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The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), which represents
1,200 community colleges in the United States, received funding from the U.S.
Agency for International Development to promote partnerships between community
colleges in the U.S. and institutions of higher education in other countries.
The purpose of the project is to train people from other nations with practical
skills so they can enter the workforce and contribute to their economies.
For example:
1. A two-year branch of Kent State University, OH is working with
Tashkent State University (TSU) in Uzbekistan to train people to handle
hazardous materials safely. In addition, an environmental technology laboratory
will be established at TSU to help faculty develop courses to continue training
students. The project has attracted the attention of the U.S. Department of
Defense, as well as other major technology corporations such as Orincon and
Lockheed Martin. (See photos enclosed.)
2. The College of Agriculture and Technology at the State University of
New York, NY works with the Universidad Technologica de Tula-Tepeji in Mexico
to offer training for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plant
operators. They are enlisting the help of major corporations like Bristol Myers
Squibb. This project is so important to the Mexican government that their
technical university system has succeeded in convincing them to certify all
training of wastewater treatment operators. (See photos enclosed.)
3. Harford Community College, MD is working with a Medical College in
Moscow, Russia to educate nurses to be teachers and managers. They also hope to
effect positive change in the role and status of nurses in Russia. Nurses are
generally not paid very well in Russia and they are required to do a great deal
of work in unsanitary conditions with outdated medical equipment.
4. Riverside Community College, CA has partnered with the University of
Asmara, Eritrea to develop computer and business courses that will be linked by
computer laboratories and information technology. Distance education internet,
audio-tape, videotape, and broadcast technologies will be developed to offer
training for jobs in both Asmara and Riverside. Both institutions will prepare
a “Virtual Tour” of each other's campuses and regions via
Internet links.
5. Net\Work: An Information Technology Workforce Development
Partnership has been developed between Prince George's Community College,
MD and Vista University in South Africa. The project aims to train a
substantially disadvantaged black population in South Africa to advance in the
field of information technology. McGraw Hill has provided textbooks for this
project and it will help address the shortage of information technology
professionals in South Africa.
6. St. Louis Community College, MO is working with the Ministry of
Education in Guyana to develop courses to train land surveyors. This is
important to Guyana to encourage private land ownership and to increase
agricultural production.
7. Columbus State Community College, OH is working with the Dar es
Salaam Institute of Technology, Tanzania to provide training in information
technology to Tanzanian leaders in the public and private sectors. They hope
that the project will help increase business services to ultimately stimulate
the economy.
Office of Science
and Technology Policy
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W
Washington, DC 20502
202.395.7347
Information@ostp.eop.gov
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