Interview with graduate

June 20, 2017.
An interview with one of our graduates, Esther Coronel, was published on Page Seven. In her interview, Esther says that the adverse conditions that plague both the economy and the values themselves must be accompanied by new tools that help people understand that there are options, that there are other possible alternatives, for both work and happiness. You can read more about her interview in the following link: paginasiete.bo/inversion/ 2017/5/7/ esther-coronelcierto- dividirriqueza- generarla- 136808.html Esther Coronel completed a PhD with a major in Business, Education and Personal Development Project Management at AIU.

Book published

July 6, 2017. One of our graduates, Francisco J. Milian, wrote the book “¿Sociedad enferma o estilo de vida?” (Sick society, or life style?). This book presents parts of the definitions and components of a society, concepts of identity of citizens, and shows different types of behaviors, traits, and their definitions. Francisco J. Milian completed a Doctorate program of International Relations with a major in Human Rights at AIU.

You can find more information about his book through the following link: www.franciscomilian.com/

Sad loss

June 28, 2017.
We regret to inform the AIU educational family in the whole world about the death of the husband of the rector Etelvina Medianero of Unac hi in Panama. We want to express our solidarity and affection to the Rector Etelvina Medianero upon hearing of the unfortunate demise of her dear husband, Mr. Moises Enrique Bonagas de Garcia, on May 13, 2017.

On behalf of the AIU Academic Council in the United States, of the whole Educational Family of AIU in the whole world, we send you an affectionate hug and our most sincere condolences wishing that henceforth does not know more sorrows but of blessings and joys in company of you dear family.

Graduated with Honors

June, 2017.
This graduate student completed the majority of the requirements to obtain honors which included a 4.0 GPA, published works, recommendation from his advisor, patent a product, etc. Congratulations!

Another book by graduate

July 12, 2017. One of our graduates, Richmond Acheampong, has published three articles in the International Journal of Management and Scientific Research. Richmond completed a Doctorate program in Journalism at AIU.

Find the published works here: Repeal of the Criminal Libel Law in Ghana; Challenges and Prospects for Journalism:
Impact of ‘Brown Envelope Journalism’ on News Coverage in Ghana:
Driving Motivation for High School Students to Pursue a Career in Journalism:

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Celso Fernando De Carvalho
Bachelor of Business Administration
Banking and Finance
Angola
Carlos Barrocas Fernando de Freitas
Bachelor of Business and Economics
Busi ness Adminis tration
Angola
Ana Barbeito
Master of Education
Leadership and Management
Argentina
Munir Ahmed
Master of Public Health
International Health
Bangladesh
Eduardo Rios Lino
Bachelor of Science
Information Systems
Bolivia
Santiago David Novillo Cuenca
Bachelor of Business Administration
Busi ness Adminis tration
Bolivia
           
Keeneetse Nthusang
Bachelor of Science
Telecommunications Engineering
Botswana
Martin Mwape Zimba
Bachelor of Science
Computer Science
Brazil
Lydia Shawa
Master of Business Administration
Busi ness Adminis tration
Brazil
Mambe Elvis Ebaku
Master of Science
Civil Engineering
Cameroon
Kathryn Gabrielle Morrow
Master of Science
Nutrition
Canada
David Alfredo Ruete Zúñiga
Doctor of Philosophy
Multimedia Technology, Networking
Chile
           
Sergio Over Diaz Zea
Bachelor of Science
Industrial Engineering
Colombia
Diego Eduardo Botello Parada
Bachelor of Science
Physi cal Education, Recreation and Sports
Colombia
Carlos Alberto Lopez Ortega
Doctor of Business Administration
Busi ness Adminis tration
Colombia
Elizabeth Alcántara Mejia
Master of Arts
Arts
Dominican Republic
Vivian De Marchena González
Bachelor of Social and Human Studies
Human Resources
Dominican Republic
Patricio Alberto Morales Huaillas
Bachelor of Science
Civil Engineering
Ecuador
           
Yina San Nicolás Añapa
Bachelor of Science
Psychology
Ecuador
Juan Javier Nguema Ondo Osa
Bachelor of Science
Electrical Engineering
Equatorial Guinea
Chimdo Anchala Bulcha
Doctor of Philosophy
Agricultural Extensi on Education
Ethiopia
Melvin Tamba Joseph
Master of Business Administration
Busi ness Adminis tration
Ethiopia
Wondwossen Hailu Tadesse
Doctor of Social Work
Child and Family Social Welfare
Ethiopia
Martha Adusei
Doctor of Marketing
Marketing
Ghana
           
Charles Rowe Thomas
Bachelor of Business Management
Busi ness Etiquette and Policies
Guadeloupe
Nancy Noelia Herrera Mancilla
Bachelor of Education
Educational Adminis tration
Guatemala
Luis Antonio Velásquez Quiroa
Bachelor of Business Administration
Conflict Resolution
Guatemala
Jose Danilo Linares Portales
Bachelor of Science
Industrial Engineering
Guatemala
Amelia Isabel Sandoval Cerna de Cáceres
Bachelor of Business and Economics
Busi ness Adminis tration
Guatemala
Jorge Eduardo Salazar Pérez
Doctor of Science
Agricultural Engineering
Guatemala
           
Fredy Daniel Baca Vasquez
Bachelor of Business Administration
International Busi ness
Honduras
Dilcia Elizabeth Rapalo Guzman
Bachelor of Business Administration
Busi ness Management
Honduras
Santos Omar Gámez Gámez
Bachelor of Science
Environmental Engineering
Honduras
Juan de la Cruz Echegaray Escalante
Bachelor of Science
Psychology
Japan
Maria Yamashita
Certificate in Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Japan
Leodia S. Pagusan
Master of Education
Englis h Literature
Laos
           
Ahmed Abdulraheem Ali Al-Ameedi
Master of Business Administration
Busi ness Adminis tration
Latvia
Mabafokeng Felesiah Mahahabisa
Master of Business Administration
Project Management
Lesotho
Alfred G. Togbah
Bachelor of Science
Political Science & Sociology
Liberia
Wisly Derisma
Master of International Relations
International Relations
Mali
Roberto Baruch Romero Medina
Doctor of Management
Hotel and Touris m Management
Mexico
Haile Mekonnen Yigzaw
Bachelor of Science
Geological Engineering
Mozambique
           
Cosmas Ejezie Ezenwafor Ezeobi
Doctor of Psychology
Marriage and Family Counseling
Nigeria
Luqman Adebayo Adedokun
Doctor of Legal Studies
Environmental and Sustainable Development
Nigeria
Ogunsanmi Thompson
Doctor of Science
Agricultural Management
Nigeria
Ibekwe Matthew R.C.
Bachelor of Science
Mechanical Engineering
Nigeria
Yahaya Bashir
Master of Science
Industrial Engineering
Nigeria
Dionisio Cortes Gonzalez
Bachelor of Science
Electrical Engineering
Panama
           
César Gustavo Riquelme Maidana
Bachelor of Science
Geology
Paraguay
Luis Darío Martín Arbulú Alvistur
Bachelor of History
His tory
Peru
Menotti Juan Yáñez Ramírez
Doctor of Human Resources
Human Resources
Peru
Judith Salazar Del Mar
Doctor of Philosophy
Busi ness Adminis tration
Peru
Elisabetta Mannai
Bachelor of Science
Organizational Psychology
Peru
Rochel Garcia Oliveros
Bachelor of Business Administration
Management
Philipp ines
           
