Years Of International Cooperation Research Articles

100 years of international cooperation in education: Some takeaways from my 55 years of involvement

This article reviews my involvement since the late 1960s in education development, largely in developing countries. It focuses on what became the two cornerstones of my career: (i) Achieving universal primary education (UPE), especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and (ii) Promoting international cooperation in education. Half of my career was spent working as staff or consultant for the World Bank. The remainder was spent as staff of UNESCO (ten years), OECD (two), and Norwegian institutions (five), and as an independent consultant. While the issues have evolved over time, the world community still faces major and urgent challenges in the afore-mentioned areas. A large proportion of young people in poor countries, especially in SSA, continue to enter adulthood without basic literacy and numeracy skills. And, while it is more needed than ever, effective multilateral cooperation -- that goes beyond pious wishes voiced at global conferences to actual implementation -- faces complex new challenges in today’s increasingly interdependent, multi-polar world. Though progress has been mixed in the two areas to which I have devoted my career, I do not regret having done so. More than ever, progress in both areas is vital for securing the brighter future we all want, and I am happy to have been part of my generation’s efforts in this regard. I hope that the next generations will turn past lessons into stronger and more effective actions. The onset of the COVID pandemic gave a strong impetus to improved education cooperation. I hope that the many urgent challenges threatening our common future -- challenges that no country, however strong, can handle alone – will give the global community the necessary jolt to strengthen the ability of the multilateral system to deliver more effectively the global public good functions needed to address these challenges.

WMO Weathered the Cold War, but Can It Survive Capitalism?

After 150 years of international cooperation, meteorology’s “vast machine” is adapting to private weather forecasting.

100 years of international cooperation in hydrography

Peter Ehlers was to give a speech at the 2nd Session of the Assembly (2020) in Monaco, which was to mark the 100th anniversary of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). Sadly, the speech was cancelled due to the exceptional circumstances posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. His words were left unspoken. Nevertheless, as Peter Ehlers still had something of significance to say, we are now publishing the manuscript of his intended speech.greatest risk of climate change-related hazards.

Recognizing vaccine wastage in Georgia.

The COVID-19 vaccination program in the country of Georgia began on March 15, 2021, and reached its peak in the summer of 2021. Throughout the process, individuals had access to over 5.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines which were acquired from various sources as reported by the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC). Factors such as widespread vaccine hesitancy and low demand led to reduced vaccine uptake, low vaccination rates, and vaccine wastage. As of August 2022, a total of 2,922,000 doses have been administered with less than 35% of the Georgian population, or 1,276,000 people, fully vaccinated with at least two doses. Over 400,000 doses have expired at NCDC's storage facilities due to low demand. Many more doses have been wasted at administration points, and there is a risk of wasting more in the future. The key reasons for wastage are widespread public hesitancy toward the newly developed vaccines, inconsistent policies and communication from government officials, rampant disinformation, and ambiguity from influential bodies in Georgian society. Despite certain limitations, logistics is not among the leading causes of wastage, as Georgia was able to develop a strong cold-chain and vaccine administration infrastructure through years of international cooperation that allowed for efficient management of the COVID-19 vaccination process. Lastly, in addition to establishing a robust reporting system and ensuring transparency of vaccine wastage data, relevant studies based on original data are required to better understand the problem. Conducting studies on health literacy in the country as a baseline for long-term interventions, as well as research that will increasingly evidence-inform further pandemic response are being recommended.

Context & Challenges of the 2021 EU Green Bond Standard

Human activity has been continuously harming our planet’s eco-system, and we have reached an unprecedented level of urgency. According to the International Panel on Climate Change, we have caused virtually 100% of the global warming of the past century. Undeniably, finance plays a vital role in decreasing the devastating effects of our own behaviour. As the green bond market expands, it is undoubtedly becoming essential for green finance and the transition to a resource efficient, low-carbon, and socially inclusive economy. Still, the green bond market remains mostly unregulated. On this, the EU Green Bond Standard is a step forward, establishing the first framework encompassing regulatory supervision, the result of years of international cooperation on climate change mitigation. However, progress in any field entails both advantages and challenges. Striking the right balance of strictness will prove to be critical. The success of the benchmark will be ultimately conditioned by its efficient implementation, contingent upon the effect of regulation on innovation, the alignment with the EU Taxonomy, the proposed voluntary nature, and the extent to which it reduces greenwashing.

