Washington State University/University of Botswana

Washington State University (WSU) and the University of Botswana (UB) are engaging in pilot activities to strengthen skills in environmental and natural resource management, to incorporate technology into teaching, and to communicate scientific results to local communities. Through this partnership, WSU and UB have been actively collaborating to assess the chemical properties of natural products from species that are important for soil fertility, soil conservation, biodiversity, and other environmental factors. The collaboration also aims to develop programs and policies focusing on the use of information technology for instruction. WSU and UB faculty have designed a joint degree program in environmental science, enhanced course materials for undergraduate and graduate students, and developed outreach programs to encourage improved soil conservation, agroforestry, and sustainable management of indigenous flora. Two faculty members from the Botswana College of Agriculture are enrolled in Ph.D. programs in biological systems engineering and plant pathology at WSU, and an additional application is pending for 2002 admission.

Oregon State University/University of Botswana

The partnership between Oregon State University (OSU) and the University of Botswana seeks to improve regional efforts at sustainable natural resource management by developing the institutional and human resource capacity of the Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Center (HOORC). The Consortium for Wildlife (CWC), OSU, and the HOORC have conducted training programs in laboratory management, environmental education, and ecotourism to help the HOORC develop its own ecotourism and education program, and HOORC and OSU continue to develop a two-way student internship exchange program. The partnership has initiated long-term, collaborative interdisciplinary research projects with elephants and hippos—key species in the Okavango Delta. The partners expect the results of this work to directly impact regional management initiatives. This partnership also has successfully helped HOORC faculty and staff address issues of environmental degradation and management of transboundary water resources as well as other environmental issues. Three staff members from Botswana have completed short-term training programs in the United States, and one of these individuals is working on a Ph.D. in ecotourism.

Award Date: 2000
Award Amount: $99,911
Proposed Cost Share: $166,398
Other Funds Leveraged: $39,011
Other Partners: Conservation International, NW Consortium for Wildlife Conservation Research (includes the Oregon Zoo and Wildlife Safari)

University of Delaware/Institute of Local Government Studies

The University of Delaware (UD) and the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) are collaborating to strengthen democratic decentralization in Ghana. The partners are increasing ILGS’s capacity to deliver high-quality training, applied research, consultancy, and information and documentation services to local and district-level government officials in Ghana through information technology (IT). To date, approximately 18 people have participated in developing ILGSnet, the Intranet prototype system to be housed at ILGS. In August 2001, the partners convened in Ghana to further develop ILGSnet and assess the needs and capacities of potential end-users. In March 2002, two ILGS staff members visited UD to finalize the culturally sensitive assessment survey on distance learning needs, fine-tune ILGSnet, draft training and user’s manuals, gain firsthand exposure to UD’s distance learning capacity, and learn about UD’s library services and the creation of CD-ROM courses. In the upcoming months, the partners will disseminate the survey to local government leaders nationwide and subsequently convene a workshop in Ghana for stakeholders and USAID officials to share the survey results and demonstrate the uses of ILGSnet.

Award Date: 2000
Award Amount: $99,640
Proposed Cost Share: $238,435
Other Funds Leveraged: $1,000 (in-kind contributions)
Other Partners: International Union of Local Authorities, National Association of Local Authorities in Ghana, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies at Erasmus University (Netherlands)

University of South Florida/University of Cape Coast/University College of Education of Winneba

The University of South Florida (USF), the University of Cape Coast (UCC), and the University College of Education of Winneba (UCEW) have teamed to strengthen institutional capacity to support curriculum development and improve teacher training in Ghana. The partners seek to enhance testing and assessment expertise within the Ghana Education Service/Curriculum Research and Development Division (GES/CRDD) and establish UCC and UCEW as the primary institutional resources for the CRDD. Since the project’s onset, the partners have conducted five exchange and study visits between Ghana and Florida, prepared a proposal to revise and improve Ghana’s Continuous Assessment (CA) system for public schools, grades 1 through 9. The GES approved the proposal and made recommendations for its implementation. The partners will continue to develop and fine-tune the overall format of the CA system in preparation for its introduction into the public school system. CRDD recently established Internet connectivity with USF and UCC to facilitate communication and improve access to resources, including online curriculum development courses and partner web pages.

