Accelerated university to job transition in post-conflict situation: Development and implementation of associate degree in Afghanistan

• In Event: Providing Safe Learning Spaces and Equitable University to Job Market Transition in Post-Conflict Environments: Does Afghanistan Have Something to Teach Us?

Proposal

Many areas in Afghanistan, where USWDP is working with universities, are still considered to be active conflict zones. Despite security and other challenges USWDP has made significant progress. The project has been supporting the implementation of Associate Degree (AD) programs at five Afghan public universities. In addition to building the capacity of faculty members to deliver the AD programs, USWDP also provided labs, computers, and refurbished classrooms so that students could study in an enabling environment and experience practical knowledge related to their academic programs. Associate Degrees were designed to better align university-level studies with the needs of the Afghan economy and, specifically, to prepare graduates to get jobs after graduation. The AD programs are by far the most successful endeavor of USWDP and MoHE toward achieving education to job market transition. The presentation will describe how the AD programs are designed and implemented to produce results more quickly and, through internships, provide linkages between the universities and employers, a relationship that did not exist before. Additionally, a key component of the strategy for the development of Associate Degrees in Afghanistan was the establishment of partnerships with U.S. based community colleges. The goal for these partnerships was to introduce the structure and mission of community colleges in the U.S., including enrollment practices, curriculum alignment with industry, and teaching strategies to the local context in Afghanistan. Although the existence of institutional partners showed great promise and certainly contributed to some of the success of these Associate Degree programs, this model is not without its own unique challenges for both the U.S. and Afghan Universities. This presentation will discuss the partnership model, lessons learned during implementation and recommendations for future implementation of strategic partnerships in international development efforts.

Author

• Joseph B. Berger, University of Massachusetts Amherst