SOME
INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Dr J A George Irish, executive director of the Caribbean Research Center
and the Office of International Programs at Medgar Evers College of
the City University Of New York for the last eight years has been working
closely with the Southern Diaspora Research and Development Center headed
by Dr Waldaba Stewart to establish two major international institutions
with direct involvement in Panama:
The international institute for technology exchange and capacity building
based at the city of knowledge, clayton, and the peoples of the americas
consortium of research centers and universities for sustainable development
based in brooklyn, new york. Both institutions are dedicated to providing
access to affordable, quality higher educaton to marginalized and disadvantaged
populations across the americas, with special emphasis on sustainable
development.
Significant support for the work of the international institute has
been received from dr edison o jackson, president of Medgar Evers College,
who personally visited Panama to meet with successive rectors of the
University Of Panama to establish collaborative tripartite academic
agreements between, Medgar Evers College, the University Of Panama and
the International Institute.
In february, 1999 he met with rector, dr ustavo garacia de paredes,
and in july, 200, he met with rector, Mgstr Julio Vallarino.similar
inter-university agreements have been initiated by Dr Irish in the Dominican
Republic,(UNAPEC); nicaragua,(URACCAN); Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad
and Tobago,(UWI); and Brazil, (ufpr).
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En septiembre de 2000, el dr irish dicto una conferencia sobre la educacion
superior en america central y el caribe durante el coloquio internacional
sobre la politica social y la integracion regional auspiciado por la
universidad de panama y la universidad de paris i.
En marzo de 2001 dicto tambien dos seminarios en el departamento de
ingles de la universidad de panama sobre (i) literatura comparada del
caribe para docentes de la facultad de humanidades; (ii) metodologia
de la enseñanza del ingles como seundo idioma para docentes universitarios
y profesores de nivel secundario.
en enero de 2003, dicto un curso de mestria en literatura afro antillana
ena el departamento de ingles de la universidad de Panama.
Medgar evers college inicio el intercambio estudiantil con la Universidad
de Panama brindando becas para una estadia de cinco meses a tres estudiantes
panameñas para facilitar el aprendizaje del ingles.