José Humberto Miranda Moreles
Doctor of Philosophy
Educational Management
Puerto Rico
Janet Hernández López
Doctor of Education
Education
Puerto Rico
Tanimoune Mahamadou
Doctor of Science
Health Sciences
Rwanda
Aleksandra Madjaroska Elison
Doctor of Philosophy
Sport and Nutrition Science
Seychelles
Alpha Amadou Timbo
Master of Science
Geotechnical Engineering
Sierra Leone
Markus C. Michel
Bachelor of Science
Architecture
Switzerland
           
Pascal Chikaonda
Doctor of Management
Project Management
Tanzania
Asha de Freitas
Master of Science
International Busi ness
The Netherlands
Paulina Insua Avilés
Bachelor of Science
Clinical Psychology
USA
Francisco J Milian Rodríguez
Doctor of International Relations
Human Rights
USA
Gregorio De Jesús Morrobel Saldaña
Bachelor of Political Science
Political Science & Sociology
USA
Asek Bernard Tambe
Doctor of Education
Educational Adminis tration
USA
           
Mariana Montalvo Vázquez
Doctor of Philosophy
Education
USA
Nguyen Phuong Khue Thao
Bachelor of Business Administration
Human Resources Management
Vietnam
Bert Musanda Mushala
Bachelor of Banking and Finance
Financial Management
Zambia
Silezia Mudenda Benzu
Bachelor of Science
Psychology
Zambia
Choolwe Mulambo Mwetwa
Bachelor of Science
Bioethics
Zambia
Mbiko Christopher Zimba
Master of Science
Industrial Engineering
Zambia
           
Chansa Mubanga Nyankhundi
Master of Strategic Planning
Project Management
Zambia
Mvula Kadange Van- Wyk
Doctor of Philosophy
Educational Adminis tration
Zambia
Brian T. T. Nyamande
Master of Business Administration
Busi ness Adminis tration
Zimbabwe
     
           

Find More Graduates

Gallery: aiu.edu/Graduation/grids/currentgallery.html
Interviews: www.aiu.edu/Graduation/grids/interviews.html
This month we have graduates from: Angola · Argentina · Bangladesh · Bolivia · Botswana · Brazil · Cameroon · Canada · Chile · Colombia · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Equatorial Guinea · Ethiopia · Ghana · Guadeloupe · Guatemala · Honduras · Japan · Laos · Latvia · Lesotho · Liberia · Mali · México · Mozambique · Nigeria · Panama · Paraguay · Perú · Philippines · Puerto Rico · Rwanda · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Switzerland · Tanzania · The Netherlands · USA · Vietnam · Zambia · Zimbabwe

Student Testimonials

Thongsamone Sidavanh
Master of Project Management
May 1, 2017
“...I would like to thank people at AIU who have fully supported my learning. I am very happy to be at this point. AIU has good systems to manage and control their students, many good resources, procedures and tools, including excellent advisors and tutors who are always ready to assist... I like the philosophy of empowering students with creating their own curriculum and the emphasis on submitting monthly assignments and payments ... The main advantage is the AIU comes to my place instead of me having to go to a university. AIU has a huge library system to find our study related materials to successfully complete our educational program. The most important thing is the UnPlag verification tool for assignments. ... AIU is my university, and I look forward to my next degree with AIU.
Read full text:
Addis Alem Belay
Post Doct. of Human Resources Management
May 8, 2017
“I have always wanted to do my doctorate and I was exclusively looking for distance learning universities but I came across with universities who are not genuine, who charge more than I can afford, who do not hold a graduation ceremony at the end of many years hard work, who put restriction on your academic achievement such as you have to spend 6 or 7-year minimum to achieve PhD or DBA. For all these reasons, I found it difficult to find a university which fits in to my circumstances and needs but I did not give up hope. ... My over-all experience with AIU is magnificent, each and every one that I came across during my time at AIU was very helpful, polite, and full of information. Without their support I wouldn’t be where I am today. ... I would recommend AIU to any one who wants to full fill their academic dream.
Read full text:
Joseph Guya
Bachelor of Management
May 15, 2017


“I have taken this opportunity to extremely thank AIU for their role to let me reach this far academically. ... 1. I may say AIU is the best school that is knowledgeable in advancing adult learning through careful assessment and understanding of adult student experiences and achievements that remained silent and unnoticed sometimes by employers. AIU is able to single out the gaps facing adult students and guide them to fill the gaps with appropriate courses. ... 4. Interaction with tutors and the Students Section was interesting; though there were problems with mobile phone networks in the war ravaged South Sudan, the tutors were able to reach me and deliver relevant advice in regard to the learning through email and phone calls. That’s wonderful indeed. ...
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George Nkambule
Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering
May 22, 2017
“...Leaving university is a bizarre and sad experience and something I’m surely struggling with, but at the same time I’m also undeniably happy because I can’t ignore the overwhelming fact that I was lucky enough to have such an amazing experience. I am sad to say goodbye to the wonderful life I’ve created at university over my four years but I find calmness knowing that I am taking a piece of my university with me wherever I go, in lessons I’ve learned, relationships I’ll keep and memories I’ll cherish forever. So to my university experience, I say ‘I will love you AIU and I will miss you forever’ and that doesn’t feel the least bit out of context because like I said before, leaving university is whole lot similar to ending a three weeks revivals and also because I really really really whole-heartedly mean it.
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Sampson Kordjo Tagbor
Bachelor of Human Resources Management
May 31, 2017
“I had tremendous and an interesting experience with AIU. My desire was to reach poor and vulnerable communities in the West African Sub region equipping them with the necessary skills I have acquired to help them develop mentally, physically, socially, financially, and skillfully, so that the poor can also have integrity within society. This is the greatest contributing factor that made me chose Human Resource Management as the course to pursue. ... Like I stated in my paper on Fundamental Principle I (Philosophy of education) “I know there are problems with the way we view education, we all know that there are problems with the education system. I am not trying to address all those issues here. I am merely trying to suggest a different approach to education in the school system. ...
Read full text:

Impact of ‘Brown envelope journalism’ on News coverage in Ghana

Richmond Acheampong, AIU student (and Stephen Babangida Jesse) | Doctorate of Journalism | Part 2/2

Discussions

The observation that a staggering 60.5 percent of respondents indicted poor pay for journalists for the prevalence of Brown envelope journalism is sadly, a bad omen for Ghana’s governance and fledgling democracy. The media is regarded as the fourth arm of government. Consequently, if journalists, who are purportedly charged with the responsibility of checking the other arms of government (the executive, legislature and judiciary), are poorly paid, one wonders if they will feel motivated enough to discharge their role in an orderly manner to ensure the sustenance of good governance and democracy. Some may contest better pay is not the only means of motivating workers to perform excellently. But better pay is a very critical component as far as motivation of workers is concerned irrespective of what one thinks. One might also contend the observation may serve a wakeup call for media establishments to pay their journalists well and perhaps importantly, for the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) that while setting the parameters within which journalists can operate, it is also important that the executives of the association endeavour to make a concerted effort to unionise the association so that it can negotiate for good salaries for its members. This is because paying journalists well may not only help end brown envelope journalism, but also boost the morale of journalists and make them well placed to compete with their counterparts in other professions.

