A COMMITMENT TO DEVELOPING
HUMAN POTENTIAL FOR THE AMERICAS
Maria Levens, Director
Department of Human Development, Education and Culture, Executive
Secretariat for Integral Development
CEPCIDI Meeting
Washington, D.C., March 30, 2010
Outline
I)
The Role of the OAS in Higher Education
II)
Academic Scholarships
III)
Professional Development Scholarships
IV)
Leo S. Rowe Fund – Interest-Free Student Loans
V)
Educational Portal of the Americas
VI)
New Activities
Background: Artwork of Argentinean OAS fellow Federico
Augusto Martino who received an OAS scholarship to study
at the Corcoran School of Art in 1963.
The Department of
Human Development,
Education and Culture
Maria Levens -Director
Lesley Zark
Director, Office of Scholarships,
Training and Capacity-Strengthening
Lenore Garcia
Director, Office of Education and
Culture
Cecilia Martins
Chief, Office of the Educational
Portal of the Americas
Lina Sevillano
Technical Secretary, Leo S. Rowe
Pan-American Fund Committee
Artwork of Chilean OAS fellow Rodolfo Opazo
Bernales who received an OAS scholarship to
study at the Pratt Graphic Art Center in 1961.
Fifth Summit of the Americas – Port of Spain
Declaration of Commitment, Article 38
“Recognizing that education is a lifelong process that promotes social inclusion
and democratic citizenship and allows people to contribute fully to the
development of society, we will give high priority to improving and expanding …
access to tertiary, technical –vocational and adult education.”
“We intend to increase the tertiary education participation rate to a minimum of
40 per cent by 2020 and urge countries which have already made considerable
advances in this area to exchange best practices that will support the efforts of
other countries to achieve this target…”
2009 World Conference on Higher Education
From the Final Communiqué:
“The Current economic downturn may be widening the gap in access and quality
between developed and developing countries, presenting additional challenges to
countries where access is
already restricted.”
“At no time in history has it
been more important to
invest in higher education as
a major force in building an
inclusive
and
diverse
knowledge society and to
advance
research,
innovation and creativity”
The UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education closed on 8 July 2009 with a
call to governments to increase investment in higher education, encourage
diversity and strengthen regional cooperation to serve societal needs.
Tertiary Education Enrolment Rates
The total enrolment in tertiary education regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the
population in the five-year age group following on from the secondary school leaving age.
Source: UNESCO EFA Global Monitoring Report 2010
Tools for Expanding Access to Higher Education
Scholarships for Academic Studies
Scholarships for Professional
Development Training
Interest-Free Educational Loans for
Studies in the U.S.
Low Cost, Accessible Learning and
Knowledge Transfer through ICTs
OAS Consortium of Universities
Partnerships for Education and Training
Regional Conferences
Emergency Programs
Artwork of Bolivian OAS fellow
Alfredo Da Silva who received an
OAS scholarship to study at the Pratt
Graphic Art Center in 1962.
Scholarships for Academic Studies
Graduate Studies
Undergraduate Studies (SPECAF)
51 years of OAS Scholarships
21,200 Scholarships Granted
27 years of OAS Scholarships
1,258 Scholarships Granted
Amílcar Meléndez of Panama is pursuing his graduate
studies in Chile with an OAS fellowship, where he had
the chance to meet President Bachelet in 2009.
The work of Remond Mangoensemito of Suriname.
Remond pursued his studies at the Edna Manley
College in Jamaica with an OAS scholarship in 2004.
Scholarships for Academic Studies
The Impact of Scholarships for Academic Study
•
•
•
•
•
Leaders produced in a wide range of fields, specializations and
economic sectors.
Currently of particular importance to small Latin American
Countries and the Caribbean
Multiplier effect as scholars return with credentials needed for
university-level teaching.
Strengthening institutions means strengthening the human
capacity of those who manage them
5 decades of return on investment.
AG/RES. 2495 (XXXIX-O/09)
Reaffirms “the contribution of the scholarship programs of the OAS to the
training of leaders, academics, researchers, and professionals in the
Hemisphere working in the public and private sector.”
Statements of Impact – Academic Studies
“…Upon successful completion and my return to Saint
Lucia I was promoted to the post of Executive Director of
the main general hospital, a post which was previously
held by a non-national.”
