmes, courses, workshops and events. The Leader.co.za competition is open to managers, executives, entrepreneurs and just about anyone who would like to change their world. Enter now at www.leader.co.za/competition or contact Leader.co.za on (011) 680-0714 for further information. The competition runs from the 15th August to 5 October 2007.

Most US Working Mothers Prefer Part-time Jobs

TA sharply increasing portion of America's working mothers say their ideal situation would include a part-time job, rather than working full time or staying at home, a new national survey finds. The Pew Research Center survey found that only 21% of working mothers with children under 18 viewed full-time work as the best arrangement, down from 32% in 1997. 60% of the working mothers said a part-time job would be best, up from 48% 10 years ago. And 19% said not working at all would be ideal — roughly the same as in 1997. The survey also found a shift in preferences among stay-at-home mothers. Only 16%of them said their ideal situation would be to work full-time outside the home, down from 24% in 1997. Conversely, 48% of them now say that not working at all outside the home is the best arrangement, up from 39% who felt that way in 1997. Fathers with children under 18 had a different outlook — 72% said the ideal situation for them is a full-time job, with 12% saying they would prefer part-time work and 16% saying not working at all outside the home would be best. According to the latest federal figures, 70.5 percent of American women with children under 18 work outside the home — including 60 percent of mothers with children under 3. And the newly emerging preference for part-time work doesn't mesh with current reality: three-quarters of the working mothers have full-time jobs. Pew Research Center: http://people-press.org/

Vancouver's Lundin Group Commits $100 Million to Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative

Vancouver-based Lundin for Africa, the philanthropic arm of the Lundin Group of Companies, has pledged $100 million to the Clinton Foundation's recently announced Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative (CGSGI), which is aimed at alleviating poverty and building sustainable local economies in developing countries. The Lundin for Africa commitment will be aimed, in large part, at approved projects in Africa, where the Lundin Group has significant mining, oil and gas interests. The contribution, announced by former President Bill Clinton, matches the $100 million individual donations made by Canadian mining financier Frank Giustra and Mexican businessman Carlos Slim when the initiative was launched last month in New York. Giustra says that he expects the CGSGI to complement the aid work Lundin for Africa is already carrying out in five African countries. CGSGI will focus on alleviating poverty in the developing world and build on the Clinton Foundation's successful record of implementing and scaling-up development initiatives in other countries. The Clinton Foundation will act as the implementing partner, bringing together key stakeholders from the natural resources sector as well as the business community in the developing world. Participating companies from the mining industry will have a key role in CGSGI. Source: William J Clinton Foundation

Rwanda Set to Host Connect Africa Summit

Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda is to host this years Connect Africa Summit that is to be held from October 29-30 2007. According to a statement issued by the Geneva based International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the announcement was made by ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Touré at a Press Conference in Geneva, held jointly with the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID).

Call for Applications for Methodology Workshop Series: Training the Trainers

Are you a lecturer in an African university? Do you have responsibility for the teaching of courses on research methods? The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa is pleased to announce its initiative targeted at those members of the African social research community who have responsibility in their universities for teaching undergraduate and graduate-level course in social science research methods. Over the last decade and half, in cognisance of the multi-faceted crises confronting the African higher education system in general and the universities in particular, CODESRIA has invested itself in offering platforms for postgraduate students and mid-career professionals to be offered opportunities for training in quantitative and qualitative research methods. In the context of the decentralisation of the management of the workshops to various university and advanced research centres, the Council is now proposing to organise an annual training of trainers’ methodology workshop bringing together those who have responsibility for imbuing others with the basic skills they require in order to be successful researchers. Those interested in applying to participate in the inaugural session are invited to submit a written application. All applications must be received at the CODESRIA Executive Secretariat by 20 October, 2007. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/courses/42486 Source: Pambazuka News

The State, Mining and Development in Africa Conference, Leeds University

Leeds University Centre for African Studies will host a conference on The State, Mining and Development in Africa from 13-14 September, 2007. Africa has a long history of mining. It remains a continent with some of the richest world reserves of minerals and its oil is earmarked by the US and other western consumers. The mining sector is recognised by many international institutions and policy groups as a vehicle for promoting growth and development in the 21st Century. http://www.leeds.ac.uk/lucas/website07/Conferences/ Conference%202007/
LUCAS%20Conference%202007.htm

Dutch MPs Approve Immigrant Amnesty

The Dutch parliament has approved an amnesty for 30,000 illegal immigrants, reversing the previous government’s policies. Under the new ruling, unsuccessful asylum seekers who applied before 2001 will now get residence permits. Ministry of Justice Press said in statement that the general amnesty allows residence to the alien that complies with all of the following verifiable criteria. Successful candidates will receive a residence permit with which they can move freely on the labour market and no longer require an employment permit. The residence permit will last for one year, starting on the date that the general amnesty comes into effect. Barring contraindications, the permit will be converted into a permit for continued residence after one year. Source: Africa News

EU eyes immigration to fill job gap

Portugal plans to for a "realistic" approach to legal migration - one that takes care of social inclusion alongside tight border controls - to help solve Europe’s looming job shortage crisis. According to Commission figures, there are now around three million unfilled jobs in the EU, with the jobless rate falling to 7.1% in June 2007, its lowest level in more than 15 years. Two million new jobs were created in 2006 and, based on the continent’s booming growth rates; the Commission has predicted that another 5.5 million jobs will be created in 2007 and 2008. But the positive economic outlook also creates new problems with a shortage crisis in both the skilled and unskilled labour looming as the population gets older. Portugal’s employment state secretary, Fernando Medina, said that he will push for a "realistic" approach to immigration policy, when his country takes over the six-month EU Presidency.

IFAD unveils new fund to stimulate Business Innovation in Rural Africa

IFAD has announced details of a new multi-donor challenge fund that will help poor rural people in Africa by supporting innovative new businesses. The African Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) represents an important partnership between members of the international development community. Donors involved so far include the African Development Bank, the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), IFAD and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development. Challenge funds, such as AECF, have a proven track record of stimulating pro-poor economic growth. The AECF will be the first challenge fund to be based in and designed for rural Africa. It will encourage the development of agricultural and financial markets in rural Africa by offering matching grants on a competitive basis of up to US$1.5 million to projects which meet its development goals. The fund is designed to encourage businesses to think of poor rural people as potential entrepreneurs, consumers and employees. Poverty is predominantly rural in Africa, with more than 70 per cent of the continent’s poor people living in rural areas. AECF will run for seven years, starting in 2008. It has already secured most of the capital needed to start operations on schedule. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. Source: Africa News

One in Ten Britons Born Abroad

A report from the OECD says that foreign-born people now make almost one in ten of the UK population following a decade of high levels of immigration. In 2005 the proportion of foreign-born people was 9.7 per cent or about 5.8m. Indians made up the largest group with 570,000 followed by the Republic of Ireland 417,000 and Pakistan 217,000. Since May 2004 an estimated 630,000 migrants from the eastern European EU states have registered for work together with an unknown number of self-employed workers from the eight states. The OECD report says that in 2002 there were only 24,000 Polish citizens in the UK, rising to 110,000 in 2005 and to 229,000 in 2006 - including those who had taken British nationality. The report also documents a fall in the number of asylum seekers although Britain remains the second-most-popular destination after France. In 2002 110,000 asylum applications were received but new laws plus a general decline in applications across Western Europe saw this number drop to 30,800 in 2005.

Black Women in the US on Promotion in the Workplace

Black women in the USA aspire to corporate leadership, but they don't feel that hard work and a positive outlook will pay off, finds a new League of Black Women survey. Many feel persistent stereotypes are stifling their talent and potential, and poor utilization of their skill sets and education relegates them to dead-end jobs, which leads to lower engagement and fewer meaningful connections at work. The survey revealed that nearly 80% think racial attitudes diminish their ability to be effective leaders and only 57% feel they can reach their potential in spite of these barriers. Only 20% are "very satisfied" with their overall lives, which is based on the quality of their personal and professional relationships, especially with each other, having black-female executive role models and opportunities for career development . 62% say they give more of themselves at work when they feel valued for who they are, which many feel doesn't happen often enough. Recent data from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission underscores these concerns. Black women remain woefully underrepresented in corporate America, particularly at the management level. They account for 16% of the female private-industry work force - more than Latinas or Asian women - but just 9 percent of officials and managers, the lowest ratio of work force to management of all women of color. The national survey, conducted in partnership with Booz Allen Hamilton from 2005 to 2007, identifies proactive ways companies can increase retention among black women by providing advancement and networking opportunities and promoting authenticity. Source: DiversityInc

Germany Reforms Its Immigration Laws

German’s Parliament has approved a reform of the country’s immigration law that will allow thousands of long-term immigrants to stay legally as long they find work. Deutsche Welle reported that the change implements 11 EU guidelines and affects areas such as spousal immigration, integration and residency regulations. Foreigners will also be required to have basic knowledge of German language before going to the country. Some foreigners will also be required provide a digital photograph and fingerprints while entering the country. The law also allows about 100,000 foreigners whose applications for asylum have been rejected to stay in the country indefinitely provided they find a job by the end of 2009. As a way of promoting integration of immigrants, the new law also introduces obligatory integration course and foreigners who refuse to take the course can be fined. The new law also makes it easier and cheaper for foreigners who wish to immigrate and invest or create jobs in Germany. Source: Africa News.

Call for Abstracts – The State of Philanthropy in Africa

TrustAfrica is pleased to announce the first in a series of publications on the state of philanthropy in Africa. TrustAfrica is soliciting abstracts of papers that can help measure the state of philanthropy in Africa. Successful abstracts will be developed into book chapters that will be published in the beginning of 2008. Abstracts (250 words maximum) are due no later than September 15, 2007. www.trustafrica.org Source: Pambazuka News.

Report shows UK increasing Reliance on Overseas Academics

Nearly one in five academics in the UK comes from overseas and the UK is increasingly reliant on foreign research talent in the sciences, according to new research from the vice-chancellors' lobby group, Universities UK. In 2005-06, 19.1% of academic staff were non-UK nationals. This group has increased significantly in recent years. Nearly a third - 27% - of all academic staff appointed that year were from overseas. UUK claims the UK has "brain circulation" rather than "brain drain" (or a net loss of academics) in its new report unveiled yesterday. Academics are moving about at different stages of their careers. But the findings highlight the precarious nature of academic research in the UK, particularly in science, engineering and technology subjects.

