Entry: Bill Guyton
Today I am attending the Higher Education Summit for Global Development, hosted by the US State Department, US Agency for International Development and US Department of Education.
The summit included over 250 participants, including university presidents from across the US and the developing world. There were also a few private sector guests who participated, as well as US government agencies.
During the opening session, USAID Administrator, Henrietta Fore explained that USAID and the National Science Foundation (NSF) were exploring a new relationship to support education and technology. US Secretary Margaret Spellings then spoke on the need to better connect the "islands of innovations" occuring at many higher education institutions and institutes. This conference can be a first step in aligning efforts and forming new partnerships in education. US Secretary of Energy, Samuel Bodman, highlighted the need to invest in science and technology to help address major challenges of today, such as global warming, access to potable water, and the protection of our oceans.
Other speakers included:
* Mark Dybul, US Global AIDS Coordinator
*Arden Bement, Director of the National Science Foundation
*Iqbal Noor, CEO of Aga Khan Foundation and many others.
I also attended two breakout sessions on how to better link the private sector with academics. This topic is of particular interest to me, as the World Cocoa Foundation explores new partnerships with universities in the developed and developing world. Improvements in cocoa farming will require new technologies and a skills development, and higher education institutions are likely partners.
The afternoon plenary session included remarks from US Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt. He shared stories from his recent trips to Africa, where he saw first hand some of the devastation caused by malaria and HIV/AIDS. Partnerships between the US government and university medical departments are forging new partnerships to help tackle these diseases.
US Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao spoke about the labor needs in the US over the next decade. In order to fill skilled jobs, students need to receive quality education and be challenged in schools. "Customized" education can be designed to meet the strengths of individual students and help them meet their potential.
US Secretary of State,Condoleezza Rice, closed the session.
I am looking forward to tomorrow when there will be a follow-on meeting to discuss educational needs in Sub-Saharan Africa.