Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 05/2013

Building Higher Education Partnerships in the Maghreb

Vanessa Zuabi, Tara Shallal

September 2012

Aspen Institute

Abstract

From June 2nd to 9th, 2012 the Partners for a New Beginning’s North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity Secretariat at the Aspen Institute (PNB-NAPEO) led a Higher Education delegation to the Maghreb composed of representatives from six American universities, two education NGOs, and the US Department of State. Coordinated locally by the US Embassy in Algeria, PNB-NAPEO Algeria, AMIDEAST Morocco, Injaz Al-Mahgrib and PNB-NAPEO Tunisia, the delegation met with local universities, NGOs, and business leaders in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia to discuss the delegation met with local universities, NGOs and business leaders in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia to discuss the assets and challenges within each country’s education system as well as priorities for reform. The primary objective of this delegation was to seed partnerships between the participating American institutions and local universities. The delegation included representatives from Wayne State University, the University of Texas at Austin, MIT’s Sloan School of Management, Council on Foreign Relations, American University, AMIDEAST, Babson College, the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence program, Nova Southeastern University, Soliya, and the US Department of State.