The American University of Beirut (AUB) and its Department of Education have played an important role in the region in the field of education for many years. We have trained thousands of teachers, curriculum designers, subject coordinators, and administrators; revised school curricula in many countries in the region; and have consulted on a number of educational initiatives. The goal of this project is to identify initiatives that have been implemented in the region to learn what does and does not work—and why.  There is a critical need for an institution that will provide this link between academia and the classroom—a place that focuses on research to practice.  We believe that AUB is uniquely well placed to play this role for the region.

There is widespread agreement that educational systems in the Arab world need to be improved.  The UNDP’s 2002 Arab Human Development Report states, “there is evidence that the quality of education [in the region] has deteriorated, implying a decline in knowledge acquisition and analytical and creative skills” (Arab Human Development Report 2002.). The World Economic Forum’s Arab World Competitiveness Report 2002-2003 echoes the conclusions of the UNDP Report and urges the nations of the Arab world to “thoughtfully consider how education can be better organized to assure the development of a sustainable capacity to compete in a changing and evolving global economy” (The Arab World Competitiveness Report 2002-2003, p. 218.). Both reports, and the more recently issued Arab Human Development Report 2003 note the importance of “incorporating new knowledge and skill needs into current learning and teaching activities”. 

We believe that educators in the region are interested in improving the quality of education in their countries.  There are also well-intentioned scholars who share the same goal.  All too often, however, these two groups are working separately—sometimes even at cross-purposes.  To be useful, research must be grounded in the classroom.  It must be informed by what is already taking place in schools throughout the region and must address the issues that are most important to educators in the region.

Philosophy
The project will be structured to promote a “top down support for bottom up change”.  In other words, we will analyze local “success stories” to identify the human and material factors and practices that made these initiatives successful.  The results of this analysis will then be communicated to policymakers who will be encouraged to use the results.  We will also disseminate the results of our research by producing training materials that can be used throughout the region, publishing in national and regional journals, and making information available on a web site that we would launch and update regularly.