Nelson Mandela launches the Elders

Nelson Mandela marked his 89th birthday by announcing the formation of The Elders, a group comprising former heads of state, Nobel laureates, leading entrepreneurs and philanthropists who will "contribute their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity to tackle some of the world's toughest problems". Fellow founding members include South African Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu, philanthropist Graca Machel, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former US President Jimmy Carter, former Irish Prime Minister Mary Robinson and Bangladeshi social banker Muhammad Yunus. In a statement, the new group states that The Elders will use their collective skills and experience to suggest new approaches to tackling global issues. The group will work to complement the efforts of other organisations, seeking opportunities to partner established groups where possible.

Poll Shows Africans Hopeful about Future

Despite the continent’s troubles, a plurality of Africans say they are better off today than they were five years ago and are optimistic about their future and that of the next generation, according to a poll conducted in 10 sub-Saharan countries by The New York Times and the Pew Global Attitudes Project. The results offer an unusual and complex portrait of a continent in flux — a snapshot of 10 modern African states as they struggle to build accountable governments, manage violent conflict and turn their natural resources into wealth for the population. It found that in the main, Africans are satisfied with their national governments, and a majority of respondents in 7 of the 10 countries said their economic situation was at least somewhat good. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in April and May with 8,471 adults in Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. In Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and top oil producer, the poll results reflect frustration with the way elections are carried out — 67 percent of Nigerians said that their presidential election was not conducted fairly. Yet Nigerians were the most optimistic of all the nations surveyed — 69 percent said they expected that children growing up in Nigeria would be better off than people today. The poll also measured African attitudes to the United States and found that on the whole, 8 of the 10 countries surveyed said they viewed it as a dependable ally. Some countries had negative views of American culture — 82 percent of Tanzanians, two-thirds of Senegalese and about half of the Ghanaians, Malians and Kenyans surveyed. Source: New York Times Online

South African Minister Welcomes Denel Maths and Science Programme

Public Enterprise Minister Alec Erwin has welcomed an initiative by state-owned arms developer Denel, to train young people in the areas of Mathematics and Science. According to the Minister, South Africa does not have enough matriculants with higher-grade Maths and Science and the DYFT seeks to address the shortage of learners with mathematics and science by offering learners a second chance to matriculate with mathematics and science at a higher grade. The DCLD was established to increase local skills and expertise in the aerospace and defence industry. It places emphasis on developing women and previously disadvantaged groups. In this year alone, the programme's intake comprised 70 percent women, mostly from rural areas. According to the organisation, the DCLD is the largest public skills-development and training programme in Africa for the aerospace and defence industry.

Teacher Training through Open and Distance Learning

TA NEPAD strategy for teacher training and teacher development through open and distance learning (ODL) has been proposed for Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique. The proposal involves close cooperation between NEPAD, the University of South Africa (UNISA), African providers of teacher training and Governments of the three countries. The primary challenge in Africa has been defined by the UNESCO Teacher Education Initiative, Sub-Saharan Africa 2004-2007. In addition to the general lack of adequate training of teachers in Africa, UNESCO's focus on teacher training institutions has disclosed insufficient capacity-building of higher education institutions and networks to strengthen college-level and community-level teacher training. In accordance with the findings of UNESCO, Phase One of the NEPAD strategy proposal (2007) focuses on building the capacity and quality of lead teacher training institutions and on strengthening their impact in the education system. Source: NEPAD

Tanzania Plans to Raise Education Standards

The Tanzanian Government has pledged to hire more teachers in the 2007-2008 financial year to improve the quality of education in the country. Education experts have welcomed the pledge. The government allocated 18% of this year’s budget to education and has announced plans to hire more teachers. According to the country’s Education Minister Margaret Sitta, the government will employ 14,490 primary and secondary school teachers to raise standards. The Government will also issue permits for about 600 expatriate teachers for privately owned primary and secondary schools. The Government's efforts to revamp primary and secondary education through its 2002-2006 Primary Education Development Plan and the 2004-2009 Secondary Education Development Plan has, she said, led to significant improvements in the provision of basic education in the country. Ministry of Education records show that enrolment in primary schools increased from 4,839,361 in 2001 to 7,969,884 in 2006, while the net enrolment ratio in primary schools increased from 65.5 percent in 2001 to 96.1 percent in 2006. Source: IRIN

Ghanaian Teacher Awarded $40,000 to Establish ICT Centre

A National Business plan competition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme, Believe Begin Become (BBB), has awarded a 32 year old teacher of Damongo Secondary School (DASS), Prince Yakubu Tahiru, US $400,000 to establish an ICT centre in Damongo, the West Gonja District capital of the Northern Region. Believe Begin Become (BBB) which is under the sponsorship of the Google Foundation, designed and managed by Technoserve, and supported by local businesses and Professionals is aimed at inspiring innovation, providing skills and rewarding entrepreneurial drive as well as leading economic growth. Technoserve and Google Foundation have also joined forces to promote entrepreneurship and private sector development in Ghana through a Business Plan Competition (BPC), and Entrepreneurship Development Programme aimed at helping business growth. Source: Public Agenda

New Report Issued on Progress in Uganda ICT Sector

A new report by the Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) assesses whether or not Uganda is on track to meet the information and communications technology (ICT) development objectives laid out in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Plan of Action. It provides an overview of the ICT status in the country, and presents some of the rapid changes that have happened within the country’s ICT sector. The report highlights the steps taken by the government in realising the WSIS Plan of Action, but also summarises the challenges the country faces. http://www.globaliswatch.org/files/pdf/GISW_Uganda.pdf

Links to Institutions for African Studies and Development

The Cornell Institute for African Development offers numerous fellowship programs for study at the graduate school. Of these, Cornell annually coordinates two of these programs, which are specifically directed to African students; the Institute for African Development (IAD) Tuition Fellowship; and the Provost South African Fund Fellowship. The Institute for African Development offers links to various external Institutions and organizations with fellowships, scholarships and grants for African studies and issues pertaining to African Development. Source: Pambazuka News http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/africa/funding/other.asp

CIPD Publishes Guide on Age Diversity

The Chartered Institute for People and Development (CiPD) has launched new guidance on recruitment practices to help organizations achieve greater age diversity. The guide, produced with Cranfield School of Management and law firm Beachcroft, gives practical examples of achieving an age-diverse workforce. www.cipd.co.uk/research

US Immigration Fees Rise

An increase in fees for processing US immigration documents has gone into effect, raising the cost by an average of about 66%. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency, said it planned to collect $1.1 billion a year in new revenue because of the fee increase and would use the money to hire 1,500 new agents in an effort to reduce the processing time for the most common documents by 20 percent by the end of next year. The cost of becoming a United States citizen rose to $675 from $400. The agency reported 115,175 naturalization applications in May, compared with 74,583 in the same month last year. Source: The New York Times Online

Graduate Level Vacancies in UK Rise for 4th Consecutive Year

Graduate level vacancies in the UK are set to rise for the fourth consecutive year, according to the Graduate Recruitment Survey produced by the Association of Graduate Recruiters and based on responses from 219 employers. The survey found that the number of graduate positions was anticipated to rise by 12.7%, a significant increase on last year’s rise of 5.2%. Accountancy and professional services provided most vacancies, followed by banking and financial services. Source: People Management

Empowering Women: OpenDemocracy Research Enquiry

As part of its ongoing 50.50 initiative, openDemocracy is working as a media partner of 'Pathways of Women's Empowerment' to disseminate the work and amplify the voices of this international research consortium. With research institutes based in Brazil, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana and Britain, the consortium links academics, activists and practitioners working to advance women's empowerment locally, regionally and globally. Further hubs in Nigeria, Palestine, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Sudan will join later this year. According to the consortium, its core objective is to understand what works to enable women to empower themselves and sustain changes in gendered power relations. openDemocracy will be reporting on the work of the Pathways project each month through dedicated articles, podcasts and a regular blog. www.openDemocracy.net is a forum for debate on issues of global politics and culture. We are home to creative international dialogue that builds understanding through access to free thought and informed analysis.

Cape Town Tops Poll of Event Organisers

Cape Town has beaten New York to top the list of long-haul destinations favoured by UK-based events agencies, underscoring the Western Cape's emergence as a destination of choice for conference groups. Cape Town jumped to the top of the list from fourth place last year in the annual M&IT Trends & Spends Survey of readers of Meetings and Incentive Travel (M&IT) magazine, which is circulated to event organisers throughout the UK. The survey polled 76,768 participants, including the 30 UK events agencies with the highest turnover. Of these, 16,327 voted on their favoured long-haul destination. South Africa came second behind the US as the favourite long-haul destination country in the Trends & Spends survey, followed by Canada, the UAE, China, Mexico, Russia, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia and Zambia.

West African Ministers Adopt Regional Plan for NEPAD’s Environment Initiative

West African Ministers of Environment have endorsed the Sub-Regional Environment Action Plan for West Africa (SREAP WA) of the Environment Initiative of NEPAD. The Ministers’ meeting followed a meeting of experts in Accra in June attended by representatives from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo. The objective of the meeting of experts was to consider a draft document on the West Africa Sub-Regional Environment Action Plan and submit recommendations for consideration and adoption by the Ministers.

BBC Journalism Trainee Scheme Open to Applicants

Have you got a story to tell? The BBC is looking for 16 enthusiastic self-starters who want to work with the world’s largest news organisation. The corporation is offering six-month paid traineeships in News, Sport and regional teams across the UK. They are looking for people with a passionate curiosity about people and an ability to turn that into compelling stories for broadcast. Applicants are expected to have a keen interest in news and sport with a good general knowledge. No formal journalistic qualification or a degree is required but applicants need to demonstrate good writing skills and some involvement in journalism in some way. The corporation will train applicants in writing, broadcasting and production with the BBC’s College of Journalism and offer an experienced BBC journalist as a mentor. Applications to be received by 22 October 2007. For further information, bbc.co.uk/jobs/jts or call 0870 333 1330.Textphone 020 8008 4300.

