0?J European Mathematical Society
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0?J European Mathematical Society NEWSLETTER No. 26 December 1997 Interview with Sir Ron Dearing 3 Meeting of the EMS Executive Committee, October 1997 4 EMS Agenda 7 Diderot Mathematical Forum 8 European Consortium for Mathematics in Industry 9 Meeting of the Council, August 1998 . 11 EULER - European Libraries and Electronic Resources . 14 Euro11ews . 16 Problem Corner . 22 Book Reviews . 28 Produced at the Department of Mathematics, Glasgow Caledonian University Printed by Armstrong Press, Southampton, UK / .ISS:'\ iiJn 4..:..:x Secretary Peter W. Michor EDITORS lnsti1ut for '.\latl1e1n,,:.ik. l'ni1·er�iti;1 \\'icn. Strwllbof- Prof Roy Bradley 1;,1.�se -i. A-1090 \Vien. A0.1,;tria. Departrncn: of !\fath1'matirs e-n1a)l: rriicltor((1csi.hc.at Glasgo,v Calexloniall 1 :mn,rsity CLASCOW G4 OBA. SCOTLA:,m Treasurer A. Lahtinen Editorial Team. Glasgow: Departmertl of Mathematics, P.O.Box 4 H.. Bradley. I. Clark, J. Gonrntam, V . .Jha FfJ\.-00014 t'r,in·rsity of Helsinki G. Kennedy. :\L A. Spelkr. J. \Vilson Finland e-mail: lahtineu<s]csc.fi Editor - Mathematics Education Prof. Vinicio Villani EMS Secretariat Dipartimento di i\faternatica Ms. T. Makeliiinen Via Bounarroti, 2 .56127 Pisa, Italy University of Helsinki (address above) e-mail [email protected] pi. it e-mail [email protected] tel: +3.58-9-1912 2883 Editors - Brief Reviews telex: 124690 I Netuka and V Soucek fax: +358-9-1912 3213 Mathematical Institute Charles University Newsletter editor Sokolovska 83 18600 Prague, Czech Republic R, Bradley, Glasgow Caledonian University (address above) e-mail: [email protected] e-mail [email protected] [email protected] Newsletter advertising officer USEFUL ADDRESSES M. A, Speller, Glasgow Caledonian University President: ( address above) Jean-Pierre Bourguignon e-mail [email protected] IRES, Route de Chartres, F-94400 Bures-sur-Yvette, France. Website e-mail: [email protected] http://www.emis.de NOTICE FOR MATHEMATICAL SOCIETIES Please note labels are prepared during the second half of the month before the next issue. Would you please send your updated lists before this time. Many thanks. Ms T Miikelainen 2 J N 1•• H!dtT �:.l infltHJiCt:1:1 the deH lir;1 al.in11:--; t,f tJu,. Ftr,bbi1is fit llo·!l vvas sPt UJ>, in the Cnmn1ittcr'? elf,ctimi b11! \\ith : he agn:eu1.1"nt of ! he Al mr,mlwir of the Cmitmitt,,c had a copy to n'View •1ducaiioa in of the Robbin" 'flw CmrnniUt;t', paid the l!nit,,1.! Kingdom (UK). Its remit include..:! the pari,icula.r fl.ttent1on io the Hohbin.-. Comniit,.ee's making of n,tomimmdations into all a:c;pects of definition of the purposes of higher edueation. The higher f:ducation hidudiHg f.;npport for 1:,tudents. Committee folt 1 hat those purposes still ha.d much lt was obliged to take account of t:he incrnasing validity a.Jthough we reformulated them to mateh participation in higher education by young and the conditions of the modern world. mature students, of the standards to be maintained, of the need to maiutaiu international standards in Q2 1\fod1 of the increased demand for higher degrees and in research aud in the cost- effectivenf'...ss education is expected to be at the sub-degree level. of the proposals, bearing in mind the distinctive Is there any estimate of the expected percentage of features of higher education in different parts of the the relevant age-group in higher education? \Vithin UK: its report was scheduled for Summer 1997. To five years, how many stud(mts (full-time or part this end, its first que,,5tion in a written consultation time) do you envisage there will be in l!K higher exercise WEIS "\Vhat should be the aims and pnrpoSPB education? of higher education over the next twenty years?" A2 The Committee was clear that it did not want to set a specific target for participation in higher The last major review of UK higher education was by the Robbins Conunittee iu 1963. (It education. ]t noted, however, that participation rates of around 45% have alre..ady been achieved should here be remarked that committe<"S of inquiry in the UK are given formal titles but, by in Scotland and Northern Ireland and thought it custom, they arc referred to by the name of their reasonable to assume that a similar participation distinguished chairman - or chair as the case may rate might be achieved across the UK as a whole over the long-term. be). Arising out of the recommendations of the In Scotland, moi;i. of the Robbins Committee, many new l1niversities were participation in excessof levels in England is in sub created. In the case of the Dearing Committee, degree higher education. many institutions had suddenly been designated as Q3 The Committee is obviously concerned about universities; the Dearing Cornmitte,--e has had to potential students