Furthermore, the discovery that 74 percent of the respondents admitted to patronising brown envelopes before can be seen as a blessing in disguised because it pays to accept reality than living in denial of it. Now that it has been established that brown envelope journalism is rife in Ghana and killing ‘wholesome journalism’, media owners, desirous of safeguarding the image and reputation of their businesses may be compelled to pay their journalists well to forestall the unexpected. Journalists, who accept brown envelopes usually, find themselves susceptible to unnecessary libel suits because as Kaufman (2010) argued they work in the interests of governments, political personalities, corporations or private persons who desire to restrain what is published about them and are ready to pay for it. Of course libel suits are not pleasant experiences. In most instances, they crush not only the reputations of the journalists, who fell short of the law but also their media organisations.

The revelation that 15.5 percent respondents admitting that they get more information on a story when they received Brown envelopes is also a cause for concern. This is because regardless of how significant an event/issue might be to society this category of journalists chooses not to cover it comprehensively unless they are bribed. Their behaviour confirms why trivial issues about rival political parties are usually given extensive coverage at the expense of more important issues such as rural maternal deaths because of the absence health centres or school children studying at under trees while governments’ extravagance remains unabated.

For example, when the Supreme Court on July 27, 2016 sentenced the Montie 3 to four months imprisonment for bringing the name of the court into disrepute and scandalising its work, it was bizarre to see that rather tan chronicling the plight of numerous remand prisoners who have been behind bars for years without trial, some journalists probably being bribed, reported extensively on the clarion call for the President to invoke his powers embedded in Article 72 of the 1992 Constitution to pardon the three convicts. In addition, the revelation that 26 percent of respondents said they have not patronised brown envelopes before paints a glimmer of hope. It at least tells that in spite of the por pay of journalists, inadequate resources for them to work with and most media houses not barring their journalists from accepting brown envelopes, some journalists remain truthful to the Ghana Journalists Association’s (GJA) Code of Ethics, which forbids journalists from accepting bribe or any form of inducement to influence the performance of their professional duties.

Besides having 81.8 percent respondents said that though they accepted Brown envelopes, they did not ask for it, does not in any way render baseless Kaufman’s (2010) claim that whether the journalists receive cash for coverage as a result of low salaries, greed or other motivations, they work to suit governments, political personalities, corporations or private persons who desire to restrain what is published about them and are ready to pay for it. Moreover, it fails to defeat the argument by Kaufman (2010) that journalists who take money or gifts from their news sources are usually constrained publishing something against them. On the other hand, 76.5 percent of respondents alluding that they report the truth after taking brown envelopes, challenges Kaufman’s (2010) claim that whether the journalists receive cash for coverage because of low salaries, greed or other motivations, they work to suit governments, political personalities, corporations or private persons who desire to restrain what is published about them and are ready to pay for it. It also disputes that journalists who take money or gifts from their news sources are usually constrained something against them.

Again, 75 percent of respondents saying that they change the coverage of an event to the advantage or disadvantage of a third party when they received brown envelopes violates ethics of journalism, and resonates completely with the revelation from Spence (2008) that incidence of bribery for news undermine the integrity and impartiality of media reporting, culminating in widespread practice of fictional news, biased news or news for sale. Such precedence might have occasioned some Ghanaians’ inability to see journalists as partners in development and so have tended to be hostile to them, resulting sometimes in chilling attacks on journalists with some of them losing even their lives. The killing of journalists has made some Ghanaians label journalism “an extremely dangerous profession”. This is a blow to the practice of journalism because it discourages potential young talents to pursue the profession, while charlatans enter and perpetuate acts of indecency. What is more, the revelation that 55.5 percent of the respondents said their media houses do not have policies on the acceptance of brown envelopes may explain the reason for brown envelope journalism notoriety in Ghana. If most media houses had policies that set the parameters within which their journalists can operate with regard to acceptance of brown envelopes, one can bet the phenomenon would have been defeated.

Yes, because we would have had a scenario of news sources with brown envelopes stuffed with cash, ready to part with, but journalists reluctant to patronise them because their work policies bar them from doing so. Lastly, having 53.5 percent of respondents said brown envelopes affect the practice of journalism and more significantly, 100 percent of respondents wanting the practice to be stopped is a clear manifestation that a battle against brown envelope journalism can be won decisively if it is fought fiercely enough. Interestingly, one would have expected the journalists, who are the direct beneficiaries of the phenomenon to sabotage such move. However, once they have demonstrated their displeasure about the practice and want it ceased, the battle is half won. Though some of the event organizers may try to stay one step ahead, brown envelope journalism will eventually be wiped out from Ghana.

Conclusion & Recommendations

The study examined the impact of brown envelope journalism on news coverage in Ghana. It was observed that majority of the respondents attributed the prevalence of brown envelope journalism to poor pay for journalists while minority of the respondents said poor monitoring of journalists by their media houses coupled with inadequate resources for journalists to work with has occasioned the phenomenon. It was also discovered that majority of the respondents said they have patronized brown envelopes before but did not ask for it; only a few of them said they have received brown envelopes before but asked for it.

In addition, interestingly and perhaps strangely enough, it was revealed all the 200 journalists denounced brown envelope journalism and vouched for its cessation. Moreover, it was established that a significant number of journalists admitted that brown envelope journalism affect the practice of journalism and majority of respondents said their media establishments do not have policies on the acceptance of brown envelopes.

Besides it was found that brown envelope journalism has devastating consequences on the practice of journalism in Ghana as majority of the journalists confessed that they change the coverage of an event to the advantage or disadvantage of a third party when they received brown envelopes. What is more, though an insignificant number, it is worrying: 9.5 percent of respondents admitted that they report falsehood after they received brown envelopes. Based on the study’s findings, all Ghanaians must feel inspired and challenged to help stamp out the despicable phenomenon of brown envelope journalism from Ghana. To stamp out brown envelope journalism from Ghana, media owners must endeavour to pay their journalists well. In addition, further studies to determine media owners’ driving motivation for not paying their journalists well is recommended. Furthermore, news sources that are notorious for stuffing brown envelopes with cash for journalists should be tracked by the National Media Commission (NMC) and sanctioned.

Moreover, journalists who patronize brown envelopes should emulate the example of their counterparts, who have chosen to remain truth to the ethics of journalism in spite of their poor pay. Again, people should stop labeling journalism “an extremely dangerous profession” so as to make the journalism profession attractive to young potential talents. Last but not least, the National Labour Commission (NLC) and other relevant authorities should help address the poor pay for journalists.
The End

References.

