Initiative: Inter-American Education System

In order to continue supporting member states´ efforts to ensure the right to quality education for all, the Government of Colombia, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the OAS General Secretariat, signed a Letter of Intent at the VII Summit of the Americas (Panama, April, 2015) to create an Inter-American Education System. The System’s main objective would be to increase the collaboration of partner institutions to strengthen the capacities of OAS Member States to develop public policies oriented towards improving the quality of education, through research, the identification of effective public policies, the exchange of experiences and technical cooperation for public policy formulation.
Through the proposed areas of action, the Inter-American Education System is expected to support the implementation of the Inter-American Education Agenda - in particular the lines of action prioritized by the Working Group 1 on the theme of “Quality, Inclusive and Equitable Education -, which was recently adopted at the IX Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education held in The Bahamas in February 2017.

During 2017, the Department of Social Inclusion has been working in developing a guidebook that provides Member States with policy recommendations directed towards the review, strengthening and/or development of policies, programs and initiatives that seek to improve students´ learning processes and address education inequality, with a specific emphasis on improving students´ learning achievements. The document will also propose strategies of action to implement those policy recommendations.

Beneficiaries: OAS Member States; Multilateral governmental agencies partners of the initiative.

Partnerhips: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Inter-American Development Bank, Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), Organization of Ibero-American States, World Bank
UNESCO Regional Bureau of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean

Financing: Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and Permanent Observer Mission of China to the OAS

Professional Development Scholarships Program

The Professional Development Scholarships Program (PDSP) offers scholarship opportunities for short-term training courses in any of the OAS member states, and OAS Permanent Observers, for citizens or permanents residents of the Americas, to access quality education in recognized educational institutions with the goal of strengthening human and institutional capacity, fostering integral development through the Hemisphere.
Through the PDSP Program, studies can be pursued online, onsite or in blended modalities, covering a % of tuition for online courses and air fare ticket, for onsite or blended courses respectively, in any of the four official languages of the OAS (English, Spanish, Portuguese or French) at educational institutions from the OAS Member States, Observer States and areas of the OAS General Secretariat.

In 2016, 624 scholarships were awarded under the PSDP Program in partnership with 26 institutions.Activities for this initiative:
- Negotiation with Educational Institutions, government institutions, NGO's, and Areas of the General Secretariat and networks to offer scholarship opportunities.
-Generating access to international education opportunities for students in the Hemisphere.
- Collaborating with Educational Institutions for Internationalization, academic mobility and regional integration through cultural, academic, and scientific exchange.
- Supporting the internationalization processes of Higher Education in universities of the region

http://www.oas.org/en/scholarships/default.asp

Beneficiaries: Citizens and or permanent legal residents from the 34 OAS member states benefit directly from the program.
- Higher education institutions from the Member States , Observer States of the OAS and Areas of the General Secretariat.
- Consortium of Universities/Networks
- Regional and Global Organizations
- Government institutions and NGO's from the Member States of the OAS
- Agencies for International Development Cooperation

Partnerships and Financing: Centro del Agua del Trópico Húmedo para América Latina y el Caribe-CATHALAC
Fondo Verde
Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales-FLACSO
Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mendez
Tecnología para la Organización Pública (Asociación Civil)-TOP
Universidad Nacional de Chile
American University
Centro de Capacitación en Alta Tecnología para América Latina y el Caribe-CCATLAT
Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Capacitación en Telecomunicaciones-INICTEL
Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería-UNI
Universidad Blas Pascal
United States Telecommunications Training Institute-USTTI
Universidad ICESI
International telecommunications Union ITU
Cullen International
Comisión Inter-Americana en Telecomunicaciones-CITEL
Comisión Inter-Americana de Mujeres-CIM
Departamento de Desarrollo Sostenible de la OEA
Departamento de Derecho Internacional de la OEA
Departamento de Inclusión Social de la OEA
Departamento de Desarrollo Económico de la OEA
Portal Educativo de las Américas
Centro Internacional de Estudios Interdisciplinarios-CIESI
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia-UNED
Universidad Politécnica de Valencia-UPV
Centro Interamericano de Estudios de Seguridad Social-CIESS

Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN)

The Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN) is s a network of teachers, policymakers, and other stakeholders involved or interested in the teaching profession in the Americas. ITEN’s mission is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of education in the Americas by promoting knowledge exchange, capacity building and technical assistance through the use of virtual tools and in-person activities.

Among ITEN's activities, the following address paragraph 3:

• The Inter-American Collaboratory on the Teaching Profession (Co-TEP) on-line knowledge bank: This is a collection of more than 600 policies, practices, publications, and research documents all related to the teaching profession and available for download without charge. It was originally designed as a tool for ministries and secretariats of education of OAS member states to share their successes, serving as a source of ideas for potential technical cooperation missions, and the rate of visits it receives indicate it is being used for wider purposes as well.

• Technical Cooperation Missions (ITEN Cooperation Missions): : ITEN has acquired expertise in the launching, implementation, and follow-up of technical cooperation missions between ministries or secretariats of education in the region based on its successful facilitation of 13 such missions during ITEN Phase 2 (2014 to May of 2016). ITEN has already built a solid network in OAS member states through these on-site missions, which have not only benefited the ministries and secretariats working with teachers but also the teachers directly. The reports of participating ministries of education are shared in the Co-TEP on-line knowledge bank. During ITEN Phase 3 (June of 2016 to May of 2018), ITEN will carry out at least ten more cooperation missions involving ministries and secretariats of education of OAS member states.

https://www.oas.org/cotep/

Beneficiaries: Policymakers in teacher education and other teacher-related policies from OAS member states

Partnerships and Financing: Partners in the region include ministries and secretariats of education, NGOs, universities, and other multilateral organizations.

Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN)

The Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN) is s a network of teachers, policymakers, and other stakeholders involved or interested in the teaching profession in the Americas. ITEN’s mission is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of education in the Americas by promoting knowledge exchange, capacity building and technical assistance through the use of virtual tools and in-person activities.

ITEN is comprised of the following ten activities for its third phase, which covers the period of June 2016 to May 2018, offered in English and Spanish:

Activities for Policymakers:

• Technical Cooperation Missions (ITEN Cooperation Missions)
• The Inter-American Collaboratory on the Teaching Profession (Co-TEP), an online knowledge bank

Activities for Teachers:

• The Virtual Community of Practice
• ITEN Webinars
• Massive, Open, Online Courses via ITEN Campus
• Online Toolkits
• Audio Program: ITEN Audio
• Lesson Plan Web Based Library
• Map of Mobile Learning Practices
• Onsite Workshops: My School in Action

www.oas.org/en/iten

Beneficiaries: Policymakers in teacher education and other teacher-related policies, and teachers from OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: Partners in the region include ministries and secretariats of education, NGOs, universities, and other multilateral organizations.

Inter-American Education Agenda

The Inter-American Education Agenda (IEA) was approved during the 9th Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education, held in Nassau, Bahamas, on February 9 and 10, 2017, after a 2 year process of negotiation and consensus building. It was created, spearheaded and developed by the Ministries of Education of the region, as such, it boasts a high level of value and legitimacy and is closely aligned with the States' educational development realities, needs and goals.

The purpose of the IEA is to strengthen inter-American cooperation and coordination to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all. As such, the IEA will contribute to achieving the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG4.

In order to contribute to the achievement of SDG4 targets, the IEA will support member states to advance their efforts in the following three priority areas:

1. Quality, inclusive and equitable education
2. Strengthening of the teaching profession
3. Comprehensive early childhood care

For each of these priority areas the IEA has defined a set of specific objectives and action lines.

The IEA will be implemented for a period of five years, commencing 2017, after which it will be revisited by the member states. The General Secretariat of the OAS, through the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI) is responsible for the implementation of the IEA, under the guidance of the Inter-American Committee on Education (CIE), its Authorities and the Working Groups established for this purpose.

The IEA will incorporate existing OAS initiatives and projects that contribute to achieving the objectives set forth for any of the priority areas, including but not limited to the OAS Scholarships and Training Program, the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN), the Development Cooperation Fund, as well as specific initiatives to promote innovation and cooperation in education. It will also also promote coordination and integration with the efforts of the OAS and other international, regional and sub-regional organizations, as well as of the academic sector, the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders whose participation is vital to the design and strengthening of educational policies, programs, and initiatives in formal and non-formal settings


The IEA will incorporate existing OAS initiatives and projects that contribute to achieving the objectives set forth for any of the priority areas, including but not limited to the OAS Scholarships and Training Program, the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN), the Development Cooperation Fund, as well as specific initiatives to promote innovation and cooperation in education. It will also also promote coordination and integration with the efforts of the OAS and other international, regional and sub-regional organizations, as well as of the academic sector, the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders whose participation is vital to the design and strengthening of educational policies, programs, and initiatives in formal and non-formal settings.

The IEA will use the following tools to strengthen inter-American cooperation on education:

- On-line databases that systematize policies, programs and experiences.

- Hemispheric workshops, seminars and webinars that allow for the exchange of initiatives, the discussion of lessons learned and the identification of policy recommendations.

- Cooperation missions or study tours that facilitate direct exchange and hands-on experience, and are tailored to the needs and strengths of participating entities.

- Technical Studies that complement direct exchanges by offering useful and more thorough insight on the issues, as well as the possibility of analyzing successful policies, programs and alternatives for coordinating efforts with other international, regional and sub-regional entities.

- On-line fora where public officials and staff can consult and contribute to the discussion of relevant issues, and that provide an ongoing and direct channel of communication between stakeholders.