Clotilda Fevrier (St. Lucia) OAS Fellow 2002
Executive Director of the Victoria Hospital, Castries
Clotilda Fevrier & Victoria Hospital
“Thanks to the OAS Scholarship, I was able to take a variety of
postgraduate courses in Boston and Worcester…One of the
most interesting courses that I took was “Library Automation”
at Simmons College. This course led me to the design of
library applications that now serve as the base for a series of
systems in use in the Central American region.”
Dr. Pasch (center) receives national
award for best website for her new
library website design in 2005
Dr. Grete Pasch (Guatemala) OAS Fellow 1987
Director, Academic Information Resources,
Universidad Francisco Marroquín, Guatamala
Statements of Impact – Academic Studies
“…I was accepted to University but was unable to secure funding
until I was awarded an OAS scholarship … I have since taken up the
position of Director with our Telecommunications Regulator where I
continue to serve my country and the region working alongside
regional and international institutions…”
Apollo Knights (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) OAS Fellow 1995
Director, National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission
“…My OAS fellowship provided me the opportunity to reside
in Venezuela and collaborate with outstanding professionals
... This experience sharpened my ability to manage and
conduct business across borders and cultures…Thank you
again for this opportunity to reflect after 25 years on an
opportunity that changed my life.”
Dr. Magid lectures to students at
Brandeis International Business School
Dr. Bruce R. Magid (USA ) OAS Fellow 1976
Dean, International Business School of Brandeis University
Statements of Impact – Academic Studies
“…With the support of the OAS, I was able to enroll in the early
1960s in the Faculty of Economics of the Universidad Nacional
Autónoma de México (UNAM)…I still remember the names of
the distinguished professors who influenced my career…”
Ambassador Jean Casimir (Haiti ) OAS Fellow 1961
Perm. Representative to the USA and the OAS from 1991-96
“…My ex-students total several thousand and are today
professors, businesspeople, public functionaries, and among
these a current Latin American president...None of this would
have taken place were it not for the scholarship granted by the
OAS for me to undertake my doctoral studies in the United
States.”
Dr. Guillermo S. Edelberg (Argentina) OAS Fellow 1959
Professor Emeritus, INCAE Business School
OAS Scholarship Alumni Meetings
Jamaica 2008
Chile 2009
Costa Rica 2009
Paraguay 1968
Chile 1968
El Salvador 1968
OAS Scholarship Alumni Networks
Current OAS Fellows in Chile
Facebook Group 2010
Nicaraguan Ex-Fellows
Newsletter late 60s
OAS Consortium of Universities
ARGENTINA
•Universidad Austral de Argentina
•Universidad Blas Pascal
•Universidad de Buenos Aires
•Universidad Nacional de Cordoba
•Universidad Nacional de San Martín
•Universidad Torcuato di Tella
•Universidad Tres de Febrero
•Universidad Nacional de la Plata
BARBADOS
•University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus
BOLIVIA
•Universidad Tecnológica Privada de Santa Cruz
BRASIL
•Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP)
•Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)
CANADA
•Carleton University
•Niagara College
•Saint Mary's University
•York University
•Universite Laval
•Algoma University
•Quest University Canada
•Athabasca University
•Université Du Québec á Montréal
•University of Western Ontario
CHILE
•Ministerio de Planificación y Cooperación y la
Agencia de Cooperación Internacional de Chile
•Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
•Universidad Alberto Hurtado
•Universidad Austral de Chile
•Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
•Universidad de Chile
•Universidad de Concepción
•Universidad de Santiago de Chile
•Universidad de Talca
•Universidad Mayor
•Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria
•Universidad Bío-Bío
COLOMBIA
•EAFIT
•Universidad de los Andes
•Universidad ICESI
•Universidad Pedagógica Nacional
•Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia
•Escuela Superior de Administración Pública-ESAP
•Universidad de la Sabana
•Universidad Santo Tomás
•Universidad Javeriana
•Universidad Nacional de Colombia
•Universidad del Rosario
•Universidad de Antioquia
COSTA RICA
•Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y
Enseñanza (CATIE)
•INCAE
•Universidad Interamericana de Costa Rica (UICR)
•Universidad Latina
•Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica (UNA)
•Universidad Nacional Estatal a Distancia
•University for Peace (UPEACE)
•Universidad de Costa Rica
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
•Universidad Iberoamericana
•Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago
ECUADOR
•Organización Latinoamericana de Energía
•Universidad del Pacífico
GRENADA
•St. George's University
JAMAICA
PERU
•University of the West Indies, Mona Campus
•Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú
•University College of the Caribbean
•Universidad de San Martín de Porres
•University of Technology
•Universidad ESAN
MEXICO
•Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
