Book donation

FEBRUARY 5, 2024. We want to congratulate our graduate, Kanbiro Orkaido Deyganto for publishing two books, “Win Exam in Management” and “Win Exam in Accounting and Finance,” which he has contributed to Arba Minch University in Ethiopia and received a Certificate of Contribution: “This certificate gratefully acknowledges the generous contribution of Atlantic International University (AIU) of the United States of America in donating books to Arba Minch University Sawla Campus (AMUSC) of Ethiopia. The books donated by AIU have significantly improved the quality of education and enhanced knowledge of students in Management and Accounting studies at AMUSC. AIU’s donation has enabled students at AMUSC to access a wide range of resources and materials, providing them with the necessary tools to excel in their academic pursuits. ... Kanbiro Orkaido Deyganto completed a Doctorate program in Business Administration with Project Management and Sustainable Development as Major at Atlantic International University.

Book published

AUGUST 24, 2023. One of our graduates, Sharawi Alkamil Abbas Ahmed, has just published a book in Amazon, titled Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution Manual. The book is available as eBook, as Paperback and as Hard cover. This book will be really useful for peacebuilding students, peacebuilding practitioners, peacebuilding institutions, peacekeeping and peace making mission. And it will contribute to peace and conflict resolution worldwide. “During my study with AIU, a huge skills transformation happened to me, from low capacity skills in research to researcher. From other’s book learner to publisher with improving teaching capacity. AIU have very qualified staff, they gradually capacitate their student to the highest levels in their fields of studies” says Sharawi Alkamil. “Everyone has an ethical responsibility to contribute to conflict resolution in their area,” he adds. You can find the book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTMLC9Y3 • https://www.amazon. com/dp/B0CTYCP6C6 • https://www. amazon.com/dp/B0CTZQR2RY Sharawi Alkamil Abbas Ahmed completed a Post-doctorate program of Peace and Conflict Resolution at Atlantic International University.

Success

FEBRUARY 14, 2024. One of our graduates, Caleb Wagoi, is sharing with us an achievement after completing his studies with AIU: “I was initially employed by the same organisation as Senior Project Manager from 2019 to 2023. My recent Appointment is to provide Leadership to a new division as Acting Director, Assets and Procurement”, said Caleb. Caleb Wagoi has completed a Bachelor program in Business Administration at Atlantic International University.

19 TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON Design Principles & Practices

Call for Papers This Conference will be held 24-27 February 2025 at LaSalle College of the Arts, Singapore. We invite proposals for paper presentations, workshops/ interactive sessions, posters/ exhibits, colloquia, focused discussions, innovation showcases, virtual posters, or virtual lightning talks.

2025 Special Focus:
“Thinking, Learning, Doing: Plural Ways of Design”
Theme 1: Design Education
Theme 2: Design in Society
Theme 3: Designed Objects
Theme 4: Visual Design
Theme 5: Design Management and Professional Practice Theme 6:
Architectonic, Spatial, and Environmental Design Become a Presenter:
1. Submit a proposal
2. Review timeline
3. Register
Advance proposal deadline April 24, 2024 Advance registration deadline May 24, 2024 Visit the website: https://designprinciplesandpractices. com

Renewal of Premiere Accreditation Status by ASIC UK

Dear AIU Community, We are thrilled to announce that Atlantic International University has successfully renewed its Premiere Accreditation Status by the esteemed Global Accreditation Agency, ASIC UK. This accomplishment underscores our ongoing commitment to excellence and quality in Global Education. The renewal of our accreditation status reaffirms our dedication to maintaining high standards in all of our education. It reflects the hard work and dedication of our team to uphold the highest levels of professionalism and integrity. We extend our gratitude to our staff, partners, and students for their unwavering support and contribution to this achievement. As we move forward, we remain committed to delivering exceptional service in education and exceeding the expectations of our community. Thank you for your continued trust in Atlantic International University. We look forward to further opportunities to serve you with excellence.

Graduated with Distinction

FEBRUARY-MARCH, 2024. These graduate students completed their program with a high cumulative grade point average, which reflects the quality of performance within their respective major. Congratulations!

DISTINCTION
Bandora Canisius
Master of Business Administration
Business Administration

DISTINCTION
Kadiana Ramballi
Doctor of Philosophy
Counselling and Psychology

24 TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Call for Papers This Conference will be held July 3-5, 2024 at Lusiada University, Lisbon, Portugal. We invite proposals for paper presentations, workshops/ interactive sessions, posters/ exhibits, colloquia, focused discussions, innovation showcases, virtual posters, or virtual lightning talks.

2024 Special Focus: “The Future We Want: Socio-Environmental Challenges in Times of Climate Emergency”

Theme 1: Identity and Belonging
Theme 2: Education and Learning Worlds of Differences
Theme 3: Organizational Diversity
Theme 4: Community Diversity and Governance
Become a Presenter:
1. Submit a proposal
2. Review timeline
3. Register
Regular proposal deadline April 3, 2023 Regular registration deadline June 3, 2024 Visit the website: https://ondiversity.com




Mary Wanjugu Muthoga
Doctor of Science
Construction Project Management
Botswana
Domonique Kayann Watler
Doctor of Education
Education
Cayman Islands
Eduar Glen Tejedor Sarabia
Bachelor of Science
Electrical Engineering
Colombia
Ignacio J. Tellería
Bachelor of Business Administration
Marketing
Colombia
Emile Kasongo Omba Djunga
Bachelor of Business Administration
Finance
Congo (DRC )
Bubala Musimbi Evariste
Doctor of Philosop hy
Business Management
Congo (DRC )
           
Francisco H. Núñez-Ramírez
Doctor of Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Dominican Republic
Belkis Maritza Almonte Almonte
Doctor of Science
Biology
Dominican Republic
Eduardo Javier Colocho Lopéz
Bachelor of Science
Civil Engineering
El Salvador
Dr. Ermias Birhanu Alaro
Post-Doctorate of Business Management
International Legal Studies and Economics
Ethiop ia
Richard Johnson Kofi Addo-Owusu
Doctor of Business Administration
Leadership for Innovation
Ghana
Bradin Jose Andero Moreno
Bachelor of Science
Electrical Engineering
Honduras
           
Johnathan Paul Schloss
Bachelor of Science
Electrical Engineering
Jamaica
Elain Jem Kentish Holloway
Doctor of Leadership and Edu. Mgmt.
Planning and Quality Management
Jamaica
Kadiana Ramballi
Doctor of Philosop hy
Counselling and Psychology
Jamaica
Teresa Akoot Lual Wol
Bachelor of Business Administration
Finance
Kenya
Thomas Obuoro Nyabera
Bachelor of Business Administration
Business Administration
Kenya
Douglas Immanuel Ejakait Okiring'
Bachelor of Business
Business Management
Kenya
           
Gaston Edgardo Machado
Bachelor of Science
Architecture
Mexico
Jeffrey Phiri
Bachelor of Crop Science
Crop Management and Marketing
Mozambique
Laura Diane Hewett
Doctor of Education
Curriculum and Instruction
New Zealand
Juan Jose Montoya Pérez
Post-Doctorate of Economics
Economics
Nicaragua
Aimiehino Bright Osa
Bachelor of Science
Civil Engineering
Nigeria
Umege, Declan Chukwuma
Doctor of Science
Occupational Health and Safety Mgmt.
Nigeria
           
Gutti Umar Babagana
Doctor of Science
Information and Communications Tech.
Nigeria
Andrew Mweemba
Bachelor of Management
Management
Nigeria
Johnson Obinna Ubani
Doctor of Science
Finance
Nigeria
Dahiru Baba Bashir
Doctor of Philosop hy
Epidemiology
Nigeria
Seun Tolulope Ogunbiyi
Master of Economics
Economics
Nigeria
Bryan Michael Pilgrim
Doctor of Finance
Finance
Saint Lucia
           
Joseph Levi Nathaniel Bobb
Doctor of Science
Architecture
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Serigne Diouf
Doctor of Proj ect Management
Mgmt. of Social Protection Projects and Prog.
Senegal
Tiendrebeogo Denis
Doctor of Science
Business Management
Sierra Leone
Dinga Fatman
Doctor of Economics
Economics
South Africa
Sipho Solfafa
Master of Business Administration
International Business
South Africa
Eliseo Ngomo Obama Meriki
Bachelor of Business Administration
Accounting and Finance
Spa in
           
Eranie Valde Portillo
Doctor of Philosop hy
Counseling Psychology
Taiwan
Elibariki Luinael Lyatuu
Doctor of Philosop hy
Public Sector Auditing
Tanzania
Behiye Teymur
Bachelor of Arts
Business Administration
Türkiye
Asha Nalwoga Odokonyero
Bachelor of Education
Education
Uganda
Zakaria Mohamud Haji Abdi
Doctor of Science
Food Security and Environmental Mgmt.
United Kingdom
Dominga Florián Matos
Master of Science
Nutrition
USA
           