London urged to join UK Government to Deliver Low Carbon Energy for Africa

UK Environment minister, Phil Woolas, has issued a challenge to the City of London to work with the UK Government towards more equitable investment in clean development technologies in the developing world – with a major focus on Africa. In a speech to a major City conference on the Clean Development Mechanism and the global emissions market, Mr. Woolas said that London was the undisputed centre of the global carbon market. He said the City needed to play a key role in a critical stage in the market’s development as carbon markets and carbon finance have a fundamental role to play in a future global framework to tackle climate change. Mr. Woolas said the carbon market needed to meet two specific challenges – the need for new instruments for major emitters, and mechanisms to ensure investment in less developed countries.

US Government Report Highlights Lack of Opportunity for Ethnic Minority Firms

Democrats are urging major agencies to increase contracts to advertising firms owned by people of color after a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released last week reveals several agencies are failing to fulfill this mandate. The Departments of Defense and Treasury particularly noted for failing to meet Executive Order 13170, which requires federal agencies to "aggressively" reach out to firms owned by people of color. The report was commissioned after people of color who own media outlets and ad firms claimed that federal opportunities were severely limited. GAO reviewed contracting data from these five agencies from 2001 to 2005. The report highlighted that the Department of Defense hired firms owned by people of color for advertising only 1.8 percent of the time and paid them 84 percent less, on average, than firms owned by whites. The department accounts for more than 50 percent of all federal advertising spend, yet spent less with advertising firms owned by people of color than any other agency reviewed. People of color have been underrepresented and misrepresented in the media for years, according to the Democrats' statement, and providing contracts to more people of color will help address the problem. The GAO report comes at a time when the government is coming under scrutiny for lacking representation of people of color in its top-tier work force. Advertising with firms and outlets owned by people of color gives federal agencies access and exposure to a market and talent pool that traditional domains may reach less effectively. It also builds brand reputation among people of color. Source: Diversity Inc.

UK looks overseas for Research Colleagues

UK scientists are teaming up with international colleagues around 50% more than they did ten years ago and collaborating with Chinese researchers more than any other European country, a report for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) has found. The report says nearly 40% of all research papers by UK scientists published over the last five years have involved collaborations with international colleagues - a 50% increase since 1996. In contrast, international collaboration has grown by 30% in France and 100% in China over the same time period. Source: Education Guardian

Levelling the Playing Field for Small Business

IBM and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank's private-sector arm, launched a first-of-its-kind Small Business Toolkit that provides more than 500 free content pages to small businesses around the world. The Toolkit is available to 22 emerging markets such as Belarus and India, and now will expand to women-owned businesses and businesses owned by people of color in the United States. According to the IFC, small businesses are the growth engines of the world's economies; yet their success rate is not as good as it could be simply because of a lack of access to good business-management practices. The Toolkit gives small-business owners free access to high-tech tools, services, best practices and business-management software previously reserved for Fortune 1000 companies and has been launched in 24 countries. The U.S. site will focus on businesses owned by women and people of color, which Census Bureau data indicates is growing at multiple times the national average. In addition to these tools, small businesses can get business training delivered via classroom workshops and partnerships with local providers. Source: Diversity Inc.

UK Economy gains from Migrant Workers, says TUC report

The influx of migrant workers is of great benefit to the UK’s economy, The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has said. The report titled "The Economics of Migration" shows that contrary to far right accusations that immigrants are a drain on the welfare state, migrant workers are paying more in taxes than the value of the public services they receive. Across the economy the arrival of migrant workers has not depressed jobs or wages, and although there is limited evidence of some local effect on wages and employment for low-skilled workers, so far low-skilled workers have not lost out thanks to the vibrant economy. According to the TUC, migrant workers are making a substantial contribution to Britain’s economy, and some sectors would collapse if they were removed overnight. Source: Africa News

US Workforce will be Transformed over Next Decade

In the next decade or so, the U.S. workplace will be transformed with an explosion of flexible work schedules and a host of technologies that will make work tasks easier. By 2020, there will be more 55-plus workers grinding away than at any other time in our history. As a result, labor experts foresee a rush by the nation’s businesses to accommodate the aging workforce. Generational differences in the workplace are expected to rise; there will be unprecedented shortages in many industries as a large proportion of the work force retires. Tamara Erickson, co-author of the “Workforce Crisis: How to Beat the Coming Shortage of Skills and Talent,” about the impending shortage of workers and the challenges employers will face. In 2005, about 24 million or 17 percent of all adult U.S. workers were over 55, compared with a projected 38 million or 24 percent by the year 2017, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 65-plus work force will almost double to 10 million, or 6.4 percent of the total, in 10 years; and those toiling away at age 75 and over will make up about 1.2 percent of the workforce, or 2 million strong. By 2028, the percentage of workers over the retirement age of 65 is projected to rise to 7.9%. Companies will be forced to widely adopt flexible hours, job sharing, telecommuting, and more vacation time and less overtime because older workers won’t be willing or able to stay on the payroll unless their employers make some concessions.

UK HR Sector Sees Biggest Pay Increases

HR Managers’ earnings have risen above the national UK average for managers and the HR sector has received the highest pay rises, research has revealed. According to the 2007 National Management Salary Survey of more than 42,000 UK workers, the average total earnings of managers in the HR sector are £47,674, compared with a national average of £47,449. Pay rises in the sector have risen to 5.9% for the year to January 2007, with average pay for all managers increased by 5.3%. This figure places HR Managers as the fourth highest in the management sector. The survey conducted by the Chartered Management Institute and salary survey publisher, Remuneration Economics, also revealed that resignations in the HR sector had increased. Source: People Management

Harvard Still Struggling for Faculty Diversity

A recent report on Harvard University’s faculty diversity details the continued shortcomings in percentages of female and minority professors, while also promising to remedy these disparities in the coming months. Data published last month in the second annual report on faculty development and diversity showed little change in percentages of female and minority faculty members from 2005 and 2006 in many of the 13 faculties assessed. The proportion of female ladder faculty members did not rise by more than 3 percent in any faculty over the two-year period measured in the report, and overall minority representation for ladder faculty increased by less than 2 percent during the period. Diversity data in nearly all of Harvard’s faculty populations were statistically comparable to groups of “peer institutions” whose data was made available for comparison. Harvard University Provost Steven E. Hyman said he was “sobered” by the findings, but that the University intends to address the shortcomings identified. Source: Harvard Crimson

92% of UK Recruiters using Psychometrics

Psychometric testing is a ‘useful’ or ‘very useful’ aid in the recruitment process according to 92% or recruiters surveyed by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR). The Graduate Recruitment Survey also revealed that 67% of the 219 respondents surveyed said the results of psychometric tests had ‘some influence’ on recruiting decisions while almost a quarter (24%) said they had a ‘very strong influence’. Some employers indicated that testing was being used because academic qualifications were not a sufficiently reliable measure of workplace skills, especially soft skills such as communication and time management. Source: People Management

More Women Entrepreneurs Needed to Boost UK Economy

A lack of women entrepreneurs is holding the UK economy back, according to a recent report. The white paper Observed Characteristics of Outstanding Women in Business found that while businesses run by women contribute £70bn to the UK economy and employ more than a million, there would be 750,000 more female-led start-ups if rates matched those in the US. The results, published by the National Business Awards, noted that while 42% of the country’s workforce is women, only 15% of that figure is actively economic. According to the report’s author, the poor economic participation rating of women in the UK puts the country almost halfway down the league of top-80 nations. There is huge commercial potential of more women taking up entrepreneurial roles and it is vital that the issue is addressed to enable the UK to complete.

New Jersey is Tops in the USA for Female Corporate Attorneys

A survey of legal departments at 24 New Jersey companies finds that eight—or 33 percent—of the general counsels are women, the highest percentage in the country. New Jersey is second in the nation in the raw number of female lawyers in the top spots, bested only by New York and Texas, each with 10. New Jersey's numbers have been steadily climbing, from four out of 23 in 2004 and two out of 20 in 1999. New Jersey's growth is better than the national trend. According to the Minority Corporate Counsel Association's report in the July/Aug. issue of its magazine, Diversity and the Bar, 90 women head legal departments at Fortune 500 companies, up from 73 in 2004 and 44 in 1999. Nationally, women represent 18% of all Fortune 500 general counsels, up from 17% in 2004 and 10% in 1999.

U.S. Agency Is Swamped by Requests for Visas

US immigration authorities have received about 300,000 applications for high-skilled-employment visas since July 1, according to federal officials, following an initial announcement by the federal government that it would not accept any applications for such visas during July which was subsequently reversed. The agency admitted it was swamped by the applications it had already received, which was more than double the annual limit of 140,000 employment visas. According to official figures, in the three months before July the agency received an average of 54,700 applications a month for all green cards, including employment visas and those based on family ties. Applications were already surging then as foreigners sought to file papers before higher processing fees took effect on July 30. Immigrants eligible for employment visas include doctors, nurses and people with advanced degrees and technology skills. Before they can apply, they must obtain certification from the federal government that no American workers are available for their jobs. But because of annual limits, new green card applications will vastly increase backlogs and most new applicants will still face waits as long as five years before they receive their green cards. Source: The New York Times Online

Spain Offers Legal Route for African Migration

A Spanish labour plan that offers legal passage and a one-year work permit has been launched to counter high-risk illegal entry into the country by young Africans. The program, promoted by the Spanish and Senegalese governments, aims to bring hundreds of workers to Spain this year with renewable one-year visas and jobs. Workers on one-year permits may have their contracts extended, at which point they have the right to bring over their immediate family. Ultimately, officials here say, the plan is to bring in thousands of immigrants through the program. Several companies are in the process of hiring people in Dakar to come to work in Spain for a year and potentially more. A surge in sub-Saharan migration last year to the Canary Islands as a gateway to Europe prompted Spain to toughen its stance on immigration. Spanish Labor Minister Jesús Caldera signed an agreement with Gambia on Wednesday to invest $1.3 million to train Gambians who could be recruited to work in Spain. In July, Spain signed similar agreements with Mali and Mauritania.

