2012
MARCH
Iraq Presses Ahead With Global Partnerships Despite Challenges
The Chronicle of Higher Education
March 25, 2012
This article addresses the issues that universities face in Iraq since the United States has pulled their military out. Dr. Kenneth Holland explains the difficulty of just getting to the partner university.
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Making the World a Smaller Place
Publication: At Issue - For Pennsylvania Young Lawyers
March, 2012
This essay discusses observations made by Joseph Moyer about the situation in Afghanistan and his proposed methods by which young Pennsylvania attorneys can help. His proposals apply not only to Afghanistan but to all countries with underdeveloped legal systems.
Joseph Moyer was a speaker at the 2011 Indianapolis Conference on Afghan Higher Education hosted at the Ball State Indianapolis Center.
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FEBRUARY
Despite Challenges, Iraq and U.S. Universities Agree to Work Toward More Partnerships
The Chronicle of Higher Education
February 22, 2012
During a conference here organized by the Iraq Embassy and supported by the U.S. State Department, government officials from both countries emphasized the need to rebuild the Iraqi higher-education system, which historically has been one of the strongest in the region.
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This article was also featured as a main article in the International Education News section of the recently published NAFSA newsletter Vol. 17, No. 8 on February 28, 2012.
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JANUARY
Fall of Libyan Regime Brings New Opportunities for American Universities
The Chronicle of Higher Education
January 22, 2012
Ball State is preparing proposals to work with the University of Tripoli's education college more broadly and to provide online courses leading to advanced education degrees, which the Libyan dean saw as especially useful for female faculty members, who, because of local tradition, are not always able to travel outside of the country without being accompanied by male relatives.
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Ball State Offers Higher-Ed Aid to Iraq, Afghanistan
Indianapolis Business Journal
January 9, 2012
Ball State University is making a name for itself in countries one might least expect. The Muncie institution’s upstart Center for International Development, founded just about a year ago, already has a significant presence in hot spots Iraq and Afghanistan and soon will in Libya, as well. Its efforts include training administrators, teaching students, providing curriculum development, and establishing career centers at colleges in the two countries in which U.S. involvement largely has been overshadowed by its military occupation. The article appears on page 19A.
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2011
NOVEMBER
Ball State Center for International Development News Report
Khost News
November 21, 2011
The Faculty of Journalism at Shaikh Zayed University (SZU) plays a critical role in educating journalists for Afghanistan. As the result of four decades of incessant conflict, however, it suffers from serious weaknesses and deficiencies, including a shortage of qualified lecturers; outdated curriculum; ineffective teaching methodologies; lack of current textbooks; inadequate access to media equipment, computers, and the Internet; lack of training programs for practicing journalists and poor facility in English.
The partnership with Ball State University (BSU) addresses these deficiencies through a number of activities, including opportunities for seven university teachers to upgrade their skills and knowledge in contemporary journalism, professional development workshops at SZU offered by visiting faculty from Ball State, curriculum revision, mentoring on pedagogical best practices, training in how to incorporate the new Media Operations Center in teaching and outreach, textbook translations, development of short courses for working journalists, and English language training. BSU's award-winning, nationally recognized Departments of Journalism and Telecommunications within the College of Communication, Information, and Media will collaborate to provide the planned activities.
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Ball State University to support Khost University Journalism faculty
Ariana News
November 15, 2011
The Ball State University of United States is to support journalism faculty of Sheikh Zahid University of Khost, Afghanistan. Sheikh Zahid University officials while signing the cooperative agreement with Ball State University said that this agreement will be helpful in the improvement of professors and journalism students of this university. Currently 260 students are studying in journalism faculty of this university.
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Ball State trades troops for teachers in Iraq and Afghanistan
Ball State Newscenter
November 14, 2011
As the U.S. moves its military presence out of Iraq and Afghanistan and shifts to rebuilding, Ball State University plays a pivotal role as it helps bring the countries' educational systems into the 21st century. Ball State's efforts include training administrators, teaching students, providing curriculum development and establishing a career center. Administrators and faculty members are working with universities in Iraq (Tikrit University) and Afghanistan (Kandahar University and Shaikh Zayed University), thanks to four $1 million grants from the U.S. Department of State.
