The Leopard an Example of the Topic Personal Essays by

The Leopard by Expert Prof. Akademia | 27 Dec 2016 Introduction: Need essay sample on "The Leopard" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Risorgimento or also known as the Revival or the Italian Unification, is the nineteenth century revolutionary movement, which joined different region of Italy into one peninsula. This period is assumed to have begun with the arrival f Napoleon and the end of Franco Prussian War in 1815. It was basically a socio political movement which formulated todays Kingdom of Italy. This time span was filled with artistic and literally forms of nationalism which spread the spirit of unification through out the peninsula like fire, who promoted the idea of free, independent and a republic Italy, with Rome as its capital. The Leopard: The life of Sicily during the Risorgimento is very tactfully and vividly explained by the famous Italian novelist, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, in his famous novel, Il Gattopardo, first published in 1958, and was later translated to English by the name the Leopard. In 1911 he also served in the army, being patriotic and heroic in the war of Caporetto, he was taken in as a prisoner in Hungary. Later after his escape, he went out for traveling, learning more about foreign literature, and it was in this period that he perceived his first novel, the leopard. It is believed that after he finished writing his novel in 1956, it was rejected by the publisher; and it was a year later after his sudden death from lung cancer in 1958, that excellence of his work was recognized, it was not even published but also won the Strega Prize. While some also believe that the initial rejection that the novel attained, wasnt because of poor literary matter but was due had its political reasons enveloped w ith it. College Students Frequently Tell EssayLab writers:I'm not in the mood to write my assignmentSpecialists recommend:Online Essay Helper Best Website To Buy College Papers Essay Writer Service Writing Essay Company Another tale about the author regards him as the last prince of the Sicily state, or the Duke of Palma, and claims that he wrote this novel on his rand father, another Prince of Lampedusa. The story further goes that it was after the palace at Lampedusa was bombarded in the Second World War that Tomasi sank down in great depression, and it was in this incomplete state of helplessness that he wrote this legendary novel, which is still remembered as revolutionary. The original title, Il Gattopardo, literally means as the cat, which was like an heirloom for the authors family, thus holds great respect and honor for him. In the translated version, however, it has been titled as the leopard. The novel caters to many historical events which at that time took place in Italy, while some of the most important ones included the invasion of Garibaldi onto the Sicilian coast, the Unification of Italy and the changing system from aristocracy to a more democratic society thus showing dramatic changes for the people. Most of the novel has been based upon the time when Italy was going through the Risorgimento period, when the voice of Guiseppe Garibaldi, for the unification of Italy was on the rise. The story starts to open when his army lands on the coast of Sicily, and is planning to overthrow the Kingdom of Two Sicilies. However, the secondary plot revolves around how the political situation of the country influences the ordinary people of the country, such as the aristocratic Salina family, lead by Prince Fabrizio. Donadio Rachel, in his article, published on 31 July, 2008, the New York Times, titled as the Leopard Turns 50, while describing the excellence of the book states, Sicily is the key to Italy, as Goethe once wrote, and one novel is the key to Sicily: The Leopard, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusas masterpiece. (Donadio, 2008) He states that this novel is the most perfect depiction of the times of aristocracy that this world has lost. Leopards protagonist, Prince Frabozi who is shown as a rich aristrocrat of great knowledge, position and social status, a man benevolent with money and customed to living by traditions. The novel finds grave tragedy in his life, when his favorite nephew, Prince Tancredi, is apt on supporting the coming revolution, not through the mere interest of embracing the change but for his love for money, status and position in the new developing society. Thus for the sake of money and an artificial life, tancredi marries at a lower place, just for the sake of money; where Frabozi accepts how his monarchy was finally being over ruled by the midle class slowing coming to power. He also speaks the heart of the novel which describes the entire book beautifully saying that; If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change. (Ebert, 2003) The final death of the prince by which he is left to cater his unmarried daughters, his splitting property and nevertheless the broken government. This death does not only represent the sad dismisal of Lampedusas but also marks the end towards the monarchy of Sicily. This novel is a representation of the changing society, of how Garibaldis revolution brought the entire empire to shift its way of living and its traditions according to the new rule. The dying of the pronce echoes pf how an entire era had eventually come to an end with the invasion, bronging his knowledge and morality all to an end. The story finds its grimace with Fabrizio realizing that even with his place in the society he is helpless and cannot stop the change from engulfing the entire society. It also paints the countryside of Sicily in a very picturesque and vivid manner, which helps the readers imagine the country at the time of Risorgimento. One of the famous quotes taken from the book which describes the Sicilian fall and the rise of new era is as follows; "All this shouldn't last; but it will, always; the human 'always,' of course, a century, two centuries... and after that it will be different but worse. We were the Leopards, the Lions; those who'll take our place will be little jackals, hyenas; and the whole lot of us Leopards, jackals, and sheep, we'll all go on thinking ourselves the salt of the earth." (Lampedusa, 1958) The novel was later in 1963 depicted in the form of a film by director Luchino Visconti, and the cast included Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale and Alain Delon. It like the novel was set in the mood of 1860, when Italy was in the process of unification, with the monarchy coming to an end. However, both the movie and the novel have been criticized for being too disillusioned by the Unification, and to be overly skeptic of its negative effects upon the lives of the people. It was taken more as a more negative Marxist theory who claimed it as merciless and the Catholics were pessimistic of its view points. Generally it is taken as an objective side of the story; however it covers the true aspects of the history which did exist in the lives of those suffering through the revolution. Lampedusa, no matter had a royal birth, born with an actual silver spoon in his mouth, unfortunately had to face the fall of his familys position; thus it explains his flight f anger and depression seen throughout the novel. He well understood the political motives of leaders as he had spent his entire life amongst them, and was able to comprehend what would befall them in the future. Conclusion: Leopard is a story which directly comes from the heart of a person who suffered through the loss of his kingdom; thus it tells the tale of a man who faced revolution at peak and saw how his life might change marking the history of a new revolution. References Donadio, R. (2008, July 31). The Leopard Turns 50. The essay. The New York Times. Ebert, R. (2003, September 14). The Leopard (1963). Retrieved from http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20030914%2FREVIEWS08%2F309140302%2F1023&AID1=&AID2=%2F20030914%2FREVIEWS08%2F309140302%2F1023 Lampedusa, G. T, (1958). The Leopard. Current Edition: Pantheon. ISBN: 0679731210 Chapter 4

