Maritime Piracy

Introduction Maritime piracy is an increasingly deadly danger to all that work at sea. It poses danger to the maritime commerce and global economy. This is in addition to limiting the basic right enjoyed by humanity to travel securely and liberally thereby crippling the tourism industry. Maritime piracy is a leading economic and national security threat. It is an onslaught on global economy. This is in consideration that over 80% of international trade is conducted through marine transportation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Maritime Piracy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Main Body Maritime Piracy as Security and Economic Threat Among the least understood international security danger is the struggle to contain piracy in the Gulf of Aden, Somalia, and the Indian Ocean. Unfortunately, these are not the only fronts where piracy is a menace since it does not affect the daily lives of most people compared to cyber crime or terrorism. Cargo owners, insurance companies, and shippers are directly affected. The security measures that companies have to put in place increase the cost of shipping. Consequently, the price of goods increases thereby affecting consumers and eventually the economy (Farrell, 2012). Maritime piracy is increasing becoming a danger to global trade. For the United States, it is actually a national security issue given that pirates are establishing links to international terrorism. Previously, payments have been made to pirates hence expanding their activities and consequently driving up the costs of maritime trade. Pirates have used these funds to support terrorism activities in diverse regions including the Middle East and homegrown terrorism in the US. Pirates strategically position themselves in routes that disrupt main maritime transportation routes between Asia and Europe. It affects the flow of manufactured goods and commodities along the Horn of Africa. This acts as the strategic trade route that connects maritime commerce between the west and the east at the Gulf of Aden. In addition to the threat it poses to transportation, it destabilizes the entire maritime sector. The attacks perpetrated by pirates shatter global shipping industry at a time when the sector faces serious economic and financial hurdles (Carafano Rodeback, 2011). Combating Maritime Piracy In essence, piracy is a transnational security and economic issue. As such, it should be countered using a multidimensional approach. The strategy should focus on security, prevention, international relations, and preclusion. The approach has been embraced by Indonesia and Italy.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The vast of the international community including the US has stepped up support for Kenya in combating piracy, and by extension terrorism, along the Kenya and Somali coastline . Indonesia has an exceptional evidence of fighting piracy. The cooperative patrol system adopted by Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia has proved to be effective. The patrols carried out in the Strait of Malacca have proved to be an effective anti-piracy program (Carafano Rodeback, 2011). Every country should commit full-fledge efforts in creating awareness regarding piracy. In addition, appropriate measures should be developed to keep seas safe and protect shippers and the industry. The measures taken by the US government should be augmented with the strategies adopted by Indonesia. This includes combining efforts with enhanced regional and multilateral collaboration with diverse organizations. Unearthing and combating the root cause as deterrence should be prioritized. Dismantling criminal groups is another effective way of combating piracy. This has been proved effective by the Kenya Defense Forces’ dismantling of Al-Shabab terror networks in Somali and their continued s tay in Somali and surveillance of the Indian Ocean high seas and the coastline. Conclusion It is in the interest of global economy that piracy should be viewed as a leading source of security and economic threat. Since maritime piracy leads to disruption of maritime trade flow, it affects the world as commodity prices increase. It is imperative to enhance the quality of international security commitment to combat piracy. The current trend in international cooperation is encouraging but much more require doing. References Carafano, J. J., Rodeback, J. (2011). Taking the fight to the pirates: Applying counterterrorist methods to the threat of piracy. Web. Farrell, L. P. (2012). Piracy: A threat to maritime security and the global economy. Web. This essay on Maritime Piracy was written and submitted by user Jamal Shepherd to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The role of prophecies in Oedipus the King

The role of prophecies in Oedipus the King This paper is aimed at discussing the role of prophecies in the play Oedipus the King by Sophocles. In particular, it is necessary to show how different characters attempt to respond to the predictions, which they do not wish to come true, and explain the effects of their actions. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The role of prophecies in Oedipus the King specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Overall, it is possible to say that by attempting to prevent the prophecies from being fulfilled, they only seal their fate and eventually suffer the misfortunes that they fear so much. In order to better illustrate this argument, we need to speak about such characters as Laius and Oedipus. Laius is the rule of Thebes; he learns from oracle that his son Oedipus will kill him and usurp his throne. This is why he orders Oedipus to be killed but they fail to execute his order and save the child. The main thing is that by giving this co mmand, Laius starts a chain of events which eventually results in his death. Oedipus slaughters him without realizing that Laius is his father. Provided that this character decided to take no action in response to the prophecy, the disaster could have been averted. This is the cruel irony of this tragedy. The main error that this character commits is that he prefers to escape his destiny rather than face it. He decides to kill his son rather than try to educate him. Certainly, Laius does not believe the course of events cannot be changed but he attemps to do by relying on brutal force instead of courage, perseverance, and love. In his turn, Oedipus behaves in a very similar way. He is adopted by Polybus, the King of Corinth. For a very long time, he does not know that Polybus and his wife Pariboea are not his real parents. Yet, he learns from oracle that in the future, he will murder his father and marry his mother. Oedipus flees Corinth in order to avoid this catastrophe, althoug h he does not believe himself to be capable of committing such an atrocity. Again, if he had chosen to stay at home, the oracle’s prophecy might have never come true. Both these characters prefer to run away from danger rather than face it. This might be one of the reasons why misfortunes befall them. As it has been said before, Oedipus accidentally slaughters Laius and marries Jocasta, his mother. Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It should be noted that Oedipus mistakes his father for a mere townsman with whom he had a quarrel and killed. He feels practically no remorse for killing this person. Oedipus’ primary concern is that this man is not his father. For a long time, he lives thikning that no danger threatens him and his family. However, later he learns terrible truth about himself. Overall, prophecies are the main drivers of the plot. Every step that characters take is an attempt to escape destiny; yet, these prophecies turned to be self-fulfilling. Sophocles makes the readers think about possible outcomes provided that the main characters had decided to take no action or to behave in a different way. Sophocles does not try to depict human beings as creatures who are entirely devoid of free will. Both Laius and Oedipus are very strong-willed people, but sometimes they lack courage to face challenges. Through these characters Sophocles urges the reader think primarily about the ethical implications of their actions. Sophocles. Oedipus the King (transl. by David Grene). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 2010. Print.