New Study Shows Wealth Gap Increasing in USA

A new research study conducted by the University of Michigan discovered that the wealth gap in America is increasing steadily. Rich families are becoming wealthier and the poor are getting poorer. Based on data provided by from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the study found that over the last 20 years, the net worth of the top two percentiles of American families has nearly doubled, from $1,071,000 in 1984 to $2,100,500 in 2005. The poorest quarter of American families lost ground over the same period, with their 2005 net worth below their 1984 net worth. Other findings compare blacks and whites, including the rate at which they buy stock. Approximately 6 percent of black families owned stock in 2003, compared with 5.3 percent in 2005—an 18 percent decline. Among white families, the percent owning stock fell from 32 percent to 28 percent during the same period, a 12 percent drop. Source: Diversity Inc.

Maintaining Diversity Is an Issue in US Accounting Firms

US Accounting firms face high turnover rates among men and women of colour, who complain they have yet to be accepted on equal terms, according to a new survey by the workplace diversity advocate Catalyst from interviews New York-based Catalyst conducted for the report, "Retaining People of Color: What Accounting Firms Need to Know”. The report said 50% of people of colour at accounting firms feel no obligation to stay with their current firm, and nearly a third of women of colour are at risk of leaving within the year. The big accounting firms have diversity programs, but these are not having enough impact on the people they're supposed to help, said Deepali Bagati, who authored the study. Source: The Star-Ledger

South African Business Women Launch Women in Corporate Leadership Census

The Business Women’s Association has recently launched the Women in Corporate Leadership Census 2007. This research, funded by Nedbank, seeks to understand and track the role that women play in business. Women constitute 51% of the South African population and 42% of the employed population. Yet, only 19.5% of executive managers are women. Out of the 19.5% female executive managers, 13.6% are directors and 6.6% are CEOs and chairmen of boards. In fact, there are only 8 women CEOs out of the 318 companies that formed part of this research.

Cuba and South Africa Agree on Training for Unemployed Youth

South Africa and Cuba have signed a co-operation agreement to benefit unemployed young people by training them in the field of social development. South African Minister of Social Development Zola Skweyiya and Cuban Minister of Labour and Social Security, Alfredo Morales Cartaya, have signed an agreement of co-operation in the areas of poverty alleviation and training of social service professionals. As part of the agreements, the Department of Social Development in South Africa will collaborate with the Cuban Ministry to train unemployed youth as auxiliary social workers. It is intended that the department of Social Development will train and absorb 9360 auxiliary social workers by 2010. The department has announced that Cuba has developed a two-pronged work training programme consisting of a formal university level program and a rapid 12 months social work training program. As part of the implementation of the agreement, the Cuban programme will be replicated in South Africa to alleviate the shortage of social workers and create jobs. Cooperation with Cuba will also include study tours and exchanges of technical expertise on policy development. Source: BuaNews

Financial Progress falters for Second Generation of US Immigrants

For hundreds of thousands of immigrants to the US, the American dream lives. Their families prosper, with their children becoming more affluent than they were, according to a new report. Yet the gains of second-generation immigrants have shrunk in recent years – in part because first-generation immigrants now are poorer than at any time since World War II. The United States is now experiencing a wave of immigration comparable to the largest in its history. More than 1 million immigrants enter the United States legally every year, up from about 300,000 in the 1960s. Yet immigrant economic mobility – or lack of it – could affect the US economy as a whole profoundly in coming years. Second-generation immigrants make 6.3 percent more than non-immigrant workers, according to data compiled by Pew. Overall, however, second-generation immigrants are not doing quite as well as they used to. Their income lead over non-immigrant workers has shrunk, from 14.6 percent in 1970 to 6.3 percent today. If low wages persist into the second and subsequent generations for substantial numbers of immigrants, economic hardship may persist beyond the first generation and assimilation into American society may become more difficult," says the Pew report on immigrants and economic mobility. Source: Christian Science Monitor

Rwanda to Train Ugandan Teachers in ICT

The Government of Rwanda is mobilising funds to send primary and secondary school teachers to Rwanda for training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). According to Uganda’s Education Minister, Rwanda has made significant strides in the development of ICT to achieve its development goals and offers Uganda a good example. The government plans to send a technical team to the country to learn more about Rwanda’s ICT policy, especially in the education sector. In Rwanda’s vision 2020, the government has identified ICT as one of the strategic pillars for socio-economic and industrial development. Uganda’s ICT is much more developed in institutions of higher learning than primary schools and the plan will include designing a policy to ensure increased ICT applications in primary schools.

South African Trade and Investment Conference to Showcase Country

The Department of Trade and Industry, along with Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal (TIKZN) are to host a conference in Durban from 29-31 October showcasing South Africa as the deal destination for trade and investment. The theme for this year’s conference is, “Develop, Facilitate, Grow.” embodies and includes the work of South African investment promotion agencies, which develop and facilitate investment growth in the economy. The conference aims to market South Africa as a business destination and to increase competitiveness and innovation in key sectors of the economy. Presentations will not only cover opportunities, but will also look at other areas of interest to investors such as lifestyle issues, facilities, infrastructure and other investor support services offered.

UK Shows First Signs of Recruitment Slowdown

The latest quarterly survey of employers’ recruitment plans undertaken by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and KPMG shows that employers may be becoming more pessimistic about taking on more staff following several interest rate raises. The survey of 750 employers finds that the medium-term outlook looks more insecure. The balance of employers saying they expected to take on more workers over those expecting to cut staffing was the weakest in any summer quarter since the survey began in 2004. However, according to John Philpot, the CIPD’s Chief Economist, most employers are likely to respond to slower demand by cutting back on recruitment rather than increasing redundancies.

In Search of Scientific Excellence: L'Oreal USA Announces Call for Applications for 2008 Fellowships for Women in Science Program

L'Oreal USA has announced the start of the application period for its L'Oreal USA Fellowships for Women in Science program. Now in its fifth year, this national program aims to annually recognize, reward and support five women postdoctoral researchers in the U.S. who are pursuing careers in the life and physical/material sciences, as well as mathematics, engineering and computer science. As part of its commitment to further help women scientists achieve their goals, L'Oreal USA awards each recipient $40,000 to apply toward their postdoctoral research. The five beneficiaries of the 2008 L'Oreal USA Fellowships For Women in Science will be invited to attend a week of events in New York City that include an awards ceremony, professional development workshops, media training and networking opportunities. In 2008 these workshops, which are facilitated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), will encompass job search techniques, interviewing skills, budget development for grant requests and strategies for peer reviewed publication. The L'Oreal USA Fellowships For Women in Science program is open to women postdoctoral researchers only. Candidates interested in applying may visit http://www.lorealusa.com/forwomeninscience to obtain more information about program eligibility and requirements. All applications must be post marked by October 31, 2007.

MBAs and Professionals Aim to Build a Sustainable Future

In November, graduate business students, faculty and administrators from around the globe will join with corporate and nonprofit professionals for the 2007 Net Impact Conference, the largest such gathering focused on corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, international development, and nonprofit and environmental management. Entitled "Building a Sustainable Future: What Will You Do Next?" the event will be hosted by the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management on November 1-3, 2007. The 2007 conference will include more than 300 speakers and 90 panels, all geared to challenge participants to think about how to make the world more sustainable through business practice. Other highlights of the conference include the inaugural Project Pyramid Case Competition, organized by students and faculty from Vanderbilt University's Project Pyramid initiative with the goal of alleviating poverty through the application of business principles and a Career Expo featuring leading companies and nonprofits. www.netimpact.org/conference.

University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business Students Raise R70,000 for MBA Bursary fund for Women

The annual Women in Business Conference organised by MBA students at the Cape Town Graduate School of Business raised a record R70,000 for a bursary fund for women students. This was the eighth annual conference hosted by the GSB and the largest total amount ever raised through the event. According to the event’s organisers, this year’s total is thanks to the generous donations received from Metropolitan and Commuter Transport Engineering (CTE), each of whom contributed R30 000 to the pot. The R70,000 total will be divided in two and will next year be awarded to two women from Africa who are embarking on the GSB MBA. Dr Vash Mungal, Director of the AIM, PGDMP and MBA programmes at the GSB, said the funds raised would go a long way to creating opportunities for women to take on the MBA, and that the GSB was encouraging more student initiatives that give opportunities to individuals and communities.

Construction a Lucrative Route for Women in South Africa

South Africa's once male-dominated construction industry has become attractive and lucrative for women, according to Ingrid Verwey, a specialist in contractor development at the Development Bank of Southern Africa and founder of the South African Women in Construction Association. The Association's database of women contractors has grown from 60 at its inception in 1999 to over 2,000. A 2005 survey commissioned by the body revealed that, in Gauteng province alone, the association boasted seven member companies involved with in million-rand deals, 13 medium-sized construction companies owned and managed by women and 43 smaller companies that were gender-compliant. Verwey established the SA Women in Construction Association (Sawic) in 1999 to build capacity and management skills for women in the industry. The Association works closely with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), the Industrial Development Trust (IDT) and government departments to build up skills, create career opportunities, and provide networking platforms for women in construction.

Enrolment by Foreign Students is up in the U.S.A.

Enrollment of international students in U.S. universities could be showing the first signs of recovery after years of weakness following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, as the government have refined the visa application process and more schools try to get ahead in the global competition for foreign talent. In the 2005-2006 school year, 564,766 international students attended accredited U.S. higher education institutions, according to the most recent report by the Institute of International Education, a nonprofit partly funded by the federal government to track student mobility in and out of U.S. borders. The number was flat compared to the year before, but it marked the end of a two-year decline first seen in 2003. A more recent IIE online survey shows the recovery holding up. In the 2006-2007 school year, 52 percent of U.S. campuses reported increases in new international enrollments, and only 20 percent reported declines. International students, especially at the graduate level, are considered an important brainpower infusion to the United States. In certain fields like engineering and physical sciences, foreign students account for more than 40 % of total students at the graduate level, according to CGS. In total, the more than half a million international students spent $13.5 billion in tuition and living expenses in 2005-2006, and about 70 percent of funding comes from sources outside the United States. The U.S. is still expected to face intensified global competition. Although international graduate school applications began to rise again in 2005, the total number for 2007 was still 27 % lower than 2003, according to CGS. Source: MSNBC

First Woman Appointed to Lead Duke Medical School

Duke University has named a Harvard researcher as the first woman to lead its medical school, which also makes her the only female permanently at the helm of one of the nation's Top 10 medical schools. Dr. Nancy C. Andrews will officially take over at Duke on 1 October, succeeding Dr. R. Sanders Williams, who has been promoted to senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. Andrews joined the Harvard faculty as an instructor in paediatrics in 1991 and rose through the academic ranks, most recently serving as dean for Basic Sciences and Graduate Studies at Harvard Medical School. She will be the only woman permanently leading a medical school listed among the Top 10 by the annual survey of U.S. News & World Report, school officials said. The Harvard Medical School, which also appears on that list, has a woman as an acting dean, Dr. Barbara J. McNeil.

