Ramallah, West Bank, July 31, 2010 — The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its partner AMIDEAST, opened a two-day conference that addresses partnership in teaching excellence in higher education. Held at the Leaders Hall in the Prico Building, the event was launched by Her Excellency Ms. Lamis Al-Alami, Minister of Education and Higher Education and USAID’s Director of Education Development Office, Ms. Karen Excel.   

 

The first day included opening remarks by PFDP’s Chief of Party, Mr. John FitzGibbon, Dr. Joe Glicksberg, the Program Manager at the Open Society Institute, PFDP’s implementing partner in the US, and Mr. Steven Keller, AMIDEAST Country Director. The keynote speech was delivered by Dr. Aziza Ellozy, Director of the Center for Learning and Teaching at the American University of Cairo. Three joint presentations were delivered by US and Palestinian academics on teaching strategies such as a case study of excellence in teaching using the University of Washington, the use of serious games in higher education, and the use of professional certificates in higher education. Presenters from West Bank universities also addressed strategies for improved teaching including the use of competency-based learning, e-assessment, and building cultural awareness through language instruction.

On the evening of the first day, a Teaching Excellence Award Ceremony was held in order to announce the winners of this year’s awards honoring distinguished teachers in higher education.

 

The second day was dedicated to a discussion of other education-related issues such as teacher professional development programs, teacher-science partnerships, and the assessment of the practical training requirement in engineering education in Palestinian universities.

The conference brings faculty from all universities and colleges together to discuss key issues, present current research in teaching, and to network. Over 200 individuals participated in this colloquium.

 

The PFDP supports the revitalization and reform of undergraduate teaching within Palestinian higher education institutions, and promotes an institutional culture of teaching and learning. The conference is just one of many activities designed to achieve this goal.