A Learning Experience Essay Example for Free

A Learning Experience Essay ? In this content, there will be a discussion on how someone can learns how to not use drugs and what it was like for them before and after their initial use. There will be an identification of what someone would learn from using to not using. Also included in the discussion there will be a description of how someone’s learning could have occurred through classical conditioning, identifying the unconditioned stimulus, the unconditioned response, the conditioned stimulus, and the conditioned response. An explanation will be given in regards to how their learning could have occurred through operant conditioning, describing the behavior, consequence, and reinforcement. There will be an address of how the learning could have occurred through cognitive-social learning. Identifying the Learning Experience Let us say that someone has been doing drugs on a social basis, living a wild and carefree lifestyle. Until one day, a different way of using the drug becomes introduced. In that instance the drug is introduced, it becomes an automatic addiction. It becomes an overwhelming desire to have more to obtain that rush repeatedly. It is the loss of all control and the beginning of losing the power of life. The person frits at the thought of the drug and loses control when they cannot get a hold of it when they want it and how they want it. It becomes a part of their lifestyle and it becomes more difficult for them to lose the desire after a long period of using. It takes a power greater then themselves to quit and the help of people like them who have been clean. With the help and support of these people, the desire to use becomes less and less and the â€Å"disease of addiction,† becomes arrested. What is Learned through the Experience The long term learning experience is learning to live without the use of drugs. Living with the use of drugs causes many to live a life of unmanageability. It leads to a time in an addict’s life when they seek a place where they can receive help, therefore leading to a clean life. They no longer want to live with the obsession of using and no longer with a life of insanity. Classical Conditioning, Unconditioned Stimulus and Response, Conditioned Stimulus and Response Classical conditioning is a form of learning in which a neutral stimulus becomes a conditional stimulus capable of eliciting a given response after being repeatedly presented with an unconditioned (significant) stimulus (Oxford Reference, 2007). For example, an addict may use a pipe, cigarillos, roll up papers, or syringes (conditional stimulus) whenever an addict set out to use their preferred drug of choice. Eventually, the addict becomes craved at the presence of these items (conditional response), even when the drug was absent (unconditional stimulus). Therefore, the absence of the drug leads to the overwhelming desire to use (unconditional response). If the drugs and all the items are present and then something runs out, the conditional and unconditional stimuli occurs together and are presented at the same place, making the addict powerless. Operant Conditioning, Behavior, Consequence, Reinforcement  Operant conditioning (instrumental conditioning) is a form of learning where an individual forms an association between a particular behavioral response and a particular reinforcement (Oxford Reference, 2007). In the case of an addict, when an addict takes the first drug it may be pleasant, but then a thousand is never enough. Therefore, the cliche becomes an addict’s worst nightmare. They use to live and live to use, resulting in the disease of addiction. Once an addict realizes the more they use the more unpleasant it gets, they do not want to face the consequences of jails, institutions, or death. Therefore, they seek the help of recovering addicts, admit their powerlessness over the drug, and make a choice to come clean. As an addict attempts to come clean, they need the reinforcement of Narcotics Anonymous meetings on a daily basis. It is recommended that a newcomer attend 90 meetings in 90 days, associate themselves with other recovering addicts of the same sex, and to seek out a sponsor to work the Twelve Steps. With all these options that Narcotics Anonymous provides helps a recovering addict get well on their way to living a clean productive life. The recovering addict needs to be constantly reminded to take it a day at a time, remember that they didn’t become an addict over night, to keep going back (to meetings), and easy does it. If an addict keeps coming back, they are less likely to go out an relapse; but if they keep beating themselves up, do not change the people, places, and things around them, and continue to keep their old behaviors, they are just punishing themselves making it less likely for them to return to meetings and instead go out and use. Cognitive-Social Learning Cognitive-social learning incorporates the general concepts of conditioning, but rather than relying on a simple stimulus and response model, this theory emphasizes the interpretation or thinking that occurs within the organism, stimulus-organism-response (Carpenter-Huffman, 2010). In the case of an addict, addicts have attitudes, beliefs, expectations, motivations, and emotions that affect learning (Carpenter-Huffman, 2010). In the case of a recovering addict, these old beliefs, attitudes, false motivation and expectations, and lost emotions, being in the rooms of a Narcotics Anonymous meeting helps them to socialize with other recovering addicts and soon the newcomer is able to learn new behaviors through the observations, suggestions, and reading of literature given. In a roundabout way, the newcomer begins by imitating and sharing in meetings, gains a comfort, develops a sense of security, and becomes honest with themselves, allowing them to become honest with other recovering addicts. They learn that not one person is different from another in a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, but they are all alike, one addict reaching out to help another addict recover. Conclusion With the continued socialization and fellowshipping of Narcotics Anonymous, a recovering addict can lose the constant desire to use, find a power greater than themselves, and live a new life taking it a day at a time because any day clean is a day of success. Classical conditioning is a learned behavior that happens with or without the drugs being present. Operant conditioning is knowing that there are consequences for this learned ehavior (drug use), that results in punishment (an addict trying to recover but still having the presence of their old people, places and things resulting in relapse), and lead to a desire to have positive reinforcement (an addict entering into recovery after a life of defeat). Cognitive-social learning is coming to the realization that through participation in the Narcotics Anonymous program, it becomes easier to recover seeing that other addicts too have chosen to recover (imitating and practicing the principles, traditions, and completing the twelve steps). A Learning Experience. (2017, Mar 04).