New Online Guide and Tool for International Traders

The UK Government small business site, Business Link, is making importing and exporting easier for businesses trading overseas with the launch of a new guide and interactive tool. The services help businesses select the right payment method when trading internationally. They also support traders in assessing the potential risk associated with completing an international trade deal. The tool guides businesses through which payment terms are most appropriate when selling to overseas customers. Taking under ten minutes to complete, the tool produces a short tailored report recommending the most suitable payment method for the transaction and further action points. It considers several factors such as customers’ creditworthiness, the trading conditions of their country and the financial strength of the user’s business. The guide focuses on importing and exporting goods regulated by licensing quotas and major permissions. It also provides users with links to the relevant forms that need to be completed.

Little Evidence of ‘Glass Ceiling’ for Women Executives in South Africa

At the executive level of South Africa’s corporate world there is no noticeable difference between the salaries paid to men or women. According to Madge Gibson, a senior associate at Jack Hammer Executive Head hunters, the country’s current focus on Black Economic Empowerment has added an extra dimension to the recruitment of women, black or white, as active participants in management structures and corporate board rooms. Yet, based on information submitted by companies who responded to a survey conducted in 2006, only 16.8 percent of executive management positions are held by women, compared to 19,8 percent in the previous year, indicating that the country still has some gender balance to attain. There is no discrimination between the sexes when it comes to salaries at this level, although it may be more evident lower down the hierarchy, according to Gibson who notes that clients will pay for skills needed, irrespective of gender. Recent studies conducted in the US reveal that American women working full-time earn approximately 77% less than men in full-time employment. Even taking into account differing professions and educational levels, women in full-time employment who have never taken time off to have children still earn approximately 11% less than men with the equivalent education and experience. Source: Skills Portal

Hewlett Packard Swaps Equity for IT School in South Africa

Hewlett-Packard has become the first foreign company to receive dispensation from the South African Government to implement an equity-equivalent project as its contribution toward empowerment. The company announced that it will invest R150 million in the BEE pillars, a large portion of which would be involved in the HP Business Institute. From February 2008, the Institute will train about 300 small Black IT businesses over a seven-year period, upgrading skills, employing underutilised graduates and providing job placements.

ISCED Computer Room Boosts Modernization of State University

The Higher Institute of Education Sciences (ISCED) recently opened a new computer room, offering 50 computers for students use. This project represents an important step in the modernization of the state-run Agostinho Neto University (UAN). The computer room addition is part of an investment of USD 500,000 by BP and the Block 31 partners, including Sonangol, Total, Exxon and Statoil.ISCED management will use the equipment as a tool for improved education development of the university. The computers will allow for distance education, and the transition of UAN’s central library to an electronic database. The assistance of BP and its Block 31 associates to ISCED includes the computerization of the documentation room, library, and training of users, over a three year period.

Call for Papers for 17th Biennial Conference of the International Telecommunications Society

The International Telecommunications Society has called for papers for its 17th Biennial Conference to be held in Montreal, Canada in June, 2008. The theme of the conference is “The Changing Structure of the Telecommunications Industry and the New Role of Regulation. The submission deadline is October 31st, 2007.

African Scientific Database Will 'Tap Global Knowledge'

African researchers are developing a database of where to find scientific information on the Internet. Preparatory work has begun on the online information source, known as Access to Scientific Knowledge in Africa (ASKIA). The project - run by the Ethiopia-based UN Economic Commission for Africa through their Information and Communication Technology division - aims to support and promote access to scientific knowledge for scientists, university students, lecturers and policymakers. Alex Tindimubona, of the Economic Commission for Africa, says that once fully operational, ASKIA should provide another mechanism by which African scientific institutions can tap into global scientific knowledge. The database - for scientific institutions in Africa - is intended to include searchable collections of material. Source: SciDev.Net

South African Women Lawyers Association Inaugurated

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Brigitte Mabandla has inaugurated the first women lawyers’ body, SAWLA, more than eight decades since women were first appointed as attorneys in South Africa. The inauguration of the South African Women’s Lawyers Association (SAWLA) was attended by close to a thousand delegates from all provinces and at least ten foreign countries. Pointing out that women lawyers still find themselves hampered by ongoing perceptions about their ability, values and even their social and business astuteness, the Minister affirmed her Department’s intention to break the mindsets of the past and to cooperate with the legal profession to address issues of access of justice relating to the cost of litigation, undue delays and excessive formalities within the legal process.

Minorities Now Form Majority in One-Third of America’s Most-Populous Counties

In a further sign of the United States’ growing diversity, nonwhites now make up a majority in almost one-third of the most-populous counties in the country and in nearly one in 10 of all 3,100 counties, according to a recent analysis of census results. The shift reflects the growing dispersal of immigrants and the suburbanization of blacks and Hispanics pursuing jobs generated by whites moving to the fringes of metropolitan areas. Between 2005 and 2006, metropolitan Chicago edged out Honolulu in Asian population, and Washington inched ahead of El Paso in the number of Hispanic residents. In black population, Houston overtook Los Angeles. Black populations declined in metropolitan New Orleans, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and New York. The biggest numerical gains were in Atlanta (370,470), Houston (142,364), Dallas (130,367), Miami (126,819) and Washington (114,915). Source: New York Times Online

Nominations Open for Global Education and Training in Energy Awards

Nominations are open for the Getenergy Awards.  The Getenergy Awards provide a framework to measure, record and recognise world-beating achievement in 6 areas of critical importance to the global oil/gas business, encouraging, supporting and rewarding best practice in the field of skills development within the industry.   The awards will be presented at the Global Education and Training in Energy Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner on the evening of March 26th, London.  Nominations close on 3 December 2007 and the shortlist will be announced on 9 January when online voting will begin. 

Census Shows a Modest Rise in U.S. Income

The nation’s median household income grew modestly in 2006, according to the country’s Census Bureau, even as the percentage of people without health insurance hit a high. Experts said the rise in income was mainly a reflection of an increase in the number of family members entering the workplace or working longer hours. Average wages for men and women actually declined for the third consecutive year. With evidence that more people are working, the country appears to show a labour market offering people more work and more hours, but at lower wages. In 2007, the economy has begun weakening because of the national housing slump, and inflation has jumped. The average wage peaked at $17.52 an hour in February and has since fallen, according to US Labor Department data.  In the meantime, the poverty rate fell in 2006 for the first time this decade and the number of whites, blacks and Asians living in poverty was virtually unchanged. About 24 percent of blacks lived in poverty in 2006, compared with 8.2 percent of whites and 10.3 percent of Asians.  Source: New York Times

Fewer UK Undergraduates Take jobs to Fund Studies

UK scientists are teaming up with international colleagues around 50% more than they did ten years ago and collaborating with Chinese researchers more than any other European country, a report for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) has found. The report says nearly 40% of all research papers by UK scientists published over the last five years have involved collaborations with international colleagues - a 50% increase since 1996. In contrast, international collaboration has grown by 30% in France and 100% in China over the same time period. Source: Education Guardian

New World Bank Studies Celebrate Tanzania's Success in Promoting Gender Equality

Two new World Bank Group studies commissioned by Tanzania's Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Marketing, commend the government for progress in addressing gender inequalities in policy and legislation and for recognizing the economic contributions of women. They also suggest that Tanzania could at least gain a percentage point of growth by removing obstacles to women's entrepreneurship. The reports, Gender and Economic Growth Assessment and Voices of Women Entrepreneurs in Tanzania, are part of a regional program led by IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. The program includes policy analysis, lines of credit to commercial banks to support women's programs, and practical training for women entrepreneurs. IFC has carried out similar studies in Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda. Gender and Economic Growth Assessment in Tanzania underscores the importance of addressing legislative issues and cultural norms. Voices of Women Entrepreneurs in Tanzania is a complementary advocacy tool, based on a series of interviews with women business owners across the country. The two reports are a result of extensive consultations with public and private sector stakeholders. Recommendations include strengthening women's access to land, putting in place lines of credit for on-lending to women entrepreneurs, and facilitating women's access to international markets. Positive change is underway in Tanzania. With access to finance identified as the key challenge facing women, IFC has collaborated with EXIM Bank to put in place a $5 million line of credit for on-lending to women entrepreneurs. The reports also found a need for practical training for women entrepreneurs who seek export opportunities, and work is underway in this area. IFC has hosted several workshops for women on accessing international trade opportunities in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

Survey Reveals South Africa as a Proud Nation

96% percent of South Africans are now proud of their country, with white South Africans closing the patriotism gap with their black compatriots, according to the latest South African edition of the World Values Survey. While 83% of whites described themselves as proud to be South African in the previous survey, released five years ago, that figure had now risen to 95%, according to the survey's authors.  The survey, conducted by the Centre for International and Comparative Politics at the University of Stellenbosch and market research company Markinor, involved 3,000 face-to-face interviews of people across the country, conducted in six of South Africa's 11 official languages. The lead researcher for World Values Survey SA, Dr Hennie Kotze, attributed the results to the positive socio-economic trends South Africa had experienced over the last five years.