A combination of resources Essay Example

A combination of resources Essay Example A combination of resources Essay A combination of resources Essay Apart from legal political risks, Fly-Nice is also likely to face industry specific risks falling into four categories; hazard, financial, operational and strategic. 3 Many of these risks may be mitigated through creating a culture focused on the customer, developing a rigorous strategic planning process. Ways to solve the financial risks can be easy, mostly because of the third party involvements in this sector. The right design of financial transactions (for eg. Structured finance, insurance, debt/equity offerings) can be helpful in avoiding future problems. Operational risks can be lessened through organizational solutions, for example, process redesign, organization structural changes, seamless communication, contingency planning, performance measurement and resource allocation and pricing. A number of these challenges can be lessened in the first place through the selection of the business design itself. For example, Southwest Airlines is attractive to its customers because it is simple operationally and, therefore, cost effective. Other Southwest business design choices further lower risk exposure. For example, use of secondary airports insulates Southwest from direct competitive strain while improving turnaround speed. Low debt levels make the company less vulnerable to interest rate fluctuation. Also, along the dimensions of Porters Five Forces Theory, Fly-Nice would invariably meet the traditional challenges in entering a competitive market full of established players. Rivalry is also aggravated by the growth rates of the industry. While industry growth rates in European and North American countries are almost stagnant, there are emerging markets in Asia and South America where competition is intense. Also, airlines being a capital intensive industry, exit barriers are high resulting into excess capacity and consequently increased competitiveness. The power of buyers in a consumer oriented service industry is extraordinary. Customer expectations are high and if not satisfied results into loyalty switching. Innovation and customer satisfaction therefore is of utmost importance as products are almost non-differential making it easy for the customers to switch between competitors. In view of the risks involved, expansion of business is profitable only when the cost efficiency of operating the company is maintained. Maintaining and even improving cost efficiency requires an appropriate resource base and high cost management competency. Fly-Nice, in order to be consistently cost effective, must pay particular attention to the drivers of cost effectiveness or the cost drivers. Economies of scale: Since Fly-Nice is a service sector company, economies of scale are specially important in distribution and marketing. Also, use of the new Airbus with largest ever passenger carrying capacity will enable Fly-Nice to speed up turnaround rate. However, usage of a very high capacity aircraft also might push the company in the face of risks generating from empty seats. Supply costs: Expansion on a global level will require Fly-Nice to develop its supply chain network enormously. Purchase of aircrafts in bulk may be necessary, which may also give the company an option of negotiating for a bulk price. In-flight food and customer service equipments like pillows and crockery must be purchased in a way that retains the companys price advantage. Process design: Cost cutting in many cases comes through efficiency. Efficiency gains in production process can be gained through improvements in capacity-fill, labor productivity, yield from materials and working resources utilizations. In a service providing company like Fly-Nice, efficient management of capacity-fill is a key issue. So, marketing strategies like special offers, seasonal benefits and frequent flier programs and the possession of IT capability to optimize such efforts is a imperative. Experience: Although Fly-Nice is a successful domestic carrier, an international launching will invariable present it with a number of initial crises resulting from inexperience. Fly-Nices competitive advantage lies in its price competitiveness. To pursue its low price strategy, it must be ready to accept lower margins. Sustainable cost advantage can only be achieved through driving down cost throughout the value chain. Market segmentation and keeping the focus on the segment where price is valued over luxury is essential. Fly-Nice can also reduce their activity cost be outsourcing in areas where it is not very experienced. It must not fail to recognize the importance of consistently declining unit cost. In order to smoothen international entry and continual cost reduction, Fly-Nice may particularly consider strategic alliances with other international airlines. Alliances with either competitor airlines ( like using hub airports belonging to other airlines similar to Fly-Nice) or complementary service providers will lead to cost reduction and improved infrastructure. To enter global market, Fly-Nice will need local knowledge and expertise in order to satisfy the local customers. Alliances will assist the company in local marketing or distribution. Fly-Nice has an option of entering foreign markets by either joint ventures with other similar airlines or by direct foreign investment. Both options have their own advantage s and disadvantages. Joint ventures will allow Fly-Nice to lower their investment risk while increasing their know-how by a combination of resources. However choice of the right partners will prove to be of utmost importance should such strategy be followed. Joint ventures also often create problems in coordinating and integrating flight schedules across borders. On the other hand, if Fly-Nice decides to invest directly and create their own establishment overseas, it will incur enormous initial Investment cost. However full control of resources and capabilities will assist Fly-Nice in rapid market entry and in establishing their own brand image.