University System of Georgia/University of Cape Coast

The University System of Georgia (USG), headed by Kennesaw State University (KSU), and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) are partnering to train Ghanaian faculty in the use of instructional technology (IT) for basic education. These faculty will, in turn, train others in Ghana, mainly primary school teachers. In 2000, eight faculty members received trainers’ training at four universities within the USG consortium and were officially certified as IT trainers. Upon returning to Ghana, they trained 52 educators on using media equipment and software, including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and PrintShop Pro. In 2001, an additional eight Ghanaian educators were trained at seven USG institutions; one educator then immediately established his own IT training center in Ghana for local elementary and “junior secondary” schoolteachers. Nineteen teachers have already completed their training at the new center. In May 2002, the partnership’s co-directors met with the director and staff of the Central Region’s Provincial Board of Education and discussed policy issues regarding the integration of IT training into the professional development and on-the-job training programs of basic education teachers. An IT training center was established at UCC during the early phases of this project, and the partnership has trained 148 host country nationals (69 women, 79 men) thus far.

Lincoln University of Missouri/University of Malawi, Bunda College of Agriculture

This partnership between Lincoln University of Missouri and the University of Malawi’s Bunda College of Agriculture involves research aimed at improving child survival by examining the effects of the increased consumption of goat milk, goat meat, and soybean flour on childhood nutrition in rural Malawi. Partner institutions have distributed soybean seed and 2,000 Sesbania and Leucaena seedlings to 75 households in time for the planting season, and they have purchased 101 local and 17 Saanen goats (12 does and five bucks) for breeding and distribution in July 2002. The introduction of the Saanen breed is meant to upgrade the offspring of the local breed to increase milk yield. The partners conducted workshops and demonstrations on goat husbandry, soy flour preparation, and agroforestry management immediately prior to the distribution of goats. The 100 children studied during the project reside in four of the 10 villages originally selected. During the remaining months of the project, the partners will collect basic health, nutrition, and growth data from the study group on a weekly basis.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University/Domasi College of Education

By conducting education research that informs program and policy development, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and Domasi College of Education are seeking to enhance the capacity of Malawi’s public education system. The project is designed to develop skills in educational research by providing instruction to selected teacher trainers and primary education advisors. The partners formed a steering committee that included representatives of various stakeholder groups in Malawi to guide the implementation process. The committee conducted needs assessments to determine the knowledge and skill levels of Malawian faculty in research methodologies, the use of computers, and the availability of computer resources. The committee then selected 24 individuals to receive instruction in educational research. With guidance from an instructor during the past year, these students have developed research proposals and conducted research projects on basic education issues in Malawi. The steering committee has adopted a policy paper that outlines possible strategies for ongoing activities and instruction to sustain project goals once the partners complete the initial grant activities. The policy paper provides several options from which government officials, policy makers, and administrators can choose, depending on their long-term objectives and avail-ability of fiscal and human resources.

University of Iowa/Nigerian National Universities Commission

The University of Iowa (UI) and the National Universities Commission (NUC) are seeking to enhance the capacity of technicians and computer support personnel to develop, maintain, and promote the use of com-puters and networks at their universities. They are also aiming, in partnership with Kirkwood Community College, to create links between UI and various Nigerian universities. The partners have implemented numerous activities, including training more than 40 university technicians in Abuja; consulting, training, and meeting with many high-ranking administrators at the University of Ibadan; and training 12 NUC staff members on the World Wide Web. They also have received generous donations from the private sector for each of the 14 participating Nigerian universities, including computer-based training packages for network designers and administrators from LearnKey, copies of Microsoft NT Server; copies of Red Hat Linux; and software from Microsoft, which enabled the project office to set up demonstration servers and host project applications and web sites. In addition, the partnership has spurred organizations in the Iowa City area to donate more than 100 computers to the Nigerian universities. To date, the partnership has trained 125 Nigerian nationals—99 men and 26 women.