Women Face Far More Than a Glass Ceiling

Most efforts aimed at increasing the presence of women in the upper echelons of U.S. business focus solely on bridging the final step between the middle tiers and the top ranks. But in the Harvard Business Review Alice H. Eagly, a professor of psychology at Northwestern University and Linda L. Carli, an associate professor of psychology at Wellesley College argue that smaller, more subtle reforms are needed to address the more fundamental problem. The scarcity of women at the top, the authors say, reflects discrimination that has operated at all ranks and not any particular obstacle to advancement. The authors recommend a dozen reforms that would comprehensively address barriers to advancement, including appointing more than one woman to any team and staying in contact with female managers who leave to raise children, with the idea of rehiring some later on. They also advocate advertising new positions more widely rather than relying on long-established social networks for recruiting and adopting more specific criteria in performance evaluations, to avoid relying on managers’ potentially biased impressions. Source: Wall Street Journal Online

Oracle Lays Foundation for a School of Technology Leadership

In response to the South African Governments numerous calls for an increase in the quality and quantity of local ICT skills, Oracle Corporation has announced that it is laying the foundation for the School of Technology Leadership and is inviting other technology and communications stakeholders to become involved in driving the change.  According to the company, developing the IT knowledge of students will increase the competitiveness of the South African economy and accelerate social development. Oracle has had a long-term commitment to education, and in South Africa the management team has initiated many programs to develop IT skills including training for customers and partners; a successful IT graduate program; and various social investment initiatives such as the e-Schools project in collaboration with partners, and supporting the RAU Oracle Saturday School project for developing maths skills in Soweto’s secondary schools. The School of Technology Leadership, to be opened in 2008, will be run as an independent institution offering essential training disciplines relevant in the changing world of technology to both secondary and tertiary education graduates.

Survey shows Modest Increase in South African Graduate Vacancies and Salaries

Results from an independent survey of graduate employers in South Africa have shown that employers are set to increase their vacancies by 4.3% for start dates in 2008. In a similar fashion, over half of survey participants are only planning a ‘cost of living’ rise in salaries for new graduates starting in their organisation in 2008. The SAGRA Graduate Recruitment Survey 2007 is based on responses from 54 of the largest graduate employers in South Africa. The survey shows that while some industries – such as oil & petrochemical, commercial or retail banks, motor manufacturing, and chemical or pharmaceutical companies are planning to increase their vacancies by more than a third for next year there are several industries including the legal sector, engineering or industrial and investment banking which expect no change or even a decrease in the number of graduate vacancies on offer. Accountancy or professional services firms, which provide over half of all vacancies in the survey, are set for a four per cent increase in their vacancies for 2008. Source: Skills Portal

CIPD report on Employee turnover

The CIPD Recruitment, retention and turnover survey 2007 has reported the overall employee turnover rate for the UK as 18.1% with average job tenure remaining fairly stable over the last five years.  Turnover levels vary considerably from industry to industry. The highest levels of turnover (22.6%) are found in private sector organisations. Successive CIPD surveys of labour turnover show that the highest levels are found in retailing, hotels, catering and leisure, and among other lower paid private sector services groups. The public sector has an average turnover rate of 13.7%.  Turnover levels also vary from region to region. The highest rates are found where unemployment is lowest and where it is unproblematic for people to secure desirable alternative employment. Almost a quarter of employees in the UK have been in their current jobs for five years.  As a proportion of aggregate turnover, the percentage of people leaving organisations through redundancy remains small. There was a slight decrease from 28% to 24% of organisations making more than ten people redundant during 2006 and in those operating a recruitment freeze from 24% to 22% in the course of the year. 

UK Pay Gap is Growing between Men and Women

The pay gap between men and women in top professional jobs in the UK has increased for the first time in more than a decade, a major survey has disclosed.  The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) found that male managers were paid an average of £6,076 a year more than their female counterparts, while male directors earned £49,233 more.  The CMI, which carries out an annual survey of Britain’s 4.6 million managers, contacted more than 42,000 people, ranging from management trainees to chief executives in public and private sector jobs.  It found that male managers were paid 12.2% more than females in the year to January 2007, compared with 11.8% the previous year.  It is the first time in 11 years that the gap has widened.  At director level, men earned 23% more, an increase of 3 percentage points.  This was despite evidence that women were more motivated and productive, with more of them earning bonuses than men.

Public Sector Innovation Awards in Africa

The African Union, NEPAD and the 5th Conference of Public Service Ministers have announced the first annual Public Sector Innovation Awards in Africa.  The programme recognizes and rewards the successes of public servants and their partners in the private sector as well as in the non-profit sector who have succeeded in developing innovative solutions for service delivery and for challenges facing governments.The awards aim to promote and encourage best practice in innovation in the public sector and in service delivery, and will recognise effective service delivery projects, as well as initiatives completed by implementing innovative approaches, methodologies and tools.  They also provide opportunities for information sharing, learning, partnerships and the possible replication of successful initiatives across the African continent.  The closing date for entries is 30 November 2007.  The project must come from Africa or must be largely developed in Africa.  Projects must be of direct benefit to citizens of a particular country or to the African continent.  The awards are open to individuals or to units within government services, to parastatal services, and to partnerships between public organisations, private and/or community organisations or to community organisations.  The project must operate within the public sector and must already have been in existence for at least two years.  For further information regarding entry forms or the entry process contact Ms Mthembu on: dudum@dpsa.gov.za

Nigerian Schools to Benefit from Universal Service Provision Fund

A total of 109 primary and secondary schools have been selected as beneficiaries of the first phase of the 'Schools, University Access Programme to Digital Lifestyle' project of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) an initiative of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The projects to be completed in the next six months would include equipping the benefiting schools with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) tools.

Net Impact Releases Business as UNusual: The 2007 Net Impact Guide to Graduate Business Programmes

Net Impact, a non-profit organization with 10,000 graduate business students and professional members dedicated to creating a better world through business, has released its second annual edition of Business as UNusual: The 2007 Net Impact Student Guide to Graduate Business Programs. The guide, written by students at 56 business schools, highlights programs in CSR, sustainable management, and other socially responsible practices and is the first to focus on MBA and other graduate students' perspectives on social and environmental themes in curricula, career service, and the perspective of other students at business schools worldwide.  Business as Unusual contains detailed profiles on 56 programs, as well as student ratings of their schools along 20 different categories.  Net Impact is an international non-profit (NGO) with over 10,000 network members dedicated to leveraging business for social and environmental impact.  The Guide includes rankings in categories including overall preparation of students, support from faculty and administration, and career services at the schools. Business as UNusual: The 2007 Net Impact Student Guide to Graduate Business Programs was created in response to inquiries from students applying to business school with social and environmental interests. In addition to preparation of students to become responsible business leaders, the guide also compares data on different MBA programs and educates graduate school applicants to help them find the program that is right for them. The information in the Guide was compiled from a qualitative survey completed by 56 Net Impact student chapter leaders and an online survey completed by 1,264 student Net Impact members. Schools were rated on a variety of factors including curriculum, student activities, career services, and administrative support. The Guide also highlights school stand-outs and overall trends.  The Guide is available for download at www.netimpact.org/bizschoolguide.

Executives Say Corporate Responsibility Can Be Profitable

Company executives believe that corporate responsibility programs can positively impact their business and help achieve strategic goals, according to a survey of more than 500 business executives conducted by Grant Thornton LLP, the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International, one of the six global accounting organizations.  While conventional wisdom might suggest that these initiatives will drain the corporate coffers, only a quarter of survey respondents agreed that profits needed to be sacrificed, while three quarters believed corporate responsibility could enhance profitability. As a result, 77% said they expected corporate responsibility initiatives to have a major impact on their business strategies over the next several years. Corporate responsibility programs have moved out of the realm of public relations to become real tools for improving the bottom line, says the company, while companies are realizing that strong investment in corporate responsibility programs is both a civic obligation and a successful business strategy.  Corporate responsibility programs are a large part of what customers demand, says the report and can also serve as a highly effective means of recruiting and retaining talent.  Among the findings in the survey was that the three greatest benefits of enacting corporate responsibility programs are improving public opinion, improving customer relations and attracting and retaining talent while 62% believe that pressure to pursue corporate responsibility programs in the future will come chiefly from consumers (45%) and investors (21%).  More than 500 online surveys were conducted with business executives in June 2007. The survey included in-depth interviews with ten executives involved in the development and implementation of corporate responsibility programs.

World Bank Group Launches New Initiative to Light Africa

The World Bank Group has launched an initiative to provide modern lighting to the 250 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa who have no access to electricity. Jointly managed by the World Bank and IFC, Lighting Africa aims to develop market conditions for the supply and distribution of new, non-fossil fuel lighting products, such as fluorescent light bulbs and light emitting diodes, in rural and urban areas of the region that are not connected to the electricity grid.  The "energy poor" in Africa spend about $17 billion a year on fuel-based lighting sources, such as kerosene lamps, that are costly, inefficient, and provide poor quality light while polluting and posing fire hazards. For these consumers, lighting is often the most expensive item among their energy uses, typically accounting for 10 to 15 percent of total household income. Hence there is a potentially huge market for modern lighting products that are safe and reliable, that provide higher-quality light, and that are cost-competitive with fuel-based lamps, and powered by renewable energy or mechanical sources.  Lighting Africa, which is supported by a number of donors, including seed money from the Global Environment Facility, seeks to attract the international lighting industry, as well as local suppliers and service providers, to this market. Modern lighting will mean improved air quality and safety for millions of people in Africa. It will mean longer reading hours for students and longer business hours for small shops. Lighting Africa will directly contribute to the Millennium Development Goals. It is a cornerstone of the World Bank's Clean Energy and Development Investment Framework and the Africa Energy Access Scale-up Plan.

Cisco Signs Empowerment Equity Deal

US technology group Cisco Systems has sold a 25.1% stake in newly established Cisco SA Services to empowerment group Lereko Investments, Cisco's employees and an educational trust that will facilitate scholarships for black students. As part of the deal, the empowerment partners will receive shares in the US entity that are equal in value to the 25,1 percent stake in Cisco SA Services. The services business will facilitate skills development, help drive the scholarship programmes, maintain Cisco products used by the local market, and help identify large infrastructure contracts for Cisco, especially investments related to development ahead of the 2010 soccer World Cup. Cisco has won a R454-million contract, which will be shared with Neotel and Business Connexion, to install an Internet-based network for the State Information Technology Agency. Cisco joins T-Systems, SAP, Verizon, Fujitsu Siemens and Unisys, which have concluded empowerment equity transactions in the past few years. Unlike the other deals, Cisco's empowerment partners will get shares in the US entity, which is the holding company.

