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Metagora’s pilot experience on land reform in South Africa is a case study for measuring the realisation of democracy and human rights in a complex practical context. This pilot designed and tested a survey methodology to take into account the varied nature of the South African land question, as well as the relevant but diverging views of a range of stakeholders. It addressed the particular needs of policy makers and civil society for evidence-based information on citizens’ differing experiences, perceptions, attitudes and aspirations around land.The likely policy impact of this approach was to contribute with evidence-based information and analysis to the development of a land reform policy based on principles, standards and people’s expectations of democracy, realisation of human rights and good governance.

This article synthesises a selected literature on human capital formation and foreign direct investment (FDI) in developing countries. The aim is to take a bird’s eye view of the complex linkages between the activities of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and policies of host developing countries. In doing so, general trends, best practices and policy experiences are extracted to evaluate the current state of knowledge. The literature indicates that a high level of human capital is no doubt one of the key ingredients for attracting FDI, as well as for host countries to gain maximum benefits from their activities. Most developing countries, however, underinvest in human capital, and the investment that is actually taking place is unevenly distributed across countries and regions that have adopted different human resource development (HRD) policies. To improve human capital formation and thus to attract more FDI would therefore require a more coherent approach that takes host country constraints such as limited budgetary resources into account. One such approach is to provide strong incentives for MNEs and Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) to participate in formal education and vocational training even for workers employed by domestic firms. This allows HRD to be flexible and demanddriven. Another policy option is to facilitate human resource development (HRD) for small and medium-sized domestic enterprises which usually do not invest sufficiently in training of employees although these enterprises stand to gain most from education and training. In addition, FDI promotion policies can target high value-added MNEs that are more likely to bring new skills and knowledge to the economy that can be tapped by domestic enterprises. Lastly, it is important that key components of HRD policies, i.e. formal schooling and vocational education and training policies (post-formal schooling), are well coordinated so as to equip students with knowledge and skills that will later be complementary to training opportunities provided in the labour market.

This policy brief is part of a series of thematic policy briefs prepared as part of the OECD's Resourcing Higher Education Project. It examines the frameworks that govern the employment of academic staff in publicly funded higher education institutions in Israel. It compares these frameworks to those in place in comparable OECD higher education systems and draws on these comparisons, along with insights from discussions with higher education experts in Israel, to identify policy options for enhancing human resources policy in Israel’s public higher education system.

Humanitarian aid is a significant and growing dimension of Official Development Assistance (ODA). Meeting humanitarian needs caused by natural disasters or armed conflicts poses serious challenges for donors financing humanitarian action. Reforms to improve effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian action are underway. The Principles and Good Practice of Humanitarian Donorship (GHD), endorsed in 2003 by 16 DAC governments and the European Commission, provides an opportunity for harmonising donor practice in this field. The DAC has agreed to take an active role in promoting GHD and since 2004, a GHD assessment framework has been applied in six Peer Reviews (Australia, Belgium, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland). This document summarises the findings and experience with the aim of assessing the usefulness of this approach.

Im OECD-Durchschnitt erzielen Schülerinnen und Schüler, die in Mathematik hoch motiviert sind, weil sie überzeugt sind, dass ihnen Mathematik in ihrem späteren Leben weiterhelfen wird, bessere Mathematikergebnisse als Schüler, für die das nicht der Fall ist; der Leistungsunterschied entspricht dem Lernfortschritt von einem halben Schuljahr. In Bildungssystemen, die Schülerinnen und Schüler auf unterschiedliche Schulen und/ oder Bildungsgänge aufteilen, sind die Schüler in Mathematik weniger motiviert.

In den meisten OECD-Ländern erzielen neu zugewanderte 15-jährige Schülerinnen und Schüler mit Migrationshintergrund schlechtere Ergebnisse in Lesekompetenz als Zuwanderer, die vor ihrem fünften Geburtstag in ihr neues Land übersiedelten. Schülerinnen und Schüler, die aus weniger entwickelten Ländern zuwanderten, in denen die zu Hause gesprochene Sprache eine andere ist als die neue Unterrichtssprache, sind besonders häufig von einem Nachteil in Lesekompetenz auf Grund der „späten Zuwanderung“ betroffen. Schülerinnen und Schüler mit Migrationshintergrund aus Ländern mit ähnlichem Entwicklungsstand und derselben Sprache wie das Gastland haben keinerlei Nachteil auf Grund einer späten Zuwanderung.