Michigan State University/National University of Rwanda ~ Special Initiative

This USAID/Rwanda-funded partnership between Michigan State University (MSU) and the Université Nationale du Rwanda (UNR) seeks to rebuild and bolster institutional capacity for applied agricultural research, teaching, and outreach. To ensure that this new demand-driven capacity responds to the needs of the agricultural sector, the partners have established a fully functional agricultural outreach center to provide educational resources for farming communities in the region. The facilities include a meeting pavilion, Internet café, and library. Ten individuals staff the facilities, including an administrator, an agronomist, and an economist. Informal “agricultural forums” take place at the Center monthly, bringing together non-governmental organizations, faculty, students, and other stakeholders. Seventeen Rwandans (12 men, five women) began their Master of Science degree training at MSU and Texas A&M University in 2001. Their thesis work will reflect the research priorities of the Rwandan partner institutions. The partnership is also striving to foster sustainable development through income-generating activities, including specialty coffee production and marketing, avocado oil production and marketing, vanilla production, and exportation of Rwanda food products to African communities in Europe. To date, the partnership has trained 657 Rwandan nationals (366 men, 291 women).

University of North Florida/Centre Universitaire Régional de Bambey

The University of North Florida and the Centre Universitaire Régional de Bambey (CUR) are partnering to develop a new two-year degree program in community health in Senegal based on the U.S. community college model. The new program will adapt proven models for community health education to improve the health delivery system in the interior of Senegal. During a November 2001 meeting in Senegal, the partners received financial support from the new minister of Higher Education and the U.S. ambassador to Senegal. The Senegalese government had earlier allotted roughly $2 million for CUR construction projects and operations. A doctor, midwife, social worker, nutritionist, and dental surgeon—the first CUR faculty members identified in collaboration with the ministries of Higher Education and Health—received training in Florida in the spring of 2001 and 2002. In April 2002, five Senegalese partners traveled to Florida to participate in curriculum development and receive training in various aspects of community health, with particular emphasis on making the educational program relevant to community needs. The partners have received additional monies from Florida’s Department of State in support of their activities.

Florida State University/Potchefstroom University

The partnership between Florida State University and Potchefstroom University (PU) seeks to increase the percentage of South African students from disadvantaged areas who qualify for entrance into universities. By designing instructional technology that will improve student skills in identified areas of weakness, the partners aim to increase the effectiveness of university preparation. After an initial assessment of the problems faced by schools in disadvantaged areas, the partners decided to focus their efforts in the field of mathematics. They recruited the national moderator of the 2001 mathematics Grade 12 examination to design diagnostic tests and study materials. Early versions of the materials were distributed for field testing to 1,140 students who used the materials to prepare for the October 2001 matriculation exam and then provided feedback to the partnership. Results from these students exceeded national averages. Partners distributed revised materials in summer 2002 for a final testing, after which time final revisions will be made to the materials. The Department of Education of the North West Province has begun meeting regularly with the project team to advise on future policies for curricula in science and mathematics for secondary schools.

Michigan State University/eastern seaboard Association of Tertiary Institutions

Michigan State University and the eastern seaboard Association of Tertiary Institutions (esATI) established a partnership to assist all universities and technikons in KwaZulu Natal to establish a strategic plan and program for community outreach to nearby disadvantaged communities. The partners achieved these outreach efforts by making the Internet available to the participating communities. Internet access is expected to enhance the ability of community-based organizations (CBOs) to advocate for the needs of their constituents. The partners worked with esATI members to identify CBOs with which they can collaborate in developing web-based educational materials on substantive issues of concern to their communities. The project hosted a strategic planning meeting of the six member universities and technikons of KwaZulu Natal in May 2001 with esATI and MSU. At this meeting, the South African institutions indicated their first choices of local communities and partner CBOs. The six South African institutions also agreed to build collaborative portal and community web sites. In September 2001, at a meeting between information technology (IT) directors, the six member institutions reviewed and agreed upon the architecture and the nature of the training programs. A one-week training session took place in July 2002 in Durban-Westvillefor which the MSU team provided the software and training, and demonstrated the techniques it has developed for the rapid training of local community people, service learning students, and IT staff.