EU set to Issue ’Blue card’ to Attract Highly-qualified Foreign Workers

As a response to Europe’s need for highly qualified workers, Brussels is set to issue an EU-wide work permit allowing employment to non Europeans, in any country within the 27-nation bloc, EU home affairs commissioner Franco Frattini told the EUobserver.  The idea of an EU work permit – dubbed the ’Blue Card’ after the colour of the European Union flag - is to be formally tabled this month.  The Blue Card, it is hoped, will make Europe a more attractive work destination than the US, Canada or Australia and cut down on the severe labour shortages facing the bloc due to its aging population and declining birth rates. The Blue Card would allow the holder to move from one EU member state to another after an initial period of two years, if he found legal employment there. The holder could subsequently move to another member state after another year. The card holders would also be able to return to their home country and to re-enter EU territory after four or five years, without having to start all the administrative procedures from scratch.  According to Brussels, such a move could prevent foreign immigrants from outstaying their welcome in Europe, as well as counter the devastating effect of "brain drain" from the world’s developing countries.  The Commission has estimated that by 2050, labour shortages will peak when 25 million Europeans retire from work and one-third of the population will be over 65 years of age.  Source: Africa News

Deloitte & Touche USA LLP Tops BusinessWeek's List of "Best Places to Launch a Career"

Deloitte & Touche USA LLP gained the top spot on BusinessWeek's second annual "Best Places to Launch a Career" ranking, advancing from third place last year. Deloitte's extensive campus outreach, diverse career opportunities, collaborative environment and cutting-edge work/life initiatives helped put it at the top of the survey, which identifies leading employers for recent college graduates. Other employers on this year's list include Google, Microsoft and Disney.  Deloitte's leading Talent Management initiatives include Mass Career Customization(TM) - a tool that allows people to dial up and dial down in their careers to suit their personal needs, while still advancing in the organization Coaching & Career Connections - an internal coaching and career development resource providing live and virtual coaches on a confidential basis.  BusinessWeek's analysis gathers feedback from students, college career counsellors, and the employers themselves to reveal which companies offer the biggest advantages for interns and entry-level employees in the areas of training, competitive compensation and benefits, and career development programs.  BusinessWeek's "Best Places to Launch a Career" ranking is in the September 18, 2007 issue. Expanded content is available on businessweek.com.

ING Names Debbie Holcombe Head of U.S. Workforce Diversity

ING U.S. Financial Services has named Debbie Holcombe to head U.S. Workforce Diversity. In her new role, Holcombe will be responsible for advancing the company's diversity initiatives, including talent recruitment, retention and development. She will partner with executive leadership, business management, stakeholders and employees to foster a diverse and inclusive work environment. She will also serve as the U.S. representative on ING's Global Diversity Council.  Ms. Holcombe has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. In her previous role as head of Brand Development, her primary responsibilities included brand standards and employee engagement. ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and asset management to more than 75 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries and with a diverse workforce of over 120,000 people.

eLearning Africa 2008 Opens Call for Proposals

The 3rd eLearning Africa conference, which will take place from May 28 to 30, 2008, in Ghana's capital Accra, has opened its Call for Proposals. The event, organised by ICWE GmbH and Hoffmann & Reif, focuses on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for Development, Education and Training in Africa. Serving as a Pan-African platform, eLearning Africa links a network of decision makers from governments and administrations with universities, schools, governmental and private training providers, industry, and important partners in development cooperation.  Suggestions for sessions, presentations, workshops and discussions can be submitted until December 7 via an online form at http://www.elearning-africa.com/proposals.php.  The organising committee invites all those who are actively engaged in education, training and development for or in African countries, to submit their ideas. Detailed information on the topics and the call can be found at www.elearning-africa.com.

Cambridge Named Sunday Times University of the Year

Cambridge has this year been named Sunday Times University of The Year. According to the Guide's Editor, Cambridge has finished top for all of the past 10 years. The University has an outstanding record for teaching quality with more subjects rated excellent than any other university. It also has the best research profile - in terms of quality and quantity as measured in the last Research Assessment Exercise. Cambridge University has been rated top by Britain's leading head teachers and second by academics in the two exclusive Sunday Times surveys prepared for the University Guide. According to the Guide, Cambridge has the highest entry standards (526 UCAS points from A-level bearing students), low levels of graduate unemployment, high levels of students progressing to well-paid graduate level jobs and a low dropout rate. In addition, the University has made great strides in diversifying its intake with admissions from state schools.

University Graduates Have Advantage in Earning Power

Going to university continues to give young people in the UK a strong advantage in their earning power, shows an international education survey. Graduates who left UK universities a decade ago have average earnings 77% higher than non-graduates, says a report by the OECD. The report also noted that countries which produce greater numbers of people with degrees generate more employment for non-skilled workers too. The annual survey of education systems in the industrialised world examines the consequences of the increasing number of graduates. So far there are no indications that the jobs market is being overloaded with graduates - or that these extra graduates are being forced into taking non-graduate jobs. Instead it shows a consistent picture of pupils who leave education after school facing disadvantage in the workplace compared with those who stay on to university. For UK workers in the 30 to 44-year-old age bracket, there is a 77% earnings advantage for someone with a degree - a much higher advantage than in most industrialised countries. Among the wider workforce, aged between 25 and 64 years, the graduate advantage is 55% - with women's earning power particularly benefiting from having a degree.

Du Bois-Mandela-Rodney Fellowship

The Center for Afroamerican and African Studies (CAAS) at the University of Michigan invites applications for the Du Bois-Mandela-Rodney Post-doctoral Fellowship Program from scholars working on Africa or the African Diaspora. Consideration will be given to all disciplines including - but not limited to - the humanities, social sciences, physical sciences and professional schools. Scholars from or who study the Gullah speaking Sea islands, Cape Verde islands, the Anglophone Caribbean, the Canary Islands, and Madagascar and/or other less studied areas are especially encouraged to apply. This is a residential fellowship for the academic year. The fellowship package is worth $45,000 plus health insurance coverage. Included in the package is a stipend of $42,000. Health insurance, plus $1,000 for research and up to $2,000 for travel expenses are also included. Successful candidates can expect to maintain affiliations with CAAS as well as departments and research institutes that relate to their projects. Fellows will be expected to conduct a CAAS work-in-progress seminar on their research during one of the semesters in residence.

The Development Marketplace for African Diaspora in Europe

(D-MADE) is a new and exciting opportunity to access grants financing entrepreneurial projects that are designed by Africans to support the development of Africa. Based on the very successful global Development Marketplace, for the first time such a programme will target Sub-Saharan Africa-wide members of the Diaspora living in Europe. D-MADE, an initiative of the World Bank financially supported by the Belgian Development Cooperation, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Development Agency, will award cash prizes and technical assistance to innovative entrepreneurial African Diaspora groups for projects implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa, through a competitive process.  D-MADE is accepting proposals until 23 November 2007.

Abbott Again Honored As Top Company for Working Moms

Working Mother Magazine has recognized Abbott as one of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" in the USA.  The global health care company was again named to Working Mother magazine's list of "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers." This marks the seventh consecutive year that Abbott has been honoured on the list.  The company has a Part-Time Network and is one of only 20% of large companies in the United States that offer job-sharing opportunities. According to the awarding magazine, Abbott’s supportive culture makes ‘a huge difference to employees who want to be great moms and great workers’ and proves that it is possible to be both family-friendly and financially successful.  The company employs 65,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. In addition to continuing to recognize the importance of flexibility in the workplace, Working Mother spotlighted companies on this year's list for their efforts to help parents with special family needs.

Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. Appoints Julius Pryor III Vice President, Global Diversity

Coca-Cola Enterprises has appointed Julius Pryor III as Vice President of Global Diversity. Pryor will oversee the company's diversity initiatives, and will report to Vicki R. Palmer, executive vice president, financial services and administration. According to the company’s President and CEO, Pryor will enhance the company’s ability to attract, develop and retain a highly talented and diverse workforce.  Pryor, previously Vice President of Global Diversity for Johnson & Johnson's Consumer Group, was Director of Diversity Strategies for Russell Corporation from 2000 to 2003, and served as Manager of Diversity Programs and Chief Diversity Officer for TAP Pharmaceuticals from 1997 to 2000. A captain in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Pryor received his Bachelor of Science degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

UK Banks Are Worst Affected by Staff Crisis

The financial services industry is becoming the hardest hit sector in terms of IT skills shortage, according to results of the 2007 silicon.com Skills Survey.  Financial services companies are finding it most difficult to fill IT vacancies in their organisations, compared to the public sector and the world of retail. Half of the respondents to the survey who work in the FS sector said they have tech job vacancies they are unable to fill. This compares to 44% of respondents in the retail sector and just over a third (35%) of those who work in the public sector. When it comes to specific IT skills shortages, the FS industry and the public sector are finding it hardest to locate staff with programming languages, followed by workers with database skills. In the retail sector programming languages, database and Windows skills are all equally hardest to find. The non-IT skill in shortest supply in the FS sector is project management, while in the retail and public sectors, project management is the non-IT skill in shortest supply, followed by leadership skills.  Such shortages can be adequately filled by hiring contractors, according to the majority of respondents from the FS, public and retail sectors. Source: Silicon.com

African Leadership Academy Accepting Applications

African Leadership Academy is currently accepting applications from students from across South Africa and the broader African continent to join its inaugural class. Beginning next year, ALA will bring together the most promising 15- to 18-year-old leaders from all 54 African nations for an innovative two-year program designed to prepare each student for a lifetime of leadership on the continent. Students will be selected to attend the academy based on merit alone, without regard to financial background or ability to pay.  African Leadership Academy (ALA) seeks to transform Africa by developing and supporting future generations of African leaders.  The Academy is a non-profit institution located in Johannesburg, South Africa.  http://www.africanleadershipacademy.org/site

Swaziland Cites ICTs as Crucial for Service Delivery

Swaziland has launched a National ICT Policy that recognizes the vital role of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the promotion of efficient service delivery.  The Policy recognises the areas where ICT could effectively contribute towards the achievement of the vision enshrined in the National Development Strategy (NDS) and the Transformation Policy Statement (TPS).  Swaziland’s National ICT Policy is a national template for maximising and deriving opportunities and services for all sectors including service delivery at local level and ICTs are harnessed in areas such as human resources, the education sector, infrastructure development, legal and regulatory frameworks, environment management, financial services and the media.