- On-line or in-person courses developed specifically to train public officials and staff and allow them to gain in-depth knowledge and have access to tools that contribute to the advancement of education in the region.

www.oas.org/sedi

Beneficiaries: Directly: Ministries of Education of the Americas
Indirectly: students, teachers and communities

Partnerships and Financing: Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank, UNESCO, Development Bank for Latin America (CAF), Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), UNICEF and ECLAC have pledged their support to the implementation of the IEA.

Partnerships Program for Education and Training (PAEC)

The OAS Partnerships for Education and Training Program (PAEC), formally established in 2010, offers citizens or permanent residents of the Americas access to quality higher education through scholarships for academic and professional development studies in recognized educational institutions with the goal of strengthening human and institutional capacity and thus, foster integral development throughout the Hemisphere.
Through the PAEC Program, studies can be pursued online, onsite or in blended modalities, in any of the four official languages of the OAS (English, Spanish, Portuguese or French) at educational institutions from the OAS Member States and, for some scholarship programs, in educational institutions from Observer States as well.

In 2016, 2429 scholarships were awarded under the PAEC Program which included, undergraduate degrees, master’s degrees or post-graduate and certificate programs. In most cases PAEC Agreements required no monetary contribution by the OAS, rather in-kind contributions. Significant contributions to the success of the PAEC program have resulted from the partnerships with key entities including the Coimbra Group of Brazilian Universities (GCUB) which awarded 349 scholarships and the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) of Mexico which awarded 549 scholarships in 2016. With the aim of expanding the PAEC program, in November 2016, OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro signed an agreement with the Galilee International Management Institute in Israel to offer 500 scholarships in 2017.

Activities for this initiative:
- Negotiation with Educational Institutions, government institutions and networks to offer scholarship opportunities.
-Generating access to international education opportunities for students in the Americas
- Collaborating with Educational Institutions for Internationalization, academic Mobility and regional integration through cultural, academic, and scientific exchange.
- Supporting the internationalization processes of Higher Education in universities of the region

www.oas.org/en/scholarships

Beneficiaries: - Citizens and or legal permanent residents from the 34 OAS member states benefit directly from the program.
- Higher education institutions from the Member States and Observer States of the OAS.
- Consortium of Universities/Networks
- Regional and Global Organizations
- Government institutions from the Member States of the OAS
- Agencies for International Development Cooperation

Partnerships and Financing: - Coimbra Group of Brazilian Universities (GCUB)
- Mexican National Science and Technology Council (CONACYT)
- Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID)
- Pan American Health Organization (PAHO / WHO)
- National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT)
- Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez (SUAGM)
- Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)
- Soluciones Integrales de Formación y Gestión (STRUCTURALIA)
- Escuela Abierta de Desarrollo de Ingeniería y Construcción (EADIC)
- Centro de Cooperación Regional para la Educación de Adultos en América Latina y el Caribe (CREFAL)
- ESAN University
- Universidad Complutence de Madrid (UCM)
- Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales - Argentina
- Kookmin Global Entrepreneurship Boot Camp (KGEB)
- Chonnam National University
- Korean Development Institute (KDI)
- Fondo Verde
- Centro Internacional de Estudios Interdisciplinarios (CIESI)
- Centro del Agua del Trópico Húmedo para América Latina y el Caribe (CATHALAC)
- Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) Spain
- Universidad Politecnica de Valencia
- Vrije Universiteit of Brussels (VUB)
- Colorado State University
- University for International Cooperation
- OAS Peace Leaders Program
- University for Information Science and Technology “St. Paul the Apostle” of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- International Training Center/ International Labor Organization
- eCornell online program of Cornell University
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- International Institute of Social Studies of Eramsus University of Rotterdam
- UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education
- The Government of the People’s Republic of China
- Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies
- University of the West Indies
- University of Technology of Jamaica
- OAS Department of Sustainable Development
- Inter-American Teacher Education Network
- Galilee International Management Institute
- Syracuse University

Educational Portal of the Americas
The Educational Portal of the Americas is a unit of the Department of Human Development, Education and Employment (DHDEE) of the OAS that is committed to making quality education accessible to the peoples of the Americas through the use online professional development training, knowledge management, and institutional capacity strengthening projects that enhance innovation and the use of new technologies in education.

1. Capacity Building Capacity building for innovation in education: The Portal offers high-level consultancy and technical assistance for the implementation of projects, programs and policies for innovation and incorporation of new technologies for the improvement of educational quality, aimed at educational entities and governments of OAS member states.

2. Online and blended courses: design, development and facilitation of educational programs in virtual, face to face, and blended environments; tutor training.
MOOCS: development and implementation of Massive Open Online Courses in different topics.
Virtual Networks and Communities of Practice: development, activation, and invigoration of social educative networks that enhance collaboration between diverse groups of citizens or institutions; training for community developers or activators; hosting and domain management services; reporting statistics.

3. Digital Content Production and Management: content curatorship (information centralization, classification by thematic axes, content redesign, and creation of graphic materials and multimedia) interface development, hosting, maintenance, reporting.

4. E-learning platforms: development of customized solutions for online learning platforms.

www.educoas.org

Beneficiaries: Citizens, teachers, educational entities and government entities of the member countries of the OAS

Partnerships and Financing: Financing:
United States Mision
China (Observer Mission)
Turkey (Observer Mission)
Uzbekistan (Observer Mission)

Partnerships:
St. Lucia Goverment
Consejo Superior Universitario de Centro América – CSUCA
FLACSO – Chile
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture – IICA
Inter-American Commission of Women - ICW
Parque Explora Corporation– Colombia

Inter-American Network for Labor Administration (RIAL)

The Inter-American Network for Labor Administration (RIAL) is a cooperation and technical assistance mechanism among the Ministries of Labor of the Americas. It was created by the Ministries themselves, with the purpose of strengthening their institutional and human capacities.

Since its creation in 2006, it has made a substantial contribution toward better institutions and better policies in the main areas of labor and employment, including youth employment. The concrete outcomes of the RIAL include the design of policies and programs, the improvement of internal procedures in the Ministries and the development of regulatory frameworks.

It has trained over 1200 government officials, labor union and employers representatives, has engaged more than 16 international organizations including the members of the Joint Summits Working Group (JSWG) and especially ILO, 27 research centers and NGOs, and it has counted on the active participation of all Member States.

The RIAL operates as a system of the following complementary and mutually reinforcing tools:

1) Portfolio of Programs
2) Workshops and Seminars
3) Technical Studies
4) Bilateral cooperation activities
5) Newsletter
6) Webpage and Virtual Forums and Videoconferences

Since its creation, the RIAL has held 21 hemispheric workshops and 95 bilateral cooperation activities involving all Ministries of Labor of the region, it has a Portfolio of over 140 programs.

The RIAL has provided support to governments to improve their youth employment strategies through more than 10 bilateral cooperation activities and 2 prominent hemispheric workshops. The latter is highlighted below.

The RIAL “Inter-Sectoral Workshop on Youth Employment” was held in December, 2016 in Brasilia. It was the first meeting that brought together at the regional level representatives from Ministries of Labor and Ministries of Education.

During the event, which also included the participation of representatives of workers and employers and international organizations, there was an exchange of experiences and strategies implemented by the Ministries aimed at promoting youth employment.

Lessons learned and policy recommendations were identified during the workshop. The following are especially noteworthy:
• the need to enhance secondary and technical education to achieve a better school-to-work transition
• the need to strengthen tripartite dialogue (State-workers-employers) in the development and execution of policies and programs
• the need to incorporate aspects of the world of work and develop life skills in education and training
• the need to deepen the relationship between technical education and training systems and businesses and reinforce observatories and labor-related data systems to detect future occupational needs and provide feedback to training providers

A number of next steps were also identified:
• Continue to promote these types of gatherings at a regional and subregional level
• Enhance south-south cooperation to share and improve management practices
• Document effective intersectoral coordination experiences;

The main challenges to be tackled and that make intersectoral coordination more urgent were identified, to wit:
• Continue to promote these types of gatherings at a regional and subregional level
• Inequality among different groups in the labor market, which represents, among other things, greater job insecurity and informality for youth with lower schooling levels;
• the skills mismatch, which becomes evident in the increasing difficulty employers in the region are reporting when it comes to finding the skills needed in the labor force; and
• the difficult situation young people find themselves in as they face high unemployment rates, informality, and inactivity.

The current challenges of the labor market, marked by rapid technological changes, the demand economy, and the fourth industrial revolution, as well as millennials’ expectations of a new work culture were consistently brought up during the event and were also recognized as being an additional pressure on the already urgent need to coordinate inter-sectoral policies to promote youth employment.

www.rialnet.org

Beneficiaries: Directly: Ministries of Labor of the region
Indirectly: Workers, employers and general population

Partnerships and Financing: RIAL is developed in close partnership with the International Labor Organization (ILO). The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS) are also important contributors to RIAL activities.

RIAL is funded by the Ministries of Labor, through voluntary contributions to a fund managed by OAS.

Rowe Fund program - financial aid for studies in the United States

The OAS Rowe Fund program grants interest-free student loans to Latin American and Caribbean citizens to help them cover the last two years of undergraduate or graduate studies in U.S. universities.

These loans are granted with the understanding that loan recipients commit to:

- Repaying the loan in full within a term of, at most, fifty-three months after completion of the studies or research program for which the loan is granted; and

- Returning to their home countries within a year after completion of their studies in the U.S.

The Rowe Fund fosters friendship and communication between the peoples of the region through the positive benefits of intellectual and educational exchange. Many of the beneficiaries of these loans, upon returning to their country of origin, have contributed to the social and economic development in the region by occupying key positions in their countries' public sector, academia, the arts, and businesses.