The Pennsylvania State University/University of Durban-Westville

By enhancing the University of Durban-Westville’s (UDW) Upward Bound Academic Enrichment Program, this partnership aims to improve access to education and career opportunities for disadvantaged students in South Africa. The strategy is to attract and retain underserved students through the professional development and training of tutors and by providing enrichment education to a cohort of 2,000 students in math, science, engineering, and life skills. The partners have conducted tutor workshops through which 340 tutors have participated in problem-solving, teamwork, active learning, and leadership development activities. After attending this training, these tutors led three student workshops, teaching a total of 4,500 economically disadvantaged students. To increase the quality of science education at UDW, the partners have designed and implemented courses intended to integrate the applications of engineering theories, concepts, and practice into the science curriculum. They also have introduced a multidisciplinary course for future science teachers at UDW. The first-year course features carefully articulated core competencies in communication skills, math and science fundamentals, team skills, critical thinking, design, and problem solving. As part of the program’s life skills development initiative, the partners convened a workshop to train Upward Bound counselors in HIV/AIDS prevention and contributed to the development of a university-wide policy on HIV/AIDS prevention and advocacy.

Texas Southern University/Eastern Cape Technikon

By emphasizing entrepreneurial training for successful employment in the formal or informal sectors and through the transfer of appropriate technology, Texas Southern University (TSU) and Eastern Cape Technikon (ECT) seek to promote economic growth and development. The partners have designed and offered training workshops at ECT in photovoltaic installation and maintenance and fashion design—the latter focusing on garment finishing and selling to the American market via the web. One local school has obtained electrical connectivity by people trained in these workshops, while ECT has been developing alternative energy as part of their research program. The partners also have been developing workshops on business-oriented bookkeeping, tax law and requirements for informal sector workers, clothing design and manufac-turing, and e-commerce to market fashion wear and merchandise. TSU will conduct the workshops at some of ECT’s four campuses in conjunction with the ECT project leader, replicating them based on demand. Sustainability through entrepreneurship is a measurable outcome of this project.

Southern New Hampshire University/The Open University of Tanzania

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and the Open University of Tanzania seek to design certificate and graduate degree programs in community economic development (CED) to provide skills training, networking, and technical support to development practitioners throughout Tanzania. More than 50 practitioners from non-governmental organizations throughout Tanzania have been attending classes in the CED master’s degree program. Classes are taught by a team of Tanzanian and American faculty. Each student/practitioner must complete an applied project in lieu of a thesis requirement. The partners have established computer connections to support distance education classes taught by faculty from SNHU. More than 300 applicants are on the waiting list for the next cycle. Participants attend class one week per month for 18 months. The nonresidential program has been offered in two locations (Arusha and Dar es Salaam). Each participant represents an NGO that focuses on self-help activities. It is estimated that more than 50 Tanzanian communities have been benefiting from the training activities. Plans to expand the program throughout East Africa under SNHU’s Partnership for East African Community-based Economics (PEACE) initiative are underway.

University at Albany, SUNY/Makerere University

These partner institutions are devel-oping an undergraduate and graduate program in environmental science and health at Makerere University to build Uganda’s capacity to respond to environmentally related health hazards. The partners have been developing the environmental health program by assessing its needs and discussing their plans with government officials. The Makerere curriculum will address specific public health problems in Uganda and will initially focus on clean drinking water and wastewater as well as solid waste management. Three Ugandan students have enrolled in a Ph.D. program in environmental health at the State University of New York, Albany (SUNY–Albany). After they complete their degrees, these students plan to return to Makerere as faculty members in the new environmental science and health program. One Makerere faculty member has visited Albany to review its environmental health curriculum, teaching materials, and teaching methods as a first step toward developing a similar program in Uganda. Partners have been preparing for further exchanges, and two faculty members from SUNY–Albany will offer short courses to undergraduates enrolled in the new environmental sciences program at Makerere.