Thursday, June 27, 2019
In the initial stage of the program, 271 Syrians seen as suitable for university scholarships were chosen from potential candidates who were "either still living in Syria or in one of the bordering countries (Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey), or who had fled to Germany".[3] The former were then brought to Germany to join those participants who were already there. The scholarships were to various universities throughout Germany. The German Foreign Office funded the bulk of the scholarships (200) with the balance being sponsored by Baden Wurttemberg (50) and North Rhine Westphalia (21).[3]
The scholarship curriculum included an introductory language course for those students who were not already fluent in, or otherwise had no prior knowledge of, German. Alongside this was a concomitant obligatory element intended to imbue the planned future Syrian elite with the "fundamental and practical knowledge and skills in political sciences, economics, social sciences, as well as operational competence."[3]
In late 2015, plans were being drawn up for a massive expansion of the program during 2016.[3] However even by that time, a major reversal of fortunes for the Syrian opposition, in particular those of its nominally pro-western elements, was calling into doubt not only that expansion but also the rationale of the entire 'Leadership For Syria' program. As of early 2016, the future of the program along with that of similar international initiatives is in question.
Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) Pension Reform
Universities UK represents higher education employers in discussions over the future of the USS scheme, which is a valued part of the remuneration package in higher education.
On behalf of over 350 USS employers, UUK has been negotiating with the University and College Union (UCU) over changing the scheme since January 2017 given the funding challenges it faces.
On 23 March 2018, Universities UK and UCU announced that they wanted to establish a Joint Expert Panel to review the USS valuation, processes and assumptions and to agree key principles to underpin the future joint approach to the valuation of the USS fund. The establishment of the Joint Expert Panel has received support from USS employers and UCU members.
In May 2018, the terms of reference for the panel and the appointment of its chair, Joanne Segars, were announced. UCU and UUK have each nominated three representatives to be panel members.
On 25 July, USS announced plans to increase contributions from scheme members and employers, as part of the cost sharing process set out in the scheme rules. The proposed changes are subject to consultation, which started on 3 September.
