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ACCELS

American Councils for International Education (ACTR/ACCELS) is an international not-for-profit organization leading the development and exchange of knowledge between the US and Eastern Europe/Eurasia. Its mission is to foster independence and democratic development by advancing education and research, cultivating leadership, and empowering individuals and institutions through learning. Founded in 1974 as an association for area and language professionals, ACCELS has focused its expertise on the design and implementation of academic exchange, professional training, distance learning, curriculum and test development, delivery of technical assistance and consulting services, research and evaluation, and institution building.

ACCELS programs include the Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX), which offers scholarships to secondary school students from the countries of the former Soviet Union to live in the United States for one academic year, and the Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP), which is a non-degree, professional development program intended to provide opportunities for young faculty to develop new courses and implement curriculum reform at their home institutions and cultivate teaching skills and techniques.

AIDS Resource Center for Children

The AIDS Resource Foundation for Children (ARFC), founded in 1985 in Newark, NJ, is a community-based non-profit organization committed to providing cost-effective, family-centered services to children coping with the impact of HIV/AIDS. Comprehensive programs offered by the foundation – social services, housing and summer camps among them -- assist children in choosing the paths towards leading productive lives.

ARFC is grounded in the belief that all individuals are of infinite value and should be treated with dignity and respect. All of their programs and services strive to maintain and nurture the integrity and preservation of the family.

American University in Bulgaria

Founded in 1991, American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) is a private American-style liberal arts university located in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. The University has assumed a unique and critical educational role in the dynamic region of Southeastern Europe through its emphasis on preparing students for leadership, community involvement, careers, and advanced study. The liberal arts education encourages students to develop critical thinking and creative problem solving.

The multicultural student body at AUBG includes about 30 nationalities. Diversity is honored, tolerance is demanded, and academic excellence is always the intellectual goal. Courses are taught by a high-quality, international faculty experienced in teaching in a multicultural, learner-centered environment. The interactive teaching found at AUBG fosters the development of intellectual reflection, effective communication, personal initiative, individual self-expression, and civic responsibility.

Amman Center for Human Rights Studies

Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS) is an independent, scientific and non-governmental center for human rights studies, research and training in Jordan that serves governmental and nongovernmental organizations, academics and students, civil society organizations, professionals employed in judicial, legislative and law-enforcement departments of government, journalists, and the personnel of international and regional organizations. The objective of ACHRS is to monitor the transformation human rights in Jordan and the Arab World, and to contribute to the introduction of a positive change in civil society and in the pattern of social, democratic upbringing. ACHRS also seeks to help in spreading and strengthening human rights culture in the Arab World understood as all of the provisions contained in international and regional conventions and declarations on human rights issued by the UN and regional, Arab organizations. ACHRS engages in educational, intellectual, and cultural activities, including research, conferences, seminars, workshops, technical and scientific services, training courses and publishing bulletins, books, reports and specialized periodical on human rights. ACHRS cooperates with local, Arab and international institutions and associations to: provide information about human rights documents, offer a democratic platform for dialogue, disseminate a human rights culture to civil society and government institutions, help NGOs and government monitor and strengthen human rights through the legislative process, protect the rights of the vulnerable such as women, children, people with special needs and the elderly, participate in the building of states that are governed by laws, institutions and principles of democratic, humanitarian society adapted to international norms.

Boat People SOS

Boat People SOS is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 to: provide relief, assistance, and support to Vietnamese refugees and immigrants in their search for freedom and dignified life; to empower, equip and organize Vietnamese-American communities in their progress towards self-sufficiency and integration; and to collaborate with organizations, agencies, and ethnic communities that share similar visions, goals, and values. As the Vietnamese-American community has established itself, Boat People SOS has broadened its mission to include assistance to other victims of persecution, exploitation and violence to ensure that they to receive protection and can realize their dreams of living in liberty and dignity. Among Boat People SOS’s major initiatives is the Victims of Exploitation and Trafficking Assistance (VETA) Program. The VETA mission is t o: provide protection, relief and assistance to victims of exploitation and human trafficking; advocate on behalf of such victims and to fight human trafficking at its roots; and collaborate with other organizations, agencies and communities that share a common vision to seek a permanent solution to global exploitation and human trafficking.

