International Higher Education: Selected Sites Recommended by The Observatory
Key Resource, January 2004
The following is a list of selected online resources on international higher education that Observatory staff use regularly for research purposes. These include indexes, journals, portals and research centres. Most data is free, but some is fee-based. The list is not intended to be exhaustive but rather serves as a guide to users wishing to expand their own research interests.
AEI - International Education Network: Database of Research on International Education
The Database of Research on International Education is a searchable online database containing details of 3056 books, articles, conference papers and reports on various aspects of international education from publishers in Australia and overseas. The database covers material published from 1990 to the present and is updated regularly (users can opt to receive an email update alert). Material in the database is drawn from the Australian Education Index, produced by Cunningham Library, with additional material sourced internationally. Direct full-text access is provided, where available, and there is a useful search facility. The database is particularly strong on research into transnational higher education in Asia. As well as indexing material, the database also links to a wide range of higher education organisations.
Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS), The Netherlands
The Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS) is an interdisciplinary research-institute located at the School of Management and Governance of the Universiteit Twente, The Netherlands. Since 1984, CHEPS has undertaken and published a considerable amount of research on higher education especially at system and institutional levels. CHEPS seeks to increase understanding of institutional, national and international issues that bear upon higher education.
Centre for International Development (CID)
CID, based at Harvard University, was established in 1998 to serve as Harvard’s primary centre for research on sustainable international development. Its interdisciplinary research pulls together Harvard staff and international contributors for a series of publications. The CID ‘Research Datasets’ are of particular interest, covering everything from population trends to participation in education. The ‘Working Papers’ section provides free access to publications on growth and sustainable development in developing countries. In particular the Observatory recommends the ‘Global Information Technology Report 2001-2002: Readiness for the Networked World- Country Profiles’ for an overview of national ICT capabilities and potential. 75 different countries are profiled through written analysis and statistical tables. This information is available free of charge while the full publication may be ordered for a fee.
Centre for the Study of Higher Education, South Africa (CSHE)
The CSHE resource centre was established in 1992 and played a key role as an information provider during recent South African education policy initiatives such as the National Education Policy Investigation (NEPI) and the National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE). The working documents from both are housed in the Resource Centre. The website provides updates on news, policy, and government publications, with a South African focus. The CSHE online database gives access to author, title, and publication details pertaining to South African higher education. The intention of the CSHE is to make more information available online in full-text format.
Education Policy Analysis Archives
This resource is a peer reviewed journal published at the Education Policy Studies Laboratory at Arizona State University. The publication dates back to Volume 1, 1993. All articles in the journal are available full-text online and the subject matter is concerned with all levels of international education. Some articles appear in Spanish and Portuguese, although most are in English. This is one of the best free online international education journals, with strengths in regulation and funding.
The ERIC Database claims to be “the world's largest source of education information, with more than 1 million abstracts of documents and journal articles on education research and practice”. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, ERIC has a U.S. focus. Citations and abstracts are searchable online, free of charge. Full-text of articles can be obtained free where available, and electronically, by microfiche, or fax, on a payment basis.
Finnish Sources for Higher Education
This website is maintained by the Finnish Network for Higher Education and Training (FINHERT). The purpose of the site is to act as a portal to relevant resources for those working in or researching higher education. It provides links to international meeting documents, national and international policies on higher education, and a number of sources of news. Areas of interest include: ‘Research units and associations for higher education’, ‘Management and planning in higher education institutions’, and ‘Higher education policy and steering of higher education’. There is a European focus to the site.
International Higher Education- Centre for International Higher Education (CIHE), Boston College
'International Higher Education', the online journal of the CIHE is a quarterly full text publication featuring articles on higher education worldwide dating back to 1995. The newsletter may be searched by date, author, area or subject. Subject categories include many of direct interest to the Observatory, such as ‘Accreditation’, ‘Distance and Online Learning’, ‘For-Profit Higher Education’, ‘Private Higher Education and Privatisation’, ‘Trade and the Education Market’, and ‘Transnational Education’. Articles are short (1000-1500 words) and commissioned rather than peer reviewed, but the journal has grown into a unique collection of intelligence on higher education in more than fifty countries. The site provides links to a number of higher education partner organisations, resource links and CIHE affiliated journals.