Belony Joseph
Master of Science
Artificial Intelligence
USA
Nicholas Robert Aleman
Doctor of Education
Curriculum and Instruction
USA
Gihozo Karake Nancy
Bachelor of Business Management
Business Management
USA
Alexander Rodriguez Núñez
Bachelor of Social Communication
Journalism
USA
Ojo Bamidele Oluwasayo
Doctor of Business Administration
Business Administration
USA
Rolando Ramirez Alejo
Master of Analysis of Behavior
Special Education
USA
           
Ingrid Danubia Cruz
Bachelor of Science
Architecture
USA
Santiago Guzmán Brand
Master of International Relations
International Humanitarian Legal Studies
USA
Smith Magny
Doctor of Philosop hy
Public Policy and Administration
USA
David Rosario Rivera
Doctor of Science
Student Psychology
USA
Majorie Chushi
Bachelor of Business Administration
Project Management
Zambia
Kenny Hara
Bachelor of Business Administration
Accounting
Zambia
           
Moses Chitundu Sichanda
Doctor of Theology
Theology
Zambia
Duncan Elliot Tembo
Doctor of Science
Sustainable Development
Zambia
       

Find More Graduates

Gallery: aiu.edu/Graduation/grids/currentgallery.html
Interviews: www.aiu.edu/Graduation/grids/interviews.html
This month we have graduates from: Botswana · Cayman Islands · Colombia · Congo (DRC) · El Salvador · Ethiopia · Ghana · Honduras · Jamaica · Kenya · Mexico · Mozambique · New Zealand · Nicaragua · Nigeria · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Senegal · Sierra Leone · South Africa · Spain · Taiwan · Tanzania · Türkiye · Uganda · United Kingdom · USA · Zambia


Student Testimonials

Smith Magny
Docorate in Public Policy and Administration
November 29, 2023

“I had a very enriching experience during my postgraduate studies at Atlantic International University. Symposiums, study forums, training seminars constitute the relentless compass of solid and relentless training. Thus, with the supervision and guidance of the university’s governing staff, I feel ready to face the major challenges of the moments and approach the developments of the modern world with much more dexterity. With my relentless knowledge. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the acquisition of those knowledge. Receive, my dear Orienteers, the expression of distinguished greetings.. READ TEXT:
Faith Matlhogonolo Moruti
Bachelor of Information Technology
December 11, 2023
“Experience letter, Faith Matlhogonolo Moruti, a Bachelor of Science student majoring in Information Technology from AIU wishes to indicate that the experience at the University during this online program was fantastic and very stress-free. In Phase one, I learned about communication and investigation, professional evaluation, experiential learning and the development o graduation study which I never knew its importance until I did it. During the course, I got to understood myself better as it took me through memory lane to write about growing up and my educational background. It was a pleasant experience. In the next phase, we were given the freedom to design a curriculum for our courses. When choosing the curriculum myself I felt like I am in control of my studies because it gave me the freedom to choose what interests me the most in order to make sure that I study better and with passion. ... The courses I did, I found them to be very intriguing and of great help for my selfdevelopment as an IT person.. READ TEXT:
Eranie V. Portillo
Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling Psychology
December 18, 2023
“It is with pride and gratitude that I am writing a comprehensive account of my enriching experience during my pursuit of a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Counseling Psychology in this university. I am delighted to share insights into the academic, professional and personal growth that I have achieved throughout this transformative journey in the online learning environment. The online platform has offered me a flexible and dynamic space to engage deeply with the course material and connect with esteemed faculty members. The virtual format has provided me with the opportunity to balance my academic commitments with professional responsibilities, allowing for a seamless integration of theory and practice. The program at AIU has been marked by rigorous coursework, extensive research, and practical experiences that have significantly contributed to my development as a counseling professional. The curriculum, designed to meet the highest academic standards, covered a broad spectrum of topics.. READ TEXT:

Evariste Bubala
Doctorate in Business Management
December 25, 2023
“I wish to say that my experience at the AIU during this online program was fantastic and very stress-free. I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the invaluable experience I gained while pursuing my Doctorate of Business Management at Atlantic International University. My journey within the university has been incredibly rewarding and enlightening. The innovative and flexible approach to education allowed me to tailor my studies to my schedule while benefiting from the outstanding support of the academic staff. The resources provided, including online learning tools, interactive modules, and discussion platforms, were instrumental in deepening my understanding of various facets within the field of business management. The diverse range of programs and courses offered provided me with a comprehensive and global perspective on different aspects of the discipline. I must commend the dedicated and professional guidance offered by my mentors and professors.. READ TEXT:




FIND MORE TESTIMONIALS FROM AIU STUDENTS HERE:


World Economic Forum and education

By Dr. Rosa Hilda Lora M. Advisor at AIU | [email protected]


We hear and hear mention of the World Economic Forum in Davos and we ask ourselves: What is done there that has such an impact? The Davos World Economic Forum is an annual meeting held in Davos, Switzerland, where businessmen, politicians, civil society, and entrepreneurs attend to analyze the global economic situation in the face of the challenges it faces at the time it’s celebrates. The founder of this organization is the German Klaus Schwab, Engineer and Economist born in 1938; he holds a Summa Cum Laude PhD in Economics from the University of Freiburg, a PhD in Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University. In 1971 he founded the European Business Administration Forum, which became the World Economic Forum in 1987. The Forum is a nonprofit Foundation. The Forum is recognized by Switzerland as an international organization. The Forum has offices in Tokyo, Beijing, and New York. It has a website: www.weforum.org According to Schwab, companies must serve all stakeholders, not just shareholders; This is his basic thought. Society must receive benefits from companies, not just shareholders. His principle is: The economics of the interested parties. He is recognized as the creator of the concept of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Society and business relationships are already different. “This Fourth Industrial Revolution is, however, fundamentally different, according to Schwab. It’s characterized by a range of new technologies that are merging the physical, digital, and biological worlds, impacting all disciplines, economies and industries, and even challenging ideas about what it means to be human. In this sense we can talk about aspects such as the Internet of things, biotechnology and new modes of production that tend towards greater robotization and integration of knowledge from different branches with technology as fundamental aspects of this revolution.” Who is Klaus Schwab and what have been his contributions to the economy? 09/02/2020 https://muyfinanciero.com/biografias/economistas/ klaus-schwab/ We are living in a world that is like the one Schwab describes: new modes of production with their robotization and technologies that merge different worlds and act on different knowledge. Let’s see what this last Forum held from January 15 to 19, 2024 was about. The 1000 companies associated with the Forum, 100 governments, experts and leaders of society were present.The theme of this Forum was Rebuilding trust.

“Davos 2024 is the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. Under the theme Rebuilding Trust, the meeting aims to restore collective agency and reinforce the fundamental principles of transparency, coherence, and accountability among leaders”. World Economic Forum- Davos 2024: Who is coming and what to expect- 03/01/2024 https://es.weforum.org/agenda/2024/01/ davos-2024-quien-viene-y-que-esperar/ The Forum was held with 4 basic themes: 1. Achieve security and cooperation in a fractured world. Identify the areas in which cooperation is necessary to achieve a scenario in which everyone benefits. 2. Create growth and employment for a new era. Since traditional measures seem to fail to achieve ways to maximize synergies and minimize trade-offs.

3. Artificial intelligence as a driver of the economy and society. The use of artificial intelligence for the benefit of all. 4. A long-term strategy for climate, nature, and energy. The way to achieve a social consensus for nature in 2050. The conclusions can be identified with the following concepts. 1. Leaders must join forces. 2. Projections are not destiny. 3. Humans are going to have better tools. 4. Urgency is our only salvation. World Economic Forum- Davos 2024: Who is coming and what to expect- 03/01/2024. https://es.weforum.org/agenda/2024/01/ davos-2024-quien-viene-y-que-esperar/ Given the participation of world leaders, the United Nations Organization, UN, also had its participant who was his Secretary General, António Guterres. In his speech, the UN Secretary General let us know that: “In the face of serious, even existential, threats posed by runaway climate chaos and runaway development of Artificial Intelligence without guardrails, we seem powerless to act”. UN - Davos 2024: Discurso especial de António Guterres de la ONU | Foro Económico Mundial (weforum.org) 01/17/2024 What we are experiencing goes beyond the limits of any reasoning; We see everywhere the consequences of the use of fossil fuels, hunger, hate speech and misinformation, which is why the theme of Forum 2024 was Rebuilding trust. He also said that: “The fossil fuel industry just launched another multibillion-dollar campaign to slow progress and keep oil and gas flowing indefinitely”. UN - Davos 2024: Discurso especial de António Guterres de la ONU | Foro Económico Mundial (weforum. org) 01/17/2024

He also tells us that there is no global strategy for the use of Artificial Intelligence, only economic benefit. We must add disinformation and hate speech, topics that the UN has previously dealt with. What can we ask ourselves is the reason why everything is in the conditions in which we live? Guterres says: “We see an epidemic of impunity around the world. We see some countries doing whatever it takes to promote their own interests at all costs”. ONU - Davos 2024: Discurso especial de António Guterres de la ONU | Foro Económico Mundial (weforum.org) 01/17/2024 What we are experiencing is more and more conflicts because interests are more important than human life, knowing that for this to be possible we need our planet Earth. The UN, being aware of the way in which The Sustainable Development Goals are being achieved, has a group of experts to promote them. This group was created on January 21, 2016. The UN is also going to hold an International Summit on September 22 and 23, 2024, the objective of which is to find “Multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow”. https://www.un.org/es/ summit-of-the-future From what we worked on in Davos we must ask ourselves: Can we remain impassive in a world with the needs that are manifested? Hate speech and misinformation will not end by the laws that are imposed because the owners, who have great fortunes, will look for a way to continue making money; it will end when human beings learn to live with each other and give value to knowing instead of sinking the other and instead of misinformation, relation with the truth. Science will continue forward; human beings will learn from the results of what they are doing at this moment.

