Development Management Policy Seminar on “Conceptualizing International Development Education: Sector-Wide Reform and Globalization of Teacher Education”

Dr. John C. Weidman who is a professor in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh in the United States of America (USA) was the guest speaker in the above captioned seminar. The seminar took place on Tuesday 6th October 2015, in the main conference room in Kobe University’s Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies (GSICS). The theme of the development management seminar was “Conceptualizing International Development Education: Sector-Wide Reform and Globalization of Teacher Education.” It was chaired by Professor Keiichi Ogawa and attended by approximately 25 GSICS students (national and international).

Dr. Weidman’s presentation was based on research findings/ results from his previous publication on Current Issues in Comparative Education (2001) titled; “Developing the Mongolia Education Sector Strategy 2000-2005: Reflection of a Consultant for the Asian Development Bank”., He used this lecture to illustrate the use of a sector-wide approach for strategic building in order to attain donor funding to education by laying out priorities across the education sector in Mongolia. Dr. Weidman supplemented his research findings with his own experience with a project he was involved in during his time in Mongolia.

Professor Weidman covered the overall context of key stakeholders in Mongolia’s education and gave explanation to the framework for sector-wide approaches to educational assistance with examples drawn from the 1999 Mongolia education sector strategy study. Drawing from his own experience in Mongolia, Dr. John Weidman discussed in detailed issues related to the process of implementing a sector-wide approach, from obstacles to incentives for Donor Coordination. He also highlighted the issue of conceptualizing education in global context with provision of a conceptual framework for globalization of teacher education.

During the question and answer session, weaknesses and/or shortcomings associated with sector-wide approached were raised by the students present and ably responded to by the guest speaker. The seminar was very comprehensive, engaging and informative, and as such enhanced students’ knowledge about sector-wide approach, especially in the context of Mongolia.

Authored by Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen
Doctoral Student

Related link:
http://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/NEWS/event/2015_10_06_01.html