In October 2005, UNESCO Member States adopted by acclamation the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. For the first time in the history of bioethics, some 190 countries committed themselves and the international community to respect and apply fundamental ethical principles related to medicine, the life sciences and associated technologies. This publication provides a new impetus to the dissemination of the Declaration, and is part of the organisation's continuous effort to contribute to the understanding of its principles worldwide. The authors, who were almost all involved in the elaboration of the text of the Declaration, were asked to respond on each article: Why was it included? What does it mean? How can it be applied? Their responses shed light on the historical background of the text and its evolution throughout the drafting process. They also provide a reflection on its relevance to previous declarations and bioethical literature, and its potential interpretation and application in challenging and complex bioethical debates.

This report addresses the more contentious aspects of large-scale learning assessments (LSLAs). Drawing on UNESCO's extensive experience in the area from involvement in the direct implementation of assessments and as a knowledge broker and convener of networks this publication presents the Organization's critical take on such initiatives. It aims to balance the debate on LSLAs by reviewing their benefits while raising awareness on their potential risks and pitfalls. The focus of discussions in this publication is on LSLAs conducted in formal and school-based education. It includes an Annex outlining key international studies. [Executive summary, ed]

This booklet examines high-profile issues and major questions involved in international educational achievement studies. Some of these questions, which education activists and the public most often ask, are as follows: What benefits do international studies of achievement have for development of curricula in countries participating in this study? To what extent can the operation of a national system of curriculum (versus a state curriculum or school district curriculum or school-based curriculum) be assessed in an international study? If a comparison of subgroups of students within a country is to be undertaken, what are the subgroups that should be compared and why? Conceptualization and conduct of international studies are not an easy matter, but if they are well done, they can be of great benefit to national policymakers in education. Appendix 1 gives a brief description of the studies mentioned in this report. Appendix 2 alerts readers to the kinds of questions they should be asking when reading the reports of studies on international educational achievement. (Contains 47 references.) (RT)