•Centro Interamericano de Estudios de Seguridad
•Universidad de Piura
Social
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
•Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de
•University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus
Monterrey
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
•Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de
•American University - School of International
Monterrey, Universidad Virtual
Services
•Duke University - Nicholas School of the
•Universidad Veracruzana
Environment, the Terry Sanford Institute of Public
•Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León
•Universidad de Monterrey
Policy and Duke Center for International Development
•Universidad Regiomontana
•Florida Institute of Technology
•Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en •Florida State University
Antropología Social - CIESAS
•Hamline University
•Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados - •Illinois Institute of Technology
CIMAV
•Juniata College
•Instituto Panamericano de Alta Dirección de Empresa •Lafayette College
•IPADE
•Loyola College, Maryland
•Universidad Anáhuac
•Midwestern State University
PANAMA
•New Mexico State University
•Universidad de Panamá
•Princeton University - The Woodrow Wilson School
•Universidad Católica Santa María la Antigua
•Rochester Institute of Technology
•State University of New York- SUNY at Albany, SUNY
•Universidad Especializada de las Américas
at Buffalo, SUNY at Stony Brook, SUNY at Binghamton
•The New York Film Academy
•Troy University
•Tulane University
•University of Arizona
•University of Miami
•University of Mississippi
•University of New Mexico
•University of Rochester
•University of South Florida
•University of Texas at Dallas
•University of Texas at Arlington
•Wake Forest University
•University of the District of Columbia
•George Washington University
•Walden University
•United Nations University
•University of Denver – Josef Korbel School of
International Services
URUGUAY
•Universidad ORT de Uruguay
The OAS Consortium
115 Agreements with
Academic Institutions in
18 Member States
Professional Development Scholarships
Program of Cooperation with Course Offering
Institutions in Member States and Observer States.
Over 30,000 Scholarships for Professional
Development have been awarded since 1962.
• Short-Term Training
• Courses closely-related to CIDI
Priority Areas
Above: Tourism course at the Inter-American
Center for Tourism Training in Mexico, 1975
Left: Conflict Analysis and Resolution Building
Capacity for Democratic Change in the Americas
at George Mason University in the USA,2009
Professional Development Scholarships
“We learned about the experiences in microfinance around the
world. Actually, for the Ecuadorian government it is a priority to
invest in the rural and poor areas, with credits and technical
assistance to develop micro enterprises based on the community.
In this context the knowledge that I gained is going to be an
excellent tool to push the projects in which the National
Microfinance Program is working on now.”
-Diana Valeria Gallegos
Course: Community-Based Micro-Finance and Income Generation
Management for Poverty Alleviation in Thailand, 2009
“In September of 2005, I attended a USTTI course entitled ‘Wireless Rural Telephony’ in California
conducted by TELEMOBILE. I am presently working in the Service Delivery department for Belize
Telemedia Ltd. One of our responsibilities is to install and maintain rural telephone in Belize. Before
attending this course I had a limited background in Rural Telephony. This course has helped me to
gain knowledge and to be more effective in this area of my job. I am now able to confidently provide
assistance to field technician in problem solving and to make necessary decision in the provision of
telephone service to remote area in Belize.”
- Clifton Gladden, Supervisor Western Zone, Belize Telemedia Ltd
Course: Wireless Rural Telephony in the USA, 2005
Resources Leveraged through Partnerships
External Contributions for Scholarships & Training
Academic
Professional Development
Contributions of OAS Consortium
Partners during three (3) Academic
Cycles (2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10):
Contributions
of
Professional
Development Training Offering
Institutions over four (4) years:
Total $2,721,000 (approximate)
Total $3,590,000 (approximate)
Partnerships for Education and Training
284 total scholarships contributed since 2007:
Total $2,995,000 (approximate)
Partnerships for Education and Training
Alliances with Governments and Educational Institutions
•OAS – Instituto Empresa Scholarships, Spain
•OAS – Oxford University Scholarships, UK
•OAS – INCAE Business School Scholarships, Costa Rica
•OAS – Argentine National Scientific and Technical Research Council
Scholarships, Argentina
•OAS – Universidad de los Andes Scholarships, Colombia
•OAS – Tec de Monterrey – CRUSA Scholarships Costa Rica
•OAS – Fulbright Teacher Mobility Program
•OAS – China Scholarships
•OAS – Thailand Scholarships
Leo S. Rowe Fund – Student Loan Program
Grants interest-free loans to Latin America
and Caribbean citizens to help them cover
studies or research in the United States.
