News
Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/17/03
Contact Information:
Tony Wagner
Tel: 202-478-4704
E-mail: wagnera@aascu.org
Website: www.aascu.org/alo
THE MIDDLE EAST PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE (MEPI)
ALO Announces Eight New Middle East University Partnerships
Washington, DC (October 17, 2003) - The Department of State’s Middle
East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) in cooperation with The Association
Liaison Office for University Cooperation in Development (ALO), and the
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announce eight new
awards of up to $100,000 each for partnerships between colleges and universities
in the United States and the Middle East. Under the U.S. - Middle East
University Partnerships Program, the awards will enable U.S. universities
to work together with higher education institutions in six countries in
the Middle East to strengthen university programs in a number of different
disciplines: Business and Economics; Information and Communication Technology;
Education; Journalism; and, American Studies.
The partnerships selected for awards are:
-
Plattsburg State University of New York and the Institut National
de Commerce (Algeria), which will work to enhance the administrative,
teaching, and scholarship capacity of higher education in business
and management in Algeria.
-
University of Missouri-Rolla and Mazoon College of Management and
Applied Science (Oman), which is a joint initiative on business innovation
and entrepreneurship for female students.
-
University of Arkansas and the Universite du Centre (Tunisia), which
will work to develop and deliver executive education programs and
undertake undergraduate core curriculum revisions at the Universite
du Centre.
-
Murray State University and the University of Bahrain, which will
undertake an English language teacher training initiative.
-
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and the University of Jordan,
which will work to internationalize the American Studies program at
the University of Jordan by connecting the university to a global
network of American Studies programs.
-
University of Connecticut and Ain Shams University (Egypt), which
will develop a master’s degree in information technology and
entrepreneurship.
-
Southern Methodist University and the University of Tunis El Manar
(Tunisia), which will work to reduce Tunisia’s shortage of qualified
faculty members in computer science.
-
De Paul University and the University of Bahrain, which will work
to enhance the university’s journalism program.
MEPI was founded to work with governments and people in the Arab world
to expand economic, political and educational opportunity for all people
of the region. The initiative strives to link Arab, U.S. and global private
sector businesses, non-governmental organizations, civil society elements,
and governments together to develop innovative policies and programs to
achieve this mission together. In the education pillar, MEPI envisions
education systems that enable all people, especially women and girls,
to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in today’s
economy and improve the quality of their life and that of their families.
For more information about MEPI and specific programs please visit: http://www.state.gov/p/nea/rt/mepi/.
ALO, established in 1992, assists the nation's six major higher education
associations build their partnership with USAID and help their member
institutions foster cooperative development partnerships with colleges
and universities abroad. Uniquely positioned to promote the involvement
of U.S. higher education in global development, ALO seeks to encourage
international partnerships to address development goals. For more information
about ALO, please visit: http://www.aascu.org/alo.
###
Tony Wagner
Communications Coordinator
Association Liaison Office for
University Cooperation in Development
1307 New York Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: 202.478.4704
Fax: 202.478.4715
http://www.aascu.org/alo
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