[PASSED] Promotion of International Education

[NERVUN]

We do not mandate that students be exchanged, only that at least one insitution within our nation be designated for such. Your insitution can still set whatever student numbers it wants, it can still set whatever academic standards (within reason) it wants..

So why write a feckless proposal in the first place? Why mandate that member states designate an institution, but not mandate the exchange? This proposal would do just as well to mandate nothing. When your argument for your proposal is that member states don't really have to follow its spirit, then perhaps it's time to revisit the planning board.

- Dr. B. Castro

Because mandating the exchange means that someone may be forced to go who does not want to go. We cannot, nor should not, force people to go abroad, honored ambassador, but we may provide the way, the means, and encourage them to do so.

[Knootoss]

I'd like to thank the Nervun delegation for their concise response to the issues raised. Their indulgence, as well as hearing Dr. Castro describe the proposal as 'feckless', has convinced me to give my full support to this resolution draft.


Ambassador Aram Koopman
World Assembly representative for the Dutch Democratic Republic of Knootoss

[Albert the Fourth]

Ooc: i like this resolution, and am willing to support it, but a few minor gripes. Firstly, i'll probably get destroyed for bringing this up, but how will this program (i.e. Scholarships and things like administration) be funded?
Secondly, you raise a valid in prohibiting discrimination, but this process still leaves people to the mercy of the visa process, which, in countries with less than transparent bureaucracies, still allows nations to discriminate through visa.
Lastly, I question making this scheme compulsory, and instead suggest it should say something like "encourages member nations to allow access for educational institutions to make use of this scheme" but obviously better worded.
Good resolution though, and i'm happy to support it.

[NERVUN]

Ooc: i like this resolution, and am willing to support it, but a few minor gripes. Firstly, i'll probably get destroyed for bringing this up, but how will this program (i.e. Scholarships and things like administration) be funded?

It is our feeling that the funding is best left to OEX. We assume that it will be, since the WA cannot tax, a combonation of donations from member states, grants from private parties, and appeals to GAO for monies from the General Fund when needed. (OOC: In other words, I left it unclear on purpose mainly because specifiying sources has a potential to bring this into conflict with other resolutions, not to mention that we do not exactly have a target number in terms of student numbers, costs for various member states, etc.)

Secondly, you raise a valid in prohibiting discrimination, but this process still leaves people to the mercy of the visa process, which, in countries with less than transparent bureaucracies, still allows nations to discriminate through visa.

We are aware of the issue but we do note that member states do have a legitamate claim in denying access to certain personages. There's also the health issue to consider. We therefore place out trust in passed legislation from this august council that will keep nations from attempting to do so. OOC: That and at 3400 characters, I'm almost out of room to play. While I know things like the passport act or the CoCR may be repealed, I'm gonna have to lean on it.

Lastly, I question making this scheme compulsory, and instead suggest it should say something like "encourages member nations to allow access for educational institutions to make use of this scheme" but obviously better worded.

OOC: Part of the problem of making this optional would be that it reduces the proposal to just creating a committee. I've done my best to allow member states who don't want to play to designate Bob's Plumbing School as their institution, but proposals need to do something so...

Good resolution though, and i'm happy to support it.

Thank you, honored ambassador. We are thankful for your support.

[Andacantra]

Right, I feel like going through this line by line.. because well, I'm bored.

Promotion of International Education

The World Assembly:

Desiring to promote peace and international good will

Realizing that among the best ways to accomplish this is to promote student exchanges and study abroad programs for young adults attending institutions of higher education in the hopes that memories of other places and people will broaden their minds.

No problems, something I agree with.

I. Definitions:
1. Higher education as institutes providing post-secondary education that leads to the granting of an academic degree such as, but not limited to, colleges, universities, research institutes, or military academies; OR providing education that leads to the granting of a professional license or rating such as, but not limited to, medical schools or technical-trade schools.

I dissagree with the honoured ambassador from earlier that this relies on the the gradated systems - due to the specification of academic degree and professional license, I feel that it gets what it meant across.

2. Student exchanges as fully enrolled/matriculated students attending an institution of higher education other than their own in a foreign country for a short period of no less than one academic term and no longer than two academic years with the degree/license/rating granted by their original institution.

No problems.

3. Study abroad as fully enrolled/matriculated students attending an institution of higher education in a foreign country until transferring to a new institution, quitting the institution and returning to their home nation, or fulfilling requirements for their degree program/license/rating.

Same goes. Not quite as keen on this, but I can't think of a better way of putting it, certainly.

II. Office for Education Exchange
1. Creates the Office for Education Exchange (OEX).
(a) Charges OEX with developing guidelines promoting student exchanges and study abroad programs within institutes of higher education of member states as well as
(b) Accredit institutes of higher education within member states as having satisfied said guidelines as well as

Groundwork, fine.