What we must do as a world, as a society, is to study if we want to have a satisfactory existence. Can we stay as if nothing happened and believe that we will have a chance at a job? Could we obtain basic services? You are carrying out a program at Atlantic International University (AIU), if you want to change your life, you have to study, only this way will it be possible.

BIBLIOGRAPHY. Foro Económico Mundial. La IA será un tema candente en Davos 2024: esto es lo que dicen los expertos. 12/01/2024. https://es.weforum.org/agenda/2024/01/la-ia-sera-un-tema-candente-endavos- 2024-esto-es-lo-que-dicen-los-expertos/ | Muy Financiero. ¿Quién es Klaus Schwab y cuáles han sido sus aportes a la economía? 09/02/2020. https://muyfinanciero.com/biografias/economistas/klaus-schwab/ | ONU –Cumbre del Futuro. https://www.un.org/es/summit-of-the-future | ONU -Davos 2024: Special Address by António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations. 01/17/2024. https://www.weforum.org/ agenda/2024/01/davos-2024-special-address-by-antonio-guterres-secretarygeneral- of-the-united-nations/ | ONU –Davos 2024: Discurso especial de António Guterres de la ONU / Foro Económico Mundial (weforum. org) 01/17/2024 | ONU –Grupo de Promotores de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/es/ sdgadvocates/ | World Economic Forum –Davos 2024: Quién viene y qué esperar. 03/01/2024. https://es.weforum.org/agenda/2024/01/ davos-2024-quien-viene-y-que-esperar/ P.S. The bibliography carried out in Spanish has the date data for Spanish.

Systèmes nationaux d’information sur le REDD+ dans le Bassin du Congo: Des principes directeurs pour sa mise en place

Guy Marcel Fianla | PhD in Information Systems | Excerpt


REDD+ est un mécanisme international encadré par les négociations internationales sur le changement climatique afin d’encourager les pays en voie de développement qui protègent et restaurent leurs stocks de carbone forestier. L’avènement de ce mécanisme a rapidement poussé les praticiens du domaine à poser la problématique de la gestion des données tant au niveau mondial qu’à l’échelle des pays. (Alter, 1991) Un système d’information est un ensemble de composants interconnectés qui travaillent ensemble pour collecter, traiter, stocker et diffuser des données dans un but précis. Ces composants peuvent inclure des matériels (comme des ordinateurs, des serveurs, des équipements de stockage, etc.), des logiciels (comme des systèmes d’exploitation, des applications, des bases de données, etc.) et des données (comme des informations sur les clients, les produits, les transactions, etc.). Le but d’un système d’information est d’aider les entreprises et les organisations à prendre des décisions en fournissant des informations précises et à jour. Cette définition a le mérite de mettre l’accent sur les quatre principaux rôles joués par le SI et sur les ressources déployées. Nous souhaitons la compléter par celle de (Reix et Rowe, 2002): «Un système d’information est un ensemble d’acteurs sociaux qui mémorisent et transforment des représentations via des technologies de l’information et des modes opératoires».

1. Systèmes d’information et REDD+ Un système national d’information sur le REDD+ peut être considéré un ensemble de procédures et de ressources matérielles, logicielles et humaines en interaction pour traiter, stocker et diffuser les données relatives à l’inscription, l’approbation, la validation et le contrôle des projets dans le but de produire une information de qualité et en quantité suffisante destinée à alimenter les processus décisionnels opérationnels et de pilotage de la REDD+ mais aussi destinée à un public diversifié. Au coeur de ce système d’information se trouve une base de données centrale appelle registre national REDD+. Il se définit comme une infrastructure électronique conçue pour gérer de manière transparente, fiable et efficiente les données de la REDD+. C’est aussi un répertoire public destiné à recevoir l’information liée à la procédure d’homologation des projets REDD+ dont on désire garder la trace afin d’en attester l’exactitude.

2. Principes directeurs des Systèmes d’information REDD+ Principe 1: Un outil à base documentaire relié aux activités REDD+ sur le terrain Il contient des données liées à de l’inscription des projets et de leurs partenaires mais aussi prendrait en compte les fiches PIN et les PDD des projets ainsi que d’autres éléments relatifs à l’approbation, la validation et le contrôle des projets REDD+. Les étapes les plus déterminantes sont matérialisées dans le système par des documents scannés à joindre traduisant le besoin de transparence et de consultation des différentes parties prenantes. Principe 2: Un instrument qui répond au besoin de centraliser et d’informer sur les financements drainés par le REDD+ La procédure d’enregistrement des projets REDD+ est un bon moyen de collecte des informations financière des projets REDD+. Principe 3: Une procédure qui commence par l’inscription du projet et de ses partenaires Le concept relativement récent de la REDD+ impose le besoin d’identification des acteurs (afin de répondre à la question du qui?) et des projets (pour répondre à la question du quoi?). La prise en compte de ce principe par le système d’information sur la REDD+ contribue à doter structure nationales de coordination de base de données d’acteurs et de projets REDD+. Ce principe permet également de vérifier le statut légal des partenaires ainsi que l’origine des fonds. Principe 4: Une réponse au besoin de transparence, de fiabilité et de célérité traduite par une mise en ligne de la procédure d’inscription, d’approbation, de validation et de contrôle des projets REDD+ Les promoteurs de projets REDD+ sont de véritables «artisans» des activités visant à réduire des émissions de gaz à effet de serre liées à la déforestation, à réduire des émissions de gaz à effet de serre liées à la dégradation forestière, à conserver des stocks de carbone forestier, à gérer durablement des stocks de carbone forestier, et à accroitre des stocks de carbone forestier. A ce titre, la transparence est de mise pour les promoteurs s’engageant dans des activités de cette nature. Les quatre principales étapes à franchir sont l’inscription, l’approbation, la validation et les contrôles. L’ensemble de ces étapes s’exécutent par le biais des rôles savamment répartis entre le promoteur de projet, coordinations nationales et éventuellement une entité qui aura la charge de l’encaissement des frais d’enregistrement lorsqu’ils existent. Principe 5: Un instrument simple avec une alternative manuelle pour parer au faible taux de pénétration d’Internet dans certains pays et aux éventuels problèmes d’énergie électrique La simplicité du système automatisé basé sur Internet doit résider dans une conception qui se rattache aux étapes évoquées au principe 4: inscription, approbation, validation et contrôle. La simplicité sera aussi assurée par une application informatique facile à utiliser, donc avec des menus programmés pour toutes les fonctions rattachées aux quatre étapes sus évoquées. Afin de pallier au faible taux de pénétration d’internet de certains pays, une alternative du système permettant de travailler hors ligne est en général la bienvenue. Ceci évitera de réduire les périodes d’opération des différents acteurs sur le système. Principe 6: Une fonction de traçabilité active qui tient une main courante et informe de manière progressive les acteurs pré-identifiés sur le niveau d’avancement de la procédure La chaîne d’inscription, d’approbation, de validation et de contrôle des projets REDD+ s’articule autour de plusieurs acteurs qui méritent chacun d’être informé de manière progressive. Le porteur de projet est informé aussitôt sa demande de recevabilité acceptée ou rejeté. Il en est de même de sa demande d’approbation ou de la validation de ses performances. La version automatisée de la procédure des projets pilote dispose d’un «agent programmé » capable de délivrer des messages en s’appuyant sur une base de référence régissant les destinataires desdits messages à divers niveaux de la procédure. D’où la nécessité de garder la trace des messages délivrés à l’endroit d’une demande d’un projet. La notion de traçabilité active fait intervenir la notion de temps qui doit permettre de ne pas avoir des étapes ou des sous-étapes qui durent indéfiniment au risque de créer des pesanteurs à la procédure. Les sous étapes et les étapes doivent disposer des délais officiellement prescrits par la procédure, avec des mesures pour faire avancer la procédure. Principe 7: Une procédure déclarative et responsabilisante Le système offre la possibilité au promoteur de projet d’introduire par ses propres soins les données de son projet dans le système, ce qui le rend responsable des données qu’il publie. Au-delà, de l’initialisation de la procédure qui est faite par le promoteur de projet REDD+, il y aura plusieurs autres étapes de procédures pour lesquelles l’intervention du promoteur de projet REDD+ sera requise afin de faire avancer la procédure. Principe 8: Une structure de données unique pour la collecte au sein d’une base de données relationnelles accessible par tous les acteurs Ce principe permet d’uniformiser la collecte des données des projets REDD+ et facilitent leur analyse. Au-delà, les initiatives de projets REDD+ méritent également de disposer d’une structure de collecte des données particulière, avec des rubriques de données échappant aux contraintes propres aux projets REDD+.