Two news Reading response about supply chain management strategy Assignment

Two news Reading response about supply chain management strategy - Assignment Example This company focuses on the preferences of their customers and tries to make a product by adopting these preferences. This process is known as Quality Function Deployment. The Fashion world is quite uncertain and keeps on changing day to day due to the changing trends across the globe. Zara is one of the most renowned companies in the fashion industry and the reason behind its success is its exceptional supply management strategies. The supply chain strategies of this company make it successful in the stock market. One of the reasons behind its efficient supply chain management is that it uses information technology to achieve its supply chain. Zara uses its own railway track that helps in the speedy distribution of goods to other developing countries. Also, Zara create its products in small qualities and in this way they figure out which product is successful and which won’t work in the market (Loeb). Loeb, W. (2013, October 14). Zaras Secret To Success: The New Science Of Retailing. Retrieved January 20, 2015, from Forbes :

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FINANCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FINANCE - Essay Example A well reputed business will attract a vast pool of franchisees in the foreign land as brand recognition is one of the key advantages that every franchisee is keen to get from a franchise contract. Through franchising an organization can avoid many of the start up problems that it can face in a new country. By having a local person as a franchisee in order to sell its products the organization will be able to gain trust of the people of the new country and it will not feel alienated in a foreign land. Moreover the franchisee may guide the organization to gain recognition in its new market by applying specifically those marketing techniques that correspond to the taste of the general public. Additionally the organization will have a promising return in shape of royalty fees. But franchising also entails some drawbacks as an overseas expansion strategy. Firstly, the organization will face cultural barriers especially the language barrier (if the language of the home country and foreign country are different) while finding a suitable franchisee and then initiating its operations in a new territory. Secondly, the organization personals have to visit the foreign country, and most probably stay there for some time, in order to acquaint themselves with the ground realities and assist the initiation of operations. Thirdly, heavy capital investment will be needed in order to install machineries in new place. Lastly, the organization has to constantly inspect the franchisee operations in order to ensure quality consistency which is the essential characteristic of any franchise. 2. Licensing: licensing can be comparatively a safe mode of expanding overseas in which an organization (the licensor) permits the company (the licensee) in a target market to use its property which is usually intangible e.g. patents, trademarks and production techniques (Quick MBA n.d.). Licensing reduces risk as the licensor produces and markets the product while licensor receives the license fe e. Moreover licensor can get a higher ROI because of its minimum investment. Furthermore licensing is an effective tool to avoid the trade barriers and helps the organization to develop its brand name by familiarizing itself in the foreign country through licensing. But licensing is not without its drawbacks. The licensor does not get mega brand recognition in the new territory because it is not producing the producing but merely extending its name/label to the product. Even more there is a potential danger of knowledge spillovers and licensee may become a competitor in future once the license time period is over. 3. Joint Venture: joint ventures can be defined as "an enterprise in which two or more investors share ownership and control over property rights and operation" (Market Entry Strategies n.d.).While joint venture facilitates the sharing of technology and work load it also ensures financial strength. Joint venture entails medium level of control as both the organizations in it work at the same level and there is no one boss who can dictate the working of joint venture rather it is more about mutual cooperation. It is a very suitable way of entering in a foreign market when the organization wants to create a synergy by combining two teams that have distinct skills and when combined together can produce outstanding results. Joint venture can prove to be an inappropriate way of entering in a new market when the partners in a joint venture can be potential competitors and have same line of products. In these cases join venture

