Barbara Cozza | Patrick Blessinger

What universities can do to mainstream sustainable development

What universities can do to mainstream sustainable development Patrick Blessinger and Barbara Cozza Note: This article first appeared in the December 2021 issue (Vol. 26 No. 2) of IAU Horizons. By and large, human beliefs, attitudes and mindsets drive human behaviours. Thus, the future of humanity, and the planet they inhabit, will ultimately depend on humanity’s ability to adopt a sustainability mindset in order to solve the most intractable issues of our time (for example, poverty, illiteracy, species extinction, resource depletion, climate change). Within this context, higher education, as a catalyst for economic and social progress, can and should lead the world to achieve a sustainable future with the support of the UN framework Agenda 2030 and the sustainable development goals. The future of humanity, and the planet they inhabit, will ultimately depend on humanity’s ability to adopt a sustainability mindset in order to solve the most intractable issues of our time. Ultimately, [...]

Patrick Blessinger2022-02-25T23:41:39+00:00December 11, 2021|Tags: Barbara Cozza, Higher Education, Leadership, Patrick Blessinger, Sustainable Development, V7A4|

The case for internationalisation of higher education

The case for internationalisation of higher education Patrick Blessinger and Barbara Cozza St. John's University (NYC), USA Not only has globalisation had a tremendous impact on the development of the world, but its impact on the internationalisation of higher education over the past few decades has been equally remarkable. Many different theories, perspectives and conceptions of globalisation exist to help explain its impact on political, economic and socio-cultural development at different levels. Although the history of globalisation is one of continual ebb and flow, the trajectory has been, nonetheless, a steady move towards greater interconnectedness and interdependence. It is difficult to predict what long-term effects the Great Recession (2008-10) and the current upswing of isolationist sentiments will have on international higher education in the coming years. Regardless, it is more important now than ever that students learn how to develop as global citizens. Given the uncertainty around globalisation’s impact on higher education, educational institutions are looking [...]

Patrick Blessinger2017-10-21T13:11:23+00:00October 21, 2017|Tags: Barbara Cozza, Globalization, International, Patrick Blessinger, University World News, V4A10|

A collective way for faculty to transform education

A collective way for faculty to transform education Patrick Blessinger, Barbara Cozza, and Milton Cox St. John's University (NYC), USA and Miami University, USA A faculty learning community, or FLC, is a group of faculty members who share a common desire to improve teaching and learning outcomes. To this end, faculty meet on a regular basis (say once or twice a month) to collaborate and share their knowledge and practices on how to become better teachers and how to produce better learning outcomes for students. The FLC concept, pioneered by Milton Cox and Laurie Richlin, has evolved over the past few decades into a template for faculty-led groups to transform teaching and learning processes and practices. FLCs are grounded in the ideas of John Dewey and Alexander Meiklejohn, among others, who advocated for active, inquiry-based, student-focused teaching and learning. The FLC model is now used by many educational institutions around [...]

Patrick Blessinger2018-03-21T14:50:51+00:00July 9, 2017|Tags: Barbara Cozza, Inquiry-Based Learning, Learning Communities, Milton Cox, Patrick Blessinger, University World News, V4A6|

How to make the most of international HE partnerships

How to make the most of international HE partnerships Patrick Blessinger and Barbara Cozza St. John's University (NYC) and International HETL Association University partnerships have become powerful vehicles for promoting civic and democratic engagement, cultivating international economic development and fostering teacher and school system improvement, among other aims. A university partnership is a relationship between a university and other groups where partners agree to collaborate in order to advance common interests. In the current era of globalisation and internationalisation, partnerships are becoming more widespread and increasingly global in scale and strategic in focus. Partnerships allow partners to minimise the potential risks associated with internationalisation and better use limited resources. As such, strategic partnerships are often part of an institution’s broader internationalisation strategy. Motivations and benefits University partnerships provide multiple benefits for partners. In the book series, University Partnerships, Barbara Cozza and I, along with several educational scholars, explore the different factors impacting international [...]