After a shake-up election last month in Australia, the Australian Labour Party’s Kevin Rudd ousted Liberal leader John Howard to become Australia’s new prime minister. Mr. Rudd has since decided to merge two different departments, the Department of Education, Science, and Training (DEST) and Department of Employment and Work Relations. A new Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations is being formed and will assume the science and research functions of DEST. The new government has education high on its agenda and has appointed the Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, as Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace relations

On the other side of the Pacific Ocean, President Bush, who has recently seen many members of his administration resign, has nominated Goli Ameri, and Iranian-born business and human rights leader from Oregon to be the Assistant Secretary of State for Education and Cultural Affairs. Ms. Ameri has served as a delegate to the UN Commission on Human Rights and is the founder and president of eTinium, a consulting and market research firm specializing in telecommunications.  She holds bachelor and master’s degrees from Stanford University. If approved by Congress, she will replace Dina Powell, who has left the State Department for Goldman Sachs.

Department of Education, Employment and Work Relations
White House Statement