Launched in 1948
• Thousands of Interest-Free Loans Granted
• Trusted source of supplementary
educational financing for studies in the US
“My studies in the US opened several
opportunities in my career. I am very grateful for
the financial aid the Rowe Fund granted
me. Thank you.”
E. Santalla from Bolivia
Masters in Law, University of San Francisco
The Financial Guide for Higher
Education in the Americas,
developed and distributed in 2009
Educational Portal of the Americas
Information and Communication Technologies
for Training and Knowledge Transfer
Over 17,000 professionals trained through the
Virtual Classroom since 2002
Third Summit of the Americas, Quebec City
Connectivity Agenda for the Americas:
“We are conscious of the disparities in cost
and access to technology within and
between our countries…”
“…We are also committed to mobilizing and
sharing human resources to strengthen our
capacities for applying information and
communications technologies to human
development.”
The Educational Portal of the Americas,
www.educoas.org also hosts scholarships
announcements and the electronic
application mechanism of the DHDEC.
Technical Cooperation and Support Services
More than just online courses
An Integrated Approach to
Knowledge Transfer and
Training
Virtual learning
Communities
Effective ELearning
Providing made-to-order e-learning and
knowledge transfer consulting services and
cooperation to:
• Academic Institutions
• Regional Organizations
• OAS Departments and Affiliates
Cooperation
Between Content
Experts and
Experts in ICTs
and Education
Effective
Knowledge
Dissemination
Developing Virtual Education that Works
Educational Portal of the
Americas Training
• Reaches people directly
• 40% of participants reside
outside of major cities
• Low cost, high quality training
• Content relevant to core OAS
mandates
•Jointly developed with
respected partners
The model used in the development of online courses offered
through the Virtual Classroom of the Educational Portal of the
Americas to ensure high quality and high impact virtual training.
Developing Virtual Education that Works
“Working with the Educational Portal of the Americas has been a very satisfactory
experience for the Trust. On one hand, it has allowed for the dissemination of the content
of our programs to a greater number of beneficiaries, taking advantage of the virtual
classroom. On the other hand, it has opened the doors to a new world of opportunities for
the expansion of our programs which we had not originally contemplated through the
development of content and closer access to students through the Portal.”
Dario Soto
Director, Trust for the Americas
Partners - Academic Institutions
• Working with institutions to
develop effective online training
• Working alongside institutions
to help them to develop
institutional capacity for virtual
education projects
• Helping to establish connections
between institutions in the region
for mutual support in virtual
education projects
Partners - Regional Organizations and Institutions
Co-development of virtual course
hosted by the portal
IICA Course on Agro-eco-tourism for small
and medium sized business owners.
Technical and
pedagogical support
The Educational Portal of the Americas
is a trusted partner for the
development of virtual education
projects of our regional partners.
UNDP Course on Corporate Social Responsibility
Partners - Technical Areas of the OAS
Voter Registries Course
developed with DECO
Virtual Community
of the Summits of
the Americas
Internal OAS Partners of the Educational Portal of the Americas
La Educ@cion Virtual Magazine
Disseminating lessons learned
for Education in the Americas
Re-launched in 2009
•Articles
•Events
•Interviews
•Book Reviews
“This magazine is an excellent idea. You can read about experiences, opinions, ideas and presentations of
experts in the field of education. This leads to reflection on the teaching and learning process, the quality of
education and the requirements presented by the information and communication of a globalized world.
These are new resources to be incorporated in to the educational system of the region. My congratulations
for this brilliant idea, the material will widen the debate regarding our future generations.”
Alfredo Trottman B., Panamá
Multilateral Initiative in Educ@tion
for Human Development
Technical and
Vocational
Training
Higher
Education
Multilateral
Programing
Information &
Communication
Knowledge
Management
and Transfer
Upcoming Activities
Caribbean Conference on Higher Education
Hosted in Cooperation with UNESCO
Paramaribo, Suriname April 11-13, 2010
• explore opportunities for regional academic cooperation
• discuss the role of higher education in Caribbean
development
Emergency program for Higher
Education Support in Haiti
• Preventing the abandonment of learning in the wake of
a disaster
• Part of a regional initiative for concerted and effective
cooperation aimed at assisting Haiti in rebuilding its
Higher Education system.
The Department of Human Development, Education and Culture
Committed to Developing Human Potential for the Americas
•Providing Access for Individuals to Higher Education
•Promoting Solidarity among Member States
•Innovating in Technology-Supported Education
•Working with Hundreds of Academic Partner Institutions
•Developing Human Potential for 50 Years and Counting