FOREWORD TO THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE 'EUROPEAN VEGETATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY'

FOREWORD TO THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE 'EUROPEAN VEGETATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY' The conference 'European vegetation in the 21st century' was held in theNational University of Ireland, Galway, in June 2005 and was succeeded by a week-long excursion to some of themost important sites for Irishvegetation. The three-day conference was attended by over 130 delegates from 21 countries from as far afield asRussia and Georgia in the east, Sweden in the north,Malta in the south and Ireland in thewest. Itwas the fourthmajor meeting of European vegetation scientists in Irelandwithin the last 100 years. The firstof these, the International Phyto geographical Excursion, was held in 1911 and was organised by the illustrious Irish botanist Robert Lloyd Praeger. Among the participants was the eminent British botanist Arthur Tansley, who subsequently described aspects of Irish vegetation in his seminal book The British Islands and their vegetation(Tansley 1939). The second International Phytogeographical Excursion, held in 1949, was organised by the late Professor David Webb. The star attractions on that occasion were none other thanBraun-Blanquet and T?xen themselves,who compiled thefirstaccounts of Irishvegetation using the continental phytosociological methodology. Their account, published in Irische Pflanze ngesellschaften(Braun-Blanquet and T?xen 1952) has since become a standard reference for all aspiring Irish vegetation scientists. The third meeting, held by the International Society for Vegetation Science, took place in 1980 and was organised byDr Austin O'Sullivan, Dr Jim White and the late Professor Webb. The Galway conference provided an oppor tunity to take stock of developments in Irish vegetation studies over the last 25 years. In addition, with our closer integration into the European Community and its recent expansion eastward, itwas also an opportunity to take a broader look at developments invegetation science. It also coincided with the centenary of the publication of the firstdetailed vegetation map of Irishvegetation, thatof the 'districtlying south of Dublin' by Pethybridge and Praeger (1905). In contrast to other countries, studies of Irish vegetation have, until relativelyrecently,been fitful. After the map produced by Pethybridge and Praeger in 1905 little furtherwas done by Irish scientists until the 1960s and 1970s, when Professor J.J. Moore and Dr Austin O'Sullivan enthusiastically embraced the continental approach to phyto sociology. Detailed studies of grasslands and peatlands were undertaken and preliminarymaps were produced (seeWhite 1982). Initial studies of Irish woodlands were begun (e.g. Kelly 1975). Following the enactment of the 1976Wildlife Act the pace of surveying and classifying vegetation intensifiedwith systematic coverage of numerous habitat types, such as raised bogs (e.g.Douglas and Grogan 1985; Cross 1990),machair (Crawford etal. 1996), saltmarshes (Curtis and Sheehy Skeffington 1998). The informationgathered fromthese surveys provided a basis for the first steps towards the conservation of Irish flora and habitats under the Wildlife Act. Much of this information was also incorporated into the recently published Map of the Natural Vegetation of Europe (Bohn et al. 2003; 2004), one of the principal stimuli for the conference. This map is the result ofmore than 25 years of international cooperation between vegetation scientists from nearly all countries of Europe, and it is the firstof itskind for an entire continent. The map alone, with nearly 700 units, is a work of art, and while some botanists have reservations regarding the concept of potential natural vegetation, it has already been widely accepted as a useful tool in termsof planning and management. The second stimulus for the conference, the EU Habitats Directive, has become the principal tool for nature conservation, not only within Ireland but also throughout theEU and applicant states.All 25 member statesare obliged to identify, protect, monitor and manage a network of areas or Sites of Community Importance (SCIs), known as Natura 2000 sites, and vegetation scientists have played an important role in defining and implementing this directive. Europe has a long history of landuse andmanagement, with the result that very little undisturbed natural vegetation remains. There are, however, extensive areas of managed natural and semi-natural vegetation and 'cultural landscapes' of high conservation value. In recent decades increased urbanisation and the intensificationof agriculture and forestryhave led Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Vol. 106B, No. 3, 163-165...

