The United States Department of State Awards Grant to Innovations in Civic Participation for US-Pakistan Higher Education Initiative on Civic Engagement: To support a multi faceted program to enhance the capacity of Pakistani higher education for civic engagement through partnerships with leading US universities in the civic engagement field.
Washington, DC- Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP) received a grant in October, 2012 through the US Embassy-Islamabad Office of Public Affairs to support a US-Pakistan higher education initiative to build capacity for civic engagement. The collaborative program will enhance the ability of American and Pakistani universities to engage students, senior management and faculty in activities to enhance civic engagement and social responsibility. It also aims to foster people-to-people ties and continued partnerships between the two nations.
Through this grant, ICP will facilitate online and a physical exchange of delegations from five American and five Pakistani universities. The twinned universities’ collaboration will focus on civic engagement – specifically on the role of university leadership, the development of institutional policies and programs, and the enhancement of students’ civic skills.
Over the course of a year, the twinned universities will plan and execute a student-led civic engagement project in conversation with their partner university. In addition to virtual communication, representatives from the participating universities will travel to each others’ campuses. In March, 2013, American and Pakistani delegations will gather in Washington, DC for a two-day orientation conference hosted by George Washington University. Subsequently, Pakistani delegations will visit their US partner campuses for one week to learn more about civic engagement in the United States. During reciprocal visits to their Pakistani partners, US teams will offer trainings in civic engagement that will be open to members of other Pakistani universities. The exchange will culminate in a two-day debriefing seminar in Islamabad.
Media interns from George Washington University in Washington, DC, and from National University for Sciences in Technology in Islamabad, Pakistan, will utilize technology and social media in order to expand the impact of this initiative. To further extend the program’s reach, Pakistani participants at the debriefing seminar in Islamabad will establish a Pakistani hub of the Talloires Network, a US-based global network of university leaders in 62 countries who are committed to civic engagement. This regional hub will help to strengthen Pakistan’s higher education institutions as well as the nation’s civil society more broadly.
The following twinned universities are participating in ICP’s US-Pakistan Initiative:
George Washington University, Washington, DC: Founded in 1821 through an Act of Congress, GW is dedicated to the education and preparation of future leaders. The University has a long tradition of fostering both academic and co-curricular community engagement programs that strengthen civic ties, address community needs, and enhance the academic experience.
National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan: NUST is one of Pakistan’s most prominent centers of knowledge in the field of disaster relief. NUST is widely recognized for its acute response to disasters as they unfold, such as its provision of support centers for 10,000 refugees in the Swat region in 2009.
Tulane University, New Orleans, LA: The rebuilding process following the destructive forces of Hurricane Katrina became the catalyst for Tulane’s community engagement efforts. Now, their unique experiences provide perspective to other institutions interested in building engagement programs to address pressing needs in their own communities.
Fatimah Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan: Named after a leading figure in the Pakistani independence movement, Fatimah Jinnah Women University is the first women’s university in Pakistan. The University requires its students to complete a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer work in the community.
University of Nebraska-Omaha, Omaha, NE: UNO enhances learning by actively breaking down barriers between distant cultures. For example, through Nebraska Neighbors, a 33-year old tradition, UNO’s international guests trek to nearby communities to share their cultures with local residents and learn about life in rural Nebraska.
Quaid i Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan: Established in 1967, the university aims to provide an affordable, high quality education to students from all corners of the country in an effort to transform the country into a knowledge-based economy.
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN: The University has established a bold agenda to expand and strengthen the University’s capacity as a fully “engaged” university. Its College of Veterinary Medicine has a similarly dynamic relationship with the surrounding community, working with diverse community partners to impact the lives of animals and people.
University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore, Pakistan: UVAS is one of the oldest and most famous centers of veterinary education in Asia. By evolving strategies for sustainable development and improvement of the animal sector, the university hopes to increase food and social security to alleviate poverty.
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Raleigh, NC: The epicenter of student engagement at UNC-Chapel Hill is located at Campus Y. Considered the ‘conscience of the university,’ Campus Y has provided opportunities for global service in communities with the greatest needs for the past 150 years.
Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan: Dow University is a public university operating under the motto “Prevention is Better than Cure.” In order to improve the health of disadvantaged communities, the University provides free or low-cost medical services to those in need.
About The US Embassy-Islamabad:
The US Embassy-Islamabad works to strengthen relations between the United States and Pakistan. By increasing communication between the two nations, the Embassy hopes to foster mutual understanding, increase democratic ideals, and enable a safer, healthier global environment.
For more information contact Carrie Bodley-Bond, Program Officer at [email protected] [1] or 202-775-0290 [2]
Innovations In Civic Participation
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202-775-0290