Human Rights | Patrick Blessinger

New higher education literacies for a sustainable future

New higher education literacies for a sustainable future Patrick Blessinger, Enakshi Sengupta and Mandla Makhanya As the world becomes more interconnected and interdependent, nations face increasing pressure to improve their political, economic, social, technological and environmental infrastructures in order to compete in an increasingly globalised world. Within this context, perhaps the most fundamental and important component of any nation in the 21st century is its educational system. As societies become more complex – economically, socially, technologically and otherwise – so must their educational systems. To this end, nations have responded by creating diverse educational systems that now consist of many different types of educational institutions, including trade schools, technical colleges, community colleges, liberal arts colleges and research universities, among others. In a complex society, a one-size-fits-all approach is unable to address all the varied needs of society. Therefore, a highly diverse educational system is seen by many as one of the keys to the promotion of economic [...]

Patrick Blessinger2019-10-25T22:23:37+00:00October 23, 2019|Tags: Education for Sustainable Development, Enakshi Sengupta, Human Rights, Mandla Makhanya, Patrick Blessinger, Sustainable Development, V6A6|

Rethinking higher education in the service of humanity

Rethinking higher education in the service of humanity Patrick Blessinger St. John's University (NYC) and International HETL Association As I reflect on the first 25 research-based articles I have authored and co-authored over the past several years with University World News, I would like to evaluate and summarise the key findings that have emerged from the empirical evidence used to ground these articles. The findings discussed in these articles is further explicated in the peer-reviewed book series, Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, a research collaboration between Emerald Group Publishing, the International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL) and hundreds of educational researchers and scholars from around the world. Other research on higher education is disseminated through the Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education. HETL (in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council or ECOSOC) initiated this book series to further the mission of ECOSOC and to support goal four of the UN Sustainable [...]

Patrick Blessinger2018-07-20T12:25:26+00:00July 20, 2018|Tags: Democracy, Human Rights, Patrick Blessinger, University World News, V5A5|

Higher education’s social responsibility to refugees

Higher education’s social responsibility to refugees Patrick Blessinger and Enakshi Sengupta St. John's University (NYC), USA and American University of Kurdistan The number of displaced people around the world has reached unprecedented levels. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR, estimates that more than 65 million people worldwide have been forcibly displaced from their homes due to extreme violence, war, persecution and similar factors. Currently, people are being displaced at a rate of about 20 people per minute. Particularly disturbing is that most of the growth in displaced people has occurred over the past five years. About one-third of the 65 million displaced people are classified as refugees. Over 50% of all refugees are children. The UNHCR defines a refugee as a person who is forced to leave her or his home country to escape extreme violence, war, persecution and man-made disasters and is granted asylum in another country. Most displaced people come [...]

Patrick Blessinger2017-12-24T15:05:58+00:00December 24, 2017|Tags: Enakshi Sengupta, Human Rights, Patrick Blessinger, Refugees, Social Responsibility, University World News, V4A13|

Inclusive higher education must cater for refugees

Inclusive higher education must cater for refugees Patrick Blessinger and Enakshi Sengupta St. John's University (NYC), USA and American University of Kurdistan Every year on 20 June World Refugee Day is held to promote awareness of the plight of millions of refugees worldwide. Currently, according to the UNHCR Population Statistics Database, more than 65 million people worldwide (roughly 1% of the world’s population) are displaced from their homes due to war, persecution, extreme violence, man-made disasters and similar factors. Of these displaced persons, about 20 million are classified as refugees, roughly the same number of people who were displaced worldwide as a result of World War II. Established in 1950, the UN Refugee Agency or UNHCR has become the world’s leading agency and programme responsible for the protection of refugees worldwide. In its capacity as the voice for refugees and other displaced persons, it leads international efforts to protect the rights of refugees and to [...]

Patrick Blessinger2017-09-03T13:48:07+00:00September 3, 2017|Tags: Enakshi Sengupta, Human Rights, Patrick Blessinger, Refugees, University World News, V4A7|

Why higher education must be more inclusive

Why higher education must be more inclusive Patrick Blessinger St. John's University (NYC) and International HETL Association The Cyrus Cylinder is widely considered to be the world’s first charter of human rights. Created in 539 BC by Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, it declared religious tolerance for all. In addition, the modern human rights movement can be traced to two key political revolutions in the late 18th century: the American Revolution and the French Revolution. The two key documents to emerge from these revolutions were the US Bill of Rights and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. Both documents emphasised political and civil rights. The rights codified in these documents were not, however, initially extended to all people in those nations, most notably women and minorities. For instance, it took a civil war in the United States, and other national movements, to extend basic constitutional rights [...]

Patrick Blessinger2017-03-11T19:28:34+00:00January 8, 2017|Tags: Human Rights, Inclusion, Patrick Blessinger, University World News, V4A1|

Education for rehabilitation and rebuilding confidence in war-torn children: Perspective from a Yezidi from Camp Khangee in Northern Iraq

Education for rehabilitation and rebuilding confidence in war-torn children: Perspective from a Yezidi from Camp Khangee in Northern Iraq Enakshi Sengupta The American University of Kurdistan “I want to be educated, it is my only way to fight Daesh” - Yezidi Refugee When the Education for All (EFA) goal was declared at the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal in April 2000, many educators could not have imagined that the world would be so torn by war and conflict over the years since the forum. A large number of the world population is homeless, facing genocide and have been displaced from their home country due to war, political instability, or religious repression. According to a recent press release from UNICEF, it is estimated that more than 14 million children across Syria, Libya and Iraq are now suffering from the escalating conflict in those regions. With the conflict in [...]

Patrick Blessinger2017-03-11T19:22:42+00:00July 9, 2016|Tags: Enakshi Sengupta, Ethics of Care, Human Rights, Multiculturalism, V3A5|

Afghan students face integrational issues in universities

Afghan students face integrational issues in universities Enakshi Sengupta American University of Kurdistan, Kurdistan, Northern Iraq “We carry our bag full of books and they think we have bombs with us”. “If we wear a hijab (head scarf) they think we are different from them and will not understand their jokes.” “Why do I have to take the initiative of befriending them, why do I need to be nice to them or smile at them?”(Student A, from the Qualitative study). Afghanistan’s nation-wide literacy rate has seen a country wide growth since the year 2008. The youth literacy rates has increased by more than 16% and at present more than 8 million students are enrolled in schools, including more than 2.5 million girls. In 2013, one million Afghan learners are enrolled in schools with the assistance received from USAID. (http://www.usaid.gov/afghanistan/education). With the world opening its doors to Afghan students it is [...]

Patrick Blessinger2016-04-02T14:57:22+00:00April 2, 2016|Tags: Enakshi Sengupta, Human Rights, Inclusion, Multiculturalism, V3A3|