Principe 9: Un système doté de plusieurs aspects relatifs à l’information géographique Chaque projet REDD+ est assis sur un territoire sur lequel le porteur de projet et ses partenaires entendent intervenir pour modifier les dynamiques de déforestation et/ou de dégradation forestière et/ou augmenter les stocks de carbone forestier. Il ne se réduit pas aux espaces boisés éligibles à l’octroi de crédit carbone mais doit permettre la mise en place d’activités alternatives sur les zones non boisées. Les zones d’octroi de crédits carbone sont des surfaces éligibles à la valorisation carbone REDD+. Elle correspond à toutes les surfaces boisées qui se trouvent dans le périmètre du projet et qui sont soumises à un risque de déforestation ou de dégradation dont la démonstration peut être faite. Elles seront généralement distinguées en strates en fonction du type et de la condition de la forêt, mais toutes devront répondre à la définition CCNUCC de la forêt et à la définition nationale de la forêt. Ce sont sur ces zones que l’on tentera de réduire la déforestation et la dégradation ou que l’on tentera d’augmenter les stocks de carbone. La superficie de la zone de fuite dépendra de la stratégie d’intervention et de la méthodologie utilisée et devra être validée par un auditeur externe selon un standard carbone nationalement et internationalement reconnu. La zone de fuite correspond donc à la zone géographique dans laquelle les agents et causes de la déforestation et de la dégradation peuvent se déplacer suite à la mise en oeuvre du projet. La zone de référence est la zone témoin sur laquelle le porteur de projet et ses partenaires vont se baser pour établir ou actualiser le(s) niveau( x) de référence du projet. La zone de référence englobe à la fois le périmètre de projet et la zone de fuite avant que le projet n’ait commencé, mais les exclue une fois qu’il a débuté. La superficie de la zone de référence dépendra de la méthodologie utilisée et devra être validée par un auditeur externe selon un standard carbone nationalement et internationalement reconnu.

Le périmètre du projet, la zone d’octroi des crédits, la zone de fuite et la zone de référence sont dignes d’intérêt pour une autorité nationale de coordination et constituent des zones qui donnent au système national d’information sur la REDD+ plusieurs dimensions géographiques. Plusieurs analyses spatiales s’effectueront sur les cartes des zones sus évoquées en combinaison d’autres cartes. Ces analyses pourront se faire directement à l’intérieur du système automatisé ou en dehors via d’autres logiciels. Principe 10: Un système à maintenir soit via des frais d’enregistrement et d’homologation des projets, le budget des CN-REDD ou toute autre source. Au regard des neuf principes sus évoqués, la mise en place d’un système national d’information sur la REDD+ nécessite d’un investissement minimal pour la conception et le développement informatique du système sans compter les coûts relatifs à la formation, au déploiement et à sa maintenance. Il se pose donc la question du qui paye?

3. Conclusion Cet article a pour objectif de clarifier les problématiques concernant la conception des systèmes nationaux d’information sur le REDD+ dans les pays du Bassin du Congo à travers des expériences pratiques issues des efforts de gestion des données issues du processus REDD+ portant majoritairement sur les approches processuelles, le tout sur une période d’une dizaine d’années. Dans un premier temps, nous avons fourni une définition sur les systèmes d’information sur le REDD+ et dans un second temps formulé des principes directeurs pouvant être considérés pour des pays désirant s’engager dans une démarche de mise en place des systèmes nationaux d’information sur le REDD+.

BIBLIOGRAPHY. CCNUCC. (s.d.). REDD+ platform. Récupéré sur https://redd. unfccc.int/info-hub.html: https://redd.unfccc.int/info-hub.html | Tchikangwa. Yaounde. Reix et Rowe. (2002). p. 11.

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Learning

Teacher shortage

Where is it hitting hardest in the world?

Teacher shortages are a global phenomenon, according to a report by UNESCO. While the problem is sometimes associated with aging societies which have to compensate for teacher retirements, the world’s still-growing regions on the other hand are due to hire a lot of entirely new teacher positions by 2030. ... Europe and North America are looking to hire the third-most teachers out of seven world regions analyzed, at 4.8 million by 2030. The majority of these are positions replacing teachers who are retiring or leaving the profession. All in all, new hires needed until 2030 represent 38% of 2022 teacher stock in the region. The situation is similar in Southeast Asia as well as Latin America and the Caribbean. Eastern Asia, which is looking to hire replacement and new teachers, is only looking at 21% of 2022 teacher stock in new hires needed. The situation is entirely different in Subsaharan Africa and Southern Asia, where more new teacher positions need to be filled as the regions’ populations are still growing. In the former region, projected hires represent 178% of 2022 teacher stock, while hire projections for new teaching positions alone already surpass the number of teachers the region had in 2022. ... According to UNESCO, countries with growing populations need to make improvements to the attractiveness of the teaching profession to hire and retain teaching professionals. ... Read full text:

Content moderators

They wanted careers in tech. Now they are stuck.

In 2020 Pakistan was under a Covid- 19 lockdown, and Asif, who had just graduated with a master’s degree in project management, was struggling to find a job. Chinese video-sharing apps like TikTok and Bigo Live were desperately scouting for content moderators in Pakistan. The platforms wanted to hire locally to appease the government, which had accused them of circulating “obscene” and “unlawful” content. Through LinkedIn, Asif landed a job as a content moderator at Bigo Live. “I didn’t think much of it at the time, because I just wanted a job,” he told Rest of World, requesting a pseudonym because he feared reprisal for breaking a nondisclosure agreement with his employer. But the stopgap job has now become his career —one he never wanted, and which he is unable to exit despite attempts. “Everyone who works in this field is there because they have no choice. It’s something you end up in, and then you are just stuck,” said Asif... Over a dozen Pakistani professionals who worked in content moderation jobs as a temporary resort due to a lack of employment options told Rest of World they were stuck in a career that was unfulfilling —one that felt like working at a “sweatshop,” because their experience was not transferable. They have degrees in project management, environmental science, engineering, and business administration, and believe that working as content moderators has stunted their careers. ... Read full text:


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Second sound

Physicists capture first ever images in superfluid.

A team of physicists at MIT have captured the phenomenon of “second sound” in direct images for the first time. [Paper published in www.science. org] In usual materials, heat prefers to spread out from a localized source until it dissipates into its surroundings. But in certain materials, this is not the case. This includes superfluids, a state of matter caused by cooling atoms to extremely low temperatures. In this state, the superfluid can flow infinitely with no loss of energy or viscosity. In superfluids, which have plenty of other strange properties to boast of, heat does not move in the same way. Instead, in this friction-free state, physicists predicted heat would propagate as a wave, known as “second sound”. “It’s as if you had a tank of water and made one half nearly boiling,” Assistant Professor Richard Fletcher explained in a press release. “If you then watched, the water itself might look totally calm, but suddenly the other side is hot, and then the other side is hot, and the heat goes back and forth, while the water looks totally still.” Capturing the movement of heat in such fluids is tricky, as they give off no infrared radiation. However, the team found that lithium-6 fermions resonate at different frequencies depending on their temperature. This allowed them to track the movement of resonating fermions, revealing the heat was moving like sound waves. ...
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VX-548

VX-548

Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced that its non-opioid pain treatment VX-548 aced three Phase III studies, inducing significant pain reductions in surgical and non-surgical settings. Two of these late-stage studies assessed VX-548 in patients who had undergone either an abdominoplasty or a bunionectomy. In both cases, the candidate was primarily evaluated according to the time-weighted sum of the pain intensity difference from 0 to 48 hours after surgery (SPID48). Compared with placebo, VX-548 improved SPID48 scores among abdominoplasty patients, an effect that was highly statistically significant with a p-value less than 0.0001, according to Vertex’s announcement. The non-opioid pain reliever had a similarly strong effect in the bunionectomy trial, with a p-value of 0.0002, the company said. Both abdominoplasty and bunionectomy patients also reported a “clinically meaningful reduction in pain” 48 hours after VX-548 treatment, as measured by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). In addition, VX-548 demonstrated a more rapid onset of meaningful pain relief than placebo. Abdominoplasty patients reported that they felt the pain treatment take effect after a median of two hours, while the median onset in the bunionectomy study was four hours. By comparison, those taking a placebo experienced pain relief after a median of eight hours. ... Read full text