New developments in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP): cooperative, prospective studies by the Intercontinental Childhood ITP Study Group.

Based on 6 years of experience with worldwide cooperation of investigators in the field of hematology, the International Childhood ITP Study Group (ICIS) has provided a long-term concept for prospective studies and new, evidence-based definitions of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Structured interactions between the cooperating investigators, the ICIS board, the writing committees, an expert panel, and the central operative office are summarized in the Rules of the ICIS. Preliminary experience shows high acceptance of the activities of the ICIS by participants from many countries. There is good cooperation, resulting in analyses and publication of results. New areas of focus for ICIS include the formation of an expert panel, regular meetings, and publication of results from current studies. Long-term financial resources must be found. ICIS is looking back on 6 constructive years of international cooperation resulting in new or confirmatory evidence regarding the demographics, diagnosis, natural history, and management of childhood ITP. New structures and cooperation must be identified to continue this productive endeavor.

The Sino-German experience - 20 years of cooperation in vocational education and training

20 years of Sino-German cooperation in vocational training and education (VET) have produced a great many mutual benefits. This article outlines the stages underwent during the development of Sino-German cooperation in VET, describing certain experiences, in particular highlighting practices such as labour market oriented curricula, action based and student centred learning techniques and the use of modern media, that most contributed to the successful planning and implementation of cooperative projects. One particular lesson to emerge over these twenty years of international cooperation is that concentrating on proven practices will in most cases produce good results, regardless of the policies formulated at the macro level.

Twenty-five years of international cooperation in water-related development assistance, 1972–1997

Twenty-five years of international cooperation in water-related development assistance, 1972–1997

The International Association of Geodesy (IAG)- more than 130 years of international cooperation -

The International Association of Geodesy (IAG)- more than 130 years of international cooperation -

Classifying and indexing of patent documents —a retired patent documentalist looks back

The author, former Head of Information and Documentation at the German patent office, gives his recollections of more than 30 years of international cooperation. He reviews the work of the former ICEREPAT committees and the development of the IPC and outlines his opinions on the problems still associated with searching of patent documents.

International co-operation in the use of satellites for the world climate programme

The World Climate Programme (WCP), in dealing with the complex topic of climate, is highly dependent on observations and measurements of many parameters and phenomena occurring from the surface of the Earth to the top of the atmosphere, and global in extent. Satellite observations and measurements are therefore critical to the success of many different components in the WCP. The present network of polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites represents nearly 25 years of international co-operation and now constitutes a part of the Global Observing System of the World Weather Watch. The WCP can satisfy a number of its observation and measurement requirements by making use of this existing satellite network. This can be done either through use of the operational products produced for near-real time applications or through use of the satellite data stored in the archives. An awareness of how to interact with the sources, combined with knowledge about the limitations and deficiencies of satellite data and products, are critical for scientists working in climate research and applications. Among the most important characteristics of satellite observations and measurements for the WCP are the global coverage, consistency and continuity of the data sets.

Refugees: Goodbye to the Good Old Days

The era of relative simplicity in refugee affairs has ended. Legal challenges, economic difficulties in the industrialized democracies, and the inability of some countries of first asylum to allow refugees to remain in their territories have contributed to a sense of crisis. This has come about because of confusion between refugees and economic migrants and a perception that greater numbers of people are on the move, in more uncontrollable ways, than ever before. Finally, economic and employment problems, which are themselves cyclical, lead to protectionist measures that can become fixed in law. To keep our commitments to genuine refugees and the system of protection and assistance that has evolved over 60 years of international cooperation, two things are needed. The first is to maintain the integrity of the definition of a refugee as it exists in international treaty and U.S. statute. The tendency to wish to extend those privileges to all unfortunate people is understandable, but will surely erode the special status reserved to victims of persecution. The second is to design joint resettlement and development projects that can benefit a broader class of displaced persons. This will relieve population pressures on first-asylum countries; avoid eligibility determinations that sometimes result in stark life-and-death choices; and, by helping development, also contribute to ameliorating some of the root causes of forced migration.