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Ball State University’s Center for International Development featured at Baghdad International Trade Fair
U.S. Department of State
November 1, 2011
Over 80 American corporations, universities, and travel and tourism organizations will showcase their products and services to Iraqi businesses and people for the purpose of building greater trade ties between our two nations. Fortune 100 companies in the aviation, automotive, and IT sectors are represented at the trade fair, as well as small and medium sized businesses. The trade fair is expected to draw a million visitors and participants including Iraqi government dignitaries, direct end users, wholesalers, distributors, agents, students, opinion leaders and media. Bilingual staff will welcome the public to the USA Pavilion and provide translation for U.S. business representatives, and steer visitors to appropriate companies or universities based on their interests.
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View the USA Pavilion directory
View the Baghdad International Trade Fair Website
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OCTOBER
Soccer could improve relations between U.S., Jordan
Ball State Communication Center article
October 30, 2011
Ball State received a $212,739 grant from the U.S. Department of State to use soccer to promote peace in Jordan. Lindsey Blom, Assistant Professor of Physical Education, is the Project Manager. Soccer for Peace and Understanding is designed to strengthen ties at the person-to-person level and trains youth sport coaches to focus on peacemaking and conflict resolution. The Center for International Development assisted with the writing of the proposal and will be instrumental in the project management and implementation. Ball State is partnering with the Indiana Soccer Association and the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies.
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View the Soccer for Peace website
Afghan journalists receive help from U.S.
NewsOK
October 17, 2011
The U.S. State Department is funding American universities to improve journalistic standards in Afghanistan. Jim Willis, a NewsOK blogger and Oklahoma native, is involved with a Ball State University project. The United States continues to support the burgeoning democracy in Afghanistan — and not only through diplomacy and force.
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FEBRUARY
Ball State faculty member reacts to Egypt’s revolution
Ball State Daily News
February 15, 2011
The past two weeks of revolts in Egypt kept Rehab Morsi and her husband, Yasser Mohamed, awake day and night, taking turns to watch news channels to stay up to date with what is going on in their home country.
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JANUARY
Afghan University Leaders Meet at Ball State U. to Call for More Help From the West
The Chronicle of Higher Education
January 26, 2011
Afghan university and Ministry of Higher Education officials discussed ways that their country's universities could advance as they met in Indianapolis this week, but they said they needed well- considered help from international partners.
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Afghanistan University Linkages with North American Institutions of Higher Education
Conference
January 2011
Purpose: This historic international conference will bring together for the first time in one setting higher education leaders in Afghanistan and representatives of Canadian and U.S. universities that have developed linkages with Afghan universities. The purpose of the conference is to share information about university partnerships, to identify lessons learned and to chart a way ahead to make these relationships as rewarding as possible for all parties. A focus will be the Afghanistan Ministry of Higher Education’s Strategic Plan and the role that partnerships with North American universities can play in its fulfillment. The past accomplishments and future intentions of the major international donors to the higher education sector in Afghanistan will be highlighted.
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2010
NOVEMBER
Ball St. gets $1M US grant to help Afghan school
WTHR Channel 13
November 09, 2010
Muncie - Ball State University has received a $1 million State Department grant to help Kandahar University in Afghanistan develop economics curricula emphasizing free market principles and entrepreneurship.
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Ball State expands international presence with $1 million Afghan grant
Ball State Newscenter
November 8, 2010
A $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of State will allow Ball State to help Kandahar University in Afghanistan develop curricula emphasizing free market principles and entrepreneurship within its new College of Economics.
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OCTOBER
U.S. University awarded $1 million grant to assist Kandahar University
U.S. Embassy Afghanistan Press Release
October 7, 2010
Ball State University in the United States received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of State to help Kandahar University develop curriculum that will emphasize free market principles and entrepreneurship for its new College of Economics.
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MAY
Hundreds of Iraqi Scholarship Winners Are Set to Arrive on U.S. Campuses
The Chronicle of Higher Education
May 30, 2010
The Iraqi government has allocated around $55-million for the program's first year, during which some 600 students are expected to take part—half in the United States and half in Britain. At last count, more than 200 students have been admitted to programs at 22 American institutions, including the University of Iowa, the University of Kansas, Oregon State University, West Virginia University, and campuses of the University System of Ohio.
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Iraq English Language Institution
Grant
May 30, 2010
The purpose of this grant is to support the Iraq Education Initiative by shortening the time spent by scholarship recipients in English as a Second Language courses in the United States. Students will spend a year honing their linguistic skills in the ELI before departing for the United States. Read an article about this grant in The Chronicle for Higher Education, or take some time to read a summary of progress and look at some of the photos associated with this grant.
Additional grant information