Background: Conceptualisations of what it means to use evidence in policymaking often appear divided between two extremes. On the one side are works presenting it as the implementation of research findings - particularly evaluations of intervention effect. In contrast stand theoretically informed works exploring the multiple meanings of evidence…

In an effort to become more competitive in the global market, Colombia, as many other Latin American countries, has declared English the dominant foreign language to be taught in schools and universities across the country. To support this measure, in the last 16 years, the government, through its National Ministry of Education, has launched a…

Despite a political climate demanding evidence-informed decision making in education both within individual countries and at the international level, empirically grounded European research in this field is scarce. This paper reports on a European Commission-funded study that sought to identify and analyze different initiatives across Europe aimed…

Reviews Peru's efforts to bring about the planned development of scientific, technological, social, educational, and cultural information, including information organized by libraries, documentation centers, and other nonconventional agencies. Central to this concept are actions planned for a national information policy to be coordinated with…

Reviews the development of two similar policy concepts, national security and internal security, before exploring the new phrase homeland security that has become popular since the September 11 terrorist attacks. Discusses the significance of each for information policy and practice. (Author/LRW)

Research libraries are struggling with immense problems; hence, now may be a propitious time to begin a dialogue on the requirements for a national policy and then to establish one that will link government agencies and the research library community and preserve the rights of individuals. (Author/JD)

This essay raises concerns in regard to the present state of national and international information policy and discusses communication of scientific and technical information, common sense and the laws of science information and scientific communications, and formulation of science information policy. Five sources are given. (EJS)

Higher education policy-making in France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and whether it fits the national policy styles of those countries, is investigated. Aspects of policy change, centralism, consultation, openness, conflict level, and deliberation are discussed. (Author/MLW)

Summarizes the 1996 National Education Summit at Palisades, New York. Contents: (1) "A New Initiative in the Battle for Standards"; (2) "Perspectives and Observations on the Summit" from participating governors, chief executive officers, educators, standards writers, and textbook publishers; and (3) "Clearinghouse 'Entity'…

In 2004 UNAIDS and its development partners first introduced the Three-Ones Principles. Since then, many governments have developed national strategic frameworks and guiding policy documents to help coordinate more effective national responses in the battle to overcome AIDS. In this article, I outline how essential it is for government agencies,…

Maintains that national information policy should be geared to the preservation and encouragement of trial-and-error evolutionary mechanisms that will stimulate innovation in library and information services. Seventeen references are cited. (FM)

Describes the decline of foreign language study in the United States and lack of a national language policy. Encouragement has been fostered recently by the President's Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies, the Modern Language Association, and the American Council of Learned Societies Task Forces. (JMF)

An annual review, third in a series, covers developments in the field of population and family planning in East Asia. For each of the 10 countries involved (Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Phillipines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and South Vietnam) there is an article written by the agent responsible for the family planning…

Discusses the role of information technology in the development of national resources and the establishment of national administrative efficiency. The prospects for introducing information technology in Nigeria are examined, including possible obstacles and advantages. (10 references) (Author/CLB)

The focus of this paper is on the research/policy linkage, within the complex educational administrative structure and pluralistic informal power structure which characterize Thai research. Thailand has experienced some success in building analytical educational research capacity and ensuring its utilization. Lessons to be learned from this…