Bamiro, EO 1997, Lexical Innovation in Ghanaian English: Some Examples from Recent Fiction. American Speech, 72(1), 105–12. | Bartlett, DMC 1999, Corruption and Lying in a Parliamentary Democracy: British Politics at the End of the Twentieth Century, Crime, Law & Social Change, 30(3), 205–35. | Forbes, D 2005, A Watchdog’s Guide to Investigative Reporting, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Media Programme 60 Hume Road, Dunkeld, 2195 Johannesburg. | Fakude, T 2016, Obstacles to News Coverage in Africa. Al Jazeera Media Network | GJA 2016, Code of Ethics, Ghana Journalists Association | Kaufman, S 2010, Cash for Coverage: The Unreported Dark Side of Journalism. IIP Digital | Kumar, K 2006, International Assistance to Promote Independent Media in transition and Post-Conflict Societies, Democratisation, 13, 652– 667. | Kovach, B and Rosentiel, T 2001, Elements of Journalism: What News People Should Know and the Public Expect, Westminster, MD Crown Publishing Group, Incorporated | Kasoma, F 2000, The Press and Multiparty Politics in Africa, PhD Dissertation, University of Tampere. | Omanga 2015, Brown envelope journalism and African ethics. The Daily Nation, Kenya | Rodan, G 2000, Asian Crisis, Transparency and the International Media in Singapore, The Pacific Review, 13, 217–242. | Spence, H 2008, Corruption in the Media, International Journal of Applied Philosophy | Skjerdal, T S 2010, Research on Brown Envelope Journalism in the African Media, African Communication Research, Vol. 3 Uko, N 2004, Romancing the Gun, pg 55 | … 2010, Report to the Centre for International Media Assistance (CIMA)

Personal development in front of relationship between democratic structure and populism

By Dr. Rosa Hilda Lora M. Advisor at AIU | rosa@aiu.edu

This 21st century brought us all that we have worked for: the continuation of the global economy and the communication society. It seems that in 2017 we would have to say that communication has become strange to us and that what we have is information, no matter if it is true or false, the thing is that we must speak. We are also following with the debt of educational reforms needed by every society in this global village. Why do we perceive that we don’t know where the governments of the countries that inhabit this Motherland take us? Following Greeks and Romans, for this western world, we form ways of living together based on the concept of State, structured under the term of participation and the pursuit of well-being for all; we speak of democracy. In order to be able to be this organization of the society the State is divided in the aspects that need attention and they are: the laws, the application of those laws and who initiates the procedures, called Prime Minister or President. These three areas or powers constitute the forms of government of the majority of the countries and they are integrated in their operation independently each one. When the system thus described works in agreements we say that democracy exists. Democracy exists when citizens have freedom to choose their rulers and when they can manifest their disagreements. In a democratic system the rulers seek to serve those who have chosen them and those who don’t in the same way. In societies and nations of world trade, the state must have areas and more areas of specialists to be able to relate to all existing agreements between nations: health, education and trade.

In this world trade we were accustomed to that the developed countries are so by the investment in science, in health, in education and in housing, also for its development in technology and for the exercise of democracy. We knew that something that always prevailed was the functioning of institutions that guaranteed democracy: freedom to choose, freedom to disagree and independent functioning of the areas that make up the State. To the surprise of world society we are watching heavily developed countries are falling into populism, which is the government that benefits from the least favored by the world trade society without caring whether it is for the welfare or not of their nations. They use these human groups promising them what can’t be possible to be sure to govern. This is the benefit that certain privileged groups of global trade looking for to maintain their interests without investing in the reforms that globalization or world trade needs.

It was known that world trade and the development of highly industrialized countries had a pending aspect: welfare hadn’t reached all and reforms were needed in education, health systems and wealth-sharing. We are seeing that some went ahead of these reforms and moved the neediest, and given that they are more, they used them to create governments that are doing the regression of those economies. The question is: how can an economy that promotes closure to global trade if we are in the society of world trade be sustained? How can an economy that refuses to trade agreements when the big treaties exist and all countries belong to one or another be developed? How can an economy promise job growth by developing coal when we are in green and clean technologies? How will the countries that seek the populism exit continue their development? Global society is moving towards the use of clean technologies, towards green energy sources. How to secure employment with sources that have to disappear? For developed countries investment in clean technologies results in profits because they will sell inputs to implement this form of production.

Stephen Hawking
(physicist, Oxford, UK, 1942) related the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. He wrote History of time: from the big bang to black holes (1988). He also wrote, The Universe is a nutshell (2002). Hawking says that the UK will stay alone and in the case of US and climate change: Earth can become Venus. What are the consequences for many human beings when seeing that the countries considered the model to follow have gone to the opposite pole? The consequence for any human being is sadness. Where to go if everything is becoming what we know the consequences because so is the country where I live? Why study if we walk to the opposite pole?

We are beings of emotions and also reasoning and in this case after the feelings we have to reason about the consequences of the union of a developed country and populism.

If these countries are closed to free trade their economies will be to produce for their nations. If globalization didn’t bring benefits to a part of the population because of the reforms it needs and if these people don’t approach the development of their skills to work, their nations with less trade, less development of science and technologies will be less able to offer them the well-being that populism governments say.

Democratic governments that make the shift to populism are not going to make the reforms that education needs so that the world industry can offer job opportunities for the active members of their societies. What we have to do is seek for us the education, the training we need because the world society continues. In the society we live, we can work online so we can live in one country and work in another. We have to see how we achieve our personal development regardless of about the government that we have. We have to motivate ourselves to learn what the world industry demands to have a job that allows us a decent life. We need to continue to study independently of the government objectives. We have the fortune of digital communication so studying and moving forward depends on our motivation, the way we organize our time. It is time to start developing our skills with the knowledge we need. We are fortunate that today the centers of study or universities can be online. We can’t begin to cry and wait for the governments we have to give us the education we need. We can have an extraordinary university education regardless of the country where we live because we can work in any country if we have the necessary skills. We have to think about our skills and look for the training we need. It is time to leave the sadness and put aside the path that some governments are marking and seek our welfare regardless of our social environment! We can be successful if we wish and we work for it! We were born to be happy. We have to go ahead!

BIBLIOGRAPHY. Deaton, A. (2015). El Gran Escape. Salud, riqueza y los orígenes de la desigualdad. México: FCE. | Loza Ramos, I. (2009). Ética y Valores 2. México: Et. | Morin, E. (2007). Introducción a una política del hombre. Buenos Aires: Gedisa. | Naciones Unidas, página oficial. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/es/ index.html | Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (UNESCO), página oficial. Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/new/es | Rawls J. (2012). La Justicia como equidad. Una reformulación. España: Paidós.


I am independent

Sivarajasingam Mahendran | Doctorate of Education

Introduction

“In dependence” or being “Independent” has been a main question in many of today’s young people’s minds ever since they reached an age of reasoning (which varies between individuals) to make their own decisions concerning things about and around them. First and foremost, we are children of our parents and citizens of our country at whatever age one may be. Then we are someone else’s property once we get married or are contracted to or employed to work for our living. No one owes us a living but it seems we are always owing someone a living for giving us our lives (by birth) or providing us the basic necessities of life (including food, clothing and shelter), and our needs for life (money, possessions, etc.). Are we in dependence for life then? Can we be independent hence? Being “independent” is relative to being around things, places and people around us and still be able to live comfortably, without fear or support for our thoughts and actions that define us ultimately in the eyes of the world around us.

What problems is your Country facing at this moment?

Liberia’s problem is the lack of good, sincere, and loyal leadership. Selfishness and greed is fighting the growth and development of our society. Many are not kind and loving to one another. We need quality education, 75% of the country has no electricity, and infrastructural developments are still a major problem.

