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The '''Oxford Round Table''' is a series of ] conferences organized and run by a ]-based educational organization. The '''Oxford Round Table''' is a series of ] conferences organized and run by a academics, government officials, business and non-profit leaders, and others on topics ranging from education and human rights to trade and sustainable development.
The mission of the Oxford Round Table, according to its website, is "to provide an interdisciplinary forum for the discussion of contemporary issues that affect the public good in all its various forms and ramifications."<ref></ref> The mission of the Oxford Round Table is "to provide an interdisciplinary forum for the discussion of contemporary issues that affect the public good in all its various forms and ramifications."<ref></ref>


In recent years, the Oxford Round Table has been in coordination with Conference Oxford. Several of the Oxford Round Table meetings have been held at college sites recommended by Conference Oxford. Conference Oxford is a development office of the University of Oxford.
The Oxford Round Table is not affiliated with the University of Oxford,<ref>{{cite web|title=Disclaimer|url=http://www.oxfordroundtable.com/index.php/view/Content-Main/page/disclaimer.html|publisher=Oxford Round Table|accessdate=9 November 2013}}</ref> which has stated that events such as the Oxford Round Table are "external to the university" and "not, as such, authorised or endorsed by the university."<ref name=THES>{{cite web | last = Newman | first = Melanie | authorlink = | title = 'Oxford' events firm under fire | work = | publisher = ] | date = 21 December 2007 | url = http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=310154&sectioncode=26 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-02-01}}</ref> The company has been accused of misrepresenting its relationship with the university.<ref name=THES/><ref name=THE2/>


==Conferences== ==Conferences==
In August 1989, the first Oxford International Round Table on Education Policy convened to consider major issues in contemporary educational policy in the United States, the United Kingdom and other selected countries. The meeting was widely regarded as highly successful and the membership of the Round Table called for future meetings to deal with evolving international educational issues. Of particular interest to members was the unequivocal recognition that radical policy solutions were required under the growing imperatives of concurrent, mandated educational reforms that had characterised legislation in many countries during the 1980s and which had been the major preoccupation of members at the first meeting of the Round Table at St. Peter's College during August, 1989. As a consequence another Round Table was held during the week of September 2, 1991, at St. Peter's College, Oxford.
⚫ The first meeting of the Oxford Round Table was held at ] in 1989, sponsored by the Norham Centre for Leadership Studies of the University of Oxford under the direction of Vivian Williams and by ], under the direction of Kern Alexander.<ref></ref> Subsequent Oxford Round Table conferences have been held at ], ], ], ], ], and the ].


The 1991 Round Table program concentrated on four main themes;
⚫ The Oxford Round Table brings together scholars and others from a variety of backgrounds (new professors and PhD students, college presidents and deans, school administrators, religious leaders) to discuss research on specific topics usually related to public policy. In its early years, the conference was held every other year, and the organization financed the attendance of participants by raising funds itself (more than £80,000 in 1993).<ref name=Richards>Huw Richards, "All Rhodes lead to reform," '']'', 8 October 1993, p. 8.</ref> By 2009, the ORT was charging attendees.<ref name=THES/>
1. Innovations in the structure and organisation of major systems of education,
2. Current public policy issues bearing on the financing of education,
3. Interactive relationships between governmental educational policy and economic and social development,
4. Emerging issues of educational aspiration and motivation in countries moving from command to demand economic systems.


Of particular interest were the transformations recently occurring in Eastern Europe and their implications for revision and improvement of established systems of education. The meeting further continued the dialogue initiated in 1989 concerning current educational issues facing the western developed countries, with particular reference to the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Complementary perspective were contributed on recent developments in Western Europe, the Caribbean, Pacific rim, and Africa.
⚫ One of the earliest conferences, in 1993, was on the links between education and the business sector. It brought together education ministers from major developing and transition countries, representatives of major multinationals (such as ], ], ], and ]), U.S. state officials, and the ]. A major highlight was a paper by Edward Dneprov, education minister of Russia, on education reform there.<ref>Richard Margrave, "International Partnership," ''The Times'', 1 November 1993.</ref> A 1993 article in the ''Times Higher Education Supplement'' noted that "the Oxford conferences are going very well" and had gained "international interest."<ref name=Richards/>

⚫ The 1991 Round Table was sponsored by the Norham Center for Leadership Studies (NCLS) at the University of Oxford, the Apple Computer Corporation of the United States, and Virginia Tech University.Subsequent Oxford Round Table conferences have been held at ], ], ], ], ], and the ].

