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The Frequently Asked Questions can be grouped as follows:
| Entitlement to Membership
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Isn't the Rector (or
Vice-Chancellor or President) the head of
the administration?
The Rector is in many countries the senior academic manager, representing the
institution in all manner of legal, ceremonial and strategic roles. The
Rector is also in a superior position to the head of the administrative
cadres. However, HUMANE is committed to improving the performance and
knowledge of the professional administrator, whose role goes beyond that
of mere bureaucratic administration into genuine management roles.
Essentially, the members of HUMANE are responsible for the
implementation of policy, and this is the key to their role.
Why do you have only one named member per
institution?
Basically because just as there is one Rector, so there is one
head of administrative services. In a very few cases there are genuinely
shared arrangements, and in such cases we would be flexible, just as we
are in the case of a hand-over of duties. However, the aim of the
network is to spread and develop personal contact and understanding, and
we have found great benefits in having senior staff who are able to
speak with authority and in confidence about issues.
When and how do members pay?
Invoices for membership are issued at the start of each calendar
year. These are separate from the fees for seminars, which are requested
much nearer the date of the actual seminar(s) which a member is
attending. All invoices are issued and payable in euros - and all bank
charges are the responsibility of the paying institution.
Why limit numbers at seminars?
So that all participants can truly participate during working
sessions. There is naturally a similar benefit during coffee breaks,
meals or any social events, in that each participant will have a chance
to meet all others during the meeting. HUMANE seminars are designed as
the antithesis of conferences.
Can I send a substitute to seminars?
For the reasons given above, no (except for the change-over
periods, and also for the one seminar each year when we invite heads of
specialist sections to accompany the formal member).
Why don't you
usually have simultaneous translation at
seminars?
In fact, we have tried this, during some of our first
seminars and even now it is still being used at some seminars. It
was generally found however that such interpretation created an air of formality
which detracts from communication. And because there are small number of
participants, the cost of covering several languages would be very
considerable. Alternative systems where a colleague translates the
comments made by a compatriot have also worked well and (with the
language guide) we feel that these efforts are sufficient. This
policy, like others, is regularly reviewed.
Why do you meet at weekends?
Cost! Not only are flights cheaper, with dramatic reductions in
APEX fares, but very often hotels are also cheaper at weekends. By
starting at lunchtime on Friday we can limit the time away from "home"
(in most cases) to one weekday.
What do I do if I would like to host a
seminar?
Contact the Network
Manager immediately - please! We provide notes for local
organisers, with details of what to provide and indicative budgets.
Seminars are thus prepared with detailed advice and help from the Secretariat.
What does the Round Table
do?
It meets at least once a year to discuss
policy issues and to ensure that every country has a chance to contribute
to discussion. The loose system of proprotional representation is designed
to ensure representation of the different types of institution within
each country - there are no formal votes.
Round
Table members are also all part of the working groups which
provide the main texts for reports, and also the committees which establish
the programmes for seminars. Finally the Round Table makes recommendations
to the Executive Committee,
a majority of whom are Round Table members.
What is ESMU?
The European Centre for the Strategic Management of Universities
(ESMU) is based in Brussels. As well as managing the HUMANE Secretariat,
ESMU has a strong record in managing European Commission programs and
projects and organising workshops and study
visits both in the EU and in the countries of Central and Eastern
Europe. Its Board includes several prominent figures from higher
education in Europe.
So when do I contact ESMU, and when should it be
the Network Manager?
The
main responsibilities of the Network Manager are liaison with the
programme committees which establish the seminars, coordination of the
HUMANE discussion list, coordination of the TNP
activities, preparing texts for reports and funding bids, and
marketing and promotion.
ESMU
distributes papers for seminars and other meetings, liaises with local
organisers of seminars and maintain databases of members and all
financial accounts.
Please
send all inquiries about membership or about participation in seminars
to ESMU.
What is Europe?
Rather like an elephant, it is very difficult to define but very
easy to see in operation. The founding principle of HUMANE was to
develop professional development within the European dimension of higher
education. As well as the EU we welcome applications for membership from
"associated" countries, from the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe
irrespective of their status in applying for membership of the EU.
Site
Map & Search · FAQ's
Comments/questions about HUMANE or suggestions to
improve this website :
Carlos Lopez-Terradas from Universidad
Carlos III de Madrid. Last
update :
09-02-2006
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