The Rowe Fund program originated in 1948 with a testamentary disposition from Dr. Leo S. Rowe, Ex-Director General of the Pan American Union (precursor of the OAS). Its management is entrusted to the OAS Permanent Council through a Committee consisting of four member states and the OAS Secretary General.

Receipt, evaluation, and processing of loan application, monitoring graduation, return to beneficiary's country of origin, repayment, and program's assessment.

www.oas.org/en/rowefund

Beneficiaries: OAS Member States with the exception of Canada and the United States

Partnerships and Financing: Self-funded, revolving fund consisting on a loan portfolio (two modalities of loans) and an investment portfolio

Inter-American Education System

In order to continue supporting member states´ efforts to ensure the right to quality education for all, the Government of Colombia, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the OAS General Secretariat, signed a Letter of Intent at the VII Summit of the Americas (Panama, April, 2015) to create an Inter-American Education System. The System’s main objective would be to increase the collaboration of partner institutions to strengthen the capacities of OAS Member States to develop public policies oriented towards improving the quality of education, through research, the identification of effective public policies, the exchange of experiences and technical cooperation for public policy formulation.
Through the proposed areas of action, the Inter-American Education System is expected to support the implementation of the Inter-American Education Agenda - in particular the lines of action prioritized by the Working Group 1 on the theme of “Quality, Inclusive and Equitable Education -, which was recently adopted at the IX Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education held in The Bahamas in February 2017.

Activities:
Activities carried-out during 2016:
1) Preparation of a conceptual map that identifies and systematizes the different contributing factors to students´ learning processes (from preschool to technical vocational education)

2) Development of a map of promising practices and relevant publications developed by multilateral governmental institutions and agencies in the region in the last 5 years.

3) Establishing new partnerships to identify financial and technical support that allows for advancing the design and implementation of activities that respond to the objectives of the project.

4) Organize consultation processes between partner institutions to define a plan of action to implement an Inter-American Education System that supports the implementation of an Inter-American Education Agenda.

Activities to be carried out:
5) Develop a protocol to identify innovative practices of policies, programs and initiatives developed by OAS Member States in the last 5 years to reduce education inequality, with a particular emphasis on those aiming at improving students´ learning achievements.


6) Develop a document that provides Member States with policy recommendations directed towards the review, strengthening and/or development of policies, programs and initiatives that seek to improve students´ learning processes and address education inequality, with a specific emphasis on improving students´ learning achievements. The document will also propose strategies of action to implement those policy recommendations.

7) Organize a meeting to disseminate and discuss the documents prepared, and to promote the exchange of experiences among Member States on the themes addressed.


8) Design and implementation of training mechanisms to build capacities in member states to evaluate, review, reform and develop innovative public policies that address inequality in education from a socio-inclusive education approach.

Beneficiaries: OAS Member States; Multilateral governmental agencies who are partners of the initiative.

Partnerships:
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
Inter-American Development Bank
Development Bank of Latin America (CAF)
Organization of Ibero-American States
World Bank
UNESCO Regional Bureau of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean

Financing:
Development Bank of Latin America (CAF)
Permanent Observer Mission of China to the OAS

Initiatives:
1. 2030 ICT Alliance for the Americas
2. COM/CITEL/RES. 287 (XXXII-16): Support from CITEL for the Implementation of the Outcomes of the Seventh Summit of the Americas and in Preparation for the VIII Summit of the Americas


1. On June 14, 2016, in the framework of the 46 Regular Session of the OAS General Assembly, held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the “2030 ICT Alliance for the Americas” was launched with support from the CITEL Secretariat. The Alliance recognizes the potential of global connectivity to accelerate human progress in Latin America and the Caribbean, reducing digital gaps and developing knowledge societies. The Commitments assumed in this Alliance are focused on working together, private sector with the leadership of the ICT industry, public sector and multilateral institutions, to pledge to do the following:
• To work together to ensure that additional 150 million of persons in the Americas are brought online.
• To have all public schools of the Americas connected to the Internet before 2030.
• To promote digital training education with relevant local contents that enhance the quality of education in the Americas.
• To develop the talent for the new digital economy.
• To build up democratic participation in the Americas on the basis of ICTs.
In the framework of the 2030 ICT Alliance of the Americas, CITEL is implementing a project with PROFUTURO (from Fundacion Telefonica) called Digital Mobile Classroom, which offers an innovative offline solution to improve quality education through digital resources that provide access to quality and transformational education creating spaces more inclusive and focusing in the enhancement of teacher´s skills, methods and competencies through digital technologies. Our target is children in primary education.
2. To support the Global Connect efforts to catalyze multi-sectoral initiatives to attract 1.5 billion new Internet users online by 2020, including its principles to achieve Internet connectivity; to ensure that all public schools in the Americas are connected to the Internet by 2030 and create relevant local content; and to promote digital training to help raise the quality of education and build talent for the new digital economy.
3. In 2016, CITEL had 6 Regional Training Centers distributed throughout the region. The program of courses for which scholarships were offered was prepared on the basis of surveys on the region’s telecommunication training needs. Pursuant to the provisions of resolution COM/CITEL RES. 271 (XXX-15).

Activities:
1. Challenge #STEM4Good Americas: Inspired, Explore, Learn. Thanks to the initiative of the OAS, CITEL and Telefonica, framed in the 2030 ICT Alliance, young entrepreneurs between 14 and 18 years old are been trained to create mobile applications based on the AppInventor platform.
2. 2017 Call for collaboration with all Ministries of Education to implement PROFUTURO’s DIGITAL MOBILE CLASSROOM to improve the quality of education through digital education in highly vulnerable environments in Latin America and the Caribbean
3. In 2016 115 scholarships were offered for 13 online courses and 4 onsite courses, details of which are given in CITEL’s 2016 Annual Report.

Website:
https://www.citel.oas.org
https://www.citel.oas.org/en/SiteAssets/About-Citel/Next-Meetings/ALIANZA/ALIANZATIC2030%20-%20FIRMADA%20-%20ENG.pdf
https://www.citel.oas.org/en/Pages/Scholarships.aspx
https://www.citel.oas.org/en/SiteAssets/About-Citel/Next-Meetings/ALIANZA/ALIANZATICAMERICAS_ENG%20-%2013%20junio%202016-%20FINAL.pdf

Beneficiaries:
• Young entrepreneurs between 14 and 18 years old
• 115 professionals in the Americas from 20 Member States awarded with ICT scholarships from OAS/CITEL.
• Internet users in the Americas
• All Public schools of the Americas connected to the Internet before 2030.
• Digital classrooms that will benefit 1 million students in the Americas

Partnerships and Financing: OAS, CITEL and Telefonica

OAS Academic Scholarship Program
The OAS Academic Scholarship Program supports the integral development of OAS members states by granting scholarships to students of the Americas for the pursuit of master’s degrees, doctoral degrees and research leading to a degree, as well as the last two years of bachelor's degrees for students from English-speaking Caribbean member states and Suriname, in priority development areas identified by member states.

Activities: Scholarships granted each year for master’s degrees, doctoral degrees and research leading to a degree, as well as the last two years of bachelor's degrees for students from English-speaking Caribbean member states and Suriname.

Website: www.oas.org/en/scholarships/

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: Regular fund and contributions from partner institutions of higher education.

OAS Academic Scholarship ProgramThe OAS Academic Scholarship Program supports the integral development of OAS members states by granting scholarships to students of the Americas for the pursuit of master’s degrees, doctoral degrees and research leading to a degree, as well as the last two years of bachelor's degrees for students from English-speaking Caribbean member states and Suriname, in priority development areas identified by member states.

Activities: Scholarships granted each year for master’s degrees, doctoral degrees and research leading to a degree, as well as the last two years of bachelor's degrees for students from English-speaking Caribbean member states and Suriname. Scholarship recipients may select programs of study related to the teaching of English, French, Portuguese, or Spanish as a second language.

Website: www.oas.org/en/scholarships/

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnership and financing: Regular fund and contributions from partner institutions of higher education.

OAS Academic Scholarship Program
The OAS Academic Scholarship Program supports the integral development of OAS members states by granting scholarships to students of the Americas for the pursuit of master’s degrees, doctoral degrees and research leading to a degree, as well as the last two years of bachelor's degrees for students from English-speaking Caribbean member states and Suriname, in priority development areas identified by member states.

Activities: Scholarships granted each year for master’s degrees, doctoral degrees and research leading to a degree, as well as the last two years of bachelor's degrees for students from English-speaking Caribbean member states and Suriname in areas of study related to Scientific Development and the Exchange and Transfer of Technology.

Website: www.oas.org/en/scholarships/

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnership and Financing: Regular fund and contributions from partner institutions of higher education.

Initiative: Cooperation through Knowledge Exchange and the Transfer of Practices in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education in Nine Countries in Latin America (Phase I) (EducaSTEM)

EducaSTEM, coordinated by the Educational Portal of the Americas, is a regional network that aims to improve access to information and knowledge transfer on best practices and lessons learned for STEM Education programs and initiatives at the pre-primary, primary, and secondary levels.

Activities: -A network of professionals and institutions that design and implement STEM Education practices, who are interested in sharing their knowledge, experiences and resources on STEM Education practices from the region and around the world.
-A STEM Education practice map that visually identifies and describes practices, programs and initiatives related to the teaching and learning of STEM subjects in early childhood, primary and secondary levels in the Americas.
-Horizontal technical cooperation missions between governmental, academic, private, and civil society institutions from OAS Member states to promote and support the sharing and transfer of STEM Education knowledge and best practices.
- A guide to identify Inquiry Based Learning Practices (IBL) on STEM Education to promote critical thinking as a powerful tool for breaking gender gaps and stereotypes as well as contributing to equality based societies.