What Independence means to me

I am who I am and no one else can influence me unless I will it, is my motto in my life. I believe I am a self-made person, independent of my family, and even after my marriage and being a father of a grown-up son who has reached his adulthood, I remain who I am as always: independent and my own self-critic, as is shown in the following poem of mine (Siva, M. 2011):

I AM
Complicated it is to fathom me
As plain as I look, I could be mysterious
Mind, body and soul reaches for perfection
My life is changing ever so much still!
To live a life, long and lively
I want to be healthy, wealthy and wise
To serve my fellow men and my nation
Till my heart has had its fill!
Soaring skywards like a bird free
Life is so very precious
I live with always a fascination
Making every moment of my life a thrill!
I am not just ordinary
Nor am I overtly illustrious
My life is just an extension
Of brotherhood and good will!
Writtten by: Siva Mahendran
(on 22/4/1982 and revised on 21/1/2010)

How does AIU help me in being Independent

In doing my post-graduate doctoral degree in education via AIU’s online mode of learning, I am able to do my studies independently, at my own time at a cost that I can afford too, paying on an installment plan that almost no other online university can better. It has given me much freedom to explore my areas of studies and to do more independent research work in order to produce assignments of better quality than I would be able to do in a more institutionalized university setting with much limited time. Learning online with AIU has been a paradigm shift for the better for me as it has made me more conscious of managing my time better and plan for my future in education and learning in general. I am truly grateful to AIU, having an academic faculty which is highly and timely responsive and nonjudgmental, for giving me the opportunity to do my studies in the best way possible, in phases, over a much shorter time than a conventional university in an institutional setting anywhere in the world.

Inter-relationship between Human Rights and Independence

Article 1 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations, 1942, states: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” The United States of America (USA), where the United Nations Headquarters is (in Manhattan, New York), has often been referred to as ‘the land of the free’; an independent nation, the world’s second largest democracy after India, where there are many opportunities for individuals to have the freedom to grow and live their lives as they wish within. The sky is the limit for growth in the USA, so it seems. Independence (the main hallmark of democracy) then is a boon and not a bane in a country like the USA where there is much freedom to do and grow almost unhindered in any fields of endeavor and enterprise which are benevolent in nature. The country has been the forerunner of great innovations in science and technology, the movies and the entertainment industry, having given birth to great organizations like Ford Motors, Google, Apple computers, Microsoft etc., just to name a few, and many of the rich and famous personalities of the world like Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and great leaders like former President Obama all made their mark in History and still do, to make the USA the country to be modeled after, ideally, by all the countries of the free world. Thus, the USA leads by example and shows the world that the symbiotic relationship between Human Rights and Independence thrives in the country.

Helping others with their Human Rights and Independence after my graduation

Human rights and Independence are fundamental rights of individuals according to the United Nations Charter of Universal Declaration, 1942. Most democratic countries around the world follow the guidelines laid down in the Charter but there are some, like the Communist regimes of North Korea, China, Cuba, Syria, many African countries, etc. which flout the United Nations declaration of Human rights and Independence of individuals blatantly with genocide, apartheid, discrimination against certain groups of people, hate-crimes, etc. I would make time for the less fortunate people in my peaceful and thriving country, Singapore, by doing community service whenever the opportunities arise. Community service is more than speaking about doing it or donating cash and goods to help people in need. Community service is helping others in need in any way possible, without any form of discrimination, so that they would live alongside each other in harmony and peace. Singapore’s National Pledge, which is in the four official languages (English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil) could be a way for other countries to emulate in order for a peaceful co-existence and harmony for all mankind to live in tandem whilst preserving the natural flora and fauna with a concerted effort in mutual understanding and collaboration so that the world would be a better place, almost a Utopia, for all:

Our Pledge
We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation.
Written by late Mr S. Rajaratnam
(Former Foreign Minister of Singapore, 1959-1988)


Learning

We have the highest IQs ever

Unfortunately, that has not made us smart.

We tend to assume that our intelligence is simply a matter of nature and nurture —but as the celebrated psychologist James Flynn explains to BBC Future, many other factors can stunt or boost your IQ, right down to the person you choose to marry.. As a professor at the University of Otago in New Zealand, Flynn regularly meets bright students with enormous potential, only to find that many of them aren’t engaging with the complex past of the world around them.

“They have all these modern skills and yet they come out of university no different than the medieval peasant who is anchored in his own little world,” he tells me mid-way through our conversation. “Well, actually they are anchored in a much bigger world –the world of the present– but with no historical dimension.” The result, he thinks, is that we have overly simplistic views of current issues, leaving us open to manipulation by politicians and the media. We are talking in the living room of his son Victor, who is a mathematician at the University of Oxford, during a flying visit from his home in New Zealand. “I have a second book out this year that says to young people ‘for god’s sake, you are educated, why don’t you read!’” he tells me. When he was young, he says, “girls wouldn’t date you if you hadn’t read the recent novels”.

Read full text: www.bbc.com/future/ story/20160929-our-iqs-have-never-been-higherbut- it-hasnt-made-us-smart

Bilingual babies

Babies’ brains are wired to learn multiple languages at once.

Research shows babies begin to learn language sounds before they’re even born. In the womb, a mother’s voice is one of the most prominent sounds an unborn baby hears. By the time they’re born, newborns can not only tell the difference between their mother’s language and another language, they also show a capability of distinguishing between languages.

Language learning depends on the processing of sounds. All the world’s languages put together comprise about 800 or so sounds. Each language uses only about 40 language sounds, or “phonemes,” which distinguish one language from another.

At birth, the baby brain has an unusual gift: it can tell the difference between all 800 sounds. This means that at this stage, infants can learn any language that they’re exposed to. Gradually babies figure out which sounds they are hearing the most.

Between six and 12 months, infants who grow up in monolingual households become more specialized in the subset of sounds in their native language. In other words, they become “native language specialists.” And, by their first birthdays, monolingual infants begin to lose their ability to hear the differences between foreign language sounds.

Read full text: qz.com/666364/babies-brains-arewired- to-learn-multiple-languages-at-once/


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The next pandemic

Disease experts reveal their biggest worries.

There’s a disturbing reality that’s clear to experts in infectious disease —but the rest of us ignore it on a regular basis. The next pandemic is coming.

New diseases are always on the rise. Viruses and bacteria can mutate and become more infectious or deadly (or both), and there’s a constant risk that new illnesses could find ways to jump from their hosts to humans. As Bill Gates wrote in a recent op-ed for Business Insider, a terrorist attack could involve the creation of a particularly contagious and deadly flu strain.

“Whether it occurs by a quirk of nature or at the hand of a terrorist, epidemiologists say a fast-moving airborne pathogen could kill more than 30 million people in less than a year,” Gates wrote. “And they say there is a reasonable probability the world will experience such an outbreak in the next 10-15 years.”

Five disease experts recently convened at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) to discuss the threat of pandemics. “A pandemic is something that stretches like a colossus around the world; an epidemic that affects many parts of the world,” Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, explained at the event.

Read full text: www.businessinsider.com/ disease-dangers-pandemic-influenza-ebola-2017-5

Self-driving shuttle

A service that is being tested in London.

