7 July 2009
Accessrx
Posted by Tirhas under: BLOGS; Globalization, Inter-Culturalism and Research 1 .
| WE are living in a fast-pacing world – accessrx.To use a contemporary expression accessrx, the world has turned into a global village.But its shrinkage into such a small place might have been a welcome development for some and a nightmare for others-depending on one’s perspectives; accessrx. Accessrx: some of the factors that have contributed in making the world a global village include the leaps in communications technology, which allows people, say from Asmara, Eritrea’s capital, to browse the internet and virtually learn some aspects of Austrian culture, history and society without having to physically reside in Austria.
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 Image: Maiada Hadaia |
Another factor that is playing a crucial role in that development is the global scope and operating capabilities of international markets and money institutions. Accessrx: for instance, someone can easily transfer money in just five minutes from Europe to Africa and vice versa, which might have been difficult fifty years ago.These factors, obviously, derive from the constructive side of globalization.
The blogger, however, wants to state that she is also aware of the legitimate, and at times, hyped criticisms labeled against globalization, especially the impact that it could have on local cultures.
That being said, what I am interested in discussing here is how to take advantage of the positive opportunities made available to us through globalization: particularly in exchanging inter-cultural ideas and researches.
If globalization-through the power of internet technology, for instance, allows us to learn about places, cultures and societies that are far away from us, how good are we in using it in exchanging academic information and other formalities. Accessrx: the point that I am driving at is one, amongst some, of the problems that international students face in applying to the University of Vienna.Although I didn’t come across major bureaucratic hassles in the process of my application, owing it to the support of my both supervisors at the African Studies Department, I have heard some prospective students complain about the formalities at the University. Accessrx: to put is plainly, international students must produce an admission letter from their own home Universities as part of their admission package.Theoretically this sounds easy to do but in reality it isn’t accessrx, rather it becomes easier said than done! If you’re wondering why just keep reading.This requirement might need physical presence in some countries at the time of application accessrx, and if the potential applicant is already in Austria, who happens to come from one of these countries, it becomes quite frustrating and difficult for him/her to manage this. Accessrx: this is not only a matter of pecuniary issue but also timing.Now accessrx, this might be one instance; however, what I wanted to say is indeed the world is moving so fast attributing to some of the aforementioned factors, thus what should Austrian Universities need to do to be more accessible to international students? I’m asking because it seems to me that despite its cultural heritage, for instance in Music and Art, and having one of the oldest universities in Europe, Austria appears to be lagging behind in comparison with other advanced countries in attracting large number of qualified international students from the “Third World” or “developing countries.” In what aspects could international students already studying in Austria contribute to the creation of an easily accessible and favorable inter-cultural research environment?
Part 2 will follow within the next few days.
Suggestions and Comments!
Tirhas T.HABTU
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- We would like to keep this blog open: Comments will be published instantly; accessrx.Please be aware that we will delete any comments with racistic or otherwise unethical content and as a consequence the user willl be banned.If comments violate any law we will hand over all data for legal prosecution.
- Wir wollen dieses Blog nicht zensurieren, Kommentare werden sofort veröffentlicht; accessrx.Bitte posten Sie keine rassistischen accessrx, verletzenden oder sonstwie unethischen Kommentare – davon distanzieren wir uns.Solche Kommentare werden gelöscht und die User gesperrt – accessrx.Sollten Kommentare gegen gültige Gesetze verstossen, werden wir die erforderlichen Daten zur Strafverfolgung weiterleiten.
– accessrx
10 Comments so far...
Fida Says:
9 July 2009 at 6:13 pm.
Dear Tirhas, I am glad to learn more about you at this blog, indeed. Do you think communications technology would have explained Eritrea living experience as you did with joy, anger, excitiment, sorrow and all of that in every story told by you to an international group amnog which I have the privlage to be,
peace
Tirhas Says:
10 July 2009 at 10:00 am.
Fida!
Thanks for your question! I do think that communications technology can provide opportunities in learning something about cultures, societies etc…. However, one has to be selective in digesting what he/she gets from the internet, or what have you. If I understood your point correctly, what you are saying is that communications technology can’t really help us in communicating our lived experiences, including our emotional journeys at our own respective countries. Well, to some extent that is true. Remember, however, if I have to address an international group and discuss about my nation’s (Eritrea) experiences, there’ll be some factors at play in the way I formulate my presentation and tell the story. My educational background, my exposure, and socio-political perspectives, among others, will inevitably inform my discussions. Now, the other side of the question, would what I present really correspond to the lived realities of Eritreans? To a large extent yes, but to claim that it would for sure is quite difficult.
So, I mentioned communications technology to precisely discuss those issues-issues that you have raised. Even if we live in a fast-pacing world, it doesn’t mean everyone is able to travel in order to learn about other cultures and societies. But still communications technology, for instance the internet, can help us in learning something, if not all the excitements and sorrows, which are undeniably part-and-parcel of life!
