evaluating international academic programming

Cornwallis XVIII: Analysis for Evaluation and Assessment

Evaluating International Academic Programming:

The United Nations University for Peace (UPEACE) Experience in South

Asia, the Middle East, and Africa

Allison M. Frendak-Blume, Ph.D. April 16, 2013

Background

• The United Nations University for Peace (UPEACE) – Costa Rica

• The International Institutes Cooperation Programme – an education program of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Development Cooperation

• George Mason University’s Peace Operations Policy Program – US (Arlington, Va.)

Background

• “Peace and conflict studies” – distinct academic discipline developing in universities since the early 1960s

• Need to understand violence better and address conflict situations at national and international levels

• Despite this need being felt in the South, only a few institutions had developed academic programs by mid-2000s

Background

• Northern universities tried to bridge gap but limitations – students, curricula

• Southern universities with developed programs needed support – faculty development, extending reach

• UPEACE wished to collaborate with universities in South Asia, the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, and Africa’s Great Lakes Region to establish/strengthen their capacities to deliver academic programs and graduate courses in the field of peace and conflict studies responding to their respective regional and national needs (2008-12)

UPEACE PROGRAM IN SOUTH ASIA, AFRICA AND THE

MIDDLE EAST (UPSAM)

UPSAM

SOUTH ASIA •Bangladesh: Dhaka University

•India: Islamic Institute for Science and

Technology; Banaras Hindu University

•Indonesia: Gadja Mada University

•Nepal: Tribhuvan University

•Pakistan: University of Karachi

•Sri Lanka: University of Colombo

MIDDLE EAST •Egypt: The Institute for Peace Studies

•Iraq: University of Dohuk

•Jordon: The Hashemite University

AFRICA

•Ethiopia: Addis Ababa University

•Kenya: University of Nairobi

•Somalia: University of Hargeisa

•Sudan: Ahfad University for Women;

University of Zalingei; University of Juba

- 13 Countries

- 16 Universities and Institutes 2008-2010

GREAT LAKES PROGRAM (GLP)

Burundi University of Burundi

Congo, Democratic Republic of Catholic University of Bukavu Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs

Kenya Catholic University of Eastern Africa

Rwanda National University of Rwanda Rwanda Peace Academy

Tanzania University of Dar es Salaam

Uganda Uganda Martyrs University Gulu University

Zambia Copperbelt University

GLP - 7 Countries

- 10 Universities and Institutes 2010-2012

Programming

• Curriculum development workshops • Junior faculty (degree/curricula) • Senior faculty (curricula/co-teach) • Networking

Methods (UPSAM/GLP)

• Interviews • Surveys • Focus groups • Observation • Participant-Observation • Review of documents

Five reports generated/discussed

Discussion (UPSAM/GLP)

• Selection of partner universities

• Selection of junior faculty participants

• Junior faculty language skills improvement

• Junior faculty curriculum development

• Senior faculty participation

• Networking

Partner Selection

UPSAM Partner Selection

1) University’s interest to develop programs*/current ability to fully implement once they received UPEACE training

2) Presence of conflict situations making it imperative to train leaders in conflict prevention

GLP Partner Selection

1) University’s interest to develop programs*/current ability to fully implement once they received UPEACE training

2) Presence of conflict situations making it imperative to train leaders in conflict prevention

Recognition UPSAM might have been too large conceptually – GLP regional perspective

Rwanda Peace Academy

Junior Faculty Selection

UPSAM Junior Faculty

• Junior faculty – 33 to receive full scholarship to UPEACE (8 degrees offered, one per university each 2008-09 and 2009-10 academic year)

• Syllabi developed for 3 classes – instead of thesis – from outline created at MCDW – gender, IL/HRs, peace education, media, IR, political science, environmental science

• Pedagogy/teaching components added to prepare them to teach back home

UPSAM Junior Faculty Selection

• Competitive, advertised, candidates undergo regular UPEACE admission process

• Criteria – academic qualifications, working experience, English-language skills, motivation, envisaged output, clear vision of future academic involvement in peace and conflict studies (individually and member of partner university)

UPSAM Selection Reality

• Interviews with 1st UPSAM cohort (10/08) – 13/16 nominated non-competitively

• Interviews with 2nd UPSAM cohort (1/10) – 10/15 nominated non-competitively

• Positive aspect – in most cases upper range of qualification for work at UPEACE in both cohorts

• Gender imbalance

GLP Junior Faculty

• Junior faculty – 40 to receive full scholarship to UPEACE (two per university each 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic year; academic and civil society)