who are disadvantaged in some anticipate the subsequent future of theA'le and other parti<..11lar way and who, accordingly. need some longer established institutions. The final report special assistance. If it is believed that the pre.sent of the Comrnitte<, runs to some 467 A4-size page�5 system is failing such people, what active steps togcihff with weighty appendices. should be taken to help them? Sir Ron Dearing, a,.c, Chairman, was asked a number A:3 The Committee realised that many of the of quf'.Btions to which he freely gave answer;;. The disparities in participation in higher education questions and answers are reproduced verbatim among different group,,, in society are the result of below. The ntmost gratitude can only be t,xpressed factors beyond the influence of higher education. to Sir Ron Dearing for the promptness and fullnes:,; Nom,thdt'Ss, W(' fojj that higher edncation had n of the answers. responsibility to take what steps it could t.o ensure <->quity of access. The rnport r('(..:ommem!s u whoh· The questioning wit.bin ihc UK univer:-.ity scene range of measurf'.S to improve access. including: rnay be pa.rallded in similar <:rnrnidnat.ioHii in other countries. T'he d,�baf,e on higher educaiion and its - nx1niring all higher education instil utions to have costs i;; not lik;•]:,• to aud end in the [iK. part.icipa.tion policies "-hid1 ar<' regularly n·vi<·w,xl tlw f (! 1 J hi.' la.st r<·:vit,:�v <.1..f l.J�i)ttx1 edu1:J.i,if,u y:ra':,: h\,, d1t' Ilol)b}n:•3 (;(nnzpiil.t�t: n1 tn rhv:-:;e ;n:::titntirn1;-,; \:ii1h.it''h ;-sho,v,: �·, {\Hnn-.1ihnt;nt to. tltf' i9no.�·,, 0 \',1·hnt ('Ktf':JH \VtU:i 't'OJ;,f f \-),fJtlnlitt�:-;·i-:, Lion, �) to thr? fhr.an.c:inl for (lis.a,biefl I\. 7 I''.hr- (�\nr.un.i tt,.:;r· (lid IJf)t ::,,,f_,t otit to :·,t m.lc·i its; .in detail lH)tv thr� .Institute, sht?t1h:t ('·a:rr;;r ti.:.fUl. its a-.tt!± ta..�ks. 1"1.tis '�V(>u1d -re<�uirf.. (;.fHtsultotion \>'dU,in 1he beet-or nnd of stude11ts a better !J.alance bd,,\'f'('.!J in11n:E!diute breadth and prograrm.nes shi,ukl be achie1'1'd than Jn what wnys would you like to see tiw of this on A8 The ha.lance bet.',w,en breadth am! <kPUJ the pi oniotion of �t udPnts' It t'.duc1:1t.ion been U1<, hr, I hrn1i:::ht that any education illstit ution of debate. be rnH, rJw recomuicndatimL Hobbins (:01nnt�l,tee Iili,\\� a \Vhat has pronipted the need to make the progrmnrnes ,vhich concentr;.1,c rccrn11n1endation·t on partKUlm areas in but it also believed that students should have 1norc chances to clwrn,e A4 Higher cduca1,ion institutions do, of course, broader courses if thev so wished. In addition, a.Jready give a great deal of time and attention to we felt that all student'.�, whatever their subject of their teaching activities. Evidence available to the study, should be expected to dev1\]op a range of Committee, forexample from a seminar on learning key skills which will serve them well beyond higher which the Connnittee hosted and frornresearchers in education. the field,showed that the adoption of best practice is va,riable. 1n particular, we saw a needfor the focus in Q9 Every student is expected to have a Progress some institutions to shift from teaching to ensuring File. How will this be used? Is the idea of a Progress that students learn as effectively as possible. File influenced by American practice'? A9 The idea of a Progress File came from the Q:3 How importantly do you assess the influence recent work which Sir Nicholas Goodison carried of changing and advancing communications and out in respect of the earlier stages of education. infonnation technology? Increasingly, young entrants to higher education A5 As the report makes clear, connnunications and will come with a Progress File recording their informationtechnology offer great opportunitiesbut achievements and experiences at school and college. also threats in an increasingly global environment. The Conunittee considered that they should be The key is for the UK to stay at the forefront in encouraged to build on this in higher education. exploiting new methods. QlO The Government., and other bodies, is recom Q6 Could you explain the role of the proposed mended to endorse immediately the framework for Institute for Learning and T,,aching in Higher higher education qualifications. Could you explain Education'? \Vhat is envisaged by the training of exactly what is being recommended? higher education teachers? AlO The Committee's report proposes a framework A6 The Committee envisaged that the proposed for higher education qualifications with clearly Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher identified levels which is broad enough and flexible Education would act as a professional body for enough to encompass academic and vocational higher education teachers and also as a source qualifications.