(c) Develop scholarship programs to allow for students who currently experience financial burden to attend either a student exchange or study abroad.

Woo! I like this. It's easily forgotten when encouraging this sort of stuff that it's damned expensive.

(d) Designates OEX as the final binding board of arbitration regarding irreconcilable conflicts between institutes of higher education in matters of credit transfers and course applicability to the students’ degree program/license/rating.

Goodgood. No neverending disputes then.

III. Institutes of Higher Education
1. Requires member states with such to designate at least one institute of higher education as a candidate for accreditation by OEX for a student exchange or study abroad program.

Fine. Gets rid of a nice easy loophole in not designating any.

2. Prohibits discrimination against students in student exchanges or study abroad programs; excepting:
(a) Allows member states to set reasonable requirements for enrollment based on academic standing, language ability, physical requirements (Where needed and in accordance with international law), and/or financial ability.
(b) Allows restrictions to sensitive information and/or facilities where access to such would normally be controlled.
(c) Requires students to meet all other visa requirements of the host nation in accordance with international law.
(d) Allows institutions of higher education to set enrollment caps on the number of foreign students it accepts.

I'd worry about (c) for two reasons - 1. What if the visa requirements are such that potential students are highly unlikely to be eligible and 2. On the same vein could nations abuse this? I don't know of WA legislation that would apply (but am highly likely to be wrong here).

3. Requires OEX accredited institutions of higher education in member states to accept grades/credits from other OEX accredited institutions of higher education.

Fine.

4. Encourages member states to promote student exchanges or study abroad to their own youth.
(a) Encourages and allows member states to have multiple exchange/study abroad programs beyond this resolution.

Allows and encourages maybe, for (a). Both so it's in alphabetical order, and also because it makes little sense to encourage something that's not allowed. So you're allowing them to, and then encouraging them beyond simply permitting it.

---

I agree with the principle of this, and while I'd probably normally say that something like this is a national thing, it's on an international scale and I think can therefore be justified.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

In regards to clause two, would it allow member countries to block students from countries in which they are at war with, or due to the consequences of aggression against said country (see Charter of Minoa Section 86 for an example), or should we direct institutions of higher education to set enrolment caps on the number of students from banned countries to zero?

[NERVUN]

In regards to clause two, would it allow member countries to block students from countries in which they are at war with, or due to the consequences of aggression against said country (see Charter of Minoa Section 86 for an example), or should we direct institutions of higher education to set enrolment caps on the number of students from banned countries to zero?

We would suggest that the host nation, having control of their own visa requirements (Excepting whatever WA resolution is in force at the time) would most likely have some kind of law in place to prevent the issuing of visas to nationals of a country that they are currently at war with.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

In regards to clause two, would it allow member countries to block students from countries in which they are at war with, or due to the consequences of aggression against said country (see Charter of Minoa Section 86 for an example), or should we direct institutions of higher education to set enrolment caps on the number of students from banned countries to zero?

We would suggest that the host nation, having control of their own visa requirements (Excepting whatever WA resolution is in force at the time) would most likely have some kind of law in place to prevent the issuing of visas to nationals of a country that they are currently at war with.

Since the prohibition of certain nationalities as a consequence of the Minoan war of 2024 (the effects are still apparent to this day despite remarkable growth and recovery) would automatically imply no eligibility for visas, we consider this enquiry resolved.

[NERVUN]

Thanks to the delegates who approved this, we have reached the queue for a floor vote. At this time, we wish to express the thanks of the Supreme Commander of NERV-UN for allowing this to be voted on by this august assembly.

In regards to the points brought up about the visa requirements, we agree that there is a semi-loophole there. We too are concerned about it; however, due to the limitations of just how long a proposal can be, we were unable to craft a section that would lock it down tighter and yet still provide the nessicary security in terms of health, criminal background, and so on. (OOC: I was very quickly running out of characters)

We also note that this is a point that this august assembly may be willing to take up at a later date. A proposal to help regulate and streamline visa requirements to allow for freer movement while still protecting member states from undesierables would be helpful. (OOC: Someone else gets to do that though)

[Iksalvor]

We also note that this is a point that this august assembly may be willing to take up at a later date. A proposal to help regulate and streamline visa requirements to allow for freer movement while still protecting member states from undesierables would be helpful. (OOC: Someone else gets to do that though)

While this makes initial passage a potential worry due to those problems abuse of the loophole may allow, I'm certain the Assembly would be eager to take up the task as you have stated, and quickly I hope. I will be looking out for the moment debate is opened on the subject.

I eagerly await this coming to vote. You will have Iksalvor's vote, as promised.

[New Jovenia]

The People's Republic of Jovenia is planning on voting for the approval of this resolution for the following reasons:

1. The People's Republic of Jovenia feels this would be an excellent opportunity to allow our students to experience other cultures and discover new technology, which would inevitably benefit the People's Republic of Jovenia.