London is known for its doubledecker buses, but GATEway, a very different kind of bus, is about to hit the streets of the British capital. A company called Oxbotica has been running tests of a self-driving shuttle service, involving 100 people who volunteered to ride in a small driverless bus. Oxbotica hopes to acclimate people to having autonomous vehicles in their midst, and to gauge how passengers respond to using the robo-bus, boss Graeme Smith told the BBC.

The single bus that will be used in the test has a top speed of 10 miles per hour, and operates without any human control under normal conditions. As with most public tests of autonomous vehicles, a human operator will be onboard in case something goes wrong. The vehicle has no steering wheel or pedals, but there is some form of kill switch for said person to hit. The vehicle only seats four people, and will operate along a two-mile route near London’s O2 Arena. Crucially, that route is shared with pedestrians and cyclists, giving Oxbotica a chance to test the bus’ collisionavoidance capabilities. Five cameras and three laser units scan the area around the vehicle, including up to 328 feet ahead. The London test program follows an Oxbotica autonomous-driving demonstration in the UK city of Milton Keynes last year. That test involved small autonomous “pod” cars, which drove on a 0.6-mile loop.

Visit: www.oxbotica.ai Read full text: www.thedrive.com/tech/8978/ self-driving-shuttle-service-begins-testing-in-london


AIU makes a huge contribution to the world by giving new scient ifics the space for original investigations and research. Visit MyAIU Evolution


Maiko Takeda dematerialising fashion

Maiko Takeda’s creations evoke both awe and intrigue. She transforms tangible and mundane materials into surreal and ethereal experiences, for the wearer and the surrounding environment. The milliner and accessory designer was born in Tokyo in 1986, and moved to London at the age of 18 to pursue her love for art and design. In 2009 she completed her studies in BA Jewellery Design (Hons) at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. Her fascination for creating objects for the head led her to study further in MA Fashion Womenswear (specialism: Millinery) at the city’s Royal College of Art, from which she graduated in 2013. What does it feel like to wear a cloud? This was the question that Takeda set out to answer with her Atmospheric Reentry collection. The range of sculptural, spiny pieces was influenced by the androgyny and repetition in Philip Glass and Robert Wilson’s opera Einstein on the Beach, which she saw in London in 2012. The project first manifested during her post-graduate studies, and continues to be developed through refining the techniques used to produce such unique designs.

Read full article and find more images: www.google. com/culturalinstitute/beta/exhibit/LAJS9QemFaibJQ

Chandigarh

A city in India designed by Le Corbusier

Sixty years ago, Chandigarh was conceived as a city to celebrate the independence of India. It’s a monument to the country’s entrance into the modern world. The name means “home of Chandi,” the warrior personified as Parvati, a deity of fertility love and devotion. Designed by the legendary architect Le Corbusier, today it’s the capital of the states of Punjab and Haryana and it was thought of as the “perfect city” (if that’s even possible).

Every detail of the new metropolis was carefully planned to work perfectly. The architect and his team designed every detail, from the sculptures of the Supreme Court square to the door handles of the offices, and the most important administrative buildings, including the Capitol, the Supreme Court, the Secretariat, Parliament, a Governor’s Palace and a university.

Read full text: www.faena.com/aleph/articles/ chandigarh-a-city-in-india-designed-by-le-corbusier/

Find support for your own unique art and design projects, or support other creative projects at MyAIU Research


Empathykiller?

Painkiller found in 600 different drugs kills empathy.

Acetaminophen —commonly known as Tylenol in the US and paracetamol elsewhere— reduces people’s empathy for the pain of others, new research finds. Acetaminophen is an ingredient in over 600 different medications, including being the main constituent of Tylenol.

The ubiquitous painkiller does not just kill pain, it also kills our fellow-feeling. Dr Dominik Mischkowski, the study’s first author, said: “These findings suggest other people’s pain doesn’t seem as big of a deal to you when you’ve taken acetaminophen. Acetaminophen can reduce empathy as well as serve as a painkiller.”

Previous research has also found that the drug can reduce the positive emotions of those taking it. Dr Baldwin Way, a study co-author, said: “We don’t know why acetaminophen is having these effects, but it is concerning.

Empathy is important. If you are having an argument with your spouse and you just took acetaminophen, this research suggests you might be less understanding of what you did to hurt your spouse’s feelings.”

Read full text: www.spring.org. uk/2016/05/empathy-killed-popularpainkiller.

Mushrooms

By Sylvia Plath

Overnight, very Whitely, discreetly, Very quietly.

Our toes, our noses Take hold on the loam, Acquire the air.

Nobody sees us, Stops us, betrays us; The small grains make room. Soft fists insist on Heaving the needles, The leafy bedding, Even the paving.

Our hammers, our rams, Earless and eyeless, Perfectly voiceless, Widen the crannies, Shoulder through holes. We Diet on water, On crumbs of shadow, Bland-mannered, asking Little or nothing.

So many of us!
So many of us!

We are shelves, we are Tables, we are meek, We are edible, Nudgers and shovers In spite of ourselves.

Our kind multiplies: We shall by morning Inherit the earth. Our foot’s in the door. Source: eminentlyquotable.com

The worst thing

Smash fear and you can learn anything.

Productivity guru Tim Ferriss’ fun, encouraging anecdotes show how one simple question –“What’s the worst that could happen?”– is all you need to learn to do anything. One excerpt: “... So fear is your friend. Fear is an indicator. Sometimes it shows you what you shouldn’t do.

More often than not it shows you exactly what you should do. And the best results that I’ve had in life, the most enjoyable times, have all been from asking a simple question: what’s the worst that can happen? Especially with fears you gained when you were a child. Take the analytical frameworks, the capabilities you have, apply them to old fears. Apply them to very big dreams. And when I think of what I fear now, it’s very simple.

When I imagine my life, what my life would have been like without the educational opportunities that I had, it makes me wonder. I’ve spent the last two years trying to deconstruct the American public school system, to either fix it or replace it. And have done experiments with about 50,000 students thus far —built, I’d say, about a half dozen schools, my readers, at this point. And if any of you are interested in that, I would love to speak with you. I know nothing. I’m a beginner. But I ask a lot of questions, and I would love your advice.”

Watch TED Talk here: www.ted.com/talks/ tim_ferriss_smash_fear_learn_anything


Live a better life learning how to keep your body, mind & soul balanced. Visit regularly MyAIU Body / MyAIU Mind / MyAIU Spirit & MyAIU Energy.


Greenery-lined bike path

Berlin could build one
under the subway.

A community-led proposal envisions converting the abandoned space beneath Berlin’s elevated U1 subway line into a “grand boulevard for bike traffic” that would stretch almost 6 miles throughout the city. The proposal, Radbahn Berlin, is led by a team of local specialists and community leaders who would like to put the forgotten area to use as a covered bike path lined with vibrant green spaces, bike service stations, and recreational areas for cafes and food trucks.

Although still in the early stages, the Radbahn vision is supported by many –especially those who think the city is lacking in bike infrastructure. The proposed cycle path would run underneath the elevated rail line, which stretches along one of Berlin’s main roads connecting three districts and various neighborhoods.

According to the plan, the location would be perfect for a bike boulevard considering that the area around the station is already rife with cyclists. However, the current bike path in the area is fairly short and split in various areas by protruding tree roots. For local bicyclists, the obvious solution would be to install a better path under the rail line, creating a safe route for bike traffic without having to disturb car traffic. There would be more than enough space for a two-way path bordered by swaths of green vegetation.

