Arshad Ahmad speaks at Smart Global Development Conference

Tributes flowed throughout the day in honour of McMaster for making the first university program funded by the Aga Khan a resounding success. Not only was the education and practice of nurses in Pakistan improved but also the status of women in this country. This one small initiative that began 40 years ago became a model for the Aga Khan’s work in international development worldwide and is the inspiration for a new project at McMaster’s Institute for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (MIIETL).

Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Associate Vice-President, Teaching and Learning and Director of MIIETL, participated in a panel discussion at the Smart Global Development Conference held at The Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat in Ottawa, April 14, 2016.

Over one hundred delegates from around the world met to discuss the role of higher education in global development. At the opening keynote address, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, challenged participants to find creative ways for universities to support development. In the discussions that followed, five key ideas emerged: involvement of the private sector, focus on quality over quantity, let the local context drive development work to ensure relevance, budget for long-term engagement, and identify realistic impact measures that link to larger goals.

Ahmad presented McMaster’s new project that aims to strengthen post-secondary education in Grenada. The proposed strategy for radically transforming the current teaching and learning reality of the T.A. Marryshow Community College includes five key elements: a systems approach that includes involvement of political leaders, investment by the private sector, a dynamic new leadership at the College, faculty and student enthusiasm and ownership of the intervention, and networks of mentors and leaders at the local level. The project is funded over five years but based on what was learned at the conference this time period may need to be extended for a real contribution to be demonstrated.

Republish this Article for Free

Republish this Article

We believe in the free flow of information. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivs 2.5 Canada (CC BY-ND 2.5 CA), so you can republish our articles for free, online or in print.

All republished articles must be attributed in the following way and contain links to both the site and original article: “This article was first published on Daily News. Read the original article.”

&nbsp;

Tributes flowed throughout the day in honour of McMaster for making the first university program funded by the Aga Khan a resounding success. Not only was the education and practice of nurses in Pakistan improved but also the status of women in this country. This one small initiative that began 40 years ago became a model for the Aga Khan's work in international development worldwide and is the inspiration for a new project at McMaster's Institute for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (MIIETL).

Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Associate Vice-President, Teaching and Learning and Director of MIIETL, participated in a panel discussion at the Smart Global Development Conference held at The Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat in Ottawa, April 14, 2016.

Over one hundred delegates from around the world met to discuss the role of higher education in global development. At the opening keynote address, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, challenged participants to find creative ways for universities to support development. In the discussions that followed, five key ideas emerged: involvement of the private sector, focus on quality over quantity, let the local context drive development work to ensure relevance, budget for long-term engagement, and identify realistic impact measures that link to larger goals.

Ahmad presented McMaster’s new project that aims to strengthen post-secondary education in Grenada. The proposed strategy for radically transforming the current teaching and learning reality of the T.A. Marryshow Community College includes five key elements: a systems approach that includes involvement of political leaders, investment by the private sector, a dynamic new leadership at the College, faculty and student enthusiasm and ownership of the intervention, and networks of mentors and leaders at the local level. The project is funded over five years but based on what was learned at the conference this time period may need to be extended for a real contribution to be demonstrated.

Media Enquiries

Phone: (905) 525-9140 ext. 24073
Email: comms@mcmaster.ca

The Communications and Public Affairs Office is staffed from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.

The University has a broadcast quality television studio to facilitate live and pre-recorded interviews with media. Learn more about our experts.