Building Higher Education Capacity in Developing Nations
Academics without Borders USA (AWB USA) is committed to mobilizing academic communities throughout the United States to assist institutions of higher education (IHE) in developing nations in their efforts to improve both the quantity and quality of their academic programs. AEB USA’s work is based upon a deeply held belief that the pathway to social and economic growth in a country is through the strength and vitality of its colleges and universities. Through collaborations with higher education institutions in these developing countries, our goal is to increase their capacity to produce the engineers, doctors, nurses, teachers and other professionals they will need to move forward in the 21st century.
Grants to assist and support development in emerging nations have been provided for decades by philanthropic organizations and governmental bodies, both domestic and international. While many of these efforts have produced fundamental changes that have helped recipient nations, the need for such assistance continually far outstrips the availability of funds and expertise provided. AWB USA is focused on building in-country capacity to help close this gap.
Grants to assist and support development in emerging nations have been provided for decades by philanthropic organizations and governmental bodies, both domestic and international. While many of these efforts have produced fundamental changes that have helped recipient nations, the need for such assistance continually far outstrips the availability of funds and expertise provided. AWB USA is focused on building in-country capacity to help close this gap.
A Proven Model
AWB USA is a new and independent non-profit organization located in Davis, California. 2017 marked AWB USA’s second full year of project selection and implementation. Since its inception it has received 17 project proposals, and funded 10 that are spread across 5 continents. This response from universities in developing nations throughout the world clearly reflects the obvious need for the assistance that AWB USA provides. Further, AWB USA’s response to this demand demonstrates that it has the ability to build and operate the organizational infrastructure that is critical to support its projects and sustain improvements that it has assisted in bringing to participating universities.
Our Approach
AWB USA’S work is organized around projects and based on formal partnerships with recipient colleges and universities and other institutions of higher education. Projects are first proposed by in-country institutions and then developed and refined collaboratively. Once a project plan is set and agreed to by both parties, it is funded and staffed with AWB USA volunteer professionals who have expertise in the field that each project addresses. Volunteers, the heart of the organization, reflect a wide variety of backgrounds and experience including current or recently retired university and college faculty, post-doctorates, advanced graduate students, high-level academic administrators, and non-academic professionals. Project work schedules can span several weeks, months, and a few cases even longer periods staged over multiple visits. Similarly, the work itself can range widely to include:
- Expanding existing academic programs, and professional courses,
- Expanding research and technical programs,
- Setting up new fields of study and departments,
- Assisting in the development of essential administrative functions that support university operations, such as computing and communication services, information systems, libraries, financial management, and student services.
Low Overhead and Cost
AWB USA’s average cost per project is relatively small because AWB USA and partnering universities share costs and AWB USA project volunteers provide their time and expertise without compensation. AWB USA focuses its financial support on travel costs, medical insurance, obtaining visas, and other related transportation expenses. Partnering institutions generally provide at no cost accommodations, support for in-country travel costs, and basic administrative support for AWB USA volunteers. AWB USA does not transfer funds abroad or pay for any equipment.
Governance
AWB USA is governed and operated by people who provide their time and talents without compensation. Currently, the board of directors is composed of professionals, many of whom are current or recently retired faculty members and administrators, many of who are current or recently retired faculty members and administrators from the University of California system and other universities and colleges in California. As a group, the AWB USA board has many years of experience in creating, operating, and evaluating complex projects that are carried out in locations around the world. As the organization matures, new members will be added from other parts of the country so that AWB USA truly becomes a national organization.
Start-up Financing
Building a sound financial framework is critical to the success of every organization and AWB USA is not an exception. AWB USA has used several fundraising strategies. In its startup phase, AWB USA has sought partnerships with existing university-sponsored projects whose goals and work are closely aligned with those of AWB USA. Additionally, AWB USA operates as a 501 (c)(3) organization under the United States Internal Revenue Code to help improve its ability to raise funds from the general public and procure grant funding from U.S. foundations. Further, each board member makes an annual financial contribution that provides an ongoing source of funds to support the organization’s infrastructure.
AWB USA Projects Make A Difference
Assisting universities in the developing world to improve the their educational capacity has a broad impact. Simply put, for many of its projects AWB USA volunteers train the trainers, that is, the faculty who teach students. Thus the improvements made with successful projects will bring benefits that span many years.
For example, consider the need for improving the health of children in Haiti, a country that has the highest infant mortality rate in the western hemisphere. AWB USA received a project proposal from Hospital De L’Universite D’Haiti (HEUH), the primary teaching hospital in Haiti, to begin a multi-phase project to build expertise in key specialties within its pediatric unit. Because pediatric specialists are rare at HUEH, children requiring advanced care get the best efforts of physicians with general medicine training. Building a strong set of pediatric specialists is therefore a high priority for the director of Pediatrics at HUEH. To meet this objective, AWB USA partnered with two pediatricians in the UC Davis Medical School to expand their efforts to provide training to faculty and residents in several critical areas.
Most recently AWB USA sponsored a project in this partnership that focused on training in Hematology due to the high rate of Sickle Cell Anemia among Haitian children. Over period of five days, the AWB USA volunteer specialist provided lectures and instruction in the daily rounds of medical faculty and residents. Those attending the lectures included 15 full time-faculty, 30 pediatric residents, plus hundreds of medical students. The quality of the lectures quickly spread among medical professionals in Port au Prince, and resulted in additional lectures to practicing physicians and medical associations in the area. This project has two additional phases planned and the AWB USA volunteer will be in contact with the Haitian faculty through Skype and other forms of communication between trips.
Setting into motion the development of medical specialists who can address major pediatric illnesses in the largest teaching hospital in Haiti will benefit thousands of Haitian children in the years to come. This project clearly reflects the enormous leverage that a relatively small grant from AWB USA can have in improving the lives of the people who lives in developing nations.
For example, consider the need for improving the health of children in Haiti, a country that has the highest infant mortality rate in the western hemisphere. AWB USA received a project proposal from Hospital De L’Universite D’Haiti (HEUH), the primary teaching hospital in Haiti, to begin a multi-phase project to build expertise in key specialties within its pediatric unit. Because pediatric specialists are rare at HUEH, children requiring advanced care get the best efforts of physicians with general medicine training. Building a strong set of pediatric specialists is therefore a high priority for the director of Pediatrics at HUEH. To meet this objective, AWB USA partnered with two pediatricians in the UC Davis Medical School to expand their efforts to provide training to faculty and residents in several critical areas.
Most recently AWB USA sponsored a project in this partnership that focused on training in Hematology due to the high rate of Sickle Cell Anemia among Haitian children. Over period of five days, the AWB USA volunteer specialist provided lectures and instruction in the daily rounds of medical faculty and residents. Those attending the lectures included 15 full time-faculty, 30 pediatric residents, plus hundreds of medical students. The quality of the lectures quickly spread among medical professionals in Port au Prince, and resulted in additional lectures to practicing physicians and medical associations in the area. This project has two additional phases planned and the AWB USA volunteer will be in contact with the Haitian faculty through Skype and other forms of communication between trips.
Setting into motion the development of medical specialists who can address major pediatric illnesses in the largest teaching hospital in Haiti will benefit thousands of Haitian children in the years to come. This project clearly reflects the enormous leverage that a relatively small grant from AWB USA can have in improving the lives of the people who lives in developing nations.