ICAO—Its Origin and Development: A Personal View

On the 1st November 1944 the delegates of 52 States met at Chicago at the invitation of the United States Government, and, on the 7th December, the Convention on International Civil Aviation (the Chicago Convention) was signed. It came into force on 4th April 1947. Today, there are 117 States parties to the Convention, albeit representing, in the main, the same territories.To mark the achievement of 25 years of international co-operation through ICAO, I had personally hoped that it might be possible to get the President of the Council, Mr. Walter Binaghi, to give an up-to-date account of ICAO’s work. This not being possible, I have been asked to take his place, and I must make it clear that I cannot attempt to do the same thing. This is not a history of ICAO. I speak only from the point of view of my experience in the first 10 years. I hope to show the origin of some ideas and actions and trace certain changes in thinking and attitudes. I must apologise in advance if, in doing so, I seem to give undue attention to matters in which I have taken part and to ignore so much else that has been done. How much that is was impressively borne in on me, when I recently received the ICAO Bulletin for September 1969. For an authoritative and complete (though summarised) account of what ICAO is and what it has done, I commend this admirable review, and I wish to pay my tribute to those who have contributed so much to what there is recorded.

THE WHITE HOUSE Excerpts from Statement by the President on The International Cooperation Year Program

THE WHITE HOUSE Excerpts from Statement by the President on The International Cooperation Year Program

Ten Years of International Co-Operation in the Antarctic

Ten Years of International Co-Operation in the Antarctic

Medical Education Overseas

The Medical and Technical Education Study Group of the International Co-operation Year held a symposium on " Methods of Teaching Large Numbers of Medical Personnel in Developing Countries " at the Ciba Foundation on 30 November, under the co-chairmanship of Dr. J. R. Ellis (London Hospital) and Professor K. R. Hill (Royal Free Hospital). The symposium was opened by Sir Arthur Porritt, who gave an account of the recent Commonwealth Medical Conference at Edin burgh. He outlined the proposed establish ment of supernumerary appointments in this country, at both university and regional hos pitals, to enable doctors to visit developing countries more easily on secondment, and stressed the importance of the general duty officer who was trained in environmental, preventive, and social medicine. Many developing countries rejected the concept of the " medical assistant," and demanded fully trained doctors. Dr. S. Gau vain (London) discussed the results of a small survey carried out with postgraduate students on the relative merits of the didactic lecture and the seminar. The former had been found to be the more popu lar with students, but there seemed to be little difference in the examination results achieved by either method.

The Council for Exceptional Children and International Cooperation Year 1965.

The United Nations has designated 1965 as International Cooperation Year as a means of emphasizing cooperative programs and activities throughout the world. This paper encourages CEC federation and chapter participation in ICY, and suggests programs and materials which may be used to make CEC members aware of the importance of international cooperation.

United States Policy and the Crisis of International Law: Some Reflections on the State of International Law in “International Co-operation Year”

If the twentieth anniversary of the United Nations, designated as “International Co-operation Year,” had fallen in 1964 rather than 1965, a general assessment of the evolution of international law and organization since the end of World War II would have justified a measure of cautious confidence. Mankind was still very far from having organized itself against the danger of aggression. The danger of the proliferation of nuclear arms remained without effective control, apart from a partial nuclear test ban to which both the United States and the Soviet Union were parties. The world’s largest state, Communist China, remained outside the United Nations and without diplomatic relations with the United States and a large number of other states. The United Nations remained without effective control in conflicts between major Powers. The special agencies of the United Nations and other international welfare organizations still lacked, with few exceptions, the legal and executive power to cope with the many urgent problems of mankind. In the two most vital and dangerous areas: the conservation of resources, and the stemming of the explosive growth in the world's population, international organization was still embryonic or altogether lacking. But these grave drawbacks and deficiencies.

Canada and The International Cooperation Year in Education

Canada and The International Cooperation Year in Education