• Admissions and pedagogy/teaching components same as UPSAM

• Syllabi developed for 2 classes from outline created at initial workshops

GLP Selection Reality

• 1st GLP cohort – 16/19 nominated non-competitively; 2nd GLP cohort – 15/21 nominated non-competitively

• Positive aspect – emphasis on gender correction through 2nd cohort results in 18 women overall

• Negative aspects - many women civil society; Gulu outside university procedure; Rwanda and Burundi tribal biases

Junior Faculty Language Skills

UPSAM Language Skills • Interviews with 1st UPSAM cohort (10/08) –

some exceptions made by admissions and students enrolled in tutoring/special instruction at UPEACE to increase competence

• Interviews with 2nd UPSAM cohort (1/10) – language tutor hired by UPEACE – 8/15 used services individually at least once

• Darfur most affected (both cohorts)

All seemed to have working ability to speak English – editor hired to correct curricula

GLP Language Skills

• English-language support provided before arrival in Costa Rica to total of 17 Francophone and 1 Anglophone junior fellows

• All except one seemed to have working ability to speak English

• Language tutor still available at UPEACE • Editor retained to correct curricula

Junior Faculty Curriculum

Development

UPSAM Curricula • 1st UPSAM cohort: half unaware of

requirement for program when arrived; half interviewed in 10/08 did not expect collaboration with home institutions; “left to the end”

• 2nd UPSAM cohort: only one unaware; only 2/15 interviewed in 1/10 not working with someone at home; time devoted in August so could start plus 3-week curriculum development course in January break

Less than half UPSAM juniors completed curricula

GLP Curricula • 1st GLP cohort: all aware of requirement when

arrived; had worked with seniors during prep workshop; when interviewed in 11/11 indicated 3-week curriculum development workshop in January “too late”

• 2nd GLP cohort: all aware and worked with seniors; received 1-week curriculum development training before arrival and 3-week course in January break

37/40 GLP juniors completed their curricula

Senior Faculty Participation

UPSAM Senior Faculty Participation

• Assist the mid-level and senior faculty members from partner universities at home – co-teach/training-of-trainer teaching

• Two required courses – “Foundation Course in Peace and Conflict Studies” and “Practices of Peace and Conflict Management”

• Ensure senior faculty then develop – “Research Methods” and “Multiculturalism in Conflict and Peace” courses

• The 4 courses represent common denominators across several graduate programs in peace and conflict studies worldwide

UPSAM Participation Reality

• Early on observed participation issues – lack of names for co-teaching

• By one-year evaluation (summer 2009) noted 3/10 co-teaching events performed without substantial partner involvement

• Scheduling issues, relevancy, inappropriate

GLP Senior Faculty

• Senior “fellowships” – 20 senior faculty members to attend 3-week program at UPEACE; expose to new teaching methodologies and peace/conflict theories/research; improve links with juniors; develop a 3-credit course for later co-teaching with a UPEACE faculty member

• Course developed based on need of institution

GLP Participation Reality

• 18 seniors participated in fellowship

• At least two co-teaching events performed in 9/10 institutions by time of final evaluation (summer 2012); 21 total 3-credit courses plus additional seminars/workshops

• Rwanda Peace Academy – leadership involved in military responsibilities so no fellows or co-teaching

Networking

UPSAM Networking

• Masters Curriculum Development Workshops (spring 2008)

• A pan-regional conference organized at conclusion of UPSAM (summer 2010) for partner universities to share best practices, build a network, and create new partnerships

• Sustainable implementation of the newly developed masters programs would be important topic of the conference

UPSAM Networking Realities

• MCDWs introduced people but no follow-up discerned by one-year review; GMU recommended development of newsletter and participant lists

• Visits to 6 partner universities summer 2009 revealed regional partnering “almost nonexistent”; GMU more time and resources needed here, suggests use one institution within each region as anchor for a smaller network

UPSAM Networking Realities

• Pan-regional workshop (summer 2010): regions developed future plans for concrete networking but unable to report out due to time pressure – no articulation of them together with valuable cross-regional inputs

• Time issue due to UPEACE revisiting pedagogy

• Felt “important business” was “left undone”

GLP Networking • Workshops used for brainstorming ideas and

strategies; “Peace Book”*; cultural events

• Weaving Peace (2012)

• “Peace Caravan”*

• Bilateral partnerships – co-teaching, advising

• Great Lakes Universities Peace Association (GLUPA)*

Much energy—inability to translate personal commitment to institutional one; most do not make use of juniors; rifts 2nd cohort juniors

QUESTIONS?