2. The People's Republic of Jovenia feels our educational institutes have much to offer with the rest of the world, and this would inevitably benefit the People's Republic of Jovenia by increasing potential tourism.


However, Prime Minister Wheat feels this proposal

could have some protections for our students while residing in foreign countries.

Obviously, he wouldn't wish to protect criminals who violate foreign laws, but he

fears our students might inevitably be caught up in foreign political policy or upheaval.

Regardless, Prime Minister Wheat has given his reluctant approval of this resolution.


Charles O'Hanson
Jovenian Ambassador to the World Assembly,
General Assembly

[NERVUN]

Honored representatives to this august assembly, we come before you today to open the floor debate for voting on our proposal, Promotion of International Education. We are grateful to note that it has received the approval of over 130 regional delegates and we stand humbled by that approval.

The Supreme Commander wishes it to be known that he has given his full support of this proposal and hopes that this assembly will see fit to pass it.

For many years this honored assembly has tried with the best of intentions to promote world peace and understanding between its member states. We submit that one cannot truly force one state to like another through legislation and that actual understanding comes from being allowed to walk in another’s shoes and experience their life for a bit, not through WA resolutions. Thus we have drafted this proposal for your consideration. We hold that it is the youth of the world who will make the changes that will help bring about further understanding between nations and peoples and that said youth are more likely to be open to new experiences than their more, if you will please forgive the expression, hidebound elders.

Therefore we hold that an exchange program that allows and encourages, but does not force, students to study abroad or conduct an exchange will help bring about these changes and actually provide the understanding between peoples that is missing now.

We wish to note that this program is not calling for particular numbers of students or be exchanged or sent abroad as we know that each nation treats their youth and their education process differently as well as, again, a forced experience is not a good experience in terms of the goals of this proposal.

We also wish to answer some of the issues brought forth during the drafting stage of this proposal; we hope these will aid the honored representatives while considering their vote.

This proposal requires that an institution of higher education be designated as a candidate for exchange/study abroad. The choice of which institution, as well as how to go about picking it, is left to the member state to decide; it can be a college or university, it can be a professional school such as a medical school or research institution, or it could also be a technical/trade school such as a plumbing school. The choice is up to each nation. We also note that the proposal allows for an equivalent to the above so that member states are not required to found or build such institutions if they organize their education system on a different model.

This proposal allows restrictions on the numbers of international students that each institution accepts in order to prevent it from being swarmed under. It also allows the host nation to set academic, financial (Within reason), and visa requirements as well as restrict areas of research that it considers to be a security risk.

This proposal also creates a scholarship program to help students who are in need of financial assistance in order to study abroad or go on an exchange.

What this proposal does not do is set any kind of target number, force nations to accept unqualified students, or students from any nation that may be deemed to be dangerous in terms of criminal background, security threat, or health issues. This proposal does not make the WA into an academic accrediting board. The Office for Education Exchange accredits and certifies only that the designated institute/school is complying with the provisions in the proposal in terms of setting reasonable academic, financial, and/or physical requirements and is not discriminating against its international students. It cannot, nor will not, judge the quality of the classes taught. Control over the coursework of a member state’s school(s) remains with that state, not the WA.

We note that there is reasonable concern regarding the visa requirements, but we feel that further protections are outside the scope of this proposal (OOC: not to mention I was bumping up against the character limit) as well as being somewhat covered by previous WA resolutions such as the Charter of Civil Rights. We also note that students while studying abroad are covered under said Charter and given the full protection of the host state in case of emergencies as well as provided all other protection as currently granted under international law.

Honored members of the World Assembly, urge you to vote for this proposal and to allow it to be entered into the books as a resolution. We further urge you to consider opening more than just the required one school within your nation. While exchanges provide very little hard power; the soft power, the good will gathered, the exchanges of information, of culture, of friendship, of memories when a youth’s horizons were broaden allowing them to become better leaders for our future, is invaluable and unmistakable. By order of the Supreme Commander of NERV-UN, we humbly submit this proposal to the General Assembly for voting.

May it pass.

[Dinkamana]

After reviewing the proposal, The Imperium of Dinkamana hereby, votes FOR this proposal. We feel it is in the member states of the WA's best interest. Not only will it give insight into new cultures, it also broadens the level of education. We advise other nations to vote FOR this proposal.

[Damanucus]

At the home of Linard Skyre

Phone rings

Linard: Hello. Emporer Skyre.
Horgen: It's Horgen, Emporer.
Linard: Ah, Horgen. How is it now you're back in the WA building again?
Horgen: Weird, for one. But I'm settling back in somewhat.
Linard: That's good. Now, what's on the table?
Horgen: Promotion of International Education.
Linard: Good. Call me back when it passes.
Horgen: So I'm guessing you would agree with my supporting it?
Linard: More than that: If it passes, I'll establish a local Student Exchanges Office. And see if I can get a representative from our country on the committee.
Horgen: You mean, in the Office of Education Exchange?
Linard: Yes.
Horgen: You may not need to go that far, Emporer...
Linard: Still, call me when it passes.