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Roboticmower A1

By Dreame

The launch of a lawn mower signifies Dreame’s expansion from indoor to outdoor home cleaning scenarios. The Dreame Roboticmower A1 ushers in a new era of hands-free lawn mowing, saving homeowners up to 200 hours a year of tedious work, lowering their landscaping costs over time and enabling them to enjoy other activities. It incorporates several of the company’s breakthrough technologies, including its patented 3D high precision laser sensor technology, OmniSense 3D Ultra Sensing System and U Path Planning Program. The Dreame Roboticmower A1’s signal stays strong and stable even in challenging environments with obstacles such as trees, houses and even darkness. Even in complex outdoor environments, the OmniSense system can effectively penetrate obstructions like houses and trees without sacrificing signal stability. ... Read full text:

Fab Lab

Roth Architecture creates office in Tulum with "insect wing" forms

Local studio Roth Architecture has built an organically shaped creative lab in Tulum made of concrete and palm fibre with a form driven by “nature’s artistic wills”. Called the Fab Lab, the project is located in the Yucatán peninsula [Mexico]. The space serves the Roth Architecture studio as an office and maker space. “We create driven by nature’s patterns and artistic wills,” said the studio. “The inspiration for this building is the organic, irregular, yet harmonic forms we find in nature itself”. “The spaces are distributed as independent buildings to adapt to the site. The central module rises in a meandering form, providing a visual impact of dynamism.” Made of reinforced concrete and steel, the Fab Lab’s narrow structure was wound through its jungle site and in some places wrapped directly around trees, with trunks exposed to the interior. Bulbous forms were distributed along the length of its body. ... Read full text

Zera

Cooling Crescent

Introducing the Zera Cooling Crescent —designed by Aphra Hallam, a BA Industrial Design and Technology graduate from Brunel University London—, a compact wearable cooling device designed to adhere to the back of your neck using reusable silicone. ... “The Zera Cooling Crescent employs thermoelectric technology through a Peltier Module, enabling the cooling mechanism in the device. It features a silicone casing with an aluminum strip underneath to ensure efficient distribution of the cooling sensation across the neck. The Cooling Crescent attaches to the back of the neck using reusable silicone gel and can be activated via Bluetooth using the Zera app. Additionally, the device supports wireless charging and can be conveniently charged throughout the day using its accompanying charging case.” explains Aphra Hallam... Read full text

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Eating for pleasure

Is this the cure for it?

For years, researchers have studied the science behind eating for pleasure. Their findings are intriguing and largely encouraging. Physiologically, the pleasure people derive from food occurs both in our mouths and in our brains. “Pleasure of any kind, including pleasure from food, leads to a release of dopamine in the brain,” explains therapist and dietitian Aleta Storch. “Dopamine is often referred to as the ‘feel good hormone’ because it activates the reward pathways in the brain, which helps to promote happiness, calmness, motivation, and focus,” she says. In fact, some older 2011 research indicates that people with obesity may have disrupted dopamine sensitivity, leading them to overeat to achieve adequate pleasure from food. When brain chemistry is working properly our enjoyment of food can lead to physical benefits. “When we enjoy the food we are eating and stimulate dopamine, we actually digest and metabolize it more effectively,” says Storch. “When we’re relaxed in response to having a pleasurable eating experience, our nervous system goes into rest and digest mode, which allows us to fully break down and utilize the nutrients from the foods we eat.” Eating for pleasure could promote healthier eating too. A review from 2020 examined 119 studies about the connection between food enjoyment and a healthy diet. 57% found favorable associations between eating pleasure and dietary outcomes. ... Read full text

Your IQ

It matters less than you think.

IQ tests haven’t been around that long. Early versions appeared in France with the work of Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon in 1905. However, these tests didn’t become associated with genius until the measure moved from the Sorbonne to Stanford University. There Professor Lewis M. Terman had it translated from French into English, and then standardized on sufficient numbers of children, to create what became known as the Stanford- Binet Intelligence Scale [1916]. The original motive behind these tests was to get a diagnostic to select children at the lower ends of the intelligence scale who might need special education to keep up with the school curriculum. But then Terman got a brilliant idea: Why not study a large sample of children who score at the top end of the scale? Better yet, why not keep track of these children as they pass into adolescence and adulthood? Would these intellectually gifted children grow up to become genius adults? ... The result was the monumental Genetic Studies of Genius. These highly intelligent people are still being studied today, or at least the small number still alive. ... Now comes the bad news: None of them grew up to become what many people would consider unambiguous exemplars of genius. Their extraordinary intelligence was channeled into somewhat more ordinary endeavors as professors, doctors, lawyers, scientists, engineers, and other professionals. ... Read full text:


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Hurricanes

Is the current warning system outdated?

As Typhoon Haiyan howled into the Philippines in November 2013, people knew that a powerful storm was coming, but they were not expecting a typhoon with 196 mile per hour winds, driving a storm surge up to 23 feet high. Haiyan killed more than 6,300 people and destroyed or damaged more than 1 million structures. In the wreckage, aid workers found that some people had died inside shelters built to withstand the impacts of Category 5 storms —also known as “super typhoons”— which is currently the highest rating on the danger scale. But Haiyan’s top wind speeds and storm surge were far stronger than any previously recorded in the Philippines, exceeding the Category 5 level by more than 40 mph. Since 2013, there have been several other storms of similar magnitude, prompting some tropical storm researchers to wonder whether the well-known Saffir-Simpson hurricane danger scale should be updated to better warn of the increasing risks. In new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences, researchers said they’ve compiled evidence that the “openendedness” of the scale is “increasingly problematic for conveying wind risk in a warming world” because it doesn’t fully reflect the potential for impacts from storms like Haiyan. In the paper, James Kossin and Michael Wehner described a potential Category 6 rating for tropical storms with winds ... Read full text:

Chile's wildfires

How climate change made them so deadly.

SANTIAGO, Feb 6 (Reuters) — Survivors of Chile’s recent deadly wildfires described a hellish nightmare, a hurricane of fireballs leaping from hill to hill, lighting up everything within its path in seconds. While the region faces wildfires almost every year, the speed and lethality of last week’s blaze was unprecedented. At least 131 people were killed and hundreds are still missing in what was Chile’s worst natural disaster in years. Scientists say the main driving factor for such a devastating event is simple: hotter temperatures. Part of the reason the wildfires spread so far and so quickly was high winds. Raul Cordero, a climatologist at the University of Santiago, says strong summer winds are common in central Chile since air coming down from the Andes mountain range and other elevated areas compresses and heats up. “What’s different this time is that the temperatures were much higher than before,” Cordero said. He noted the region was going through a heat wave likely caused by climate change and the El Niño phenomenon, when unusually warm water temperatures off the Pacific coast of South America roil global weather patterns. Aside from the heat wave that brought scorching temperatures to the Andean nation, Chile has also been suffering from a devastating drought for the last 15 years that helped fuel the wildfire. ... Read full text:

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Maria Schneider:

‘David Bowie cracked me —maybe not in a good way.’

Maria Schneider is one of the world’s most distinguished composers for jazz orchestra, a key collaborator for David Bowie and a seven-time Grammy winner —but it’s likely that you won’t have heard her work, and never will. This is entirely by design. ... Schneider has pursued lawsuits, including a three-year battle to get YouTube to let small copyright holders access YouTube’s content ID system to spot videos that infringe copyright (that suit was dismissed in June 2023 just before it went to trial). So it’s no surprise that the Maria Schneider Orchestra’s 30th birthday retrospective, Decades, like all her music, isn’t available to stream. It’s not even in record shops. The triple LP is available exclusively through the crowdfunding platform ArtistShare, the basket into which she put all her eggs more than two decades ago. The composer, conductor and pianist began her advocacy as a reaction to the beginnings of a “free buffet” of musical content offered by sites such as Napster and Limewire. “A lot of people early on were like: ‘All musicians should give their music away for free,’” she says. “Excuse me? If you only knew the financial investment, the time, the heartache, the everything that goes into making music.” ... In a retaliation against filesharing, the record producer Brian Camelio began ArtistShare in 2000, with Schneider as its first artist. As well as better cuts for artists and more transparency about who was consuming ... Read full text:

Save a girl

Against female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

Save a girl save a generation is a nongovernmental organization fighting against female genital mutilation (FGM), exploitation of minors, against any form of abuse and forced marriage of young girls. Founded and led by women who were themselves denied the right to speak, the organization now seeks to defend the rights of young girls. Therefore, they felt the need to protect other girls and women so that they do not have to experience the same. It was registered in Spain in 2007, but had been working anonymously from 20 years earlier. The main focus has been to publicize the reality of the experience of girls and justify the need to secure girls through a combined effort. Female genital mutilation is the removal of tissue from any part of the female genitalia for cultural, religious or any other reasons without a medical basis. The almost total loss of sensitivity is the main consequence for those affected, with the added psychological trauma. There are women who bleed to death or infection in the weeks after the intervention, since it is almost always done in a rudimentary way, by healers or older women, and not very orthodox tools such as crystals, knives or razor blades. According to the World Health Organization, there are around 200 million women in the world who have undergone FGM and more than 3 million girls are at risk of being subjected to this practice each year. Most of these cases occur in 30 countries —22 are on the African continent, the Middle East and some areas of Asia. ...
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King’s Guard

Stephen Fry wants them to ditch bear fur.

