Betz named to international higher education executive committee

(Tahlequah, OK)--Northeastern State University President Don Betz has been named to a three-year term on an international executive committee that seeks to provide access to higher education and its principles of freedom of inquiry and speech for students throughout the world.

He will join the leadership of the International Association of University Presidents and also serve as the chair of its North American Council, in addition to his executive committee responsibilities.

IAUPs mission is to serve as the global voice of higher education leadership. Its 600 members at higher education institutions in 100 nations are regents, presidents or chancellors who oversee higher education institutions. It works with the United Nations Academic Impact initiative and other associations to span international boundaries and political systems to provide access to education as the only path to peace and human resource and economic development.

It supports 10 universal principles in such areas as human rights, literacy, sustainability and conflict resolution. Member institutions are encouraged to annually undertake a project in one of those areas.

The NSU president will act as the IAUP international presidents liaison to North American higher education institutions in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Betz also will act as primary custodian for the associations endowment.

Founded in 1964, the IAUP works closely with many international organizations and initiatives, including the World Health Organization, the Qatar Foundation, the Academic Chairs for Africa, the Microsoft Academic Summit Initiative, and with the United Nations.

It has representation on the World Bank, and addresses numerous issues through its commission on womens education, sustainable development, university-industry collaboration, and higher education quality assurance and accreditation.

IAUP seeks to provide a world wide vision of higher education, while strengthening the international reach of universities through academic exchanges and collaborations. Additionally, it works to ensure that the voice of education is heard in global discussions.

Betz brings a distinguished career in global leadership, including most recently the distinction of being named a Fulbright Fellow where he traveled to Jordan and Oman to assist them in their education transition.

A visitor to more than 80 nations, Betz previously was an invited participant in White House and U.S. State Department conferences on globalization and higher education. He also was engaged for more than 20 years with the United Nations on the Question of Palestine.

I am pleased and honored to assist IAUP President Michael Adams by serving on the Executive Committee and by chairing the IAUPs North American Council, President Betz said.

This global organization links presidents, chancellors and rectors from universities on every continent. The IAUP is actively collaborating with the United Nations, Microsoft, WISE (World Innovation Summit on Education) and other global initiatives intended to creatively meet the challenge of teaching and learning in the global century.

Betz will participate in the IAUP Triennial conference in New York City this month, which will draw hundreds of university leaders from around the world to a general assembly to establish its action agenda through 2014.