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OutreachACES Open House 2001
USAID EgyptAs a member of the capacity building team for the MUCIA Cooperative Agreement for Institutional Linkages Activity - Agricultural Exports and Rural Incomes (AERI), I play a critic role in the assessment of Egyptian university teaching and outreach capabilities for horticultural commodities. The team's role is to assess current capacity, enhance student education utilizing current infrastructure, and develop market potential to increase Egyptian exports. My experience with the enhancement of the Illinois green industry, my dedication to high quality instruction extending beyond the classroom, and my experience in commercial production facilities allowed me to be an essential member of the capacity building team.During the past year, I have become a more integral member of the team. My dedication to undergraduate education, classroom skills, and administrative talents have allowed for effective workshop coordination and participation. Two workshops conducted during 2005 for Egyptian faculty members (see presentation section) were highly rated and relevant for faculty members at Egyptian universities. I was honored to be host for seven Egyptian faculty members during a 28 day Faculty Development Workshop conducted at the University of Illinois. Post-workshop interviews indicate that these experiences have resulted in the implementation of more active learning techniques in Egyptian classrooms. A third workshop will be conducted in 2006 to assist Egyptian faculty members in the development of case studies for use in undergraduate classrooms. The partnerships forged by this project will enhance our role in the global market for academics and agricultural industry. Project evaluations by USAID, CARE, and the Egyptian Ministries of Education and Agriculture have been overwhelmingly positive. The immediate impacts of the project have included the development of industry advisory committees, linkages between academia and industry, improved market and product channels, improved research on Egyptian products for exportation, and improved teaching methods in undergraduate classrooms (both Egyptian and U.S.). As a result, the project's funding was recently extended to 2009. |