Website: http://educastem.org/en/

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: Contributions from the Permanent Observer Mission of Turkey and the Permanent Observer Mission of the of China; OAS in kind contributions; and contributions from EducaSTEM network members.

Initiative: Cooperation through Knowledge Exchange and the Transfer of Practices in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education in Nine Countries in Latin America (Phase I) (EducaSTEM)

EducaSTEM, coordinated by the Educational Portal of the Americas, is a regional network that aims to improve access to information and knowledge transfer on best practices and lessons learned for STEM Education programs and initiatives at the pre-primary, primary, and secondary levels.

Activities: -A network of professionals and institutions that design and implement STEM Education practices, who are interested in sharing their knowledge, experiences and resources on STEM Education practices from the region and around the world.
-A STEM Education practice map that visually identifies and describes practices, programs and initiatives related to the teaching and learning of STEM subjects in early childhood, primary and secondary levels in the Americas.
-Horizontal technical cooperation missions between governmental, academic, private, and civil society institutions from OAS Member states to promote and support the sharing and transfer of STEM Education knowledge and best practices.
- A guide to identify Inquiry Based Learning Practices (IBL) on STEM Education to promote critical thinking as a powerful tool for breaking gender gaps and stereotypes as well as contributing to equality based societies.

Website: http://educastem.org/en/

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnership and Financing: Contributions from the Permanent Observer Mission of Turkey and the Permanent Observer Mission of the of China; OAS in kind contributions; and contributions from EducaSTEM network members.

Initiative: Building of the Inter-American Education Agenda
One of the chief mandates adopted by the VIII Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education is the
Building of the Inter-American Education Agenda led by Ministries of Education of OAS Member States through three Working Groups conformed in the following prioritized themes:
-Quality and Inclusive Education
-Strengthening of the Teaching Profession
-Comprehensive Early Childhood Care

Activities: 1. Three field visits (May and July 2015) to Member States that are Chair of the Working Groups to activate the three Working Groups for the Building of the Inter-American Education Agenda that were created at the VIII Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education. Meetings were held with High Authorities – such as the Minister of Education, Vice-Ministers and their teams, and the Director of Cooperation.
2. Planning Meeting for the Building of the Inter-American Education Agenda in Cambridge, Massachusetts (July 23-24, 2015), to strengthen the capacities of the Ministries of Education of the countries leading the Working Groups to prepare proposals for the development of Work Plans containing suggested initiatives for implementing hemispheric cooperation actions on the prioritized themes*.
3. Teleconferences with Ministries of Education leading the Working Groups to provide technical and logistical support to contribute to the definition of the Proposed Work Plans drafted during the Cambridge meeting, which contain a list of agreed proposed initiatives for implementing hemispheric cooperation actions on the prioritized themes.
4. Development of the Virtual Platform for Education Cooperation in the Americas to support the building of the Inter-American Educational Agenda by promoting cooperation on educational solutions developed by the countries of the region to meet their major educational challenges, as well as to improve communications and the flow of information among Member States in the field of Education.**

Website: http://agendaeducativacie.org/

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: *Ministry of Education of Panama
**Ministry of Education of Panama and Permanent Observer Mission of Greece to the OAS

Initiative: Inter-American Education System
In follow-up to the Letter of Commitment signed at the VII Summit of the Americas (Panama, April 2015) by the CAF, CEPAL, IADB, OAS and World Bank, the Coordination of Education has been assigned to lead the preparation of project proposals for the development of an Inter-American Education System.

Activities:
1. In consultation with different stakeholders within and outside the Organization, six project proposals were prepared by the Coordination Unit to advance development of the Inter-American Education System. Proposals were enhanced through discussions with different OAS authorities, and members of the task force created by the Secretary General to implement this activity.

2. Participation in technical meetings with signatory organizations and in internal (OAS) meetings for discussion and dialogue.

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Initiative: FIRST FORUM OF UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS
An initiative of the President of the Republic of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, and in the framework of the Seventh Summit of the Americas, the Forum of University Presidents was organized to examine cooperation challenges with a view to achieving prosperity through education.
The event was a joint effort of the Ministry of Education of Panama (MEDUCA), the Technological University of Panama (UTP), Georgia Institute of Technology, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Organization of American States (OAS).
The discussion topic was “Prosperity and education: the challenge of cooperation in the Americas”.
The forum was structured around plenary sessions, panels and working groups . The Council of Rectors of Panama also participated in proceedings. The participants prepared a set of recommendations that were submitted to the region’s heads of State and Government.
This is a forum to strengthen mechanisms for mutual collaboration and fluency in interaction with the state, civil society, academia and other productive sectors to facilitate the design of public policies.

Activities: The forum focused on three themes: "Academic Mobility", "Technology and Innovation" and "Sustainable Economic Development".
a. Academic Mobility - A proposal was discussed to create a Network of Academic Mobility, which will be an essential tool of academic life. This network is intended to be taken over by governments as a priority in the integration process of the Americas. Consequently, it was proposed that the Presidents and Heads of Government of the Americas commit to creating and funding a hemispheric mobility plan for undergraduate and graduate students, teachers, and researchers. The ultimate goal is the creation of an interrelated system of academic equivalencies, such as those already achieved in other continents.
b. Technology and Innovation - The priority to reduce the gap of appropriation in the use of technology among and within our countries was introduced. A recommendation was issued regarding connectivity between universities to be enhanced, as a vehicle geared toward promoting a comprehensive and efficient technology transfer and greater equity in the access to information.
c. Sustainable Economic Development - The focus was placed on how universities should work with the State and the economic sector on the necessary and urgent progress from economies limited to the exploitation of natural resources and extractive labor, towards knowledge-based economies. Recommendations were issued about effective mechanisms to be generated so that the universities’ human capital is available and can support innovation in the public and private sectors, promoting applied research to contribute to solving the needs of the people. Another recommendation involved the incorporation of new technologies, respect for ecosystems and the development of alternative energy sources to be integrated harmoniously to society.

Website: http://foroderectores.pa/en/

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: Ministry of Education of Panama

Initiative: OAS Scholarship Program for Haiti
The main objective of the OAS Scholarship Program for Haiti is to train people for the reconstruction of Haiti. The overall goal of the Program is for Haitians to contribute to the development of their country upon completion of their studies.

Activities: Scholarships granted each year to Haitian citizens to enable them to contribute to the development of their country.

Website: www.oas.org/en/scholarships/haiti.asp

Beneficiaries: Haiti

Partnership and Financing: Contributions from partner institutions of higher education and initial allocation from the OAS Scholarship Capital Fund.

Initiative: ITEN Technical Cooperation Missions
ITEN’s technical cooperation missions are field visits financed by ITEN, which aim to support institutional strengthening of Ministries of Education of OAS member states. These encounters allow Ministry-level representatives and education experts to exchange knowledge on specific policies, experiences and good practices in the field of the teaching profession in the Americas. All participating countries provide reports containing detailed information about the mission, which are shared in our knowledge bank, Co-TEP, for reference to other OAS member states and interested parties.

Activities: A total of 14 technical cooperation missions with the participation of 23 OAS member states have been held as of October 13, 2015. Topics included Teacher Professional Development on Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, and Sciences; Teaching Methodologies; Teachers Career Path; Principals and School Management; Pre-service Teachers; Teacher Working-Conditions; Self-sustaining Rural Schools, and Sciences Curriculum Revision.

Website: www.oas.org/en/iten

Beneficiaries: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Canada, Chile, Dominica, El Salvador,Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Panama, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.

Partnerships and Financing: This activity is part of the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN), a project of the Department of Human Development and Education of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development. ITEN is an initiative carried out with the financial support of the U.S. Permanent Mission to the OAS. The Technical Cooperation Missions have also received in-kind support from participating Ministries of Education.

Initiative: ITEN Technical Cooperation Missions
ITEN’s technical cooperation missions are field visits financed by ITEN, which aim to support institutional strengthening of Ministries of Education of OAS member states. These encounters allow Ministry-level representatives and education experts to exchange knowledge on specific policies, experiences and good practices in the field of the teaching profession in the Americas. All participating countries provide reports containing detailed information about the mission, which are shared in our knowledge bank, Co-TEP, for reference to other OAS member states and interested parties.

Activities: A total of 14 technical cooperation missions with the participation of 23 OAS member states have been held as of October 13, 2015. Topics included Teacher Professional Development on Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, and Sciences; Teaching Methodologies; Teachers Career Path; Principals and School Management; Pre-service Teachers; Teacher Working-Conditions; Self-sustaining Rural Schools, and Sciences Curriculum Revision.

Website: www.oas.org/en/iten

Beneficiaries: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Canada, Chile, Dominica, El Salvador,Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Panama, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.

Partnerships and Financing: This activity is part of the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN), a project of the Department of Human Development and Education of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development. ITEN is an initiative carried out with the financial support of the U.S. Permanent Mission to the OAS. The Technical Cooperation Missions have also received in-kind support from participating Ministries of Education.

Initiative: ITEN Radio and Podcast Programs
This is a series of interactive radio programs and podcasts for teachers in rural areas of OAS member states. These free audio programs strengthen teachers’ ability to teach critical thinking skills in mathematics, literacy, science, and citizenship education. Woven into an entertaining drama series, the participatory lessons feature short pauses that allow teachers to respond to questions, partake in group discussions, write plans for their classes, and more. They learn practical skills to apply in the classroom immediately.