Read full text: inhabitat.com/berlin-could-build-a- 6-mile-greenery-lined-bike-path-under-its-u1-subway/

Go west, young tree

Climate change is shifting the forests of America in an unexpected direction.

All over the world, global warming is causing ecosystems to move away from the equator or to higher altitudes, in search of favorable climatic conditions. However, in the eastern US, even more tree species have shifted westward than north.

Dr Songlin Fei of Purdue University examined an extensive database on the locations of 86 species over the past 30 years. Of these, 62% were found to be moving north, averaging around 20 km (12 miles) a decade. This entirely expected shift was overshadowed by a more surprising one. In the same sample, 73% were moving west, at slightly faster rates, with most change happening at the leading edge. There were patterns to the movements. “Most angiosperms [flowering plants] shifted westward and most gymnosperms [non-flowering seed producers] shifted poleward,” Fei and co-authors write in Science Advances. As expected, the changes were more noticeable for saplings than established trees.

The movement appears to be driven by changes in rainfall. Over the period the paper considers, temperatures in the eastern US rose 0.16oC (0.29oF), but there have also been big shifts in rainfall, with an increase of more than 150 millimeters (6 inches) per year in the central US, and a major drop in much of the south-east.

Read more: www.iflscience.com/environment/go-west-young-tree-climate-change-moves-forests-in-unexpected-direction/

Eco Tip: Eat less meat. 70% of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed to raise cows. Change your life, get sustainable, visit MyAIU Knowledge.


Helping migrants

The sculpture of a coyote will help migrants with water, a map, a list of shelters and more.

“This is a coyote that’s there to give, not take away. It’s a way to extend a hand to a migrant who gets off the train confused, who doesn’t know where to go,” Alfredo “Libre” Gutierrez, a native of the northwestern border city of Tijuana, said in a telephone interview with EFE.

Gutierrez has been making drawings of coyotes in several areas of the country as a show of solidarity with undocumented migrants, but he came up with the idea for the sculpture a year ago when he began working with these people at a shelter in Mexico City. The sculpture, located at the Lecheria train station in the central state of Mexico, is made of recycled wood, stands 2.6 meters (8.5 feet) tall, contains a map of Mexico on its left side and a list of the 85 migrant shelters in 21 Mexican states with their addresses and telephone numbers on its right side. The goal of this work of art is to let migrants know that they are not alone and that someone is concerned about their plight.

The coyote’s tail also offers a space for people to leave water or medicine. The artist said he planned to made several of the sculptures and place them near stations where a northbound cargo train known as “La Bestia” (The beast) stops.

Read full text: www.businessinsider.com/ hawaii-basic-income-bill-2017-6

Moral behavior in animals

A TED Talk by
Frans de Waal

What happens when two monkeys are paid unequally? Fairness, reciprocity, empathy, cooperation — caring about the well-being of others seems like a very human trait. But Frans de Waal shares some surprising videos of behavioral tests, on primates and other mammals, that show how many of these moral traits all of us share.

Here’s an excerpt: “as a student, I went to ... a zoological garden in Arnhem where we keep chimpanzees. ... And I discovered there that the chimpanzees are very power-hungry and wrote a book about it. And at that time the focus in a lot of animal research was on aggression and competition. I painted a whole picture of the animal kingdom and humanity included, was that deep down we are competitors, we are aggressive, we are all out for our own profit, basically. This is the launch of my book. I’m not sure how well the chimpanzees read it, but they surely seemed interested in the book. Now in the process of doing all this work on power and dominance and aggression and so on, I discovered that chimpanzees reconcile after fights. And so what you see here (watch video) is two males who have had a fight. They ended up in a tree, and one of them holds out a hand to the other. And about a second after I took the picture, they came together in the fork of the tree and kissed and embraced each other. ...”

Read full text: www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/with-therapy-dogs-assisting-autistic-kids-look-forward-totrip- to-the-dentist/2017/05/10/84042bf6-3505-11e7-b4ee-434b6d506b37_story.html?utm_term=.483b26d5c08b

Get a better knowledge about our rights and the way we can use them on a daily basis to prevent any abuse or limitations of them. Visit MyAIU Human Rights.

Campus

26 great personal finance habits

How many of these apply to you?

1: Tracking carefully your income and expenses.
2: Spending less than you earn every month. Don’t think this is obvious.
3: Keeping a budget... and faithfully following it. Because, if you don’t have the discipline, why bother?
4: Keeping the money in your wallet to a minimum. This way you won’t be tempted to spend it.
5: Never buying anything on impulse. To help prevent this, make a shopping list and then stick to it.
6: Ignoring the temptation to keep up with the Joneses.
7: Avoiding the use of payday loans to cover temporary financial shortfalls.
8: Leveraging “good debt” to purchase things that have the possibility of increasing in value, or providing a path to a higher income in the future.
9: Avoiding interest payments whenever possible.
10: Using your credit card to buy things only if you can pay it off in full at the end of each month.
11: Reviewing your credit card statements for errors and erroneous charges.
12: Refusing to pay the minimum on your credit card bills each month. Making minimum payments each month will ensure you pay the maximum interest.
13: Paying the bills on time. By doing so you’ll avoid spending money on needless late fees.
14: Remembering to comparison shop whenever possible.
15: Negotiating whenever the opportunity presents itself.
16: Reading all contracts before signing on the dotted line.
17: Taking advantage of coupons and internet promotional codes as often as possible.
18: Maintaining an emergency fund. Everyone should have between three and six months of living expenses in the bank. Remember to resist the urge to tap your emergency fund for non-emergencies.
19: Setting clear and achievable saving goals, then regularly reviewing and updating them.
20: Saving part of your income for retirement. Try saving at least 10 percent from every paycheck; it’s never too late to start.
21: Buying a new car —or better yet, a newer used car— and keeping it for at least ten years. Buying new cars is costly because they can lose upwards of half their value by the time they are three years old.
22: Never overpaying for insurance. For example, why pay the higher auto insurance premiums for low deductibles if you rarely make claims?
23: Properly maintaining your car. By following your car’s maintenance schedule and paying a little up front, you’ll reduce the risk of encountering more costly major issues down the road.
24: Avoiding cigarettes. This expensive habit is one of the Four Horsemen of personal finance.
25: Treating your household like a business. By taking an active role in managing your finances —and looking at ways to maximize your income— you’ll ensure a brighter financial future for you and your family.
26: Never hoping for an inheritance –or winning the lottery– to solve your money problems.


Source: time.com/money/collection-post/4023439/personal-finance-habits/

Help others study and change their lives. Visit MyAIU Pledge. Learn how to have a better financial control. Visit MyAIU Money.


Microwave cover

Glass microwave lid that doubles as a baking dish, too. Made of borosilicate glass, it doesn’t hold on to odors, stains, or bacteria. It can handle temps up to 450 degrees By Cuchina Safe.
www.thegrommet.com

NakeFit

Skidproof and waterproof adhesive soles that protect bare feet bottoms from the treacherous ground at such places as the beach, parks, spas, and swimming pools. Finding support at
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1840198615/nakefit

Knops

Adjustable ear plugs that let you control real world volume instantly. The volume button lets you select between four settings—clear sounds, city noise, live music, and isolation. Take a look at this

Penan people of Sarawak, Malaysia

“The land is sacred; it belongs to the countless numbers who are dead, the few who are living, and the multitudes of those yet to be born.”