Associates degree Essay Example for Free

Associates degree Essay Picture this: You’re at the end of your summer before your senior year in high school. All summer, you’ve been working your minimum wage job, completing a project for school, and spending time with your friends and family. Every day is unique. Every day is new. You meet new people, go new places, and make new memories. Suddenly, and all too quickly, summer comes to an abrupt end. Senior year begins and the days go by faster than ever. You were courageous this year; you took â€Å"hard† classes. Well, hard classes means more schoolwork than ever before. More than you were expecting. And don’t forget about your job, three or four days a week after school for five or six hours, and one or both days of the weekend for eight hours. This is harder than you thought. You’re always tired. You’re always behind. You catch up one day, and are behind by the next. If you didn’t have to work, you could probably catch up. However, if you don’t work, you have no money to drive, and definitely no money for college. College is the one word you wish to avoid, but know it is inevitable. Applications are due soon, and you don’t have a clue what you want to do, much less where you want to go. Even if you were sure, there’s still a chance you can’t afford it. Coming from a family of five who lived in a one bedroom apartment when I was born, I am very lucky to be where I am now, and I know this. I have seen firsthand that with hard work and determination, everyone can succeed. I know I have the opportunity to do anything I want, be anyone I want. I could be an architect, a photographer, an engineer, a chemist. Anything. But what do I want to do? Where do I want to go? What type of school would be best for me? Deciding on if college is right for you, and if so, which college you want to attend is a very important decision to make. It will cost you a lot of money, and is not a decision to take lightly. Colleges can be broken down into two basic types, which can then be broken down further. The first of these is two-year colleges. Two-year institutions, sometimes called community or junior colleges, have programs that offer up to an associate degree, Associate of Arts (A. A. ) or Associate of Science (A. S. ), following successful completion of a two-year, full-time program. A few two-year colleges also offer the final two years of an undergraduate program only, awarding the bachelors degree rather than the associate degree. There are two basic types of programs at community and junior colleges, so when you start your search, having your career goals in mind will help in selecting a school. Some programs are strictly academic and are to prepare students to transfer to a bachelors degree program at a four-year school. Others are more applied and provide career training in specific areas (technical college). Though some of the credits offered at this second type of school may be accepted by a four-year institute, this type of school is not designed for students planning to transfer to such an institute. The next basic type of school is a four-year institution (college or university). The college or university, sometimes called an institute when offered programs focus on engineering or other technical courses, award a bachelors degree. The Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees are the most common, but many other bachelor’s programs are offered. Bachelors degrees are typically awarded after successfully completing a four-year, full-time program. Programs in some fields of study or at some institutions can be longer than four years. Some colleges have an affiliation with a specific religious group. If you’re looking at going to a four-year institution, a good place to start your search is a college guide. These guides show you the different types of four-year institutions available to you. Information provided by individual colleges can help influence your decision as well as. Both two-year colleges and four-year universities can be further broken down. One further division is public and private institutes. Generally, two-year community colleges, and state colleges or universities are publicly supported (funded). The state these institutions are located in generally provides the majority of their funding. The cost of private schools is generally higher because they do not receive the same state or federal funding. Colleges and universities with religious affiliations are private schools. Most are Christian (Roman Catholic and Protestant). Most often, you do not need to be a follower of any specific religion to attend a religiously affiliated college and these institutions generally strive to avoid effecting any students religious views. Cost of college can be a very important thing to take into consideration when choosing a college. Tuition costs have been going up at an increasing rate for many years. â€Å"In its most recent survey of college pricing, the College Board reports that a moderate college budget for an in-state public college for the 2011–2012 academic year averaged $21,447. A moderate budget at a private college averaged $42,224. † In the past 30 years, the cost has increased by over 500%, and that cost is expected to continue increasing by around 8% per year (the cost of living has only increased by approximately 250% in that same time period). That’s an additional $1,500 per year for in-state public colleges, and around $3,000 more per year for private colleges! Why, though, has this cost been increasing so drastically? In most other countries in the world, college is either payed for by taxes, or is very affordable. But what makes up this cost? The majority is tuition. Tuition is what colleges charge for the instruction they provide. Tuition is charged either by the semester or quarter depending on the college. Typically, one year of school is made up of classes ranging from early fall to spring (i. e late August through early May). Tuition for in-state residents at a public university is a bargain compared to what out-of-staters pay (often double the tuition of residents). Other costs (which will be covered in the following paragraphs) are generally about the same for residents or non-residents. Tuition at some colleges can also vary by major. Students in the sciences, engineering, computing, premed programs, and the fine arts often pay more. This â€Å"variable tuition† is something to keep in mind if you have a program/major in mind. Student fees are the next major part of the overall cost of college. These include anything from library access and parking, to registration and student government. Colleges usually give a total student fee, although this is generally only broken down into the most significant parts. However, other things that are generally included in these costs are health insurance, use of athletic facilities, ID cards, diplomas and graduation costs, lab supplies, computer access, student activities, and local bus service. Housing, meals, books, and other school supplies make up the majority of the rest of the total cost of college. Many colleges offer on-campus housing that varies greatly in price and comfort. Meal plans may also be purchased. Depending on the college, some plans are included with the cost of housing, while other schools keep the two separate. The plans can vary from as little as 7 meals a week or less to all you can eat, depending on how much you want to pay. Laptops are provided by most colleges, however the price to use these machines is usually quite hefty. While it may be expensive to rent a laptop, most often you will have access to nearly any program, as well as being able to purchase cheaper, student copies of programs to keep permanently. In high school, I was hardly told anything about college. Never was it even suggested that it might be a good idea to research different types of schools. After reading article after article about different types of colleges, and the factors to include in the total cost, I feel like I am finally beginning to understand the different types of colleges and the cost that comes along with them. There is still a lot of research to be done, but at least I am beginning to find my way. Hopefully, if you (the reader) are also thinking about college, and maybe even in a similar situation to me, this has helped you start working towards your final decision.