Activities: The audio programs will initially reach 520 middle and high school teachers directly, with roughly 2,800 more targeted for participation, in three countries - Belize, Costa Rica and Guatemala. Potential future implementations and online access will increase the coverage of this program. However, this program is accessible and free of charge for all OAS member states. The audio programs are accessible in mobile devices through podcast applications.

Website: www.oas.org/en/iten

Beneficiaries: Belize, Costa Rica and Guatemala.

Partnerships and Financing: ITEN made available grants for the implementation, follow-up and assessment of this activity in Belize, Costa Rica and Guatemala. This activity is part of the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN), a project of the Department of Human Development and Education of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development. ITEN is an initiative carried out with the financial support of the U.S. Permanent Mission to the OAS.

Initiative: Inter-American Collaboratory on the Teaching Profession (Co-TEP)
The Inter-American Collaboratory on the Teaching Profession (Co-TEP) is a collaborative virtual knowledge bank created to allow ministries of education and key stakeholders to share policies, good practices, publications and research documents related to the teaching profession in the Americas. The Co-TEP was conceived from the need identified by Ministers of Education during the Seventh Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education of OAS member states to create a regional bank to foster knowledge exchange and cooperation among countries on teacher policies in the Americas.

Activities: More than 300 contributions (documents, videos, and publications) are available, with more than 27,000 views from visitors as of October 13, 2015. Topics include teacher recruitment, teacher preparation, teacher professional development, teachers' career path, school leadership and principals and special topics related to the teaching profession- literacy, numeracy, science, civic education, early childhood, and information and communication technologies (ICTs). An MOU has been signed with UNESCO/OREALC; UNESCO has donated its complete library / knowledge bank of publications to Co-TEP.

Website; www.oas.org/cotep | www.oas.org/en/iten

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states

Partnerships and Financing: This activity is part of the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN), a project of the Department of Human Development and Education of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development. ITEN is an initiative carried out with the financial support of the U.S. Permanent Mission to the OAS. Co-TEP has been a partner of PREAL, which contributed its complete library of publications to Co-TEP. Currently, UNESCO is financing a consultant to migrate their INNOVEMOS database into the Co-TEP.

Initiative: Inter-American Collaboratory on the Teaching Profession (Co-TEP)
The Inter-American Collaboratory on the Teaching Profession (Co-TEP) is a collaborative virtual knowledge bank created to allow ministries of education and key stakeholders to share policies, good practices, publications and research documents related to the teaching profession in the Americas. The Co-TEP was conceived from the need identified by Ministers of Education during the Seventh Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education of OAS member states to create a regional bank to foster knowledge exchange and cooperation among countries on teacher policies in the Americas.

Activities: More than 300 contributions (documents, videos, and publications) are available, with more than 27,000 views from visitors as of October 13, 2015. Topics include teacher recruitment, teacher preparation, teacher professional development, teachers' career path, school leadership and principals and special topics related to the teaching profession- Literacy, numeracy, science, civic education, early childhood, and information and communication technologies (ICTs). A MOU has been signed with UNESCO/OREALC; Unesco has donated all its library / knowledge bank of publication to Co-TEP.

Website: www.oas.org/cotep | www.oas.org/en/iten

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states

Partnerships and Financing: This activity is part of the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN), a project of the Department of Human Development and Education of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development. ITEN is an initiative carried out with the financial support of the U.S. Permanent Mission to the OAS. Co-TEP has been a partner of PREAL, which contributed all its library of publication to Co-TEP. Currently, UNESCO is financing a consultant to migrate their INNOVEMOS database into the Co-TEP.

Iniciative: Inter-American Collaboratory on the Teaching Profession (Co-TEP)
The Inter-American Collaboratory on the Teaching Profession (Co-TEP) is a collaborative virtual knowledge bank created to allow ministries of education and key stakeholders to share policies, good practices, publications and research documents related to the teaching profession in the Americas. The Co-TEP was conceived from the need identified by Ministers of Education during the Seventh Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education of OAS member states to create a regional bank to foster knowledge exchange and cooperation among countries on teacher policies in the Americas.

Activites: More than 300 contributions (documents, videos, and publications) are available, with more than 27,000 views from visitors as of October 13, 2015. Topics include teacher recruitment, teacher preparation, teacher professional development, teachers' career path, school leadership and principals and special topics related to the teaching profession- Literacy, numeracy, science, civic education, early childhood, and information and communication technologies (ICTs). A MOU has been signed with UNESCO/OREALC; Unesco has donated all its library / knowledge bank of publication to Co-TEP.

Website: www.oas.org/cotep | www.oas.org/en/iten

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states

Partnerships and Financing: This activity is part of the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN), a project of the Department of Human Development and Education of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development. ITEN is an initiative carried out with the financial support of the U.S. Permanent Mission to the OAS. Co-TEP has been a partner of PREAL, which contributed all its library of publication to Co-TEP. Currently, UNESCO is financing a consultant to migrate their INNOVEMOS database into the Co-TEP.

Initiative: Mi Escuela en Acción Workshops
These workshops encompass a multidisciplinary approach to project-based learning. Teachers are encouraged to use critical thinking in different subject areas such as mathematics, literature, sciences, and citizenship education to tackle problems in the community.

Actividades: Mi Escuela en Acción Argentina
Took place from September 24 to 25, 2014 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Partnership with the Ministry of Education of Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires.
Over 40 teachers participated
The Ministry of Education of Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires will be expanding this initiative to other teachers in the region.

Mi Escuela en Acción El Salvador
Took place from April 21 to April 23, 2015 in San Salvador, El Salvador
Partnership with the Ministry of Education of El Salvador.
Over 40 teachers from the Young Talents Program participated.
ITEN held a follow-up virtual workshop with the teachers in El Salvador on August 27, 2015.

Mi Escuela en Accion Guatemala
Partnership with Ministry of Education of Guatemala and the Rigoberta Menchu Foundation
Took place from May 20th to May 22, 2015, in San Lucas, Toliman, Guatemala.
Over 40 teachers participated.
ITEN held a follow-up virtual workshop with the teachers in San Lucas on September 10, 2015

Website: www.oas.org/en/iten

Beneficiaries: Argentina, El Salvador and Guatemala

Partnerships and Financing:
Partnerships with:
. The Ministry of Education of Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires;
. The Ministry of Education of El Salvador;
. The Ministry of Education of Guatemala and the Rigoberta Menchu Foundation.

This activity was financed by the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN), a project of the Department of Human Development and Education of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development. ITEN is an initiative carried out with the financial support of the U.S. Permanent Mission to the OAS. My School in Action has also received in-kind and/or financial support from participating Ministries of Education.

Initiative: Massive open online courses (MOOCs) - Spanish Version
The development of MOOCs is rooted in the idea of openness in education, in the free sharing of knowledge, and in the belief that the desire to learn should be satisfied without demographic, economic, and geographical constraints. ITEN MOOCs aim to strengthen teachers' skills, offering practical tools, including lesson plan formats and methodological approaches to develop critical skills in the students

Activities:
The Spanish version of the MOOC was launched on August 31, 2015. As of October 14, 2015, the MOOC had hosted 7,000 participants from 21 OAS member states.

Website: www.oas.org/en/iten

Initiative: ITEN Virtual Toolkit - Spanish Version
The Virtual Toolkits provide teachers with theoretical and practical tools to strengthen teaching in the classroom, including the design, implementation and evaluation of lesson plans. These toolkits are focused on general concepts to promote critical thinking skills in all subjects for secondary-level students with emphasis on mathematics, reading comprehension, science and citizenship education.

Activities: The Spanish version of the Virtual Toolkit was launched on September 22, 2015. As of October 14, 2015, the Virtual Toolkit had hosted 2,000 participants from OAS member states. The toolkit is accessible on desktop and laptop computers as well as mobile devices through the UDEMY app.

Website: www.oas.org/en/iten

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: This activity is part of the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN), a project of the Department of Human Development and Education of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development. ITEN is an initiative carried out with the financial support of the U.S. Permanent Mission to the OAS.

Initiatives: ITEN Virtual Community of Practice
The ITEN Virtual Community is an open-access network with more than 25,000 registered participants who are leading professionals in education at all levels and in various modalities. The platform, available in English and Spanish, allows teachers from various countries in the Americas to exchange ideas, experiences and good practices related to education.


Activities:
ITEN Virtual Community allows teachers to:
- Create thematic groups and share resources with colleagues;
- Participate in forums and exchange key information through online debates;
- Share videos and photos of their classrooms and practice;
- Participate in webinars on topics related to the teaching profession and practice presented by specialists.
- Learn about events related to the teaching profession
- Learn about scholarships and other opportunities for professional development

Website: www.itenamericas.net / www.riedamericas.net

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states

Partnerships and Financing: This activity is part of the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN), a project of the Department of Human Development and Education of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development. ITEN is an initiative carried out with the financial support of the U.S. Permanent Mission to the OAS.

Initiative: Webinars
These free, one-hour, live, online seminars are led by a specialist from the region on the proposed theme and provide K-12 teachers with practical and methodological tools to be used in class. All webinars are recorded and posted on the ITEN YouTube channel and Virtual Community of Practice for free access.

Activities: A total of 52 webinars (Spanish: 27 | English: 25) have been held, with more than 15,700 registered participants, and the webinars posted on ITEN Youtube Channel have had more than 44,000 views as of October 13, 2015. The webinars are accessible on all kind of devices: computer, laptops, tablets and smart phones.

