Germany is witnessing a constant rise in the number of private schools – there are roughly 3000 at present. The reason: Many parents have lost faith in state-run education, not least after the damning verdict and the abysmal ratings of the so-called 2006 PISA report. They prefer to send their children to privately funded schools. The percentage of private students has reached eight percent nationwide and has doubled since the mid-1990s, regardless of monthly tuition fees of an average 150 Euros per child. Private schools may follow a variety of different educational approaches. Nevertheless they are united in their ultimate objective of providing a better and individually-tailored education to their pupils. Hamburg’s Bugenhagen College is one of the schools that are going down this route. It is particularly worth mentioning that the college does not differentiate between non-handicapped and disabled youngsters.
Approximately one year after leading roof window manufacturer VELUX Group joined forces with social business Little Sun and NGO Plan International, launching a design competition to bring clean, sustainable light to Africa, the first solar lamps have now arrived on African soil.
The VELUX Natural Light International Design Competition received 172 proposals from 65 countries. A high-level jury of experts in the fields of architecture, art and design subsequently selected the winning design, by Mariana Arando and Luca Fondello of the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Their solar lamp design was inspired by the way light can bring people together.
The VELUX Group has so far produced and donated 14,500 of the solar-powered lamps, and 150 local sales agents are now being trained in how to sell the lamps in off-grid communities in Senegal, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The training combines workshops, roleplay, demonstrations, and group work.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7724551-velux-natural-light-solar-lamps-in-africa/
A new Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) report titled The Silent Pandemic: Tackling Hepatitis C with Policy Innovation, made possible as a result of an educational grant from Janssen Pharmaceutica NV and published today, highlights the urgent need for countries around the world to develop strategies to tackle head-on the growing social and economic issues associated with Hepatitis C (HCV).
While the total number of infected individuals is unknown due to a lack of available data, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 150 million people globally are currently living with the blood-borne infectious disease, HCV. Of these, up to two thirds will develop chronic liver disease and one in five will develop cirrhosis. HCV is also the leading cause of liver transplantation worldwide and in the US the disease now accounts for more deaths than HIV.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/58671-janssen-silent-pandemic-hepatitis-c
The world's largest plant to turn natural gas into cleaner-burning fuels and lubricants took a major step closer to production today when gas began flowing from a giant offshore field.
Pearl GTL will process around 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent over its lifetime from the world's largest single gas field, the North Field in the Arabian Gulf. The field stretches from Qatar’s coast and contains more than 900 trillion cubic feet of gas, equivalent to 150 billion barrels of oil, or over 10% of worldwide gas resources.*
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/shell/48891/
90% of children’s brain development occurs by the time they turn 6. So the right experiences at this early age are undeniably vital. However, Indian preschools often rely on teaching styles that aren’t appropriate for our youngest learners, leaving children unprepared for school and beyond. Understanding the dire need for high quality preschool education in India, America’s largest preschool educator, Sesame Street launched Sesame Street Preschools in India in 2012.
Sesame Street Preschools are child-centered, pre-primary education centres, launched as a venture of Sesame Schoolhouse, the latest educational initiative from Sesame Workshop, one of the largest non-profit informal educational organisations. Sesame Workshop is present in over a 150 countries and produces educational content across television, radio, mobile, tablets and print. Sesame Workshop has been present in India since 2006, through its television show, Galli Galli Sim Sim and now Chamki ki Duniya.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7565451-sesame-street-expands-in-bengaluru/
Bayer and National 4-H Council amplified their commitment to the future of our rapidly expanding global population by launching a new effort to grow the pipeline of tomorrow’s innovators, starting now. The two organizations announced today a nationwide collaboration, Science Matters, which will address the need for an enhanced STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) workforce by planting a love of scientific exploration in thousands of youth in urban and rural areas across the country.
Science Matters will leverage Bayer’s more than 150 years of scientific breakthroughs and 4-H’s century of hands-on learning to equip more than 25,000 youth with tools and support they need to deepen their understanding of science.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/77126512-bayer-4-h-launch-science-matters/
The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities is pleased to announce the launch of an egyptian – international Project using non-invasive and non-destructive surveying techniques for the scanning of Egyptian Pyramids under the title “ScanPyramids” project.