---

WA General Assembly

Horgen: My esteemed representatives, I have informed my Emporer of the resolution, and indeed his...enthusiasm...for the resolution at hand echoes and even exceeds my own. As such, I shall pledge my support for the resolution, and even request a place in the OEX for one of my own countrymen.

[Hannorat]

I voted for this because most of the principles in this legislation are actually feasible. However, I have a few questions:

1) Is the OEX an international organization? Or does each nation have its own OEX?

"(c) Develop scholarship programs to allow for students who currently experience financial burden to attend either a student exchange or study abroad. "
2) How will scholarships be funded by the OEX? In other words, how will the OEX garner the money for scholarships?

3) I would also feel more comfortable if the schools can prohibit convicted felons and other high crimes/misdemeanors from going on the trip. Also, if the student commits a crime abroad, which country should bear the responsibility of the student (Amanda Knox example)?

[NERVUN]

Thank you, Honored Ambassador. In answer to your questions...

I voted for this because most of the principles in this legislation are actually feasible. However, I have a few questions:

1) Is the OEX an international organization? Or does each nation have its own OEX?

OEX itself is a WA committee acting as a quasi-clearing house (In other words, mainly just making sure the i's are dotted, t's are crossed, and everyone gets a poster).

"(c) Develop scholarship programs to allow for students who currently experience financial burden to attend either a student exchange or study abroad. "
2) How will scholarships be funded by the OEX? In other words, how will the OEX garner the money for scholarships?

It is left open for OEX to determine due to lack of numbers. Since the WA lacks any form of taxation ability, it would most likely be through donations given by member states, private parties.

3) I would also feel more comfortable if the schools can prohibit convicted felons and other high crimes/misdemeanors from going on the trip. Also, if the student commits a crime abroad, which country should bear the responsibility of the student (Amanda Knox example)?

We would direct the honored ambassador's attention to the clause stating that a prospctive student must meet their host country's visa requirements. Whatever restrictions you place on your student or other kinds of visas for entry into your nation would apply. As for the second, the CoCR is quite clear that nationals are subject to the laws of the nation that they are in.

[Knootoss]

It would seem like His Modliness may now experience a resolution being crushed by the 10ki vote, despite overwhelming lemming support. A pity. Knootoss voted FOR.


Ambassador Aram Koopman
World Assembly representative for the Dutch Democratic Republic of Knootoss

[NERVUN]

Voting is young.

[Netown]

We need to begin drafting a repeal of this trash.

[Hirota]

My government, acting as delegate for my region, has directed me to communicate our intention to vote yes for this legislation, barring any requests from our fellow regional partners to review this decision.

[Knootoss]

Voting is young.

True. It looks like the lemmings might overrun 10ki.

[Shikkago]

This proposal also creates a scholarship program to help students who are in need of financial assistance in order to study abroad or go on an exchange.

Why do we need an intern'l Govt-run org (OEX) to set up scholarships? We have private universities that accomplish this task quite well. Our citizens do not like having their tax money seized for such optional programs.

Or do we misunderstand your proposal?

[Wiztopia]

"1. Requires member states with such to designate at least one institute of higher education as a candidate for accreditation by OEX for a student exchange or study abroad program. "

Why should a nation be forced to designate one at all?

[The Penguins Island]

If this will eventually be alive then it will be no problem.
It's just too easy to pass it over

Against.

[Bengalai]

*The Bengala Ambassador stands, turns on his microphone, and starts speaking nervously*

I wish to address this Assembly, and, with the Assembly's leave, I wish to use this resolution as the topic for my maiden speech. I applaud the Honourable Delegate for NERVUN and his Ambassadoral team. I think that education - and international education in particular - has been overlooked by this most August and Honourable body. I see that this Assembly has undertaken many honourable activities, for which our President and I wholeheartedly applaud it.

Education is important. We all know that as a basic fact, and (even though I have not read that resolution), I am sure that it is mentioned in the Charter of Civil Rights. I therefore think that rules about all types of education should be instigated wherever possible, and thus we applaud this resolution in all its efforts.

We further wish to applaud this resolution for its attempts to end international discrimination in educational institutions. In an international exchange, many different persons come together to mingle in education (as I am sure that the August members of this body will be aware). We are aware of much discrimination based on race, incapability to speak the language of the host nation, or some other nuance. We are therefore heartened to consider that discrimination of this type shall be ended once and for all.

I hope to join you in many more illuminating debates like this.

We, respectfully, yield the floor

Dr Yuma Lihara (LLD, MA History, LLB)