Website: www.oas.org/en/iten | www.youtube.com/riediten

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states

Partnerships and Financing: This activity is part of the Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN), a project of the Department of Human Development and Education of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development. ITEN is an initiative carried out with the financial support of the U.S. Permanent Mission to the OAS.

Initiative: OAS Partnerships Program for Education and Training (PAEC) (Scholarship Program)
PAEC is an innovative partnerships program intended to tap into scholarships, tuition waivers and other offers made by governments and educational institutions around the world. PAEC allows the OAS to cooperate with a range of institutions to provide citizens of member states with greater access to quality higher education opportunities including academic degrees, professional development and technical/vocational training.

Activities: Scholarships granted each year for graduate and undergraduate degrees as well as professional development courses in OAS member and observer states.

Website: www.oas.org/en/scholarships/

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: Contributions from partner institutions of higher education and Regular Fund.

Initiative: OAS Partnerships Program for Education and Training (PAEC) (Scholarship Program)
PAEC is an innovative partnerships program intended to tap into scholarships, tuition waivers and other offers made by governments and educational institutions around the world. PAEC allows the OAS to cooperate with a range of institutions to provide citizens of member states with greater access to quality higher education opportunities including academic degrees, professional development and technical/vocational training.

Activities: Scholarships granted each year for graduate and undergraduate degrees as well as professional development courses in OAS member and observer states. The OAS-Coimbra Group of Brazilian Universities Scholarship Program and the OAS-Government of China Scholarship Program include language learning components in Portuguese and Mandarin, respectively. Additionally, scholarship recipients may select programs of study related to the teaching of English, French, Portuguese, or Spanish as a second language.

Website: www.oas.org/en/scholarships/

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: Contributions from partner institutions of higher education and Regular Fund.

Initiative: OAS Partnerships Program for Education and Training (PAEC) (Scholarship Program)
PAEC is an innovative partnerships program intended to tap into scholarships, tuition waivers and other offers made by governments and educational institutions around the world. PAEC allows the OAS to cooperate with a range of institutions to provide citizens of member states with greater access to quality higher education opportunities including academic degrees, professional development and technical/vocational training.

Activities: Scholarships granted each year for graduate and undergraduate degrees as well as professional development courses in OAS member and observer states related to Scientific Development and the Exchange and Transfer of Technology.

Website: www.oas.org/en/scholarships/

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: Contributions from partner institutions of higher education and Regular Fund.

Initiative: Professional Development Scholarship Program (PDSP)
PDSP supports the integral development of OAS member states by awarding scholarships for participation in professional development training in priority development areas identified by member states.

Activity: Scholarships granted for professional development courses in OAS member and observer states.

Website: www.oas.org/en/scholarships/professionaldev.asp

Beneficiares: All OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: Contributions from partner institutions of higher education and Regular Fund.

Initiative: Professional Development Scholarship Program (PDSP)
PDSP supports the integral development of OAS member states by awarding scholarships for participation in professional development training in priority development areas identified by member states.

Activities: Scholarships granted for professional development courses in OAS member and observer states related to Scientific Development and the Exchange and Transfer of Technology.

Website; www.oas.org/en/scholarships/professionaldev.asp

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: Contributions from partner institutions of higher education and Regular Fund.

Initiative: Educational Portal of the Americas
The Educational Portal of the Americas (EPA) works in support of ICT-based education by offering online training opportunities to citizens of OAS members states. The EPA has provided thousands of citizens with access to affordable professional development opportunities, with particular emphasis on raising the quality of education and the innovative use of ICTs in learning processes for teachers, teacher educators, policy makers, civil society leaders, researchers, and university professors in the Hemisphere.

Activities: - Scholarships granted for participation in online courses.
- Online networks and communities of practice for the exchange of knowledge and information.
- Capacity building projects to train teachers in the integration of technology to improve the quality of education.

Website; www.educoas.org
Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.
Partnerships and Financing: Contributions from offering institutions and Specific Funds.

Initiative: Educational Portal of the Americas
The Educational Portal of the Americas (EPA) works in support of ICT-based education by offering online training opportunities to citizens of OAS members states. The EPA has provided thousands of citizens with access to affordable professional development opportunities, with particular emphasis on raising the quality of education and the innovative use of ICTs in learning processes for teachers, teacher educators, policy makers, civil society leaders, researchers, and university professors in the Hemisphere.

Activities: Scholarships granted for participation in online courses.

Website: www.educoas.org
Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.
Partnerships and Financing: Contributions from offering institutions and Specific Funds.

Initiative: Leo S. Rowe Pan American Fund (The Rowe Fund)
The Rowe Fund awards interest-free loans to deserving citizens from Latin American and Caribbean OAS member states to help finance their studies or research at universities in the United States and grants subsidized interest-bearing educational and emergency loans to OAS staff members.

Activities: Interest-free student loans granted to citizens of OAS member states in Latin America and the Caribbean to pursue studies in the United States.

Interest-bearing student loans to GS/OAS staff.

Website: www.oas.org/en/rowefund/

Beneficiaries: citizens of Latin America and Caribbean OAS member countries and GS/OAS staff members

Partnerships and Financing: self-sustained fund

Initiative: Virtual Educa Symposium
Virtual Educa is a multilateral cooperation initiative that encourages innovation in education and professional training as a mechanism for promoting social inclusion, boosting competitiveness, and achieving higher levels of development, with special emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean. Virtual Educa organizes activities and offers collaborative spaces to promote, debate, share, and exchange ideas to improve education using information and communication technologies (ICT).

Activities: International Forum;
Regional and national forums;
Forums on innovation in education;
Projects in Connectivity for Education and Education for inclusion like Virtual Educa popup schools and classrooms.'

Website: www. virtualeduca.org

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: Contributions from the Host Country Government and Virtual Educa as well as in kind contributions from the OAS

Initiative: Virtual Educa Symposium
Virtual Educa is a multilateral cooperation initiative that encourages innovation in education and professional training as a mechanism for promoting social inclusion, boosting competitiveness, and achieving higher levels of development, with special emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean. Virtual Educa organizes activities and offers collaborative spaces to promote, debate, share, and exchange ideas to improve education using information and communication technologies (ICT).

Activities: International Forum;
Regional and national forums;
Forums on innovation in education;
Projects in Connectivity for Education and Education for inclusion like Virtual Educa popup schools and classrooms.

Website: www. virtualeduca.org
Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.
Partnerships and Financing: Contributions from the Host Country Government and Virtual Educa as well as in kind contributions from the OAS

OFFICE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

The National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACYT) and the Organization of American States (OAS), with the objective of training high-quality human resources, are pleased to announce the CONACYT of MEXICO / OAS Scholarship Program, an initiative that will provide 500 scholarships to students from the OAS Member States to pursue their graduate studies in science and engineering in Mexico. With an estimated value of $50 million (US), the Program is based on a donation from the CONACYT of Mexico to the Office of Science, Technology and Innovation of the OAS, as part of their contribution to the activities of the Working Group 2 on Human Resources, Training and Education of the Plan of Action of Panama 2012-2016. This Plan, adopted by the OAS Member States during the Third Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities of Science and Technology (November 2011, Panama), is the core document that guides Inter-American activities in the field science and technology.

The Advanced Research and Technology Collaboratory for the Americas (ARTCA) charts new ground in interdisciplinary, inter-institutional and international research and education, to address pressing problems that arise in the natural sciences, health, technology, and the human sciences. ARTCA creates both learning environments and spaces for digital discovery, presenting path-breaking computational approaches, resources, tools, and educational programming to showcase the future of collaborative research in the service of society across the Americas. Co-Founded by the University of Illinois Institute for Computing in Humanities, Arts and Social Science (I-CHASS), the Costa Rica Center for High Technology (CeNAT) and the Costa Rica United States Foundation (CRUSA); ARTCA is administered by I-CHASS, and is hosted and promoted by the Organization of American States (OAS). OAS-ARTCA encourages researchers, educators, and nonprofit leaders to work together on projects that can improve the quality of life for citizens of the Western Hemisphere. Moreover, OAS-ARTCA deploys advanced Internet Communications Technology (ICT) to transcend the intellectual, institutional, and financial barriers that can impede collaborative work. Emphasizing on the economic and social benefits of knowledge and technology transfer across the Americas, OAS-ARTCA seeks a durable network for sharing knowledge, technology, and discoveries. The “OAS-ATRCA Project for Strengthening Scientific and Technological Capabilities in the Americas“ will promote horizontal cooperation across countries and regions (South America, Central America and the Caribbean) to strengthen scientific networking through the exchange of best practices, placing special attention to th ose countries with less developed capabilities. The program will also count with the participation of professional expertise from The United States and Canada (Universities and Research Centers). The following projects are part of ARTCA:

Pan-American Summer Institute (PASI)
The objective of this PASI is to introduce young researchers to methods in Computation-Based Discovery (CBD). In quest of solutions to major problems (e.g., biodiversity, modeling of natural systems, water ecology, and so on), researchers across the natural and social sciences as well as the humanities and arts are generating massive and/or highly complex data sets that extend well-beyond humans’ capacities to perceive or analyze without sophisticated technological augmentation. CBD allows researchers to gather, transform and analyze data from a range of sources, including, for example, sensors, video archives, telescopes, and supercomputers. Researchers today need both access to advanced computational resources and sophisticated skills in data acquisition, management, transformation, visualization, analytics, and preservation. For example, sophisticated visualization tools and techniques enhance human understanding of extreme, complex and/or abstract data sets, making it easier to see patterns and relationships and to form or test hypotheses. The Institute will focus on CBD’s technical and analytical methods and help about 40 researchers apply these to their own research. Our key goals are to (1) expand participants’ knowledge of high performance computing (HPC) and specialized tools and techniques that support CBD involving massive or complex data sets; (2) provide hands-on experience in exploring large and complex data sets using easily accessible desktop open source tools; (3) bring researchers from underrepresented populations into the CBD field; and (4) foster new collegial friendships that stimulate both national and international co-operative partnerships among the presenters and attendees. Selected participants will have their round trip airfare, accommodation, meals and workshop expenses fully covered for the length of the PASI, thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Radical innovation Summit