cary :: essays research papers

BIO: ELIZABETH CARY (1585-1639)Elizabeth Cary held the honor of being known as the first Englishwoman to write an original drama. At the urging of writer John Davies, Cary published The Tragedy of Mariam in 1613. Cary was also the first Englishwoman to write a tragedy and the first to write a history play, The History of the Life, Reign and Death of Edward II (ca. 1627). Cary's other works include various religious hymns, poems and translations from the languages of French, Spanish, Latin and Hebrew. Elizabeth Cary was the sole child born to Sir Laurence and Lady Elizabeth Tanfield of Burford Priory, Oxford in 1585. Her natural inclination for learning showed itself in early childhood despite her strict mother's attempts to thwart Elizabeth's intellectual development by reportedly forbidding her to read at night (to which Elizabeth began bribing servants for candles). In 1602 at age 17, Elizabeth was contracted to marry Sir Henry Cary so that the Tanfields would have aristocratic connections and the Cary's, an heiress. The couple lived apart for the first several years of their marriage while Henry fought in the Protestant wars against Spain and where he was captured in 1605 and imprisoned. At the demand of her mother-in-law Dame Katherine (Lady Paget), Elizabeth moved in with her husband's family in 1603. Here, Elizabeth endured cruelties similar to those imposed by her mother as Lady Paget forbade Elizabeth to read and locked her in her room. It is believed that Elizabeth began writing during this period as a substitute for reading. Elizabeth had also participated in the literary circle of the countess of Pembroke and became acquainted with Senecan drama. Using the model of Roman tragedy, Elizabeth wrote and completed The Tragedy of Mariam between 1602-1604. It was also during this period that Elizabeth began to entertain an attraction to Catholicism to which her husband was radically opposed and a soldier against. This religious conflict did not seem to threaten the marriage in its early years, as upon her husband's return from war in 1609, the couple had their first of eleven children. Henry Cary was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1622, moving the couple to Dublin where their marriage suffered terrific stress due to religious differences and Henry's persecution of Irish Catholics. Irreconcilable, the couple separated and Elizabeth returned to England in 1625. In 1626, Elizabeth professed her Catholicism and, when rumor reached the king, she was confined to her room for six weeks.

How British Rule was bad for India Essay

One way in which British Rule did not help India was that they had a detrimental effect on Indian Trade. India at the time was a key producer of cotton but when the British came into power they also brought cheaper cotton from Britain. This meant that many cotton factories were being forced out of business by cheaper cotton abroad. In a sense the British were deindustrialising India. If British Rule was really good for India, it would have tried to develop the country in important areas as such as its trade. However, this is not what Britain did but they hindered the trade. A particular fact proves this point very well. At the beginning of British rule, India exported 1 million yards of cotton from Britain. 3 decades later this figure rose to 450 million yards of cotton. This shows that Britain was destroying India’s trade. Another way in which British Rule was bad for India was that the British focused too much on the military. Britain’s utmost concern was for the safety of the British traders in India and therefore put a lot of India’s resources into developing the military to protect them. However, as the Western world was industrialising, India was being left behind. This is because they weren’t having any scientific breakthroughs or any ground-breaking inventions and this was due to the lack of education. Britain wasted too much of India’s resources and money on the military and not enough was put into reforming the education system. This is shown by the fact that 32% of government spending was on developing the military but that only 1% was dedicated to improving education. Today I have talked to British Rule was bad for India because Britain deindustrialised India and Britain focused too much on the military.