Money and happiness Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Money and happiness - Research Paper Example Also, it has been observed that with an increase in the wealth of a state, the individual happiness hasn’t increased to the same extent. Thus, it may be concluded that happiness increases with the increase in wealth but not at the same rate. To further analyze the argument, the works of Kesebir, Easterlin and Lane will be studied so that logical conclusion can be deduced. Kesebir (6) explores the rationale and logic behind happiness; that is how to find true happiness and what truly comprises of the notion of happiness. He is of the view that the idea of happiness has evolved over the years where it was equated with luck during the Homeric era, transformed to pleasure during the enlightenment era and can be equated with an act as little as owning a warm puppy in the contemporary era. However, the idea of happiness in its essence may not be as simple as that. In this context, over time contrasting views have been presented to explain what may constitute a happy life. Democritus argued that happiness is more of one`s state of mind, while Socrates and Plato disagree with this presumption and rather ought to give an objective meanings to happiness, i.e. virtue and goodness of life. On the other hand, the hellinistic view disregards virtue as a yardstick of happiness. In the enlightenment era, when a more secular shape was regarded to the concept of happi ness, ideas like maximum utility and pleasure principal began over-shadowing the explanation to what may be called a happy life. Though the philosophers in the field agree on the difficulty associated with the idea of understanding the true definition of happiness, they have come up with a few parameters which may help in explaining the concept. Kesebir (8) regards that these parameters include life satisfaction, satisfaction with significant domains of life, positive effect and lower levels of negative effect.

The control of legionnaires disease in water handling systems Essay

The control of legionnaires disease in water handling systems - Essay Example More than 90 per cent of the exposed persons become ill, but pneumonia does not take place and full improvement can be expected. Legionella bacteria are obviously dispersed in ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, soil, mud and underground water. In 1976, a conference held at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, more than 182 Legionnaires developed pneumonia and more than 29 people died from what was then an unidentified disease. Finally, the bacterium that was accountable for the disease was inaccessible and named Legionella pneumophila, and the disease related with it became known as Legionnaires disease. The cause of this particular bacterium was at last exposed to be the hotels ventilation and humidification system. Under favorable circumstances, Legionella bacteria may build up in cooling towers, evaporative condensers, hot water systems, spas and humidifiers. The quick expansion of Legionella pneumophila is supported by a wet, warm atmosphere, stagnation or low water return, high microbial attentiveness including algae, amoebae, slime and other bacteria, existence of biofilm, scale, sediment, sludge, corrosion products, existence of certain materials such as natural rubber fittings which may be a nutrient cause. Legionnaires’ disease is generally passed on when aerosol mists holding high attentiveness of Legionella bacteria are gulped into the lungs. Drinking water and washing in water having small numbers of Legionella is not acknowledged to result in infection. Person-to-person diffusion is also not acknowledged to occur. Sporadic and epidemic types of Legionnaires disease take place in Australia. Legionella infections are thought to account for 5-20% of community-acquired pneumonias. Occurrences in Australia are usually related with man-made water systems as well as water-cooling towers and spa baths. Home and institutional warm water systems are prospective causes of Legionella infectivity but are only infrequently implicated

Selection of a Pessure Vessel Manufacturer Assignment

Selection of a Pessure Vessel Manufacturer - Assignment Example top contender somewhat a top contender both seemed good to Jack Tooles capability to meet specification and cleanliness requirement had some reservations had a few reservations both very neither completely capable ,neither did they lack the capability to meet Oceanic requirements equipment and machinary as per company perception new and up-to-date Considerable age, and not of large capacity, but adequate for the job. Also available for use in other places/subsidiary plants Clearly Atomic products were better of the two Factor Continued on next page >>>> Offering company Comment ATOMIC PRODUCTS NUCLEAR equipment and machinary as per Oceanics perception new and up-to-date not as adequate as Atomic Products'. cause for stated cost lower number of man hours required higher number of man hours required Hence Atomic products show a greater degree of efficiency self image of management,machinery,equipment and to meet TARGETS were firm on their abilities and believed they could make such a vessel or bigger relatively confident Both firms are relatively confident in there ability to meet the challenge work disruptions strikes several according to case Company was on a profit sharing plan. No union existed. Workers were at good terms with management. Clearly Nuclear vessels were better, because they would have little work disruptions. This implies that because worker and management interests in profits should result in the best of effort to make the vessel. Factor Continued on next page >>>> Offering company Comment ATOMIC PRODUCTS NUCLEAR staff and area to meet TARGET relatively sufficient One member each from supply, expediting, quality control, and scheduling was assigned to a task force headed by a project engineer. It was the... One member each from supply, expediting, quality control, and scheduling was assigned to a task force headed by a project engineer. It was the responsibility of this task force to follow the entire project through the shop and keep the project engineer informed on a day-to-day basis cost-plus-a-fixed-fee contract , Total price: Estimated cost $1,120,000,Fixed fee 112,000,Total $1,232,000,Costing rate: Estimated shop rate $24/hour,Shop overhead 180%,Material Cost + 10% handling charge Welding, machining, or testing for this work. However, forgings will be purchased from a competent supplier after he has satisfied the company's metallurgist that his forgings will meet , the specifications. Supply, Expediting, Quality Control, Production and other departments will each have one man assigned to follow this project from start to finish. Forms and records are available for your review. Our organization is familiar with Oceanics' requirements from knowledge gained as a result of previous work accomplished for your division. Atomic Products Company submitted a lower estimated price, guaranteed the equipment, was more suitably located, and would meet the required delivery date.