This Summit, hosted by the Institute for Computing in Humanities, Arts and the Social Sciences (I-CHASS), the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, at the University of Illinois (UIUC), will convene leading practitioners, researchers and scholars of innovation to collectively consider how education in the US might be reconfigured to both support and teach innovation as a core curriculum mission, with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Summit participants will identify and articulate strategies for creating and sustaining learning environments that promise the development of innovative thinking skills, behaviors and dispositions that reward students, teachers, faculty and administrators for practicing and tuning these skills. Summit organizers will create a private online space where participants will be encouraged to continue discussions or comment further on the ideas generated over the course of the Summit. Mapping social networks of and among participants will provide insights into how innovation practices are shared and spread across relationships and networks. Ideas that emerge from the Summit will be made publicly available via the Radical Innovation Summit’s website. The Summit, and research that is developed from the meeting, is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation’s DRK12 program.

OFFICE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
Executive Immersion Program
The Executive Immersion Program is an activity addressed to Ministers, high-level government officials, directors and legislators within the Ministries and Councils of Science and Technology of the Latin American and Caribbean countries – to expose them to the possibilities offered by advanced technologies and reflect on how these tools could be used for integral development in their own countries. This Program will consist in a 5-day visit of the facilities of the University of Illinois, including the Blue Waters Supercomputer; the Virtual Cave; the Advanced Visualization Laboratory, the Digital Arts Gallery and the Inter-disciplinary Research Center. Additionally, during their stay, candidates will have the opportunity to attend conferences and sessions on themes related to advanced technologies and to establish contacts with professionals through networking opportunities.

This Program was brought to light thanks to the collective effort of the Institute for Computing in Humanities, Arts and Social Science (I-CHASS), the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, Illinois International Programs and Studies (UIUC), the Organization of American States and the Advanced Research and Technology Collaboratory for the Americas (OAS-ARTCA). The University of Illinois will provide accommodations, terminal expenses and per diem for selected participants. Airfare from home country to the State of Illinois will have to be assumed by the institution of each candidate.

Hemispheric Scalable Research Challenge (H-SRC)
The Program seeks to create a culture of generous collaboration among the sciences, humanities, arts and social science to develop solutions to large-scale research problems. Open to collaborations involving researchers of all manner of technical and/or non-technical expertise, the H-SRC will provide opportunities for humanities, arts, and social science researchers to work with computer scientists and scientist at centers already familiar with the challenges of intensive data mining, visualization, and other demanding applications. It seeks to make available the human/technical resources for researchers to develop skills for use with high performance computing tools and methods. The H-SRC will partner universities and institutes throughout the Americas including but not limited to the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the San Diego Supercomputer Center, the National Laboratory for Scientific Computing (LNCC), Petropolis, RJ, Brazil, Instituto Tecnologico de Costa Rica, as well as the Latin American Cooperation of Advanced Networks (RedCLARA), and will facilitate technical assistance, software availability, training and CPU hours to visionary researchers pushing the boundaries of interdisciplinary research depending on the needs of each project. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) have also agreed to partner with H-SRC to facilitate access to its records databases and facilitate access to the records of its affiliates throughout the Americas. This H-SRC will provide access to computational resources between 25,000 and 500,000 CPU hours per project and may include visualization tools and expertise as well. Working in consultation with supercomputing specialists, humanities, arts, social science and science researchers winning these allocations will have the ability to leverage high-end cyber infrastructure tools, technical assistance, compute and intellectual resources to further their project research. H-SRC will provide opportunities for support of projects in the areas of visualization and experimentation for the purposes of testing concepts, new theories and conducting proof of concept studies. Smaller projects that have the capacity to scale but which do not currently have the compute resources or the technical resources to conduct larger studies are also encouraged to apply.

Office of Scholarships, Training and Capacity Strengthening
The OAS offers scholarships to pursue academic studies and professional development training in the 8 development priority areas of the OAS, including education.

The OAS provide higher education opportunities to Haitian citizens through the OAS Scholarship Program for Haiti which allows Haitians to remain in Haiti while studying online and onsite. Through this scholarship program over 314 Hatian citizens were trained in: International Development Management; Capacity Building for Teaching and Learning; Public Management and Leadership; Introduction to Human Services; Management Principles; Marketing Principles; Introduction to Entrepreneurship; Introduction to Emergency Management; Health Systems Administration; Public Health methodology; Epidemiology; Nutrition; Clinical Research; Data Management.

Activities:
• Scholarships for Masters in Education for 30 teachers
• Extension of the Certificate on Building Capacity for Teaching and Learning and the curriculum development of a new certificate “Teacher Education for Community Development,” specially focused on teachers with limited formal training.

The OAS also develop Capacity Strengthening Program that involves research, scholarships and professional exchanges for Ministries of Education. Negotiation among different partners were held.

Educational Portal of the Americas
The Portal has more than 24,000 users have benefited from the various activities offered through the PEA since the last Summit using the VC, live stream or our YouTube Channel. The EPA Virtual Classroom Initiative has as a principal goal of providing professional development opportunities through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) following a cross-disciplinary, multi-sector and inclusive approach. The EPA develops and delivers online courses and certificates, and provides advisory services for institutional strengthening in online education and the transfer of best practices using ICTs. 1
The Portal has signed and agreement with Mobiles for Education Alliance and is now part of the steering and executive committee.

Activities:
In October 2013, the OAS will host the 3rd Annual Mobiles for Education (mEducation) Alliance International Symposium: 2013- Commit Fair for Project Scaling. Mobiles for reading, mobile for youth workforce development, mobiles for numeracy and mobiles and access to Education particularly in crisis and conflict/post conflict settings. Expecting 150 experts and specialist that work on the field of m-education

Also, jointly with UNESCO the Portal is drafting a proposal to implement a pilot in Dominican Republic. Knowledge support from CIM and Public Security are being explored. And, exploratory meetings: Microsoft organized a collaborative meeting to build partnerships for their program "Literacy for Life". The OAS attended among other organizations such as WB, IDB, UNESCO, PFD, etc.
Literacy exploratory partnership meeting. Skydrive was created and will continue to be used for collaboration between all participants of the "Literacy for Life" meeting.

Office of Education and Culture
The Inter-American Teacher Education Network’s (ITEN) contributes to improving the quality of education at the K-12 level with attention to literacy programs and populations with special needs. ITEN broadcasts monthly webinars of renowned experts to remote and rural areas of the region and follows up by making available a virtual platform with specific interest groups for teachers and policymakers throughout the region. Since its launch, more than 15,000 stakeholders have joined the community in Spanish and English.

The Rowe Fund Student Loan Program of the OAS contributes to foster greater international exchange of students, by sharing information and providing financial aid, in the form of interest-free loans, to deserving students from Latin American and Caribbean OAS Member States to help them finance their higher education or research at universities in the United States. It also grants educational and emergency interest-bearing loans to staff of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States.
By financing a portion of their studies in the United States, the Rowe Fund helps students complete their education while at the same time fostering cultural diversity, friendship, and communication among the people of the Americas, with the understanding that graduates will be in a position to apply their acquired knowledge and training to the advancement of their respective countries and the region as a whole.
www.oas.org/en/rowefund

Activities:
In addition to managing the student loan program (promotion, receipt of applications, disbursement of funds, monitoring of performance and status, repayment, follow-up returning to country of origin and professional progress), the Rowe Fund compiles and shares information through different social networks and events regarding different financial aid resources to study abroad, process to apply to US universities, programs related to strengthening and financing higher education, and OAS youth related programs. The Rowe Fund is also receiving donations to expand its program.

Beneficiaries:
Latin America and the Caribbean

Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices
The Program was officially adopted at the IV Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Education in Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago, August, 2005. It was created to develop and strengthen a democratic culture in the Americas through education. It responds to Articles 26 and 27 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter. Through the development of various activities framed under three mutually reinforcing components - Cooperation and Information Exchange, Research and Analysis, and Professional Development-, the Program contributes to strengthening the capacities of public and private institutions and civil society organizations of the OAS member states to develop policies, programs and initiatives in the field of citizenship education.
www.educadem.oas.org

Beneficiaries: OAS Member States
Partnerships:
- International Contact Group on Citizenship and Human Rights Education (Council of -Europe, Europe)
- Inter-American Development Bank
- UNAM, Autonomous University of Mexico.
- Global Issues Resource Center
- Council for a Community of Democracies
- International Institute for Development of Citizenhip
- Center for Civic Education
- Inter-American Commission of Women- OAS
- Educational Portal of the Americas- OAS
- Inter-American Institute of Human Rights
- Ministry of Education of Panama

Initiative:
PEA's Awareness Program and Meta-Portal of Open Educational Resources

Description:
The Awareness Program seeks to promote the debate and to propose new initiatives on the topics of ICTs for education, mobile learning and open educational resources (OER). The tools used by the EPA to achieve this are:
• Hands-on workshops designed for teachers at the different levels to learn about the latest in the use of ICTs for education, in partnership with reputable institutions in the region (Mexico 2011, Suriname & Barbados 2012).
• Volunteers Program: during a teacher training workshop in Mexico in 2011, the EPA was able to gauge the interest of teachers and practitioners in being part of the EPA efforts to bring educational opportunities free of charge to teachers in the region. In a first exploratory call to volunteers from among 86 graduates of one of its online courses graduates, the EPA received more than 40 applications for volunteer online tutors.
• Communities of practice: these EPA-hosted virtual spaces for the exchange of information and best practices are aimed at continuing the knowledge-sharing experience that result of the training opportunities and knowledge transfer initiatives offered by the EPA.
• Social Media and Live Broadcasting: the EPA has successfully introduced the use of Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube) and Livestream to teacher training workshops, allowing these educational opportunities to reach a wider audience thanks to the use of ICTs.