⚫ The Oxford Round Table brings together scholars and others from a variety of backgrounds (new professors and PhD students, college presidents and deans, school administrators, religious leaders) to discuss research on specific topics usually related to public policy. In its early years, the conference was held every other year, and the organization financed the attendance of participants by raising funds itself (more than £80,000 in 1993).<ref name=Richards>Huw Richards, "All Rhodes lead to reform," '']'', 8 October 1993, p. 8.</ref>

⚫ Another example of an earlier conference dealt with links between education and the business sector. It brought together education ministers from major developing and transition countries, representatives of major multinationals (such as ], ], ], and ]), U.S. state officials, and the ]. A major highlight was a paper by Edward Dneprov, education minister of Russia, on education reform there.<ref>Richard Margrave, "International Partnership," ''The Times'', 1 November 1993.</ref> A 1993 article in the ''Times Higher Education Supplement'' noted that "the Oxford conferences are going very well" and had gained "international interest."<ref name=Richards/>


==Publications== ==Publications==
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McGill/Queen's University Press published a volume of papers from a 2003 conference, ''The University: International Expectations'', on public administration issues related to higher education.<ref> by Anthony Potts, ''History of Intellectual Culture'', Volume 4, No. 1, 2004.</ref> Another edited volume on primary (precollegiate) school choices in America emerged from, among other sources, a 2003 meeting on "Choice in Education."<ref>Carreiro, Paula J. and Eileen Shields-West, ''Choosing the Right Educational Path for Your Child: What Are the Options?'' Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2008; pp. vii, ix.</ref> McGill/Queen's University Press published a volume of papers from a 2003 conference, ''The University: International Expectations'', on public administration issues related to higher education.<ref> by Anthony Potts, ''History of Intellectual Culture'', Volume 4, No. 1, 2004.</ref> Another edited volume on primary (precollegiate) school choices in America emerged from, among other sources, a 2003 meeting on "Choice in Education."<ref>Carreiro, Paula J. and Eileen Shields-West, ''Choosing the Right Educational Path for Your Child: What Are the Options?'' Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2008; pp. vii, ix.</ref>

==Company history and officers==
For most of its history the Oxford Round Table has been an American organization run by members of the Alexander family and variously headquartered in Kentucky, Illinois, Florida, and California. ], Professor of Excellence at the ], Urbana-Champaign, founded the Oxford International Round Table on Education Policy in 1989.<ref></ref> However, it was not incorporated until 1994, when it was established in Florida as a for-profit corporation, with Alexander as president. It was administratively dissolved in 1996.<ref name=flsos>Corporate report filed with , accessed 2008-03-16</ref> Alexander also incorporated the Oxford Round Table, Inc., a Florida for-profit corporation; it was established and dissolved at the same time as the Oxford International Round Table on Education Policy.<ref name=flsos />

In 1995, the Oxford Round Table, Inc., a for-profit Kentucky corporation, was incorporated by Samual K. Alexander III (son of Kern Alexander<ref>Sigma Alpha Epsilon Alumni Association, , last update 13 September 2001, accessed 5 March 2008</ref>).<ref name=kysos>Annual report for Oxford Round Table, Inc., filed on 15 January 2008 with the , Business Services section, accessed 2008-03-16{{Dead link|date=October 2013}}</ref> It was administratively dissolved in 1998 and reinstated in 2006.<ref>Application for reinstatement of corporation, filed with , accessed 2008-03-16</ref> This corporation dissolved itself 22 September 2008.<ref>http://apps.sos.ky.gov/business/obdb/OBDBDisplayImage.aspx?id=3258043, consulted 3 October 2008.</ref>