Central European University

Central European University (CEU) is an internationally recognized institution of post-graduate education in the social sciences and humanities. It serves as an advanced center of research and policy analysis and facilitates academic dialogue while preparing its graduates to serve as the region's next generation of leaders and scholars. CEU seeks to contribute to the development of open societies in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union by promoting a system of education in which ideas are creatively, critically, and comparatively examined. The language of instruction and communication is English. Beginning with 100 students in 1991, CEU has grown rapidly and now enrolls about 900 students from 60 countries. CEU is located in Budapest, Hungary.

Citizen Schools

Since 1995 Citizen Schools has built a creative and effective learning model that addresses community needs while building student skills through hands-on experiential learning activities. Citizen Schools operates a National Network of apprenticeship programs for youth that connects middle school students with adult volunteers in hands-on learning. At Citizen Schools, students develop the academic and leadership skills they need to do well in school, get into college, and become leaders in their careers and in their communities.

Citizenship and Service Education (CASE)

When President Clinton came to Rutgers in 1993 to announce his national service plan, he publicly recognized CASE as a service-learning model for colleges and universities across America. He recognized Rutgers’ efforts to train students to be competent, participatory democratic citizens possessing the knowledge, skills and attitudes to flourish in today’s complex world. In the years since, CASE has grown to become the largest single provider of volunteer s in New Jersey, and a key direct service provider as the operator of www.njserves.org, the Internet portal to the New Jersey civic sector. To date, 13,000 students have taken CASE courses, and CASE volunteers have rendered 750,000 hours of service valued conservatively at almost $4 million. Today, CASE counts almost 600 New Jersey nonprofits, faith-based organizations, schools and government offices among its Community Partners. Annually, students in some 85 CASE courses provide 50,000-75,000 hours of service worth more than $350,000.

CASE staff has provided on-campus and overseas training to teams from around the world, making CASE one of the most international service-learning programs in the US. In newly democratic countries CASE has transformed curriculum and classroom practice from authority- and theory-heavy to hands-on, active learning. This transformation allows a new elite to acquire the knowledge, skills and democratic ethic necessary to carry these countries into the 21st century. CASE has worked with university senates, rectors, deans, department chairs, professors, students, NGOs, small businesses, and local, provincial and national governments to assist with: mission redesign; curriculum, course, and faculty development; CEO creation; and NGO and small business support programs. CASE projects have been funded by the US Department of State, USAID, the European Union, foundations and client universities.

Civic Engagement Program Office

Civic Engagement Project Office (CEPO) was founded as international collaboration project of the State University of Moldova and Rutgers University (New Jersey, USA), financed by the State Department of the United States. CEPO's goal is the implementation of the civic and social education by means of an experiential learning pedagogy in the university curriculum of the State University of Moldova. CEPO aims to: reform the statutes, curriculum, and university educational process to guarantee the development of civic abilities and entrepreneurship skills at the students of the State University of Moldova; transform the State University of Moldova into a civically oriented institution through the implementation of a “civic contribution” program that provides civic instruction, the social participation of the students to community life, and the supplementation of university studies with career development training in necessary skills and abilities; and improve the qualifications of the professors and develop faculty develop and course materials.

Comrat University (Moldova)

Foundation for Democratic Youth (DIA)

Foundation for Democratic Youth/Demokratikus Ifjúságért Alapítvány (DIA) is a Hungarian non-political, non-profit organization that builds a youth service infrastructure for people between the ages of 14 and 25 in Hungary and seven neighboring countries from Eastern and Central Europe. Above all, DIA is an educational organization. In the past, little emphasis was placed on critical thinking, leadership development and student participation in civil society. As a result, the younger generation harbors a sense of fatalism about prospects for positive social change and pessimism about their career options.

The DIA program model was developed in partnership with Youth Service International. The model blends youth service, civic education and active learning methodologies, so that young people learn actively through direct participation in their communities. DIA works directly with local youth groups supported by local coordinators. These young people provide volunteer service in their communities and attend weekly reflection sessions to analyze their experiences. DIA has built a framework around these local activities that includes trainings, conferences, financial support, exchange programs and thematic materials.

Human Rights Office in Tuzla

The Human Rights Office in Tuzla (HROT) is a non-governmental, non-profit make, civic organization with a mission to educate citizens about their human and democratic rights through the dissemination of information in seminars, round tables, other public events, and in electronic and printed media. HROT was founded as an association of citizens in October 1995 during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, when all human rights were endangered. It was opened as a joint initiative of the Helsinki Citizen’s Assembly, Geneva, and local organizations from Tuzla, with the aim of promoting the ideals of multi-ethnicity and equality in a period when they were most under threat. Violations of human rights continue, and today HROT works to defend the right to a home, freedom of movement, freedom of expression, freedom of association, the rights of ethnic and religious minorities, rights for official documents, the right for social care and the rights of women and children. Centered in Tuzla, HROT works with its partner organization in Bijeljina, Republika Srpska, and co-operates with other national and international NGOs to promote non-violence, women’s rights, and human and democratic rights. With a core team of the coordinator, journalists, lawyers and psychiatrists, HROT educates and disseminates information about human rights through discussion, television and the printed word.