The Internationalization Of Higher Education Education Essay

The Internationalization Of Higher Education Education Essay This study on the internationalization of higher education pursues this objective. Provide a brief overview of the nature and development of internationalization in the higher education system. This will shed light on relevant concepts and strategies from a global, European and domestic perspective and provide background information for an in-depth analysis of the objectives and organizational measures of studies for foreigners in United States and studies abroad for American students. Results of the Study The following overview will give the reader a brief summary of the results of the survey. Internationalization Strategies Internationalization of higher education is guided by the ideals of academic universality, the humanitarian objectives of social developmental aid work abroad, and the incentives of securing economic productivity at home. In the age of globalization, international mobility is increasingly used to boost USAs competitiveness as a place to study. The market orientation of internationalization and the social dimension of international student mobility are two conflicting aspects of higher education that require corrective policies to bring them into balance. United States continuous attractiveness as a place to study has to go hand in hand with reforms of the structure of higher education studies and measures to improve the general social conditions of students. The market orientation of studies for foreigners involves targeting specific groups of students. SUMMARY As the number of high school graduates in the United States levels off, the competition for international students is getting fiercer as universities attempt to meet their enrollment goals. U.S. universities however are not competing only with each other, but institutions from other countries as well. Rapidly increasing numbers of students in foreign countries have boosted international mobility, resulting in 2.7 million students who study abroad every year. The main countries of origin for foreign students are China, India and South Korea. Industrial countries are the destination of these mobile students. Data shows that the U.S. currently has the largest share of international students worldwide; In terms of absolute numbers, the USA is the worlds leading host country. Mobile foreign students represent 3.7% of the total student population in the USA. However this market share is decreasing due to increased competition from other countries and a perception that international students are not wanted in the U.S. after more stringent visa policies were instituted in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 making it much harder to obtain a student visa. Having more international students enrolled in U.S. universities benefits both the universities and the U.S. government, hence there must be a more coordinated effort between the two in order for the U.S. to recoup its lost market share and maintain its rank as the top destination country for international students. In this paper I will attempt to show that the current U.S. policy of attracting international students to this country cannot sustain the demand of U.S. universities, nor effectively compete with the policies and efforts of other countries; instead international education, including curricular integration, study abroad and student exchange must be central to a new, USA High Education System Strategic Planning for the 21st century. As a result of this national strategy, the students will need to work successfully and comfortably in multiple cultural contexts with people who hold values and viewpoints which vary significantly; Students will be the future leaders and educators in an environment which increasingly requires an international perspective; What exactly is the Internationalization of higher education? Internationalization has become an important issue in the development of higher education. Sven Groennings (1987) describes it as one of the most powerful substantive development in the history of American higher education (p/2). It is perceived as one of the laws of motion propelling institutions of higher learning (Kerr 1990, 5); as a major theme for the next decade (Davies 1997, 83); and as one of the most important trends of the last decade (Teichler 1999, 6), if not of the past half century (Altbach 2000c, 2) De Wit (2002) uses three terms to highlight the complexity of defining internationalisation, namely international dimension, international education and internationalisation of higher education, each referring to a specific phase of the development. He uses three interrelated arguments in which (i) he sees the international dimension of higher education, prior to the 20th century as more incidental, than organised; (ii) states that this international dimension as an organised activity, referred to in general by the term international education, is a product of the 20th century introduced first mainly in the United States for reasons of foreign policy and national security. (iii)The third argument is that around the end of the Cold War, this international dimension evolved into strategic processes, referred to as the internationalisation of higher education and became increasingly linked to globalisation and regionalisation of our societies and the impact of this on higher education. He further argues that with the development of globalisation, the international dimension will evolve into an integrated element of higher education and move away from its present position as an isolated set of activities, strategies and processes. This is manifested in a shift in emphasis from more traditional forms of international education to strategies that are more directly related to the core functions of the university, and in a shift in emphasis from political to economic rationales. The implications of these shifts are the increasing importance of quality assessment of internationalisation strategies, the emergence of English as the common language of higher education, the increasing relevance of international networks and strategic alliance, and the gradual acceptance of the internationalisation of higher education as an area of research. De Wit points out the need to relate the internationalisation of higher education in todays world to the general roots of the university, and to place the present developments in historical perspective. His work (2002) makes a useful contribution to the unfolding of this phenomenon in the European and American higher education systems. Another study (De Wit et al., 2005) examined the internationalisation of higher education in the Latin American context. Related issues and concepts It is interesting to take a look at the third Global Survey Report on Internationalization of Higher Education, which was recently released by (IAU 2009).   