In 1998, the Oxford Round Table, Inc., a for-profit corporation, was incorporated in Illinois by ], (son of Kern Alexander and presently the President of LSU). It was involuntarily dissolved in 2000.<ref name=ilsos>see search results for "Oxford Round Table" at , accessed 2008-03-16</ref>

In December 2001, the non-profit Oxford Round Table of Godstow Hall, Inc., was incorporated in Kentucky by several members of the Alexander family.<ref name=godstow>Annual corporate report, filed 18 January 2008 with the , accessed 2008-03-16</ref> In May 2007, the non-profit Oxford Round Table, Inc., NFP, was established in Illinois. It changed its name to Oxford Round Table, North America, Inc., NFP, in October 2008.<ref name=ilsos /> In July 2008, the non-profit Oxford Round Table, Ltd., was established in the United Kingdom.,<ref name=CH>see search results for "Oxford Round Table at </ref> went dormant a year later and was "struck off the books" the following year.

In the 2007 annual report of the Kentucky for-profit Oxford Round Table, Inc., Kern Alexander was listed as company president.<ref>Annual corporate report, filed on 10 May 2007 with the , accessed 2008-03-16</ref> As of the 2008 annual report, J.C. Buckman was listed as president.<ref name=kysos />

In 2008, it filed for a non-profit charter in the United Kingdom. It was dissolved in 2011.<ref> http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//companysearch?disp=1&frfsh=1384728351&#result</ref><ref>http://www.oxfordroundtable.com/index.php/view/Content-Main/page/certificate_of_incorporation.html</ref>

==Criticism and litigation==
A 2009 report cited critics who claimed that the Oxford Round Table "does not make its lack of academic connection clear." The article noted that pictures of Oxford University are used liberally on the ORT webpage, and quoted a number of ORT attendees who believed they had been invited by Oxford University. One professor expressed "surprise" when she learned that the ORT was not affiliated with Oxford University and concluded that "my conference funds would be best targeted towards a more appropriate venue."<ref name=THE2/>

In 2007, '']'' reported that Oxford Round Table had been criticised on the forums of the '']'' website by people who said it was trading on the name of ], and failed to properly inform people invited that it had no formal academic links to the university. Other criticisms were that its selection criteria were poor and that it was a "vanity conference."<ref name=THES/>

The University told the newspaper that such external events were "not, as such, authorised or endorsed by the university." The principal of ] said that although the college provided the company with an office, "we don't run the ORT in any sense," and that as far as he was aware, all ORT participants were satisfied. The company defended its selection criteria, and reported that its disclaimer, which is on its website, uses "the exact wording that was provided to us by the legal office of the University of Oxford several years ago." A spokeswoman dismissed the critics as "a few nameless bloggers."

The ORT sued Sloan Mahone, a lecturer in the history of medicine at Oxford, after she emailed invitees and posted on the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' website.<ref>http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php?topic=30869.msg417974{{Verify credibility|date=November 2013}}</ref> The ORT complained that Mahone had described the ORT as a "scam, a "complete fraud", and "a tourist venture, not a prestigious academic event".<ref name=THE2>Melanie Newman, , ''Times Higher Education'', 12 March 2009</ref><ref name=THES/><ref>Oxford Round Table Complaint, http://www.dmlp.org/threats/oxford-round-table-inc-v-mahone</ref> An attempt by the Oxford Round Table, Inc., to sue Mahone for libel in the ] courts failed on jurisdiction grounds,<ref>http://www.internetlibrary.com/cases/lib_case570.cfm</ref> and the company threatened to take legal action in the ].<ref name=THES/> The company dropped the action after the researcher hired her own lawyer.<ref name=THE2>Melanie Newman, , ''Times Higher Education'', 12 March 2009</ref>


==References== ==References==

Revision as of 21:22, 25 June 2014

The Oxford Round Table is a series of interdisciplinary conferences organized and run by a academics, government officials, business and non-profit leaders, and others on topics ranging from education and human rights to trade and sustainable development.