5 lessons of art & life

from Wassily Kandinsky

2. Learn to take breaks
Despite being an exceptionally prolific and hard-working painter, Kandinsky knew the importance of taking breaks from work. The act of stepping back from any project allows you to see it with a clear perspective and to conclude it with better results.

It’s a lesson that could easily be applied to any area of life.

Source: www.faena.com


Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics

School of business and economics

The Bachelor of Agrictultural Economics degree unites economic analysis with the practical aspects of agriculture. The program is intended to specialize students for careers in research, teaching, analysis, business administration and similar fields of agricultural economics. We will guide you to be successful in the field and to raise awareness of the social and environmental responsibilities of agriculture. The Agrictultural Economics program is designed to advance the professional development of experienced economics graduates and professionals in the economics arena by extending their knowledge and equipping them with broad research and process economics skills, enabling them to make a key leadership contribution to their chosen fields. AIU’s Bachelor’s degree in Agrictultural Economics goes one step further by allowing students to study and research multiple key areas of computer science to develop a unique foundation of practical knowledge and computer science theory. Your AIU Distance Learning Bachelor program in Agrictultural Economics will be a custom-made program, designed just for you by you and your advisor. This flexibility to meet your needs is seldom found in other distance learning programs. Our program does not require every student to study the same subjects and use the same books and other learning materials as every other student. Instead our online Bachelor programs are designed just for you. They are individually designed to meet your needs and help you to reach your professional and personal goals.

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.

Core Courses and Topics

Efficiency and Productivity Analysis
Deterministic and Stochastic
Approaches
Time Series Analysis: Applications in Agricultural and Food Economics
Household Behaviour: Theory and Applications
Topics in Industrial Organization
Agent-based Modelling in Agricultural and Resource Economics
Theory, Analysis and Empirical Study of Institutions and Organisations
Advanced Supply Chain Management
The Political Economy of Agriculture in high-income Countries
The Political Economy of Agriculture in low-income Countries
Introduction to Geographic Information
Systems and spatial data analysis
Foundations of Agricultural Economics
Consumer Behavior and Demand
Analysis
Welfare Economic Analysis of Agricultural Policy
Qualitative Research and Developing

Orientation Courses

Communication & Investigation (Comprehensive Resume)
Organization Theory (Portfolio)
Experiential Learning (Autobiography)
Seminar Administrative Development (Book Summary)
Seminar Cultural Development (Practical Experience)
Seminar International Development (Publications)

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 410
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). AIU meets all state and federal laws as a degree-granting institution in the United States and the State of Hawaii. The University was legally established by corporate charter in 1998 and is in good standing.

While National Accreditation is common for traditional U.S. institutions of higher learning utilizing standard teaching methods, every country has its own standards and accrediting organizations. Accreditation is a voluntary process and does not guarantee a worthy education. Rather, it means an institution has submitted its courses, programs, budget, and educational objectives for review. AIU’s Distance Learning Programs are unique, non-traditional and not accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. This may be a determining factor for those individuals interested in pursuing certain disciplines requiring State licensing, (such as law, teaching, or medicine). It is recommended that you consider the importance of National Accreditation for your specific field or profession. Although Atlantic International University’s individualized Distance Learning Degree Programs, are distinct from traditional educational institutions, we are convinced of their value and acceptance worldwide. Non-traditional programs are important because they recognize knowledge gained outside the classroom and incorporate a broader more comprehensive view of the learning experience. Many great institutions are unaccredited. We invite you to compare our programs and philosophy with traditional classroom-based programs to determine which is best suited to your needs and budget. AIU has chosen private accreditation through the Accrediting Commission International (ACI), obtained in 1999. ACI is not regulated or approved by the US Department of Education. ATLANTIC INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY IS NOT ACCREDITED BY AN ACCREDITING AGENCY RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED

STATES SECRETARY OF EDUCATION. Note: In the U.S., 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. AIU is incorporated in the state of Hawaii. As a University based in the U.S., AIU meets all state and federal laws of the United States.

There is no distinction between the programs offered through AIU and those of traditional campus based programs with regards to the following: your degree, transcript and other graduation documents from AIU follow the same standard used by all U.S. colleges and universities. AIU graduation documents can include an apostille and authentication from the U.S. Department of State to facilitate their use internationally. Authentication from the U.S. Department of State is a process that will ultimately bind a letter signed by the U.S. Secretary of State (permanently with a metal ring) to your graduation documents. If a student outside the U.S. wishes to carry out a particular procedure within a country’s Department of Education regarding their degree earned at AIU, such procedures are to be carried out independently by the student. AIU respects the unique rules and regulations of each country and does not intervene or influence the respective authorities. We recommend prospective students who intend to carry out such procedures outside the U.S. to verify in detail the steps and requirements needed in order to be fully informed.

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
President/Academic Dean

Ricardo González
Chief Operation Officer
Ofelia Hernandez
Director of AIU
Clara Margalef
Dir. of Special Projects of AIU
Juan Pablo Moreno
Director of Operations
Paul Applebaum
IT Director
Nadeem Awan
Chief Programing
Dr. Jack Rosenzweig
Dean of Academic Affairs
Paula Vieria
Admissions Manager
Dr. Edward Lambert
Academic Coordinator
Dr. Ariadna Romero
Academic Coordinator
Maricela Esparza
Administrative Coordinator
Jaime Rotlewicz
Admissions Coordinator
Carlos Aponte
Telecom. Coordinator
Rosie Perez
Finance Coordinator
Nadia Gabaldon
Student Services Supervisor
Dr. José Mercado
Chief Executive Officer

Linda Collazo
Student Services Coordinator
Kingsley Zelee
IT Coordinator
Felipe Gomez
Design Director
Giovanni Castillo
Operations assistant
Liliana Peñaranda
Logistics Coordinator
Amalia Aldrett
Admissions Coordinator
Alba Ochoa
Admissions Coordinator
Sandra Garcia
Admissions Coordinator
Veronica Amuz
Admissions Coordinator
Junko Shimizu
Admissions Coordinator
Roberto Aldrett
Communications Coordinator
Nazma Sultana
Assistant Programming
Jhanzaib Awan
Assistant Programming
Chris Benjamin
Hosting Server
Dr. Ricardo González
Provost

Vivian Calderon
Registrar Office
Daritza Ysla
Accounting Coordinator
Patricia C. Domenech
Human Resources
Irina Ivashuk
Administrative Assistant
Kimberly Diaz
Academic Tutor
Renata Da Silva
Academic Tutor
Lourdes Puentes
Academic Tutor
Rina Lehnhoff
Academic Tutor
Renato Cifuentes
Academic Tutor
Arturo Vejar
Academic Tutor
Arhely Espinoza
Academic Tutor
Luisa Villar
Academic Tutor
Cyndy Dominguez
Academic Tutor
Paulina Garcia
Academic Assistant

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,

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) info@aiu.edu
808-924-9567 (Internationally) www.aiu.edu

Online application:

www.aiu.edu/apply3_phone.aspx