This comprehensive survey is the largest of its kind worldwide, and includes responses from 745 institutions in 115 countries. For purposes of analysis, the results were clustered in the following regions: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East, and North America (the U.S. and Canada). Even though the survey is on its third edition, it still has limitations which fortunately are acknowledged and explained in the document. According to this survey, the top five reasons for internationalizing an institution are, in order of importance, to improve student preparedness; internationalize the curriculum; enhance the international profile of the institution; strengthen research and knowledge production; and diversify its faculty and staff. However, when the information is analyzed by regions, interesting variations are found. For instance, both North America and Latin America give much more importance to international preparedness of students than Europe. Interestingly, institutions in Africa consider as the more important internationalization rationale, to strengthen research and knowledge production. The Middle East gives the highest importance equally to improving student preparedness and also strengthening research. Results suggest also that institutions in North America are not bothered with the notion of increasing their international profile.   For them, this is placed at a distant fourth level of importance in comparison with, for instance, Europe where it is the second most important rationale. I wonder if this can be explained by some degree of insularity, or a somewhat egocentric perspective of the regions status in the world of higher education. Surprisingly, all regions gave an extremely low importance to internationalizing the campus with the idea of diversifying sources of income or in response to public policies. When asked about the most important benefits of internationalization, the top three reasons at the global level listed in order of relevance were: increasing international awareness of students; strengthening research and knowledge production; and fostering international cooperation and solidarity. The only significant difference in this otherwise very consistent pattern was offered in the IAU Survey by institutions in North America for which international cooperation and solidarity was not considered as beneficial as it was in the rest of the regions. This factor placed a worrying 5th in North America Another puzzling finding of the survey has to do with to which geographic region higher-education institutions are turning their eyes for their internationalization work. The aggregate results show that no major shifts have happened in the last five years. And the winner is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Europe! (Asia-Pacific region was placed second.) The bronze medal goes to North America. Nevertheless, the analysis by region should be a matter of concern for policymakers in some parts of the world. For instance, in the Asia-Pacific region the first geographic priority for the internationalization policy in the majority of their institutions is Asia-Pacific, followed by Europe. For European institutions the first priority is placed on Europe itself and the second one on Asia-Pacific. For North America the first priority is Asia-Pacific, followed by Europe. Latin America and the Middle East consider Europe as the key regional priority. Sadly, the only region considering Africa as the principal pr iority is precisely Africa, but aside from that, none of the regions even consider Africa as a second or third priority. THE FIELD OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION International education has a somewhat unusual position in higher education. While recognized as an important sphere of activity, it tends to be handled by administrative offices at the top of departments of languages and literature and international affairs. The scholars involved in international education usually have their primary involvement in other teaching and research. This leads to four distinctive characteristics particular to the field of international education: 1. There is little consensus concerning the guiding theme of the field as well as its scope. Should the field stress internationalization, transnationalization, or globalization (Barrows, 2000; Committee for Transnational Competence, 2000; Hilary, 2000) 2. International education is not a prominent feature of the contemporary higher education experience. Using enrollment in foreign languages as an indicator, 16 percent of all U.S. college students were enrolled in foreign languages in the peak period of the 1960s; the proportion is currently down to 8 percent (Hayward, 2000, p. 6). 3. There is imbalance in regional coverage. The regions and languages covered at a particular institution are a function of idiosyncratic patterns of faculty recruitment. Nationally, there is reasonable coverage of Western Europe and Latin America and most European languages compared to limited coverage of Africa and the Middle East. For students enrolled in foreign languages, Spanish is the most popular followed by the other major languages of Western Europe; 6 percent enroll in Asian languages. Languages of the Middle East make up only 2 percent (1.3 being Hebrew and .5 percent Arabic). The languages of Africa constitute only 0.15 percent of enrollments. 4. Because international education is not a primary concern of most scholars in the field, research is somewhat sporadic, non-cumulative, and tends to be carried out by national organizations as part of advocacy projects (e.g. Lambert, 1989; Brecht and Rivers, 2000). The most recent example is the American Council of Educations (ACEs) Internationalization of Higher Education: A Status Report. (Hayward, 2000). Historical data Following the events of September 11, the total number of international students studying in the United States leveled off and even dropped slightly after 2002, though enrollment numbers have recently rebounded. (See fig. 1.) According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), the decline in the number of international students attending U.S. higher education institutions between 2003 and 2006 was the first drop in over 30 years. While the United States continues to be the leading destination for international students, the U.S. share of international students worldwide dropped-from 26 to 20 percent between 2000 and 2008.  [1]  (See fig. 2.) According to the Pew Global Attitudes Project, since 2002 the United States image has declined in both the Muslim world and among many of Americas oldest allies. In the wake of September 11, the United States also tightened its immigration policy and made it more difficult for foreign nationals, including international students, to a pply for a visa. As we previously reported, these changes, made to help protect our nations security interests, may have contributed to our declining share of international students and the perception that the United States was an unwelcoming place for international students. (GAO 2007) The U.S. government seeks to improve global attitudes toward America through diplomatic and development assistance efforts, which include funding higher education for international students in the United States. (GAO, 2008) Nine weeks after September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush said (Bush, 2001): We must also reaffirm our commitment to promote educational opportunities that enable American students to study abroad, and to encourage international students to take part in our educational system. By studying foreign cultures and languages and living abroad, we gain a better understanding of the many similarities that we share, and learn to respect our differences. The relationships that are formed between individuals from different countries, as part of international education programs and exchanges, can also foster goodwill that develops into vibrant, mutually beneficial partnerships among nations. Americas leadership and national security rest on our commitment to educate and prepare our youth for active engagement in the international community. On February 27, 2002, Secretary of State Colin Powell reaffirmed the State Departments support for foreign students: The Departments policy on student visas is based on the democratic values of an open society and the perception that foreign students make an important contribution to our nations intellectual and academic climate, as well as to our nations economy. We must continue to nurture these vital relationships even as we improve the security of our borders. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ American values, including democracy, economic freedom, and individual rights, draw students from many nations. As these students and scholars from other countries gain from our society and academic institutions, they also serve as resources for our campuses and communities, helping our citizens to develop the international understanding needed to strengthen our long-term national security and enhance our economic competitiveness. The professional partnerships and lifelong friendships that are created through international education are important for a secure, prosperous future, not only for our own country but also for th e world as a whole. The New York Times, in a September 24, 2002, editorial, suggested that our efforts to spread our influence and understanding of our culture should be stepped up, not abandoned. Cautioning that government policies must not impede legitimate exchange, the editorial said, Higher education is one of the best methods we have of spreading the word about who we are and of exposing our citizens to non-Americans. Bringing foreign students onto our campuses is among the best favors we can do ourselves. While the federal government provides funds for the education for international students to achieve public diplomacy and development objectives, the vast majority of students who come to the United States to study do not receive funding from the U.S. government. According to the Institute of International Educations Open Doors 2008 report, 623,805 students came to the United States to study during the 2007-2008 academic year and nearly 9 out of 10 international students reported their primary source of funding for education as coming from either personal and family sources or from their host college or university in the United States. Who are the main players in the international market for students? In order to have a genuine perspective on the reality of the competitors that the U.S higher education institutions face, it is useful to have a look at what the international outlook has in store. According to the Institute of International Education, the number of international students in U.S. higher education institutions has increased in most years since 1955. According to IIEs Open Doors 2002, the authoritative source of data on international student enrollment for academic year 2001-2002, This years 6.4 percent increase in international student enrollment in U.S. colleges and universities equals last years increase, which was the largest increase in the past 20 years. This continues a trend of substantial growth in foreign student enrollments that began in 1997, after a four-year period of minimal growth. It is quite evident that although the absolute numbers are increasing, U.S. market share is decreasing. According to IIE, the U.S. share of internationally mobile students-the proportion of all international students who select the United States for study-declined by almost ten percent from 1982 to 1995, the last year that IIE did the calculation (39.2 to 30.2 percent). In itself, that is not an alarming statistic. U.S. market share is still healthy, and the argument could be made that our nearly 40 percent market share was unsustainable. It is what lies behind that statistic that is alarming. Merely the existence of fiercer competition is not the only reason for the declination of U.S. market share. at least two other factor can be noted. First, it is reflects aggressive recruitment efforts by the competitors of the USA-the usual suspects, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and more recently China and others-who have determined that they want to reap more of the foreign policy, economic, and educational benefits those international students bring. Combined with the distinctive absence of such a conclusion on the part of the United States, which apparently assumes that international students will always come because they always have such complacency risks the