Malaysia Education Trend

Historical background of higher education Ever since the Federation of Malaya gained independence in 1957, theMalaysian education system has been developing so as to unify the nationstateand to promote economic growth. The Education Act of 1961,which followed educational reform efforts such as the Razak Statementof 1956 and the Rahman Talib Report of 1960, has governed the moderneducation system in Malaysia. These educational reforms correlated withsocioeconomic conditions.In the early 1970s, the New Economic Policy(NEP 1971), or Bumiputera Policy, was implemented. The NEP aimedto bring about a better balance in enrollment among the different ethnicgroups in Malaysia. 1 It resulted in a steady increase in the number ofBumiputera students in Malaysian universities. Furthermore, since theearly 1970s, the Malaysian government has sought to make more effectiveuse of the nation’s Malay human resources in the process of economicdevelopment, and the percentage of Malay students at ev ery educationallevel has increased steadily.Basically, the Malaysian education system follows a 6-3-2 structure,with six years of primary school, three years of lower secondary school,and two years of upper secondary school (see Appendix 1). Eleven yearsof basic education are provided to all citizens. However, the highereducationsystem has been limited to the elite citizens of the country. Performance in the public examination, known as the SPM (SijilPelajaranMalsyaia/Malaysia Certicate of Education), which is taken after theeleventh year of school, determines whether FormIV students can enterpost-secondary education (matriculation, or six Form).Until the mid-1990s,the Malaysian government encouraged students to study overseas in theU. K. , the U. S. , Australia, or Japan. The 1st phase of the establishment of public universities started in1969 under the Universities and University Colleges Act. During this time,UniversitiSains Malaysia (USM 1969), UniversitiKebangsaan Malaysia(UKM 1970), UniversitiPertanian Malaysia (UPM 1971), and UniversitiTeknologi Malaysia (UTM 1975) were established (see Table 1).Moreover,four public universities were established during the second phase (fromThe Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) was created on 27 March 2004 to take charge of higher education in Malaysia which involves more than 900,000 students pursuing higher education in 20 public universities, 33 private universities and university colleges, 4 foreign university branch campuses, 22 polytechnics, 37 community colleges and about 500 private colleges. The MOHE’s mission is to create a higher education environment that will foster the development of academic and institutional excellence.It is in line with the vision of the government to make Malaysia a centre of educational excellence and to internationalise of Malaysian education. Higher educational reform and the roles of private universities in the mid-1990sIn the mid-1990s, four educational acts were implemen ted: the EducationAct of 1995, the 1995 Amendments to the University and UniversityColleges Act of 1971 (1995 Amendments to the UUCA 1971), the PrivateHigher Education Institutions Act of 1996 (PHEIA 1996), and the NationalCouncil on Higher Education Act of 1996 (NCHEA 1996).With theimplementation of the Private Higher Education Institutions Act of 1996,the private sector increased its involvement in providing tertiary education(Malaysia 2001). The Act allowed private institutions of higher educationand foreign universities to establish franchises and degree courses. Inparticular, private-sector universities were encouraged to offer science andtechnology courses in order to increase enrollment at higher-educationalinstitutions and to produce a greater number of highly skilled graduates(Malaysia 1998: 122).Six private universities, Malaysia Multimedia University (MMU), UniversitiTenagaNasional (Uniten), UniversitiTeknologiPertonas (UTP),UniversitiTunAdbul Razak (Unitar), Internationa l Medical University(IMU), and UniversitiIndustri Selangor (Unisel), began offering degreelevelcourses in engineering, business studies, medicine, and multimedia.Since that time, the number of private universities has increased, as seenin Table 2. IT-focused universities from both public and private sectors,such as Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), UniversitiKebangsaan Malaysia(UKM), Multimedia University, and UniversitiTenaga (Uniten), operatein the MSC (see Table 2).Their challenging cases will be examined as follows:the case studies of the Malaysia Multimedia University as the newlyestablished core university of MSC at 1st; second, the Malaysia NationalUniversity as the traditional university which might have some difficultiesin attempting the new challenges; and third, University Malaysia Sarawak(Unimas) which shows a need for distance learning because of its locationon the island of Borneo. Malaysia Multimedia University (MMU) as a pioneerMalaysia Multimedia University (MMU) was established as the core institutionof the MSC in July 996, and was the 1stst private university to begiven accreditation by the government. MMU has two campuses that offerfaculty in several fields: technology, IT, creative multimedia, and administration at the Cyberjaya Campus in the MSC; and technology, informationscience technology, business, and law at the Malacca campus. There are9,000 undergraduate and post-graduate students, including foreign studentsfrom 31 countries (e. g. , Brunei, Sudan, Bosnia, Malawi, Tanzania, India,Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Turkey, China, Thailand, and Guinea 4)enrolled in MMU. MMU uses English as the language of instruction.Knowledge-Campus (K-Campus) projects of UniversitiKebangsaan MalaysiaNot only newly established universities, but also the nine historical universities(public universities established before 1994) conduct IT-relatedprojects. All nine public universities have embarked on open- or distancelearningprograms (Siowek-Lee and Rin alia 1998). UniversitiKebangsaanMalaysia (UKM, Malaysia National University), one of the most prestigiousuniversities in Malaysia, formed a special ICT committee to implementthe blueprint of ICT projects and established the Faculty of Information.Distance learning: the case of Unimas, Sarawak University Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), which is not located on the MalayPeninsula but on the island of Borneo, established its Faculty of InformationTechnology in 1993. By July 1994, the faculty offered undergraduateprograms in software engineering, information systems, internetworkingtechnologies, computational science, and interactive multimedia. Therewere 