Higher Education in the 21st Century: Global Challengeand NationalResponse

One of the oldest and largest international exchangeprograms in theworld, the Fulbright Scholar Program is in a uniqueposition to respondto the opportunities ushered in by the new century inwhich the nationsand citizens of the world are increasinglyinterdependent. Itsworldwidedesign and long standing international relationshipsrepresent avaluable platform upon which to build new, globalmodels forcollaborative thinking among scholars of manydifferent nationalitiesabout the challenges and possibilities for humankindin the 21stCentury.Higher Education in the 21st Century: Global Challengeand NationalResponse

One of the oldest and largest international exchangeprograms in theworld, the Fulbright Scholar Program is in a uniqueposition to respondto the opportunities ushered in by the new century inwhich the nationsand citizens of the world are increasinglyinterdependent. Itsworldwidedesign and long standing international relationshipsrepresent avaluable platform upon which to build new, globalmodels forcollaborative thinking among scholars of manydifferent nationalitiesabout the challenges and possibilities for humankindin the 21stCentury.

The Fulbright New Century Scholars Program bringstogether annually 30outstanding research scholars and professionals fromthe U.S. andaroundthe world. NCS fellows engage in multidisciplinarycollaboration underthe leadership of a Distinguished Scholar Leader andwork together toseek solutions to issues and concerns that affect allhumankind.

For the academic year 2005-2006, the research focus is"HigherEducationin the 21st Century: Global Challenge and NationalResponse." Philip G.Altbach, J. Donald Monan, SJ professor of highereducation and directorof the Center for International Higher Education atBoston College,willserve as the Distinguished New Century Scholar Leader.

Overview
Institutions of higher education will play a centralrole in addressingthe challenges of the 21st Century. They are crucialfor thedevelopmentof knowledge-based economies and for thriving civilsocieties. Theirroles in leadership training and in educating growingproportions ofthepopulation in the skills needed for complex, modernsocieties areessential. They provide research and analysis foraddressing problemsand opportunities in both the private and publicsectors. Yet, highereducation faces significant challenges throughout theworld. Enrollmentgrowth has created gigantic institutions unable toserve individualstudents well and has led to bureaucratically complexacademic systems.As societies increasingly view higher education as aprivate ratherthanpublic good, government funding has decreased andindividuals asked topay more of the cost of higher education-creatingproblems for accessand social equity. Research, always an important roleof highereducation, grows continually more expensive. Therapidly growing numberof private institutions of higher education and theinterlinking ofacademic institutions and systems across bordersinfluence thedevelopment of higher education.

By bringing together a diverse group of scholars andeducationalleadersfrom around the world to address the topic in nationalandinternationalsettings, NCS will contribute to a much needed crosscultural analysisand better understanding of these major issues andways to address themeffectively in diverse national contexts. By fosteringcollaborativeinteraction between scholars in industrialized anddeveloping nationsthat focuses on common problems, NCS will developconstructive ways forcontemporary institutions if higher education to copewith therealitiesand challenges of the 21st century.
Among central themes to be examined in depth:
* Elite and mass — access and equity
* The future of research
* The globalization of higher education
* Choice of institutional models
* Higher education and the development of civilsociety
* The technological revolution
* The future of the academic profession
* The public-private mix in higher education

Program Activities
To create a platform for collaborative thinking andpursuit of tangiblesolutions to the challenges posed by the NCS theme,NCS providesparticipants with specific opportunities to cometogether during theprogram year:
* Orientation and Goal Setting Session
* Mid-term Meeting
* Final Plenary Seminar
* International exchange opportunity of three months
* Ongoing discussion and interaction among NCS fellowsthroughoutprogram yearNCS Scholars are expected to participate in allactivities of theprogram and to contribute to NCS group objectivesthroughout theprogramyear.

Eligibility Requirements
Outstanding scholars and professionals of any rank inany field relatedto the NCS theme are invited to apply. Applicants withstronginterdisciplinary and comparative interests areespecially welcome.
* Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree in a relevantfield.
* Indonesian applicants must be citizens or permanentresidents of andresiding in Indonesia from which they are applying
* Indonesian applicants must submit their applicationsthrough AMINEF
* Fluency in English.
Approximately one-third of the participants will be USscholars, andtheremaining two thirds will be visiting scholars fromoutside the US.

Awards/Benefits
 > Individual travel/research awards in the amount of$37,000
 > Accommodations and meals for program seminarsNCS awards are intended to provide support for travelto all programmeetings, travel and maintenance for the exchangevisit, researchmaterials and assistance, and some salary replacement.

Tentative Timeline
September 2004 NCS Program announced andapplication materials availableDecember 27, 2004 Deadline for submission ofapplication materials to AMINEF officeMay 2005 Fulbright New Century Scholarsannounced
September 2005 NCS Orientation
September 2005 Exchange Visits may begin
March 2006 Mid-term Seminar
September 2006 Final Plenary Seminar

Contact Information:
Complete details, applicationmaterials andinstructions are available on the CIES website at www.cies.org. Questionsmay be addressed to
Piet Hendrardjo, AMINEF
Program Officer at piet@aminef.or.id