Overview

The Division of International Programs (DIP) seeks to increase the involvement of higher education in global decision making. It offers institutions and non-governmental organizations opportunities to participate in partnerships, policy forums, internships and residencies, research, conferences and seminars that build capacity in the areas of international education, affairs, and development. DIP offers technical assistance to governments, public and private-sector organizations committed to improving the daily lives of their constituencies and making positive policy change. Thematic areas include:

• wide-ranging aspects of organizational/institutional capacity building
• community and economic development
• strenghtening basic and higher education
• health care, HIV/AIDS, and family/community support
• malaria and avian flu prevention
• curriculum development
• women’s empowerment and youth leadership  
• policy development and analysis
• democritization and conflict resolution
• environmental management and transportation technology  
• agriculture and rural development
• documentation of presence of underrepresented/marginalized populations 

• 149 institutions supported through capacity-building grants
• 66 partnerships created in 42 countries

UNCFSP’s Guiding Assumptions about the Role of Higher Education in International Education, Affairs, and Development

1. Higher education is one of industrializing societies’ most enduring institutions, surviving political and economic instability and training citizens who will become important participants in national transformation, 
2. Higher education is one of industrializing societies’ most effective tools, capable of carrying out hands-on community development work to meet national educational, economic, and social needs,
3. Higher education can be a leading force in policy making, connecting national foreign policy mandates to the implementation of programs and activities designed to promote wellness, stability and peace,
4. Higher education should become a major player in leadership building (women, youth, and young adult) and the democratization of citizens’ access to scarce resources and conflict resolution,
5. Higher education is the driving tool behind the internationalization of U.S. education, providing training for primary and secondary school teachers, study abroad for faculty and students, internationalized curricula in academic departments, and overall language skills, cultural competency, and non-parochial critical thinking skills necessary in the era of globalization. 

UNCFSP Presence Countries