Press Release
Nine U.S. Universities Join to Develop Academic Partnerships and Rebuild Higher Education Capacity in Myanmar
NEW YORK, November 20, 2012—Following on the heels of President Obama’s historic trip to Myanmar this week and his stated commitment to advance education, the Institute of International Education has launched an institute-wide initiative involving the participation of nine U.S. higher education institutions in a strategic planning process for developing institutional partnerships with universities in Myanmar and to assist in rebuilding higher education capacity in the country.
The nine U.S. colleges and universities that will be part of the 2012 Myanmar initiative of the International Academic Partnership Program (IAPP) were announced today.
Image Information: CAROLYN KASTER / AP.TIME Magazine. “U.S. President Barack Obama tours the Shwedagon Pagoda with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Rangoon, Burma, on Nov. 19, 2012. It is the first visit to Burma by a sitting U.S. President.” http://world.time.com/2012/11/19/obama-in-burma-u-s-presidents-landmark-visit-brings-hope-criticism/
The participating U.S. campuses are: American University, Arizona State University, Ball State University, Hawaii Pacific University, Northern Illinois University, Northern Arizona University, Samford University, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and University of Washington.
IIE’s Center for International Partnerships in Higher Education, which administers IAPP, selected the nine schools based on successful applications that outlined their strong ability to develop linkages with institutions in Myanmar and their interest in providing capacity building services.
In contrast to previous IAPP programs on Brazil, China and India, the institutions selected for IAPP Myanmar have fairly significant experience with the country, whether through diaspora students and faculty on their campuses or through previous work in the country, and the initiative is broader in scope than the previous partnership programs.
Over the next six months, the initiative will take a multi-pronged approach aimed at helping each institution build partnerships with institutions in Myanmar, while also helping the country rebuild its higher education capacity.
The initiative will include a series of bi-national conference calls in December about higher education in Myanmar. IIE will arrange the conference call and invite institutions from its 1,100-member IIENetwork to join.
To read the full article, click here.