Fida-you know that it is a pleasure discussing issues with you. I hope I answered your questions, but if you still have some left, or that I dodged some of them, feel free to keep the discussion going. I am really looking forward to discussing those issues in depth and learn from your experiences too.
Cheers!
Mimi DiMello Says:
15 July 2009 at 6:36 pm.
Dear friends:
I’m really interested in your discussion and wanted to point out my oppinion and share it with you.
ICTs (Information and Communication Techologies) are seen as tools even to reduce poverty. How? Indeed a big question I’m not going to discuss here, ’cause I’m not well informed but it is an idea of the UN and other big organisations. What I wanted to say is that it is, like many things in life, a doubble edged sward. On the one hand you deal with large profit oriented (tele)communication companies and on the other the interests of for example civil societies for a better communication, exchange and networking worldwide for issues like peace keeping, education or “bottom up information” and divers points of view.
My experience is that ICTs could be a great tool for real idealistic targets like freedom, civil media, free education or intercultural exchange and knowlege but we have to be aware that it is still exclusive to those who do not get access. And this is also a political descision. I speak in general but we know about the gap that is dividing the excluded from the privileged: to be able to use for example the internet for such issues (freedom, free media and so on) one needs electricity, connectivity, computers and time.
It is ecologically seen better not to fly around the world and not explore every corner of the earth therefore ICTs can help to keep the environment clean or to preserv untouched places and maybe cultures.
ICTs can’t help to link us all humans faster and closer to eacht other, to understand each other better, to have peace on earth tommorrow, beacause to speak a bit philosophical it is not possible to live other peoples experiences through technology. They can’t heal the world.
Tirhas Says:
16 July 2009 at 10:04 am.
Mimi!
Thanks for sharing your perspectives on the discussion currently at hand.
The three points that you are making are (1) ICTs could be a double-edged sword, (2) It could facilitate idealistic targets (including freedom of the press and exchange of knowledge, (3) It can still bring humans closer to each other.
On the first point-indeed it could be a double-edged sword. However, we could still benefit at least from its favorable side, while trying to somehow control its inauspicious aspects. The blogger acknowledges, indeed, there’re drawbacks. You mentioned the examples of large profit-oriented communication companies and the interests of the civil societies. The fact that one is a profit making and the other is a civil society trying to affect change should not put these two on the opposite extremes. They can still find ways of cooperating with each other.
Secondly-I agree with your argument that ICTs facilitate idealistic targets but not completely. Here is why: you mentioned that even the achievement of those idealistic targets is exclusive to those who can get access to it based on political decisions. Undoubtedly, decisions might be made based on politics but issues of having access to electricity, connectivity; computers etc……..include more economic factors before they’re given the shape of a political decision. In this context, one might argue even those economic decisions-providing electricity and internet connectivity-are made based on political decisions. Sounds a little complicated, and political and economic issues appear not to get separated on the surface. So, let us agree achieving those targets is both a political and economic decision.
On the third aspect- I absolutely agree with you. If flying is causing environmental damage, using the ICTs should be recommended. And, as you mentioned, ICTs can help us come closer to each other, communicate with each other and try to make the world a better place than it is now.
Mimi-keep your comments coming…………… I can tell you have more experience with ICTs, which is good for us to learn from.
Cheers!
Kalpana Giri Says:
19 July 2009 at 5:46 pm.
Thanks for this post Tirhas! As a scholar in Austria for five years now, I wanted to respond to the “admission requirement” policy of the Austrian Universities.
The universities in Austria demand the prospective students to provide a proof that ” the student is currently enrolled in a similar course at the home country”. This is understood differently in different universities and I till now have not understood what it really means in Austrian Universities.
In my case, when I finished my Bachelor in forestry, the universities in Nepal issued a certificate which reads that ” X person has successfully finished this course. This entitles that X person is now capable to pursue higher level course in Nepal or abroad”. This certificate should be enough for the Austrian Universities to understand that I have completed the “basic requirements” to get admission into a “higher level course” such as Master’s course after completing Bachelor level course. Of course, I can understand the Austrian University’s concern if the field of study in my master program is “completely different” (such as diverging from “forestry” to “medicine”). But, I finished my Bachelor in forestry and wanted to continue my Masters in forestry. This Bachelor in forestry course in Nepal is a four year course and is accredited by many universities in USA, Canada, Australia etc.
I wanted to do my masters in abroad only. So, I deliberately did not apply to any Master program in Nepal. Moreover, back then in Nepal, we did not have a well-developed master’s course in forestry (There might me many developing countries where you do not have Master degree university in a particular subject!). But the main point was that, “Why should I only apply when I do not want to pursue my studies in Nepal”. It is a waste of both time and money.