Stephen Fry has called for an end to the use of real fur in the bearskin caps worn by the King’s Guard on duties such as guarding Buckingham Palace. The actor has backed an animal welfare campaign calling for fake fur to be used rather than real bear fur. “Tradition is never an excuse for cruelty,” says Mr Fry, who is narrating a video which shows undercover film of how black bears are killed. The Ministry of Defence says the bear fur is from “legal and licensed hunts”. Tall black bearskin hats are a familiar sight at ceremonial military events, such as the Changing of the Guard outside Buckingham Palace. The King, who is a keen environmentalist, and other members of the Royal Family, are seen wearing bearskins at parades such as Trooping the Colour. But Mr Fry wants to “stop using the fur of slaughtered wildlife” for such caps, arguing that there is good quality artificial fur available. He narrates a video for the animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which criticises how bears are “mercilessly killed by trophy hunters” and says their fur is used “to make the caps worn by the King’s Guard”. It takes at least one bear to provide enough fur for each cap, says Mr Fry, who was a guest at last May’s Coronation. A supporter of the animal welfare group made an undercover video which claims to show hunters putting down buckets of strongly-scented food as bait, and then shooting black bears ...
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Ireland

...could become the next nation to recognize the rights of nature.

Ireland —a nation synonymous with its abundant, verdant landscapes—is considering a nationwide referendum on the rights of nature and the human right to a healthy environment. If that happens, Ireland would become the first European country to constitutionally recognize that ecosystems, similar to humans and corporations, possess legal rights. More than two-thirds of the 27 European Union countries already recognize a universal human right to a healthy environment. In December, a legislative committee proposed that the Irish government take a series of administrative measures to draft proposed constitutional amendments recognizing that nature has inherent rights to exist, perpetuate and be restored, and that humans have a right to a clean environment and stable climate. To take legal effect, the proposed amendments must be approved by both houses of parliament, the Dáil Éireann (the lower house) and the Seanad (the upper house), and win a majority of the popular vote. The idea for the dual amendments emanated from a March 2023 Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, which produced more than 80 recommendations aimed at addressing the mass extinction of plants, animals and other living beings. Human activity is driving the annihilation of other species at an unprecedented rate, with over 1 million on the brink of extinction. In 2019, Ireland declared a national biodiversity emergency. More than 70% of Irish peatlands are damaged ...
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Campus

Why I won’t be teaching my daughter to be a ‘good sport’

The truly harmless kind of teasing can only exist if there is trust between both parties, an acknowledging that the power dynamics are even. Otherwise, we fall into the territory of bullying, a much more loaded topic.

I’m 7, standing in the bowling alley in smelly, too-big shoes, and my cousin has stolen my favorite ball, the one that looks like a purple galaxy. When I start to cry, my uncle says, “Did you think you were going to be a pro bowler? Only babies cry in public.” As everyone laughs, I pinch off my tears, ducking to hide a crestfallen face. At 12, my photo gets selected by the local K-Mart to be enlarged as an advertisement for their photo department. An aunt points out the run in my stockings —magnified times 10 on the giant sign— through which my big toe sticks.

“Couldn’t they have picked a better picture of you? One where you don’t look homeless?” I try to join the laughter around me. These are small cruelties that perhaps every child has experienced, squashing down the ballooning shame so they aren’t laughed at by adults or peers. Because when you’re little, one of the greatest grievances is being seen as babyish. Too sensitive. The initial ridicule of being singled out gets overshadowed by a larger fear of being ostracized. So you play along. It turns out these moments don’t lessen in adulthood, particularly if you’re seen as an easy target for social performers. The problem is that malice, and even actual abuse, often gets cloaked in good-natured teasing. The harmless jokes aren’t so harmless after all. Fast-forward a couple of decades: I’m in my early 30s, at a company-sponsored lunch with one-too-many margaritas, and a co-worker announces to the group that I remind him of Yoko Ono. As everyone titters, I smile faintly into my drink. I’m a good sport; I know the game. What’s the alternative, really? To call him out and make everyone uncomfortable over a claim of a microaggression they’d sooner forget? To diminish the goodwill we’ve created as a collective? Months later, while I’m pregnant, a stranger walks up to me at a restaurant and guffaws, “What are you, carrying twins or something?” (I’m not, though I’m nine months pregnant at the time.) I call him a shithead. He looks startled to see I’ve gone off-script and returns to his own table, muttering about how people are too sensitive these days. These moments represent a pattern all too familiar to me and many other women, perhaps. We are conditioned to become social lubricants, indulging in small talk and jokes that frequently come at the cost of our own dignity. Self-deprecation is our second language. It’s not fun to be the butt of the joke, but what alternative is there when the cost of speaking up can be so dire, professionally and personally? My 5-year-old daughter, in all her great empathy and perceptiveness, is easily bruised. Like most children, she hasn’t yet filtered what adults find ridiculous. She says what’s on her mind. Once, when a relative laughed at an earnest declaration of hers, I saw her lower lip begin to tremble, a sign of her overflowing hurt. I felt something break inside of me —an accumulation, perhaps, of all the retorts I’ve subdued over my own lifetime. I said, “Please stop laughing at her.” He replied, “Sorry, can’t. I laugh at everything. She’ll have to get over it.”

Those who are sensitive are frequently told, perhaps not as bluntly as my relative expressed, to get over their own emotions. They are asked to be good sports in the name of communal ribbing. (The teasers, however, are not as frequently requested to stifle their taunts because —personal freedom.) So once again, an individual’s instinct gets buried in an attempt to maintain the group’s friendliness. But what does that communal goodwill mean if it conceals all the things that are allowed: sexism, racism, ableism; suffocation of the self; and marginalization of people who don’t fit into typical frameworks of being? What some forget is that the act of teasing is that it is only a successful exchange if both parties agree to it. The truly harmless kind of teasing can only exist if there is trust between both parties, an acknowledging that the power dynamics are even. (Otherwise, we fall into the territory of bullying, a much more loaded topic.) When adults tease children, the power dynamics are seldom even. Yet, for some adults, ribbing the little people around them is an established pastime, often done in a sly way meant to exclude the child from a joke. At a coffee shop, I overheard a boy ask for a donut.

His father said, not so much to the boy as the whole coffee shop at large, “I don’t think you really need another donut, do you, kiddo? One’s plenty for you, yeah?” Everyone took in the boy’s shirt, stretched too tight over his belly and his round cheeks. There was an awkward silence as the boy’s face fell. Not only was he the butt of the joke, but he’d also been thrust into that position by someone he trusted. I’m not perfect; I’ve caught myself teasing my own daughter over seemingly innocuous things. I’ve laughed at her inability to brush her teeth in a timely manner and her frequent tendency to wear clothes inside out. To me, it feels gentle in spirit, an extension of the cozy humor that my husband and I exchange. But it’s not like that for her. I watch her withdraw from me. She says, “That’s not nice. I don’t like being made fun of, Mama.” And I’m chastened. She’s right, as she so often is. Even if I don’t see the aggression in my own words, she does, and my intent does not overrule my impact. I apologize and try to do better next time. At a renaissance fair a few years ago, a performer pulled me on stage as an unwilling volunteer. I resisted —physically resisted— for many reasons, chief among them my utter humiliation at being in a public spotlight.

But he pulled me by the hand and, with the crowd’s eyes on me, I didn’t want to create a fuss. He spun jokes at my expense the whole time as I tried to laugh gamely. Then he forced me to hold a banana in my hand as he unpeeled it with a bullwhip from across the stage. To this day, I’m baffled by why I did not toss the banana at his head and remove myself from the stage at that very moment. But I stayed. If there’s a lesson to be learned in all this, it’s that you must never let a doublet-clad man named Dante Fettuccine whip a banana out of your hand at 60 miles per hour simply because you don’t want to look like a bad sport. Left with what lessons I will be teaching my daughter, I consider how important it is that she finds her voice. Yes, of course, she must pick her battles, and she definitely should not go about calling everyone a shithead, but more importantly: She must understand that her own dignity is worth battling for. I hope she can forget everyone else’s definitions of what it means to be a good sport and instead forge her own ideas about what it means to be a compassionate being with righteous boundaries, one who can speak up for herself and others when the moment demands.

Thao Thai is a writer and editor based out of Ohio, where she lives with her husband and daughter. Her work has been published in Kitchn, Eater, Cubby, The Everymom, cupcakes and cashmere, and other publications. Her debut novel, Bayan Moon, came out in 2023 from HarperCollins.

