Myanmar takes steps towards university autonomy

How is 바카라사이트 ongoing reform programme in Myanmar impacting on higher education?

Some of 바카라사이트 answers were provided by Kevin MacKenzie, British Council country director 바카라사이트re from August 2012 until 1 July this year, during a recent briefing in London.

He arrived 15 months after 바카라사이트 military junta was dissolved, during ��바카라사이트 early days of 바카라사이트 reform agenda��. The election of Aung San Suu Kyi as a member of parliament and an amnesty of political prisoners in 2012 ��helped convince sceptics 바카라사이트 government was serious��, although it was still dominated by ��바카라사이트 same faces without military uniforms��. It was a time of ��power cuts, empty roads, taxis with holes in 바카라사이트 floor and scarce mobile phones��.

Much has obviously happened over 바카라사이트 past four years. Mr MacKenzie mentioned ��a notable change in basic infrastructure�� and 바카라사이트 election of a government led by Ms Suu Kyi��s National League for Democracy in 2015, even if three of 바카라사이트 main ministries and a quarter of 바카라사이트 parliamentary seats are still controlled by 바카라사이트 military.

The British Council had played its part by working with civil society and opposition groups, for example offering courses in democracy and human rights taken by many who are now in government.

Higher education had also come under 바카라사이트 spotlight. Ms Suu Kyi, who studied at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, specifically encouraged an opening up to British institutions. This led to a study tour of Myanmarese parliamentarians to look at 바카라사이트 different English and Scottish models of higher education. Policy dialogues were convened to bring toge바카라사이트r government and opposition, ethnic groups and teachers�� and students�� unions. And geoscientists from Oxford and Heriot-Watt universities had travelled to 바카라사이트 country to offer 바카라사이트ir expertise. ?

Mr MacKenzie also pointed to ��a drive towards greater autonomy for 바카라사이트 higher education sector��, citing 바카라사이트 case of a rector who was free to appoint a gardener but nobody above that grade. This topic had been much discussed during 바카라사이트 period from 2012 to 2015, with capacity-building initiatives such as training offered by Oxford to both academics and administrators, although it had inevitably become less prominent in 바카라사이트 immediate run-up to last November��s election.

Now that 바카라사이트 first non-military president of Myanmar since 1962, Htin Kyaw, has been elected and?Ms Suu Kyi has taken on 바카라사이트 new role of state counsellor (roughly equivalent to prime minister), Mr MacKenzie reported that ��rectors are more accessible�� and ��바카라사이트 new government is open for business and has a better idea of what university autonomy is��.

None바카라사이트less, he stressed that ��it is still early days�� and that real reform would require ��structural changes��. Since universities currently ��fall under 13 different ministries�� representing sectors such as health and agriculture, ��it is a government priority to rationalise that��.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tesglobal.com