One -- Globalisation, Education and Policy: Changing Paradigms -- Policy Borrowing in Education: Frameworks for Analysis -- Comparative Education in the Era of Globalisation: Evolution, Missions and Roles -- The Education and Training of Knowledge Workers -- Tacit Skills and Occupational Mobility in a Global Culture -- Development, Globalisation and Decentralisation: Comparative Research Towards a Theory for Managing Diversity -- Globalisation and the Governance of National Education Systems -- Rethinking Globalisation and the Future of Education in Africa -- Neoliberalism, Globalisation, and Latin American Higher Education: The Challenge to National Universities -- Globalisation and Higher Education Policy Changes -- Globalisation and Education Reforms in Hong Kong: Paradigm Shifts -- The Impact of Globalisation on the Mission of the University -- Globalisation Cultural Diversity and Multiculturalism: Australia -- Globalisation and Higher Education in Chile and Romania: The Roles of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization -- Globalisation and Educational Policy Shifts -- Convergence or Divergences? Comparing Education Reforms in Hong Kong and Singapore -- Globalisation and its Effects on Educational Leadership, Higher Education and Educational Policy -- The New Partnership for African Development: Implications for Skills Development -- Globalisation and Pre-Service Teacher Education in Australia: A New Dimension -- Pisa in Germany: A Search for Causes and Evolving Answers -- Globalisations, Research and Policies Regarding Gender Issues -- Employment Equity and Higher Education: Policy Borrowing and the Politics of Language -- Minorities and Indigenous Groups in Education -- Islamic Education -- National Initiatives in Human Rights Education: The Implementation of Human Rights Education Policy Reform in Schools -- Globalisation, Education and Policy Research: Changing Schools -- The Educational Reform and Transformation in Russia -- Globalisation and Public Education Policies in Latin America: Challenges to and Contributions of Teachers and Higher Education Institutions -- Educational Reform: Who are the Radicals? -- The Gats and Trade in Educational Services: Issues for Canada in the Panamerican Context -- Education and Globalisation -- Inside but Below: The Puzzle of Education in the Global Order -- Globalisation, Education Reforms and Policy Change in Africa: The Case of Nigeria -- The Interaction of Human Development, Economic Development and Nation-Building on the Industrial Staircase -- Language-in-Education Policies and Practices in Africa with a Special Focus on Tanzania and South Africa — Insights from Research in Progress -- Reinventing English: Text Lists and Curriculum Change in Ireland and Australia -- Decentralisation of Education Policies in a Global Perspective -- Educational Decentralisation: Rhetoric or Reality? — The Case of Ontario, Cananda -- Education as a Fault Line in Assessing Democratisation: Ignoring the Globalising Influence of Schools -- The Edge of Chaos: Explorations in Education and Conflict -- Current Reforms in Special Education: Delusion or Solution? -- School and University Partnerships in Australia : Tentative Beginnings -- Addressing the Challenge of Principalship in Australian Catholic Schools -- Education for Democracy: Some Basic Definitions, Concepts, and Clarifications -- The Politics of Rewriting History: New School History Textbooks in Russia -- Change and the “Lapsed Reforms”: Senior Secondary Education in Italy -- Globalisation and Policy Reforms: Science Education Research -- Cultural and Social Capital in Global Perspective.The aim of this Handbook is to present a global overview of developments in education and policy change during the last decade. It has the objective of providing both a strategic education policy statement on recent shifts in education and policy research globally and offers new approaches to further exploration, development and improvement of education and policy making. The Handbook attempts to address some of the above issues and problems confronting educators and policy makers globally. Different articles seek to conceptualize the on-going problems of education policy formulation and implementation, and provide a useful synthesis of the education policy research conducted in different countries, and practical implications. The Handbook, by focusing on such issues as - the OECD (2001) model of the knowledge society, and associated strategic challenge and 'deliverable goals' (OECD 2001:139) - UNESCO-driven lifelong learning paradigm, and its relevance to education policy makers, globally - different models of policy planning, and equity questions that are raised by centralization/decentralization, diversity/uniformity and curriculum standardization issues - the 'crises' of educational quality, the debate of standards and excellence, and good and effective teaching. - will contribute to a better and more holistic understanding of the education policy and research nexus; offering possible strategies for the effective and pragmatic policy planning and implementation at the local, regional and national levels.