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Brasilia desktop mobile.

Handcrafted in Barcelona, Spain, this graceful mobile is inspired by the shapes of a vase showcasing delicate spring flowers that swirl and float like leaves caught in a gentle breeze. Made from colorful high-quality aluminum alloy and mounted on hand-shaped rods. store.moma.org

Manta PRO sleep mask.

True 100% blackout for deeper sleep. C-shaped eye cups for side sleep comfort. Zero pressure on eyelids or lashes. Advanced ventilation and breathability. 100% machine washable. mantasleep.com

Recycled material coin purse.

Keep your coins in one place with the Cycle of Good Coin Purse made from recycled inner tubes. www.protecttheplanet.co.uk

ErgoFoam foot rest.

Under desk foot rest that adjusts easily to the optimum height for your chair & leg length, providing the support you need. Flip it over to transform it into a rocker foot rest for increased circulation and muscle movement. amazon.com

Rupi Kaur. (1992- )

“If you feel ‘inspired’ when you see a disabled person, please be... Inspired to advocate for better accessibility. Inspired to make a positive change. Not inspired to think, ‘Gee, that person has to deal with a lot of unnecessary barriers’, and do nothing about it.”

Misa on Wheels. @MisaonWheels A cosplayer and adaptive skateboarder based out of New England, USA.

Say what?

“What they could do to make it easier is combine the two, real estate and obituaries: Mr. Klein died today leaving a wife, two children, and a spacious three-bedroom apartment with a wood-burning fireplace.” —Harry (Billy Crystal) When Harry met Sally


BACHELOR’S DEGREE in Fashion Design

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL AND HUMAN STUDIES

The Bachelor of Fashion Design (BA, BFD) program helps students develop the technical expertise and theoretical knowledge about fashion and other design industries. The students gain expertise through developing skills in research, concept development, fashion illustration, materials knowledge, patternmaking, and garment construction in order to deliver innovative design solutions which have a positive impact on the wider national and international fashion design communities. The Bachelor of Fashion Design program is offered online via distance learning. After evaluating both academic record and life experience, AIU staff working in conjunction with Faculty and Academic Advisors will assist students in setting up a custom-made program, designed on an individual basis. This flexibility to meet student needs is seldom found in other distance learning programs. Our online program does not require all students to take the same subjects/ courses, use the same books, or learning materials. Instead, the online Bachelor of Fashion Design curriculum is designed individually by the student and academic advisor. Understanding that industry and geographic factors should influence the content of the curriculum instead of a standardized one-fits-all design is the hallmark of AIU’s unique approach to adult education. This philosophy addresses the dynamic and constantly changing environment of working professionals by helping adult students in reaching their professional and personal goals within the scope of the degree program.

Important:

Below is an example of the topics or areas you may develop and work on during your studies. By no means is it a complete or required list as AIU programs do not follow a standardized curriculum. It is meant solely as a reference point and example. Want to learn more about the curriculum design at AIU? Go ahead and visit our website, especially the Course and Curriculum section: https:// www.aiu.edu/academic-freedom-andopen- curriculum/

Orientation Courses:

Communication & Investigation (Comprehensive Resume)
Organization Theory (Portfolio)
Experiential Learning (Autobiography)
Academic Evaluation (Questionnaire)
Fundament of Knowledge (Integration Chart)
Fundamental Principles I (Philosophy of Education)
Professional Evaluation (Self Evaluation Matrix)
Development of Graduate Study (Guarantee of an Academic Degree)

Core Courses and Topics

Pattern Techniques
Textile Design
Fashion Sketching
Clothing Construction
Couture Techniques
Fashion Journalism
Costume Design
Trend Forecasting
Evolution of Fashion
Event Planning and Trade Show
Creative Fashion Marketing
The importance of the concept
Innovative agile projects
The Fashion Industry
Eco Fashion and Sustainability
KM0 Fashion, Slow Fashion
and Fashion Solidaria.


Research Project

Bachelor Thesis Project
MBM300 Thesis Proposal
MBM302 Bachelor Thesis (5,000 words)

Publication

Each graduate is encouraged to publish their research papers either online in the public domain or through professional journals and periodicals worldwide.

Contact us to get started

Submit your Online Application, paste your resume and any additional comments/ questions in the area provided.

aiu.edu/apply-online.html

Pioneer Plaza /
900 Fort Street Mall 905
Honolulu, HI 96813
800-993-0066 (Toll Free in US)
808-924-9567 (Internationally)


About Us

Accreditation

Atlantic International University offers distance learning degree programs for adult learners at bachelors, masters, and doctoral level. With self paced program taken online, AIU lifts the obstacles that keep professional adults from completing their educational goals. Programs are available throughout a wide range of majors and areas of study. All of this with a philosophically holistic approach towards education fitting within the balance of your life and acknowledging the key role each individual can play in their community, country, and the world. Atlantic International University is accredited by the Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges and Universities (ASIC). ASIC Accreditation is an internationally renowned quality standard for colleges and universities. Visit ASIC’s Directory of Accredited Colleges and Universities. ASIC is a member of CHEA International Quality Group (CIQG) in the USA, an approved accreditation body by the Ministerial Department of the Home Office in the UK, and is listed in the International Directory of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The University is based in the United States and was established by corporate charter in 1998.

Our founding principles are based on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights; per article 26, AIU believes that Higher Education is a Human Right. The University has implemented a paradigm shifting educational model for its academic programs that have allowed it to move closer to this goal through the self-empowerment of its students, decentralization of the learning process, personalized open curriculum design, a sustainable learning model, developing 11 core elements of the Human Condition within MYAIU, and utilizing the quasi-infinite knowledge through the use of information technology combined with our own capacity to find solutions to all types of global issues, dynamic problems, and those of individuals and multidisciplinary teams. Due to these differentiations and the university’s mission, only a reputable accrediting agency with the vision and plasticity to integrate and adapt its processes around AIU’s proven and successful innovative programs could be selected. Unfortunately, the vast majority of accrediting agencies adhere to and follow obsolete processes and requirements that have outlived their usefulness and are in direct conflict with the university’s mission of offering a unique, dynamic, affordable, quality higher education to the nontraditional student (one who must work, study what he really needs for professional advancement, attend family issues, etc.). We believe that adopting outdated requirements and processes would impose increased financial burdens on students while severely limiting their opportunities to earn their degree and advance in all aspects. Thus, in selecting the ASIC as its accrediting agency, AIU ensured that its unique programs would not be transformed into a copy or clone of those offered by the 10,000+ colleges and universities around the world. Since ASIC is an international accrediting agency based outside the United States, we are required by statute HRS446E to place the following disclaimer: ATLANTIC INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY IS NOT ACCREDITED BY AN ACCREDITING AGENCY RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF EDUCATION. Note: In the United States and abroad, many licensing authorities require accredited degrees as the basis for eligibility for licensing.

In some cases, accredited colleges may not accept for transfer courses and degrees completed at unaccredited colleges, and some employers may require an accredited degree as a basis for eligibility for employment. Potential students should consider how the above may affect their interests, AIU respects the unique rules and regulations of each country and does not seek to influence the respective authorities. In the event that a prospective student wishes to carry out any government review or process in regards to his university degree, we recommend that the requirements of such are explored in detail with the relevant authorities by the prospective student as the university does not intervene in such processes. AIU students can be found in over 180 countries, they actively participate and volunteer in their communities as part of their academic program and have allocated thousands of service hours to diverse causes and initiatives. AIU programs follow the standards commonly used by colleges and universities in the United States with regards to the following: academic program structure, degree issued, transcript, and other graduation documents. AIU graduation documents can include an apostille and authentication from the US Department of State to facilitate their use internationally.

The AIU Difference

It is acknowledged that the act of learning is endogenous, (from within), rather than exogenous.

This fact is the underlying rationale for “Distance Learning”, in all of the programs offered by AIU. The combination of the underlying principles of student “self instruction”, (with guidance), collaborative development of curriculum unique to each student, and flexibility of time and place of study, provides the ideal learning environment to satisfy individual needs.

AIU is an institution of experiential learning and nontraditional education at a distance. There are no classrooms and attendance is not required.

Mission & Vision

MISSION:

To be a higher learning institution concerned about generating cultural development alternatives likely to be sustained in order to lead to a more efficient administration of the world village and its environment; exerting human and community rights through diversity with the ultimate goal of the satisfaction and evolution of the world.

VISION:

The empowerment of the individual towards the convergence of the world through a sustainable educational design based on andragogy and omniology.