Oumar Ndongo Joins West African Civil Society (WACSOF)

Oumar Ndongo has joined the West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) as General Secretary. Oumar is a Professor of American literature and culture at the Cheikh Anto Diop University in Dakar, Senegal. He has extensive civil society experience as Director of SYSTOSENEGAL, Executive Secretary of PANAFSTRAG Senegal and President of the Senegalese Section of the Federation for Universal Peace. Professor Ndongo also has extensive knowledge of West Africa and its civil society having served as Director of the Mano River Peace Forum and President of the West African Research Association. In addition he has been a senior Fulbright scholar and peace ambassador for the Inter-religious and International Federation for World Peace. He is fluent in English, French, Wolof and Pular and understands Spanish. He brings on board extensive research capacity and vast experience of networking in West African civil society. His skills in conflict resolution and peace building, regional integration, election monitoring and democracy promotion would be invaluable as WACSOF expands its activities and consolidates its position as the forum for West African civil society.

IFC and Westpac Sponsor Workshop on Lending for Women Entrepreneurs

International women bankers, including representatives from four African banks and Women's World Banking affiliate Mi-Bospo have met to exchange experience and global best practices on serving women entrepreneurs. During the four-day workshop, sponsored by Westpac and IFC, participants discussed different ways and strategies to cater to businesswomen, an under-tapped segment worldwide.  Westpac launched its "Women in Business Program" in 1999, and has since trained about 35,000 bankers in delivering high-quality services to women. It has also trained thousands of women to grow their businesses successfully. The company is now focusing on sharing its knowledge with emerging market banks that have relatively few female customers. Representatives from IFC client banks, Exim Bank (Tanzania), Access Bank (Nigeria), dfcu Limited (Uganda), Business Partners (South Africa), and Mi-Bospo (Bosnia), are taking part in the workshop. IFC has provided financing to Exim Bank, Access Bank, and dfcu Limited to extend credit lines to businesswomen. Access Bank has already disbursed over $12 million to smaller enterprises. Since February, Exim Bank Tanzania has reached 8,000 clients through onlending of $4 million by a woman-owned microfinance facility.

First CareerAccelerator Careers Fair

StartingBloc, a non profit that educates undergraduates and young professionals on social responsibility, in partnership with CSRwire and The United Way of New York, held its first CareerAccelerator in October at the NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development. This groundbreaking career fair was open to all businesses, non-profits, as well as graduate and MBA schools that are interested in offering jobs, internships, expertise, funding and academic programs that embrace corporate social responsibility and social entrepreneurship. The CareerAccelerator targets and attracts emerging leaders drawn not only from StartingBloc's countrywide network of 120 affiliate colleges, but also from massive publicity offered by CSRwire’s and StartingBloc's large scale media outreach.

Amnesty International USA and Responsible Endowment Coalition Launch Guide to Support Responsible Investing by U.S. Colleges and Universities

The first-ever step-by-step guide to encourage colleges and universities to adopt responsible investment practices in pursuit of social and environmental change is being released today in a collaboration between Amnesty International USA and the Responsible Endowments Coalition. The guide is aimed at higher education trustees and administrators and student activists who want to push for responsible investing on their campuses.  Available online at no cost (www.endowmentethics.org) the handbook, Integrating Environmental, Social and Governance Issues into Institutional Investment: a Handbook for Colleges and Universities, is a comprehensive guide with real-world examples and best practices from leading academic institutions. Sixteen of the top 20-ranked colleges and universities (2008 U.S. News and World Report rankings) have adopted some practices that incorporate social, environmental and governance concerns in investment decisions.

South Africa Labour Force Survey Shows Employment Increase

The Department of Labour has welcomed the latest Labour Force Survey (LFS) figures showing that employment has increased by about 200 000 between March this year and a year earlier. The figures were released by Statistics South Africa and among the key findings of the LFS were that in March this year the unemployment rate was unchanged at 25,5 percent compared with 25,6 percent a year earlier. The industries with the largest employment gains in the year to March 2007, were community and personal services (up 127 000), finance (up 126 000) and construction (up 102 000).  The formal sector excluding agriculture accounted for the largest share of employment in South African economy. In March 2007, employment in the formal sector was 8 423 000 of total employment, whereas informal sector employment was 2 131 000 (16,9 percent) and domestic work accounted for 936,000 jobs.

Sweden Maximises Positive Effects of Legal Migration

Sweden has prioritized legal migration and regards it as one of the country’s most important issues for the future.  The Swedish Government has recommended that the EU devise new and improved mechanisms for legal migration and to transform them into concrete action. The Swedish Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy said his Government is aiming to introduce greater opportunities for labour migration to the country and promote circular migration which can help to meet the needs for labour in recipient countries and at the same time lead to positive effects on development in the countries of origin, and which will benefit the migrants themselves.  He said Sweden has taken up the challenge of addressing legal migration by proposing changes to its existing legislation to facilitate increased labour migration from third countries in order to fill labour shortages. Source: Africa News

MDG Africa Steering Group Set Up

A Steering Group has been formed to coordinate and redouble efforts in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) across the African continent. The MDG Africa Steering Group was formed in York by leaders of the major multilateral and inter-governmental organizations working for development in Africa, the heads of the United Nations, African Development Bank, African Union Commission, European Commission, International Monetary Fund, Islamic Development Bank and the World Bank.  The group expressed deep concern that Africa as a whole is not on track to meet the MDGs by 2015. It, however, affirmed that many individual countries are on track to achieve at least some of the goals.  Success stories throughout the continent show that the Goals remain achievable if Governments and the international community urgently implement existing commitments to strengthen domestic policies and scale up investments. The MDG Africa Steering Group, chaired by the United Nations Secretary-General, mobilizes the leaders of the UN system and major multilateral and intergovernmental organizations in support of reaching the MDGs in Africa. The group will focus on (i) strengthening international mechanisms for implementation in the five areas of: health, education, agriculture and food security, infrastructure and statistical systems; (ii) improving aid predictability; and (iii) enhancing coordination at the country level. It will be supported by the MDG Africa Working Group, composed of representatives of the UN system and other major multilateral organizations and chaired by the UN Deputy-Secretary General. The Working Group will reach out to African Governments, prepare action plans for achieving the objectives of the Steering Group, mobilize and coordinate the efforts of the institutions represented, and prepare periodic progress reports.

Ghana to Benefit from More Rural Business Centres

Over 500,000 people in Ghana's rural and peri-urban communities are benefiting from the establishment of about 69 Rural Business Centres (RBCs) aimed at connecting the communities to the outside world and also to educate them on the uses and benefits of ICTs. The centres, established under the Ghana Telecom's eCommerce and Renewable Energy (eCARE) programme has been running since 2003 with just about three of such centres piloted as at 2005.  The centres were designed and established with similar objectives behind the government's efforts to construct and manage Community Information Centres (CICs) in all the 230 political constituencies in the country.  The objectives are to educate and inform the rural communities on issues bothering on health, education, agriculture and gender among others and also to train the people. The major objective for the establishment of the RBCs is to bridge the digital divide between the urban and rural communities and also to ensure that the whole of the country become part of the networked economy. The RBCs are made up of refurbished 20 footer shipping containers equipped with telephones, multi-media computers, copiers, scanners, printers and solar panels. Partners in the establishment of the eCARE centres include the United Nations Foundation, UN Environment Programme and the Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment.  The programme will also increase access to computers, create awareness on ICTs in underserved-communities and offer business opportunities for entrepreneurs living in rural communities.

MBAs Support Women Returnees to Wall Street

Some of the USA’s top business schools have been providing courses for women and men returning to the work force after an extended leave of absence. Most women participate in programs such as the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth's Back in Business program. The program combines academics with career opportunities, and its students' median age is 47, with an average of eight years out of the work force. Of Back in Business' 41 students, 35 were women and more than half have found high-level, high-paying work. Source: New York Times

RSA Announces Pecuniary Award for Youth Project 2008

The London Branch Committee of The Royal Society of Arts has announced an award, after competition, for a proposal or youth project, for 2008. The Branch has instituted study forums and consultations concerning the situation of young people in the capital, and is concerned that current anxieties of young people and their aspirations do not have satisfactory responses in terms of provision, or in terms of interest, from the body politic. The sum of £2,000 is offered as an award, for a winning  project proposal, created by any interest group in London, on which young people are represented,  that can positively show the wellbeing and development of the age group  12-18 years. To define its plans and to activate interest, it is holding a discussion Forum at the Roundhouse Studios, London NW1  on Monday 19th November  from 7-9pm. Fellows of the Society, representing youth organisations, are invited to bring representatives of that age group to foster the creation of project proposals. The award will be judged by a sub-committee of London Fellows of the RSA, and will be announced in late 2008.

Call for Papers – The Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa

The Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA) calls for scientific articles in all areas of education for the maiden edition of the Journal of Educational Research in Africa (JERA), a social science review. JERA, a long time objective of ERNWACA, will help promote quality research relevant to African contexts and should help teachers, educational administrators and policymakers gain analytical in-depth understanding of contemporary educational issues. http://ernwaca.org/panaf/jera/en/index.htm

Invitation for Applications for WLPPFP/LAWA Fellowships

The Leadership and Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA) Fellowship Program was founded in 1993 at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., in order to train women's human rights lawyers from Africa who are committed to returning home to their countries in order to advance the status of women and girls throughout their careers. Over 50 women's human rights advocates from across Africa have participated in the LAWA Program, and it is hoped to include Fellows from additional countries in the future. The application deadline for the 2008-2009 LAWA Fellowship Program is November 30, 2007. http://www.wlppfp.org/lawa/