There have been recent calls for a royal commission (RC) on the British National Health Service (NHS). This article focuses on the impact of RCs and similar advisory bodies, particularly on finance recommendations, of three inquiries with broad remits across the whole of the NHS from very different periods: Guillebaud (1956); Royal Commission on…

Discusses the policy report of the Minister of Education and Sciences, the creation and functions of the Advisory Committee on Education and Information Technology and the Centre for Education and Information Technology, characteristics of the development and implementation of computer literacy in the Netherlands, and a planned nationwide survey.…

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…

The Educational Testing Service has begun a national talent search program in which high school seniors may submit evidence of their achievements in dance, music, theater, visual arts, or writing. Awards include cash stipends, scholarships, and workshop experiences. This article describes application and judging procedures and lists advisory panel…

This preliminary report describes the work to date of the Task Group on Computer/Communication protocols for Bibliographic Data Interchange, which was formed in 1980 to develop a set of protocol standards to facilitate communication between heterogeneous library and information systems within the framework of Open Systems Interconnection (OSI). A…

The author takes a critical look at the development, organization, personnel, and objectives of the Assessment of Performance Unit of England's Department of Education and Science. (SJL)

A discussion of the role and initiatives of the Committee of Principals in the governance of Scottish teacher education. (SJL)

This account of the 93rd meeting of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) presents both the Washington and ARL perspectives on national library planning with emphasis on periodicals, bibliographic control, and libraries and information services. These viewpoints are presented by six speakers on two panels with a discussion following each…

This report begins with an executive summary and an introduction; the introduction provides a brief statement about the innovative process which led to the proposal to establish a National Advisory Board on Rural Information Needs (NABRIN) in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). A background statement gives an overview of the many problems…

A new system in which French higher education policy is evaluated through the policies of each institution is described. Characteristics of the French university and university system are examined, the national evaluation committee's structure is outlined, and the logistics of the evaluation process are discussed. (MSE)

The author explains the role and financing of educational research and development (R&D) in Sweden, as it operates under the central education authority, the National Board of Education. She discusses a government report on R&D effects and considers the potential impact on research of current trends toward decentralization in education.…

This report on the National Advisory Council on Adult Education has nine brief sections: (1) an overview of the council's purpose, functions, history, methods, 1976-1977 mission and accomplishments, and future role; (2) a discussion of the functions of the executive director's office and the reasons for undertaking two projects (Futures and…

The report provides a detailed overview of implementation of the first stage of Australia's National Policy on Languages (NPL), evaluates the effectiveness of NPL programs, presents a case for NPL extension to a second term, and identifies directions and priorities for NPL program activity until the end of 1994-95. It is argued that the NPL is an…

This document presents an overview of the Canadian national preservation program. It is divided into three sections: (1) Federal Initiatives, which explores activities at the National Library of Canada, the National Archives of Canada, the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions (CIHM), and the Canadian Conservation Institute; (2)…

This document is the 1997-1998 annual performance report of the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA), which was established in 1992 as a commonwealth statutory authority to advise commonwealth, state, and territory ministers on policies and mechanisms to help the vocational and training (VET) sector achieve a more national focus. Section…