AKU-IED as a Role Model Institution

Visits of Kenyan and Syrian Delegations

As part of the University’s agenda to increase international collaboration, Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED) continues to interact with educationists from across the globe. Separate delegations from Kenya and Syria visited AKU-IED’s Karachi campus to meet with senior management and to familiarise themselves with the University’s educational initiatives. The programme also included discussions on matters of mutual interest and strategies for partnership between AKU-IED and education ministries of the respective countries.

Syrian delegates visit the AKU-IED to familiarise themselves with the education initiatives.

The Syrian delegation, comprising senior member of the Syrian education ministry, visited AKU-IED in late August. Dr Soulaiman Al-Khatib, Deputy Education Minister (International Relations, Examinations & Training); Dr Ali Al-Hosri, Deputy Education Minister (Curriculum & Inspection), Mr Ghassan Shughri, Director for the Office of Minister of Education, Syria, and Dr Ahmed Haydar, CEO, Aga Khan Education Service, Syria, (AKES, S) came to Karachi for a week-long visit, as part of a programme of the Ministry of Education, Government of Syria to bring about change and improvement in the field of education in the Arab Republic of Syria. The objective of the visit was to explore avenues of strengthening cooperation for enhancing institutional
capacity building and human resource development in Syria.

The Syrian delegation also met with officials of the Department of Education and Literacy, Government of Sindh, which included the Sindh Education Minister, the Education Secretary, and the Managing Director, Sindh Education Foundation, Karachi, to discuss matters of mutual interest.

In September, a delegation from the Education Ministry of Kenya visited AKU-IED. The delegation included Mr Enos Oyaya, Director of Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education, Kenya; Mr Gabriel Lengo Boini, Secretary, Teacher Service Commission, Ministry of Education, Kenya; and Mr Rupen Chande, Project Manager, AKU-PDC, Lead-in Project, East Africa.

The visitors met with AKU’s senior faculty and leadership as well as Chairman of Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKES, P) and his team. The delegation visited AKU-IED’s cooperating schools in public and private sector. They commended AKU-IED for initiating professional development programmes that support teachers’ professional learning and help them in improving the quality of education in the classrooms. The Kenyan delegation strongly felt that AKU-IED has been able to improve teachers’ attitudes and has encouraged them to use innovative pedagogical approaches in their classroom practices. Later on, the group also met with the Education Secretary, Department of Education and Literacy, Government of Sindh and shared their experiences.

Delegates from Kenya are seen in discussion with the senior management of AKU-IED.

On conclusion of their visit, members of the Kenyan delegation expressed their satisfaction with the outcomes of meetings and encouraged further dialogue and close collaboration between AKU and the Kenyan Ministry of Education so as to improve the quality of programmes offered in Kenya.

At a formal dinner for the distinguished guests, President Shamsh Kassim-Lakha remarked that the University’s academic, research and service activities are targeted at helping the developing countries, and especially the Muslim Ummah to progress in areas of education and health. Mr Kassim-Lakha remarked that it was indeed a great opportunity for all if other nations could also benefit from the substantial experience and indigenous knowledge which AKU had developed while working in seven countries through ten teachings sites.