Organizational Structure

Dr. Franklin Valcin
Presi den t/Academic Dean
Dr. José Mercado
Chief Executive Officer
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Ricardo González, PhD
Provost
     
Dr. Ricardo Gonzalez
Chief Operation Officer
and MKT Director
Linda Collazo
Logistics Coordinator

AIU Tutors Coordinators:

Deborah Rodriguez
Amiakhor Ejaeta
Amanda Gutierrez
William Mora
Miriam James



Admissions Coordinators:
Amalia Aldrett
Sandra Garcia
Junko Shimizu
Veronica Amuz
Alba Ochoa
Jenis Garcia
Judith Brown
Chris Soto
René Cordón
Dr. Anderas Rissler



Academic Coordinators:
Dr. Adesida Oluwafemi
Dr. Emmanuel Gbagu
Dr. Lucia Gorea
Dr. Edgar Colon
Dr. Mario Rios
Freddy Frejus
Dr. Nilani Ljunggren
De Silva
Dr. Scott Wilson
Dr. Mohammad Shaidul Islam
   
Dr. Miriam Garibaldi
Vice provost for Research
Carolina Valdes
Human Resource Coordinator
   
Dr. Ofelia Miller
Director of AIU
Carlos Aponte
Teleco mmunications Coordinator
   
Clara Margalef
Director of Special Projects
of AIU
David Jung
Corporate/Legal Counsel
   
Juan Pablo Moreno
Director of Operations
Bruce Kim
Advisor/Consultant
   
Paula Viera
Director of Intelligence Systems
Thomas Kim
Corporate/
Accounting Counsel
   
Felipe Gomez
Design Director / IT Supervisor
Maricela Esparza
Administrative Coordinator
   
Kevin Moll
Web Designer
Chris Benjamin
IT and Hosting Support
   
Daritza Ysla
IT Coordinator
Maria Pastrana
Accounting Coordinator
   
Daritza Ysla
IT Coordinator
Roberto Aldrett
Communications Coordinator
   
Nadeem Awan
Chief Programming Officer
Giovanni Castillo
IT Support
   
Dr. Edward Lambert
Academic Director
Antonella Fonseca
Quality Control & Data Analysis
   
Dr. Ariadna Romero
Advisor Coordinator
Adrián Varela
Graphic Design
   
Jhanzaib Awan
Senior Programmer
Vanesa D’Angelo
Content Writer
   
Leonardo Salas
Human Resource Manager
Jaime Rotlewicz
Dean of Admissions
   
Benjamin Joseph
IT and Technology Support
Michael Phillips
Registrar’s Office
   
Rosie Perez
Finance Coordinator
 
     

FACULTY AND STAFF PAGE: www.aiu.edu/FacultyStaff.html


School of Business and Economics

The School of Business and Economics allows aspiring and practicing professionals, managers, and entrepreneurs in the private and public sectors to complete a self paced distance learning degree program of the highest academic standard. The ultimate goal is to empower learners and help them take advantage of the enormous array of resources from the world environment in order to eliminate the current continuum of poverty and limitations. Degree programs are designed for those students whose professional experience has been in business, marketing, administration, economics, finance and management.

Areas of Study:

Accounting, Advertising, Banking, Business Administration, Communications, Ecommerce, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Home Economics, Human Resources, International Business, International Finance, Investing, Globalization, Marketing, Management, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Public Administrations, Sustainable Development, Public Relations, Telecommunications, Tourism, Trade.

School of Social and Human Studies

The School of Social and Human Studies is focused on to the development of studies which instill a core commitment to building a society based on social and economic justice and enhancing opportunities for human well being. The founding principles lie on the basic right of education as outlined in the Declaration of Human Rights. We instill in our students a sense of confidence and self reliance in their ability to access the vast opportunities available through information channels, the world wide web, private, public, nonprofit, and nongovernmental organizations in an ever expanding global community. Degree programs are aimed towards those whose professional life has been related to social and human behavior, with the arts, or with cultural studies.

Areas of Study:

Psychology, International Affairs, Sociology, Political Sciences, Architecture, Legal Studies, Public Administration, Literature and languages, Art History, Ministry, African Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Asian Studies, European Studies, Islamic Studies, Religious Studies.

School of Science and Engineering

The School of Science and Engineering seeks to provide dynamic, integrated, and challenging degree programs designed for those whose experience is in industrial research, scientific production, engineering and the general sciences. Our system for research and education will keep us apace with the twenty-first century reach scientific advance in an environmentally and ecologically responsible manner to allow for the sustainability of the human population. We will foster among our students a demand for ethical behavior, an appreciation for diversity, an understanding of scientific investigation, knowledge of design innovation, a critical appreciation for the importance of technology and technological change for the advancement of humanity.

Areas of Study:

Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Communications, Petroleum Science, Information Technology, Telecommunications, Nutrition Science, Agricultural Science, Computer Science, Sports Science, Renewable Energy, Geology, Urban Planning.

Online Library Resources

With access to a global catalog created and maintained collectively by more than 9,000 participating institutions, AIU students have secured excellent research tools for their study programs.

The AIU online library contains over 2 billion records and over 300 million bibliographic records that are increasing day by day. The sources spanning thousands of years and virtually all forms of human expression. There are files of all kinds, from antique inscribed stones to e-books, form wax engravings to MP3s, DVDs and websites. In addition to the archives, the library AIU Online offers electronic access to more than 149,000 e-books, dozens of databases and more than 13 million full-text articles with pictures included. Being able to access 60 databases and 2393 periodicals with more than 18 million items, guarantees the information required to perform the assigned research project. Users will find that many files are enriched with artistic creations on the covers, indexes, reviews, summaries and other information.

The records usually have information attached from important libraries. The user can quickly assess the relevance of the information and decide if it is the right source.

Education on the 21st century

AIU is striving to regain the significance of the concept of education, which is rooted into the Latin “educare”, meaning “to pull out”, breaking loose from the paradigm of most 21st century universities with their focus on “digging and placing information” into students’ heads rather than teaching them to think. For AIU, the generation of “clones” that some traditional universities are spreading throughout the real world is one of the most salient reasons for today’s ills. In fact, students trained at those educational institutions never feel a desire to “change the world” or the current status quo; instead, they adjust to the environment, believe everything is fine, and are proud of it all.

IN A WORLD where knowledge and mostly information expire just like milk, we must reinvent university as a whole in which each student, as the key player, is UNIQUE within an intertwined environment. This century’s university must generate new knowledge bits although this may entail its separation from both the administrative bureaucracy and the faculty that evolve there as well. AIU thinks that a university should be increasingly integrated into the “real world”, society, the economy, and the holistic human being. As such, it should concentrate on its ultimate goal, which is the student, and get him/her deeply immersed into a daily praxis of paradigm shifts, along with the Internet and research, all these being presently accessible only to a small minority of the world community. AIU students must accomplish their self-learning mission while conceptualizing it as the core of daily life values through the type of experiences that lead to a human being’s progress when information is converted into education. The entire AIU family must think of the university as a setting that values diversity and talent in a way that trains mankind not only for the present but above all for a future that calls everyday for professionals who empower themselves in academic and professional areas highly in demand in our modern society. We shall not forget that, at AIU, students are responsible for discovering their own talents and potential, which they must auto-develop in such a way that the whole finish product opens up as a flower that blossoms every year more openly.

THE AIU STANCE is against the idea of the campus as a getaway from day-to-day pressure since we believe reality is the best potential-enhancer ever; one truly learns through thinking, brainstorming ideas, which leads to new solutions, and ultimately the rebirth of a human being fully integrated in a sustainable world environment. Self-learning is actualized more from within than a top-down vantage point, that is to say, to influence instead of requesting, ideas more than power. We need to create a society where solidarity, culture, life, not political or economic rationalism and more than techno structures, are prioritized. In short, the characteristics of AIU students and alumni remain independence, creativity, self-confidence, and ability to take risk towards new endeavors. This is about people’s worth based not on what they know but on what they do with what they know.

Read more at: www.aiu.edu

AIU Service

AIU offers educational opportunities in the USA to adults from around the world so that they can use their own potential to manage their personal, global cultural development. The foundational axis of our philosophy lies upon self-actualized knowledge and information, with no room for obsoleteness, which is embedded into a DISTANCE LEARNING SYSTEM based on ANDRAGOGY and OMNIOLOGY. The ultimate goal of this paradigm is to empower learners and help them take advantage of the enormous array of resources from the world environment in order to eliminate the current continuum of poverty and limitations.

This will become a crude reality with respect for, and practice of, human and community rights through experiences, investigations, practicum work, and/ or examinations. Everything takes place in a setting that fosters diversity; with advisors and consultants with doctorate degrees and specializations in Human Development monitor learning processes, in addition to a worldwide web of colleagues and associations, so that they can reach the satisfaction and the progress of humanity with peace and harmony.

Contact us to get started

Now, it’s possible to earn your degree in the comfort of your own home. For additional information or to see if you qualify for admissions please contact us.

Pioneer Plaza / 900 Fort Street Mall 410 Honolulu, HI 96813
800-993-0066 (Toll Free in US) [email protected]
808-924-9567 (Internationally) www.aiu.edu

Online application:

https://www.aiu.edu/apply3_phone.aspx