Latest ENOHE Newsletter Traces Evolution of Campus Ombuds

The second 2009 newsletter from the European Network for Ombudsmen in Higher Education for 2009 is now available online. It features articles on:

• Global, National, Local: News on Discussing the Higher Education Ombudsman;
• An Editorial by ENOHE Founder Josef Leidenfrost;
• ENOHE 2010 Joint Conference in Vienna with the Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons;
• The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education and Student Rights (Högskoleverket);
• The REDDU (Network of Defenders, Attorneys and Ombudsmen of University Rights) Conference September 2009;
• The OIAHE (Office of Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, England and Wales) Annual Report 2008;
• Training Ombudsmen: Identifying Needs, Curricula to be Developed;
• An interview with International Ombudsman Institute Secretary General
• is the Austrian ombudsman Peter Kostelka on the IOI's move to Vienna;
• The First Ombudsman’s Office at a European Union Programme National Agency;
• A summary of the 2009 ENOHE Conference in Hamburg; and
• Perspectives on the Bolgna Process from a student and professor.

The feature article is "The Campus Ombudsman," by Tim Birtwistle, a Professor of Law and Policy of Higher Education at Leeds Law School. Birtwistle traces the global evolution of Ombuds at colleges and universities. He concludes that a range of Ombuds models are viable and effective. Most significantly, he asserts that, "if the modern campus ombud is to engage in [dispute resolution] using tools such as mediation ... then it must maintain its independence." (ENOHE 2009/2 Newsletter.)

Related posts: ENOHE Latest Newsletter (Feb 2009); Canadian and European Higher Ed Ombuds Will Convene in Vienna.