Just because a mystery is 4500 years old doesn’t mean it can’t be solved…” This could be the motto of the exceptional scientific mission launched October 25, 2015, under the authority of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, initiated, designed and coordinated by the Faculty of Engineering of Cairo and the French HIP.Institute (Heritage, Innovation and Preservation). Radiographic muons, aka cosmic particles, infrared thermography, photogrammetry, scanner and 3D reconstruction: the most innovative technologies will be used by researchers of international renown and three major universities: the Faculty of Engineering of Cairo University, Université Laval of Quebec and Nagoya University of Japan. Their goal: to probe the heart of the largest pyramids of Egypt, without drilling the slightest opening.
Four millennia after their construction, these ancient giants are far from having yielded their secrets. The first mystery concerns their construction, especially Khufu, the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still existing: it is still impossible to describe with certainty how this stone monument, the largest ever built by humans, was erected.
The “ScanPyramids” project has already been approved by the permanent committee of the Ministry of Antiquities and has obtained all necessary permissions from concerned authorities. With a base of more than 5 hectares, its original height of almost 150 meters and a mass of 5 million tons, how was it possible to construct such a wonder in only 25 years?
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7671551-scanpyramids-project-launch-egyptian/
Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the world’s leading provider of diagnostic information services, commemorated its 50-year anniversary by awarding $150,000 in total grants to three organizations that share its goal to improve healthcare: The American Red Cross, the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition and Autism Speaks.
At a ceremony at the company’s flagship clinical laboratory in Teterboro, NJ, the company’s chairman, president and CEO Steve Rusckowski presented Health In Your Hands grants of $50,000 to representatives from each organization. Paul Brown, M.D., founder and former CEO of Quest’s predecessor company Metropolitan Pathology Laboratory, Inc. or MetPath, established in April, 1967, was also recognized at the event.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8080751-quest-diagnostics-50th-anniversary/
Popcorn from St John Ambulance, is a hard-hitting film about first aid. Popcorn shows the benefits of first aid and how accidents can happen anywhere, and at any time. Every year, 150,000 people die in situations where first aid could have saved them. In most accidents, effective first aid can often be the difference between a life lost and a life saved . For your free St John Ambulance first aid pocket guide text SAVE to 82727 or visit http://sja.org.uk/popcorn
Share Popcorn from St John Ambulance with your friends on Facebook and Twitter. If you'd like to tweet this, please use #sjapopcorn as your hashtag
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC) announced today that it plans to construct the world’s most environmentally friendly skyscraper. The Tower at PNC Plaza will be located on the Southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and Wood Street, the same Pittsburgh intersection where PNC has been headquartered for more than 150 years. Once complete in 2015, the approximately 40 story building will serve as PNC’s executive offices.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/pnc/42893/
Three out of seven large pickup trucks evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in a new round of crash tests earn an acceptable or higher rating for occupant protection in a small overlap front crash.
IIHS evaluated two body styles of each 2016 model-year pickup — crew cab and extended cab. Crew cabs have four full doors and two full rows of seating. Extended cabs have two full front doors, two smaller rear doors and compact second-row seats.
IIHS last year decided it would test the two most popular variants of large pickups instead of just one after discovering that the Ford F-150 extended cab lacked structural countermeasures that helped the crew cab earn the top rating of good in the small overlap test. The test replicates what happens when a vehicle runs off the road and hits a tree or pole or clips another vehicle that has crossed the center line.
Ford improved the 2016 model F-150 SuperCab to clinch a good rating in the small overlap crash test, up from the 2015 model’s marginal rating. The F-150 is the only large pickup in the latest test group to earn the Institute’s top rating in the test. It joins the F-150 SuperCrew in earning a 2016 TOP SAFETY PICK award when equipped with Ford’s optional basic-rated forward collision warning system.
Vehicles that earn a basic rating for front crash prevention plus good ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint evaluations qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK. To qualify for 2016 TOP SAFETY PICK+, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the five crashworthiness tests and an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.
Today marks the opening of the official Munch year in Norway, 150 years after the birth of the painter.
To celebrate the painter and the inspiring Norwegian landscape Visitnorway is releasing a short film, to show the modern day scream experiences in Norway.
We want people to share and join the celebration by creating the longest scream in the world, says the Norwegian director of tourism, Per-Arne Tuftin. The film is showing the modern day scream experiences in Norway, the only difference is, this time it is all about the positive experiences in life that make you scream.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/58673-norway-makes-the-world-scream