loss of this countrys leadership in international education, with the accompanying negative ramifications for our security, foreign policy, and economy. Second, the declination U.S. market share does not appear to reflect any decline in international demand for U.S. higher education. Demand is still strong. The problem is access. While competing nations seek to remove disincentives to study in their countries, U.S. policy ignores-and sometimes exacerbates-the disincentives to study here. The problem lies not in the internationally popular product, nor in the highly motivated customer, but rather in market imperfections that keep the two from finding each other. Those imperfections are all subject to the control or the influence of American public officials. If they continue to ignore these factors, the market share that the American high education currently enjoys, will continue to be eroded out to the competition. Ultimately, whats wrong with this picture is the absence of a strategy to sustain the number of foreign students coming to the USA. For a generation after World War II, the United States had a strategy of promoting international student exchange as a means of waging the Cold War and promoting international peace. But now more than ever, the U.S. government seems to lack overall strategic sense of why exchange is important-and, therefore, of what U.S. interests are at risk by not continuing to foster exchanges. In this strategic vacuum, At the most basic-and encouraging-level, the problem is not one of weakness. The United States has every resource it needs to be successful in attracting international students-and, indeed, has been successful at it. The United States has more higher education capacity than our major competitors combined, the high quality of U.S. higher education is universally recognized, and the United States is a magnet for many throughout the world. The problem is not how to make the United States and its higher education system more attractive, but how to make them more accessible. A strategic plan is needed to address them. The principal barriers to access are: (1) The absence of a proactive, coordinated effort to recruit international students; (2) Burdensome U.S. government regulations, which often effectively cancel out recruitment efforts. (3) The cost of U.S. higher education, (4) The complexity of American higher education system. All of important powers have historically used education for international students as a tool to advance diplomatic, development, economic, and other objectives, often simultaneously. In the survey of GOA 2009 titled HIGHER EDUCATION Approaches to Attract and Fund International Students in the United States and Abroad (GOA 2009), the approaches of several countries have been analyzed. For example, Australian officials said that international higher education helps Australia achieve economic goals. Education was Australias third largest export and contributed $15.5 billion in Australian dollars (about $13 billion in U.S. dollars) to its economy in 2008. International students also help Australia meet its foreign relations and diplomatic goals. According to Chinese officials, providing international educational opportunities to foreign students is part of their strategy for promoting cultural, scientific, and technological exchanges between the East and the West. China develops exchanges with other countries in the fields of education, science, and technology to strengthen friendship and understanding between the Chinese people and people around the world and to promote modernization in China. China reported that its collaboration with foreign universities and educational institutions helps to develop an exchange network that allows it to send the best students to study in the best universities under the supervision of the best advisers, mutually benefiting institutions and countries. Officials from Germanys national agency that supports international education, stated in the GOA report that international students help Germany advance several goals, including increasing the international appeal of German universities and promoting the academic, economic, and democratic development of developing countries. German officials said that their ability to advance several goals simultaneously is an important strength of international education. For example, international students studying in science and technology help advance German research and innovation goals while also advancing public diplomacy goals by returning to their home countries as unofficial ambassadors for Germany. Officials in the United Kingdom (UK) reported that international education contributes to building a high-skilled workforce, helps build relationships with people from around the world, enhances understanding about each others cultures, and opens doors to trade, investment, and political influence. The European Union (EU) also seeks to advance several international education goals, including promoting intercultural understanding through cooperation with non-European countries as well as ensuring that education and training are accessible to the global community. To promote their higher education systems internationally, countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia have developed broad marketing strategies with a focus on outreach to international students. These marketing strategies include developing a national brand through the use of logos and slogans to promote higher education systems among international communities, much as a corporation would promote a commercial brand, as shown in figure 3. The financial outlook. Internationalization of higher education is good business for the U.S. economy. While this is not in the most important reason for reaching out to such students, it is nevertheless one the basic driving force leading competitor countries to adopt proactive strategies for attracting them. NAFSA (Association of International Educators) estimates that international students and their dependents spent nearly $18.78 billion in the U.S. economy in the 2009-2010 academic year, which makes international education a significant U.S. service-sector export. (NAFSA 2003) This economic benefit is shared by schools, communities, states, and the U.S. economy as a whole. According to the Institute of International Education, more than 70 percent of undergraduate international students pay full tuition and receive no financial aid, thus allowing schools to offer more financial assistance to American students. The Statistical Analysis of The Economic Benefits of International Education to the United States for the 2007-20010 Academic Years estimates that foreign