The mission of the Oxford Round Table is "to provide an interdisciplinary forum for the discussion of contemporary issues that affect the public good in all its various forms and ramifications."

In recent years, the Oxford Round Table has been in coordination with Conference Oxford. Several of the Oxford Round Table meetings have been held at college sites recommended by Conference Oxford. Conference Oxford is a development office of the University of Oxford.

Conferences

In August 1989, the first Oxford International Round Table on Education Policy convened to consider major issues in contemporary educational policy in the United States, the United Kingdom and other selected countries. The meeting was widely regarded as highly successful and the membership of the Round Table called for future meetings to deal with evolving international educational issues. Of particular interest to members was the unequivocal recognition that radical policy solutions were required under the growing imperatives of concurrent, mandated educational reforms that had characterised legislation in many countries during the 1980s and which had been the major preoccupation of members at the first meeting of the Round Table at St. Peter's College during August, 1989. As a consequence another Round Table was held during the week of September 2, 1991, at St. Peter's College, Oxford.

The 1991 Round Table program concentrated on four main themes; 1. Innovations in the structure and organisation of major systems of education, 2. Current public policy issues bearing on the financing of education, 3. Interactive relationships between governmental educational policy and economic and social development, 4. Emerging issues of educational aspiration and motivation in countries moving from command to demand economic systems.

Of particular interest were the transformations recently occurring in Eastern Europe and their implications for revision and improvement of established systems of education. The meeting further continued the dialogue initiated in 1989 concerning current educational issues facing the western developed countries, with particular reference to the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Complementary perspective were contributed on recent developments in Western Europe, the Caribbean, Pacific rim, and Africa.

The 1991 Round Table was sponsored by the Norham Center for Leadership Studies (NCLS) at the University of Oxford, the Apple Computer Corporation of the United States, and Virginia Tech University.Subsequent Oxford Round Table conferences have been held at Harris Manchester College, Trinity College, Exeter College, Oriel College, Lincoln College, and the Oxford Union.

The Oxford Round Table brings together scholars and others from a variety of backgrounds (new professors and PhD students, college presidents and deans, school administrators, religious leaders) to discuss research on specific topics usually related to public policy. In its early years, the conference was held every other year, and the organization financed the attendance of participants by raising funds itself (more than £80,000 in 1993).

Another example of an earlier conference dealt with links between education and the business sector. It brought together education ministers from major developing and transition countries, representatives of major multinationals (such as Apple, Boeing, BP, and Honeywell), U.S. state officials, and the World Bank. A major highlight was a paper by Edward Dneprov, education minister of Russia, on education reform there. A 1993 article in the Times Higher Education Supplement noted that "the Oxford conferences are going very well" and had gained "international interest."

Publications

The Oxford Round Table publishes an online journal, titled The Forum on Public Policy: A Journal of the Oxford Round Table. The mission of the journal, according to its website, is "to disseminate knowledge with regard to salient issues in public affairs."

McGill/Queen's University Press published a volume of papers from a 2003 conference, The University: International Expectations, on public administration issues related to higher education. Another edited volume on primary (precollegiate) school choices in America emerged from, among other sources, a 2003 meeting on "Choice in Education."

References

  1. Oxford Round Table website
  2. ^ Huw Richards, "All Rhodes lead to reform," Times Higher Education Supplement, 8 October 1993, p. 8.
  3. Richard Margrave, "International Partnership," The Times, 1 November 1993.
  4. Welcome to the Forum on Public Policy
  5. Reviewed by Anthony Potts, History of Intellectual Culture, Volume 4, No. 1, 2004.
  6. Carreiro, Paula J. and Eileen Shields-West, Choosing the Right Educational Path for Your Child: What Are the Options? Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2008; pp. vii, ix.

External links

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