When I was selected for a Master’s program in forestry in BOKU; I encountered this problem that I need to produce a certificate of enrollment to a Master course in Nepal.
I sent the certificate that states that I am elligible to pursue my studies at Master level in Nepal and in abroad to the Dean office. They replied me back that it was not enough and that, they wanted a certificate of enrollment. I was confused on what to do? Does it make sense to get admission to a University in Nepal when I did not intend to study there (but just because I need it for admission to another university outside Nepal)? For me, it is an absolute lack of common-sense. I wrote to the Course coordinator of that particular MSc program about the situation in Nepal and he explained that to Dean Office. My case was solved and they accepted me as a student.
During all these years, each year some students come from Nepal. Each year, I receive an email from these students on “how to respond to such enrollment requirements?” These repetitions clearly indicate the need that Dean office needs to collaborate with particular consulate/embassies on how educational system work on certain countries and make country-specific regulations. Along with that, the concerned department/ institute/ programs where the students seeks admission should be involved to assess whether the prospective student’s academic credentials are enough to make him/her eligible for admission or not? If the department/institute/programs can not be directly involved, the academic eligibility criteria (the type of required courses at previous academic level, the ECTS, GPA, number of years of graduation etc.) is to clearly communicated to the Dean office. Dean office should keep it in their database so that future students can avoid such puzzling problems.
While I found that BOKU largely responds to our problems in Nepal, I know many other friends in Vienna University who encountered this problem at length. One of my friend was doing PhD research (as a job) without officially being admitted as a PhD student!
Last but not least, these examples are not mere coincidences! I agree that Coincidences can be due but they should not occur often.
Warmest!
Mimi DiMello Says:
21 July 2009 at 11:12 am.
Dear Kalpana,
While I was reading you, I was just thinking of how can it be possible to continue such errors at the universities? And often I feel really angry when it comes to such bureaucratic demands that do not make any sense as you described.
I’m also asking myself where such problems occuring regularly can be adressed and solved, so that students from developing countries do not need to struggle and face such useless barriers but to be able to study as it is their aim.
I think that Austria has to do somethink to be able to come up as an important and interesting place for scholars from the south. And to welcome the people as it is in other european countries such as Great Britain or the Netherlands.
From my experience and from other collegues such obstacles are not possible in this countries. This should not happen in Austria either.
All the best for the future, I’m curious what the autor of the blog Tirhas replies.
Tirhas Says:
21 July 2009 at 1:18 pm.
Dear Kalpana!
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences as well. It seems to me, as you also mentioned, that this bureaucratic issue needs to be sorted out. First, it creates unnecessary hindrances. Secondly, it could be costly both money and time wise. The fact that the Course Coordinator at BOKU explained your case and that you fulfill all the requirements except the admission letter from your home country, which should be waived is an important milestone in somehow addressing this issue. That indicates that some important organs within the University system understand it. So, let us hope that there is a possibility for them to raise it in some of their meetings and opt out for other international standards in admitting international students.
As you also mentioned, this problem can also be avoided either by following purely academic standards or by collaborating with respective embassies here-where they can be contacted to verify the academic standards of their country’s universities and the person in question.
Once again, thanks a lot for sharing such invaluable information and personal experience. I hope that by raising these issues we can make impact the procedures here positively.
Cheers!
Tirhas Says:
21 July 2009 at 1:43 pm.
Hi there Mimi!
I understand your annoyance in that such mistakes keep on repeating at the University. Rules/procedures, however, once set in place aren’t easily changeable. Reform requires time anywhere in the world. And the university in question here is big and hosts a lot of students to its credit. My guess is that those responsible people know they would have to do something with issues like what we are discussing but still might not have found agreeable procedures that should be followed.
As far as where to address these problems, I guess the Admission’s and Dean’s Office at the University of Vienna would be the proper places. And if not addressing them, they are expected to provide guidance on who should be contacted. Another organ that is supposed to address such issues is the student union or as it is called here is ÖH.
I agree with Mimi’s call on the need to do something in Austria so as to make it better accessible for qualified international students. She mentioned places like the UK and the Netherlands where such obstacles are less likely to occur. Something can be learned form such places and others like them.
This shouldn’t, of course, happen but in the real world it might take time to change. And that is why we have to exchange ideas on how to better handle things.
Mimi, thank you for taking active part in discussing my blog. Keep the comments coming …….let the debate rage !
Cheers
Kylie Batt Says:
12 April 2010 at 9:00 am.
Это весьма ценное сообщение…
Some of the factors that have contributed in making the world […….
Kylie Batt Says:
15 April 2010 at 9:40 pm.
Я считаю, что тема весьма интересна. Предлагаю всем активнее принять участие в обсуждении….
WE are living in a fast-pacing world. To use a contemporary expression, the world has turned into a global village…..
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