students and their dependents contributed approximately $15.54 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2007-2008 academic year; approximately $17.6 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2008-2009 academic year; And approximately $18.78 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2009-2010 academic year. Every higher education institution has more or less received ample financial benefits. For example at New Yorks Columbia University, international students accounted for 21 percent, or about 7,000, of the student body in the 2008-2009 school year. These students funneled almost $250 million to Columbia in tuition and living expenses, according to a report by its international student office. (Laya 2010). At South Florida University for example in-state U.S. citizens pursuing undergraduate studies pay $5,100 in tuition annually, out-of-state students; including those from foreign countries, pay about $15,900, more than three times as much. (Fischer 2010. Chronicle of Higher Education) For schools like South Florida, increasing the number of international students also means increased revenue. But this is not the only benefit that international students bring. United States has relied on undergraduate and graduate students from other countries as important sources of innovation and productivity in our increasingly knowledge-based economy. Such students who remain in the country after completing their studies have brought needed research and workforce skills and strengthened our labor force. For example, international students have earned about one-third or more of the degrees at both the masters and doctoral levels in engineering, math and computer science, and the physical sciences. Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, says U.S. visa curbs on immigrants with special skills in science, math or technology must be overhauled.If we dont, American companies simply will not have the talent to innovate and compete, Gates said in testimony to the House Committee on Science and Technology on March 12, 2008. (Laya 2010). In addition, U.S.-educated students take home preferences for Am erican products, and business students in particular take home an education in U.S. business practices. By any measure, international education makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy. Is there a correlation between the role nations to play in the international scene and the internationalization of their universities? Our ability to relate to and interact with those whose cultural backgrounds differ from our own will be among the determining factors for the future of our societies. For most people, regardless of whether they aim for international careers or life in their local communities, intercultural dialogue will become a fact of life rather than an option. Education will need to play a key role in developing the ability to conduct intercultural dialogue, which is an integral part of developing democratic culture. A panel of leading experts in national security, higher education, and foreign policy made a strong case for the need to place international education at the heart of Americas public diplomacy efforts, at a policy forum November 16, 2006. The speakers were Dr. Joseph S. Nye, Distinguished Service Professor at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University; Ambassador Cresencio Arcos, Director of International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Sanford J. Ungar, President of Goucher College; and the Honorable Jim Kolbe, United States Congressman (R-Ariz.). (NAFSA 2005) Joseph Nye stated that the presence of foreign students in American universities is a tremendous resource for American soft power.'   He told a story about the influence of educational exchanges on reform and dissident elements in the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and noted that while hard power is necessary, it is [also] essential to get our story out, and the best way to [do that] in terms of winning hearts and minds, the best emissaries are really people who have been [to] American universities and return home. Nye acknowledged improvement in the visa process but said we have quite a long way to go to ensure that we keep the doors open and remain an attractive destination for international students. Goucher College President Sanford J. Ungar focused his remarks on the importance of promoting study abroad among American college students. Goucher recently instituted a new policy that requires all of its students to study abroad before graduation. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Ungar stressed that the international education of todays students must be an urgent matter of public policy and an important component of public diplomacy. Representative Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.), the final panelist, (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) spoke specifically about his efforts and those of Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) to urge the establishment of an international education policy for the United States, most recently through their introduction of House Concurrent Resolution 100.   Tying together the comments of the other panelists, Kolbe said: We cant lead in a world that the American people dont understandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦We cant have a successful foreign policy with out internationally educated and aware citizens who support that foreign policy and who understand, relate and interact with the people of all countries that we are engaged with. Andà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a successful foreign policy depends on our being able to educate future leaders from around the world about our way of life, our system of government, our culture, our political sy

First Confession Essay examples -- essays research papers

Mrs. Ryan and the Priest In Frank O’Connor’s story â€Å"First Confession†, Mrs. Ryan and the priest are different. Mrs. Ryan and the priest approach Jackie differently and have different affects on him. Mrs. Ryan makes Jackie feel like a sinner in her approach to him. She teaches him how to examine his heart by asking himself a few questions, â€Å"Did we take the name of the Lord, our God in Vain? Did we honor our father and mother? Did we love our neighbors as ourselves? Did we covet our neighbors goods?†(614). This made Jackie feel like he is a sinner because he feels that he was not honoring his grandmother and feels that he coveted Nora’s penny she got every week from their grandmother. Mrs. Ryan affects Jackie by making him feel that confession is scary. After telling her story about the ma...