The MSU College of Education was chosen for the USAID-funded program University Connect and welcomed the first cohort of international educators to campus this month.
The educators come from seven different universities across Indonesia and will stay for eight weeks. They are learning about K-16 education and different practical approaches used by colleges and universities to prepare educators, including Michigan State's renowned Teacher Preparation Program.
"Indonesia is in the process of re-inventing their teacher preparation," said Margaret Crocco, chair of the Department of Teacher Education and director of the new exchange program. "They are looking to learn more from other nations in how to set up their educational programs. This program will help them to see the differences between U.S. and Indonesian systems of education, and also help them develop action plans based on what they have learned to implement at their home institutions."
The U.S. Agency for International Development and the Indonesia Program to Extend Scholarships and Training to Achieve Sustainable Impacts sponsor University Connect. The Institute for International Education, which administers the program, is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing international education worldwide.
Michigan State is the first university to be awarded funding for University Connect. The award to MSU is $633,184.
The first cohort began University Connect on Oct. 11 and will complete the program on Dec. 4. Ministry of Education officials from Indonesia will be on campus Nov. 16-20 to learn about education in the United States. The second cohort of teacher educators will arrive Feb. 2 and finish on March 25.
To learn more about the program, visit the MSU College of Education website.