The Meta-Portal will offer the population relevant open content and significant strategic tools, including topics for development in the Americas, such as education, SMEs, health, government, and strategies for competitiveness and human development such as: regional physical integration, access to and use of information and communication technologies, disasters, citizen security, poverty, inequality, human rights, and democracy.

This meta-portal will be used to support the process of consolidation and strengthening of each country’s installed capacity for access to and use of ITCs, especially the process of acquisition and dissemination, as a means of promoting development and social inclusion with the creation of locally installed capacity that will ensure their efficient and sustainable administration and therefore their appropriation by the community. This program will be supported by a partnership between the OAS, civil society, the private sector, academia, and other international organizations.

The sustainable virtual community, consisting of open content, will enable the establishment of networks, exchange of knowledge, dissemination of best practices, and opportunities for innovation.

Additionally, in an effort to strengthen public-private partnerships, the PEA has signed an agreement with Intel® Educar to offer free online teacher training courses, in English and Spanish, starting in July 2012 through the PEA Virtual Classroom. These courses will also be offered in French and Portuguese in the upcoming months, and this free-of-charge training is made possible with the support of our Volunteer Tutors.

The PEA Volunteer Program was launched last May and today includes nearly 600 applicants willing to share their knowledge and expertise in different fields with the goal of expanding training opportunities for individuals of the OAS Member States.

Activities:
- Onsite workshops to introduce teachers on the use of ICTs in education
- Set up and hosting of Communities of Practice
- Establish an International Advisory Council for the Meta-Portal initiative
- Coordination of country groups to follow up on the Meta-Portal initiative

Benefeciaries:
Teachers at all levels (primary, secondary, tertiary and university levels)
- Academic institutions and other educational centers, as well as government agencies, interested in sharing educational material
- Academic institutions interested in developing their installed capacity in eLearning

Partnerships:
- Governments of the OAS Member States
- Higher education institutions

Initiatives:
OAS Scholarship and Training Programs

Description:
The OAS Academic Scholarship Program (Regular Program), established in 1958, grants scholarships every year for the pursuit of Master’s Degrees, Doctoral Degrees and Research leading to a degree.

The OAS Special Caribbean Scholarship Program (SPECAF), established in 1983, grants scholarships for the last two years of undergraduate studies to citizens and residents of the English-speaking Caribbean OAS Member States.

The OAS Scholarship Program for Haiti, established in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, awards scholarships to Haitian citizens for on-line academic degrees, professional development and teacher training.

In addition to these programs, the OAS, through its Partnerships Program for Education and Training (PAEC), offers other attractive scholarship opportunities for academic studies and professional development training with the support of its partner institutions in the Americas and around the world.

Activities:
Specific activities/scholarship opportunities are listed on: http://www.oas.org/en/scholarships/default.asp

Beneficiaries:
Citizens and permanent residents of OAS member countries

Partnerships:
OAS Member States, OAS Permanent Observer States, regional and international organizations, public and private agencies, philanthropic and commercial institutions, universities and other higher education institutions.

Inter-American Teacher Education Network (ITEN)
Despite the considerable improvement in the coverage of primary and secondary education in the Americas in recent years, the region still faces challenges to achieve quality education for every student. Low-quality education affects millions of students in the region, who leave the educational system without the necessary knowledge or skills for entering the work force or to be active participants in their societies. Improving teaching quality is a fundamental component to face this challenge as students performance is related to the effectiveness of their teachers.

ITEN is a virtual network of professional leaders in education interested in sharing knowledge, experiences, research and best practices in the field of teacher education and professional development, as a means to improve the quality of teacher education and hence, the quality of teaching, in the Americas. Based on a strategy of collaboration among countries, ITEN provides a space for interaction for all teacher education stakeholders in the region.

http://www.oas.org/es/ried/
http://www.oas.org/en/iten/default.asp

Activities:
WEBINARS (online Seminars)
ITEN is currently offering a series of webinars that promote horizontal cooperation and knowledge dissemination. Every month, renowned experts on topics related to of teacher education and professional development present the most recent state of the art in the field and share cutting-edge experiences, policies and research findings.

ONLINE COURSES ON INNOVATION
Teacher educators from the Caribbean and Latin America have taken the pilot version of a course on how to introduce innovation in teaching practice, participating in virtual learning communities, exchanging ideas and experiences to enhance the preparation of future educators. Courses have been developed in collaboration with ITEN’s partner organizations iEARN U.S. (in English) and iEARN Argentina (in Spanish). Modules are specifically designed for teacher educators and in-service teachers to be able to understand the foundations for 21st century teaching and learning and experience hands-on integration of ICT and collaborative learning into teaching practice. Modules are aligned to the UNESCO ICT framework for teachers. In addition, participants are able to recognize the benefits of international collaboration and knowledge sharing and have the opportunity to network with educators in the Americas and around the world who are using ICTs in their classrooms.

ONLINE WEBSITE AND COMMUNITY
ITEN has developed an online website and virtual community – available in both Spanish and English -- to provide opportunities for those who have an interest in teacher education issues at all levels to participate in thematic forums and blogs, dialogue with their peers, exchange experiences, and contribute to the elaboration of collaborative wikis.

Shouldn’t we add a line or two about what ITEN is doing now – building a knowledge bank (or whatever we are calling it) so that member states (and particularly Ministries of Education) can share policies and practices to improve teaching quality? Maybe it’s a small new section of this document

KNOWLEDGE BANK

In the upcoming months ITEN will be developing a knowledge bank in response to the increasing interest and need of member states in the region to exchange experiences in teacher policies. This bank will consist of an online database that will allow member states, particularly ministries of education, to share resources on policies and practices related to the teacher profession. Member States will be invited to share documents, papers, projects, case studies, reports, among other key documents featuring their experiences that will be made available for other member states to learn from.

In addition, this knowledge bank will be a fundamental resource for the preparation of proposals for the first round of technical cooperation missions in topics relevant to teacher education and teacher policies, as member states will be able to identify potential counterparts and experiences to be exchanged in the missions utilizing this knowledge bank.

Beneficiaries:
Education policymakers
National Offices for teacher education in the Ministries of Education
Directors of teacher education institutions
Teacher educators and in-service teachers
Technical teams in charge of teacher education in ministries of education and teaching institutions in the Hemisphere
Students and teachers of the Americas in general, who will benefit by having better trained educators.

Partnership:
i-EARN
International Reading Association
Fundación Evolución
Programa de Promoción de la Reforma Educativa en América Latina y el Caribe (PREAL)
Teachers Without Borders
University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education
World Bank

Financing:
Current: United States Permanent Mission to the OAS
Previous: Inter-American Committee On Education (CIE)
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

The OAS has supported member-state governments in their implementation of Paragraph 38 of the Fifth Summit Declaration which calls for increasing access and participation in tertiary and technical/vocational education and for the sharing of expertise and capacity between countries that have achieved progress in this regard and those that request support. The range of OAS scholarships, loans and online education programs currently in operation create opportunities and access to higher education. At the same time, the fundamentally international character of these programs facilitates exchanges of experience, skills, knowledge and culture among citizens of OAS member states which leads to a powerful multiplier effect.

The OAS is also playing an important role in bringing countries and their institutions together through innovative partnerships and regionally focused meetings that increase cooperation and consensus on topics related to higher education and the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in education. In 2010, the OAS and UNSECO organized the first Caribbean Conference on Higher Education. The OAS is also influential in setting the agenda for ICT-supported education meetings such as Virtual Educa and is currently serving as the chair for the Multilateral Initiative in Education for Human Development, a joint initiative of the OAS, Virtual Educa, Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO), the Union of Universities of Latin America and
the Caribbean (UDUAL) and the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (FUNGLODE). This initiative seeks to create a productive regional, multilateral space for the promotion of ICTs in support of education and human development.

Additionally, and in response to the events surrounding the earthquake in Haiti, the OAS has implemented the Haiti Emergency Scholarship Program which brings together the institutions of the region in support of Haitian university students affected by the disaster. The Educational Portal of the Americas, which was created to address the Quebec City Summit's concern over the digital divide, is celebrating its 10th anniversary in promoting lifelong learning through the delivery of accessible quality education via online programs. Its initiatives, which promote the use of ICTs in Education, continue to be a priority for the Presidents as expressed in Article 43 of the Port of Spain Declaration.

The OAS has conducted training for 50 professionals working with children from 0 to 3 years and the publication of three books based on research on early education in indigenous and rural communities. The OAS has also established a network for information exchange: Portal children. Moreover, through the Regional Project of Indicators on Education (PRIE), it was published the latest data on the progress of the countries of the region towards the educational goals of the Summits of the Americas in the Educational Panorama 2010: Pending Challenges.