Related Posts: Education
Reimagining Education at the Big Ideas Fest
January 11, 2012
For three days in December, individuals from a range of industries gathered at the 3rd Annual Big Ideas Fest to explore the future of education. In a venue overlooking the Pacific Ocean, a stone’s throw from Silicon Valley, teachers, administrators, and representatives from policy and advocacy groups…
Topics: Books for Asia | Education | International Development | Literacy | Technology & Development
Countries: Laos
Thailand’s Students Return to Classrooms, But Rebuilding Remains a Challenge
December 14, 2011
The flooding that submerged one-third of Thailand this year was the worst the country had seen in 50 years. Sixty-five provinces and over 4 million people have been affected, tens of thousands have lost jobs, and nearly 700 were killed. Nine provinces remain underwater.
Topics: Books for Asia | Disaster | Economic Development | Education | International Development | Thailand Floods
Countries: Thailand
Study Abroad Programs: A ‘Sure Thing’ for Development in Indonesia
December 7, 2011
Having worked with Indonesia’s higher education sector since 2000, I have come to believe that studying abroad is as close as one may come to a “sure thing” in Indonesian developmental assistance. Indonesian students and professors studying abroad are exposed to new educational techniques and knowledge…
Topics: Economic Development | Education | Exchanges | International Development | Law | Legal Aid
Countries: Indonesia
Stanford, Asia Foundation Launch First Text to Focus on Laws of Timor-Leste
December 7, 2011
Law has little meaning when it is not widely understood. Concepts like “conflict of interest” or “integrity” are used repeatedly in theories and explanations of law, but they are not self-explanatory. Perhaps nowhere is this more the case than in Timor-Leste, where rule of law is in the early stages of institutionalization and not well-understood by most citizens.
Topics: Education | International Development | Law | Legal Aid
Countries: Timor-Leste
Q&A: Survey Findings Reveal Ongoing Challenges for Afghan Women
November 16, 2011
In Asia‘s editor, Alma Freeman, interviewed 2011 Survey of the Afghan People co-author and former Asia Foundation program director for Law, Human Rights, and Women’s Empowerment in Kabul, Najla Ayubi, for her reaction to the findings of The Asia Foundation’s 2011 Survey and what they might mean for women’s rights, peace talks, and more. Ayubi is currently the Afghanistan country director for the Open Society Foundation.
Analyzing Differences in Responses from Men and Women in Afghan Poll
November 16, 2011
Among the assets of the annual Survey of the Afghan People is the fact that the data is collected from men and women, and disaggregated as such. In this way, not only does the survey allow for a nuanced look at attitudes across geographic regions, ethnic groups, and age ranges, but it opens a window into the differences between women and men’s perceptions.
Topics: Economic Development | Education | Human Rights | Women's Empowerment Program
Countries: Afghanistan
What Does 7 Billion Look Like for China and India?
November 9, 2011
As world population reached 7 billion last week, stories about the implications of population growth saturated the media. While total population counts offer broad “sound bite” appeal, the underlying structure of population has far greater socio-economic, political, and environmental implications. Population composition by sex, age, ethnicity, educational attainment, political orientation, or geography matters for everything from school planning to environmental management and even to political stability.
Deep in Jakarta’s Slums, Community Learning Centers Thrive
October 26, 2011
Sitting at the back of the classroom, with one eye on her mobile phone, Shanti looks like a typical Indonesian high school student. But Shanti is not here to learn; instead, she’s a tutor herself. In a makeshift classroom constructed from two old shipping containers stacked on top of each other, Shanti tutors first grade students at the Master Community Learning Center in Depok, on the outskirts of Jakarta. “It’s a great experience,” the 17-year-old says. “I can contribute to the education of Indonesian children as well as help relieve some of the pressure on the learning center.”
Topics: Books for Asia | Education | International Development | International Literacy Day
Countries: Indonesia
Educating Indonesia’s Poorest
October 26, 2011
To mark Indonesia’s National Literacy Day on October 21, The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program distributed 3,250 books to almost 50 Community Learning Centers across Jakarta. Located in low-income neighborhoods, these government-supported centers…
Topics: Books for Asia | Education
Countries: Indonesia
2012 World Bank Development Report: Gender Equality as Smart Economics
October 5, 2011
The phrase “gender equality as smart economics” has become the recent mantra of such powerful women leaders as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet. It is also the rallying cry of the World Bank’s 2012 World Development Report…
Topics: Economic Development | Education | Washington DC | Women's Empowerment Program
Countries: Bangladesh | India | Nepal | Pakistan