34 students at the undergraduate level and a few at the post-graduatelevel in 1994; by July 1995, the 1st Master’s students in IT graduatedfrom Unimas.The computational science program was introduced duringthe 1995-96 academic year; the joint program in cognitive science, offeredby the Faculty of Cognitive Science and Human Developmen t and theFaculty of Information Technology, began in 1996. Unimas, in collaboration with KolejLatihan Telekom (Telekom TrainingCollege), has begun offering diploma programs in multimedia (businessand computing) and in multimedia technology, which have been accreditedby the LembagaAkreditasi Negara (National Accreditation Board) (1 March2000).Moreover, the Network Multimedia Education System (NMES) waslaunched in October 2002. In the process of achieving a developed nation status by the year 2020, one of the challenges facing thegovernment is how to provide higher education for all levels of society. One solution is to use technology as anenabler to make available education to the masses. Universities are taking up the challenge by updating thecontent of their programmes but more importantly,utilising the latest technologies to improve the deliverysystems.One of the most talked about emerging delivery systems is Open and Distance Learning that isfast becoming a viable alternative in providing education to the masses. Open University Malaysia wasestablished on 10 August 2000 in response to the government’s call for the democratisation ofeducation. Although it has the status of a private university, OUM is owned by 11 public universities inthe country.As an open learning institution, OUM subscribes to the following principles:Flexible entry requirements to provide moreopportunities for all members of the society to pursue tertiary education; A learner-friendly flexible academic system wherethe constraints and needs of working adults are well understood; and Adoption of the blended pedagogy mode toenrich learning experiences. Malaysian higher education reform is progressing rapidly because thegovernment needs to develop highly skilled human resources locally toenable the nation to move toward a knowledge society, in the era ofICT.Malaysian public universities had been traditionally restricted to theelite; however, they began to be corporatized in the mid-19 90s. Privateuniversities have taken on more important roles in expanding enrollmentand maintaining the quality of higher education in science and technologyrelated to ICT. First, higher education reforms toward a knowledge society are affectingaccess and social selection with respect to ethnic and gender equality. Educational policy implemented since 1969 has provided educationalopportunities to a less privileged population, the Bumiputera.Governmentpolicy can have an effect on aspirations and, thus, the demand forhigher education. This has clearly been the case in Malaysia, which isboth an Islamic and a multicultural country made up of the Malays,Chinese, Indians, and indigenous peoples. The implementation of the NewEconomic Policy (NEP) in 1971, or Bumiputera Policy, attempts to bringabout a better balance in enrolment among the various ethnic groupsand has led to a steady increase in Bumiputera students in Malaysianuniversities.The government of Malaysia has encouraged Bumiputera studentsto pursue science courses in particular. According to the National EconomicRecovery Plan, in addition to maintaining the Bumiputera/non-Bumiputera ratio of 55:45, the Ministry of Education (MOE) is to ensurethat at least 55 percent of Bumiputera students are enrolled in scienceand technology ? elds of study at institutions of higher learning (Malaysia1998:123). This mandate is in response to the growing need for highlyskilled human resources, both to encourage economic growth and to unifythe nation, following its independence in 1957.Female Malaysian students earn better grades, in general, than do maleMalaysian students. Yet, female Malaysian students have experienced difficulties in obtaining higher education in the past. Structural and attitudinalbarriers to the equitable participation of women at the highest educationallevels have existed during the last few decades (Aminah 1998:25). Hence,their past underrepresentation was not a result of their inability but ratherthei r cultural backgrounds.As some scholars (Jamilah 1992; Aminah 1994;Fatimah and Aminah 1994; Jamilah 1994; Kamogawa 2003b) have noted,the stereotypical Malaysian way of thinking is that arts and teaching fieldsare suitable for women and that science and technology fields are suitablefor men. Consequently, Malaysian female students have had a tendency tochoose art and educational courses. Higher Education has generated RM 2. 1 billion through 70,259 international students for the year 2008. Ministry of Higher Education came out with the target: 80,000 foreign students by 2010.As at 15 January 2009, 210 out of 434 private higher educational institutions (PHEIs) and all 20 public universities have been licensed to recruit international students. Most of the international students in public universities pursue post graduate degree courses while those in PHEIs pursue both graduate and post graduate degree courses. In 2005, there were 41,559 international students, of which 7,656 were in p ublic universities and 33,903 in PHEIs. The population of international students made up 6. 4% of the total number of students in institutions of higher education.The different divisions under the Department of Higher Education will concentrate on their respective areas in improving the quality of education services and ensuring that programmes offered by the public and private higher educational institutions in Malaysia are of high quality and international standards. In their endeavour to achieve these goals, they have established promotional offices in Dubai, Jakarta, Ho-Chi Minh City and Beijing. A Technical Committee has also been formed to make Malaysia a Centre of Excellence. This committee is chaired by the Minister of Higher Education.A Technical Committee on ‘Edu-Tourism’ was also formed. Other marketing strategies include incentives offered to institutions promoting education overseas; recognition of Malaysian degrees by foreign countries and the establishmen t of the new national quality agency for both private and public higher educational institutions, i. e. Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). The ultimate aim of all these strategies is to make Malaysia a ‘favoured’ destination for international and local students to pursue their tertiary education besides making education an important export commodity that will generate foreign exchange for the country.

Daisy Miller essays

Daisy Miller essays Upon Winterbournes return to Vevey, Switzerland, he had been resting on a park bench, conversing with a curious little boy when a beautiful young lady, Daisy Miller, approached. After a brief prattle, the two arranged a days trip to the Castle of Chillon and over the next few months planned on meeting again in Italy. Throughout the story, Winterbourne tries to descry Miss Millers personality and at the same time question her reputation as a flirtatious American girl in the late nineteenth century. Henry James famous novelette, Daisy Miller, is a timeless story depicting what results from the defiance of social customs, ignoring advice pertaining to ones reputation, and finally confronting reality. From her first tà ªtetà ªte with Winterbourne and until her last, Miss Miller defies all social customs pertinent in European society. During Winterbournes first introduction to Miss Miller, to his surprise, she accepts his extremely bold decision to travel to the Castle without knowing if he was a respectable man. Later that same evening they met once more in the garden. She asked Winterbourne to take her out for a boat ride, but after gaining permission from her mother, she decided she would rather not go if no one would put up a fuss about her doing something so irrational. Winterbourne was left alone to ponder her whims and odd form of coquetry. After their parting, both agreed to meet again in Geneva, Italy. When Winterbourne first arrived in Geneva, he received news of Miss Millers latest escapades from his very reputable aunt. During her stay in Geneva, her gentleman society was composed of half a dozen of the regular Roman fortune hunters. As an American girl, s he stayed true to her own values although she was in a foreign land. Daisy Miller was unaware of the social structure that depends on gender and class oppression and she developed a reput...

Wake County , North Carolina Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wake County , North Carolina - Research Paper Example The Wake Courthouse was established in the county as the very first courthouse leading to the formation of the militia as well as giving way to elections. This county can be found on the map in the north east region of North Carolina, towards the central areas. The exact area is also worldwide recognised as the ‘fall line’; the name being given as this is the location that gives rise to a number of creeks and waterfalls. There are piedmont regions in this area as well, with flat lands and rolling hills. Lake Crabtree, Crabtree Creek and the Neuse River are some renowned water bodies that are found in Wake County. The County also is home to parts of the Jordan and Falls Lake. Geographically speaking, the County is well inhabited also because of its moderate and pleasant climate. It has a subtropical climate with relatively hotter summers than the other states near it. The winds are very high, sometimes leading to a very high amount of humidity. However, during the winters the County has also been known to achieve layers of snow as well as fatal ice storms during peak cold seasons. Between the years 1787 and 1911, Wake County did lose a reasonable amount of its land space in order to give way to the formation of other counties like Durham and Franklin. After Fayeteville, Raleigh, the seat of Wake County, was made the permanent state capital for the purpose of serving the General Assembly. Raleigh was built on approximately 1000 acres which were purchased by the other famous man in whose land the state capital would have been made, had the people not commenced rejoicing the matter beforehand, by the name of Joel Lane. As part of the North Carolina General Assembly, the Triangle J Council of Governments was formed in 1959 with its foundations laid down by the Research Triangle Foundation. Wake County thus became a member of this Council as well governed by a board of seven County

Faculty engagement, successful student learning and social integration Dissertation

Faculty engagement, successful student learning and social integration - Dissertation Example According to Umbach and Wawrzynski (n.d., p. 21), teachers play the single most important role in the tendency of students to learn. New materials of teaching and learning have emerged as a result of the revolution in communication technologies. Consequently, the teaching and learning environment has been altogether renewed in a way that was not possible to achieve in the past. The fundamental challenge for the contemporary schools and colleges is to modify its environment so that new technologies can be accommodated and promoted at their best. Faculty engagement is one of the most critical elements in the modern pedagogy and learning that is influenced by technology. Different teachers join this profession because of different motivational structures that vary according to the tasks they are assigned (Blackburn, 1995). â€Å"Few institutions other than colleges and universities permit their members the latitude so much a past of the professor’s life† (Cahn, 1986, p. 3) . This latitude has been accommodated by the tradition-bound academy nature while the gradual change that has occurred in nearly every aspect of the campus life makes this latitude a tolerable piece of the landscape of academia. In a global democracy, higher education must give serious thought to structuring student learning and development in such a way to promote cross-cultural understanding and civic-mindedness. In strong democracies, people have to be able to listen to each other, to understand the places and interests of others in the community, and to achieve compromises and solve problems when conflicts occur. (Hurd, 2006, p. 4). Problem statement: Institutions require an enabling environment in order to change for good. Enabling environments constitute several factors that include but are not limited to reliable networks, universal access for students, increased opportunities with respect to consulting and training as well as a faculty ethos that tolerates falters and values experimentation. Learning spaces can both constrain and encourage students’ attitudes. A whole range of learning attitudes is displayed by the teachers and students particularly when the learning environment is developed with a view to optimize the interaction between the two both outside and within the classroom or when the atmosphere presents education as a â€Å"serious work† to the students and teachers (Hunley and Schaller, 2009). Lack of such preconditions makes the entrepreneurial activity for the self-starters quite cumbersome. Even the existence of such preconditions does not do much to ease the process of transformation. The first-wave of entrepreneurs mark the initial phase of transformation. These adopters tend to find adequate expertise or resources in order to implement their personal strategies for the incorporation of technology as a means of learning. The second wave that indeed concerns us the most is the perception of faculty of the new environment of learning as an opportunity rather than a threat. These teachers are generally wary of the advanced technology but are strongly committed to a high quality of learning. This divides the faculty into two groups, each of which is highly committed to quality learning but differ in their tendency to embrace the new technologies as well as their technical capabilities. Administrators make a big mistake by basing their