Institute for Domestic and International Affairs

The Institute for Domestic & International Affairs (IDIA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing innovative educational opportunities to students of all ages, so that they can better understand their role in domestic and global society. Founded in 1992, IDIA has developed a variety of programs not only to promote a better understanding of international and domestic affairs, but also to empower people to make a difference in their communities. IDIA sponsors Rutgers Model United Nations and Rutgers Model Congress, two educational conferences that immerse students in democratic and diplomatic processes, and challenge them to enhance their negotiation, public speaking, and research skills. IDIA has also developed the TEACH program, offering professional development programs for teachers, along with tangible lesson plans and simulation exercises for use in the classroom.

International Christian University

Established in 1953, International Christian University has cultivated young people to “serve God and humanity.” ICU has been the sole provider of a liberal arts education in Japan that incorporates the ideals and practices necessary to meet the challenges of the 21st century head on. At ICU, where classes are small and critical thinking and bilingual communication skills are emphasized, students are encouraged to engage in today’s essential issues. ICU holds as its mission the establishment of an academic tradition of freedom and reverence based on Christian ideals, and the education of individuals of conscience, internationally cultured and with a strong sense of citizenship in a democratic society. The university is located in Tokyo, Japan.

Kenya Human Rights Commission

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) is a non-governmental, independent organization established in 1992 in response to serious human rights abuses by the government of Kenya. The KHRC documented human rights violations and challenged a largely unaccountable executive by working to strengthen parliament, the judiciary and other institutions of government. In recent years, the KHRC has been instrumental in strengthening the role of civil society in advocating for democratic reforms and has broadened its approach to human rights work to incorporate a wide range of economic, social and cultural rights. Ongoing programs emphasize intense engagement with communities in specific locations and/or specific sectors of the economy to strengthen their capacities to deal with pressing human rights problems such as abusive labor practices or the need for prison reforms. KHRC’s goal is to stimulate and catalyze the formation of strong grassroots based advocacy networks that are capable of organizing for action around issues of critical concern to them.

Moldova State University

Established in 1946, Moldova State University was the first institution of higher education accredited by the independent Republic of Moldova. MSU enrolls 16,500 students, including 650 M.A. and Ph.D. candidates, in the university's 12 faculties, 51 departments and 72 majors. The university boasts 100 full professors, 344 associate professors, and 1,380 research fellows, as well as cooperation agreements with 60 university centers from 25 other countries.

The Faculty of International Relations, Political and Administrative Sciences at MSU is the first political science faculty in Moldova, created in 1995 and accredited by the Republic of Moldova in 2000. The faculty consists of the Department of International Relations, the Department of Political Sciences, the Department of Public Administration and Law, and the Department of Foreign Languages. It aims at:

Renovation of academic strategies and objectives.
Promotion of a university curriculum to European and international levels.
Excellence in studying and teaching.
Faculty transformation in accordance with the internationalprofessional dialogue.

The Department of International Relations was established in 1995 with the mission to train international relations specialists who can contribute to the promotion of the Republic of Moldova ’s foreign policy. The curriculum consists of in-depth study of the history, theory and practice of international relations, and one or two foreign languages. The professors come from Moldova, Europe and the US. In 2002, an international cooperation project, the Civic Engagement Project Office, was launched at the Department of International Relations. The project aims to change the curriculum and educational process at Moldova State University. In addition, MSU students and professors are involved in international research programs and projects in collaboration with students and professors from Rutgers University. The project is funded by the US Department of State University Partnerships Program.

Northeastern University

Founded in 1898, Northeastern University integrates challenging liberal arts and professional studies with the world’s largest cooperative education program. 1,105 full-time and part-time faculty members at NEU form an experienced network of mentors and advisers who extend their teaching beyond the lecture hall and faculty office. The Kaplan/Newsweek College Catalog includes Northeastern among a group of colleges and universities that offer the most individual academic attention. The university is known for its advanced research facilities and the largest academic library in Boston.

Partners of the Americas, New Jersey/Haiti

Partners of the Americas, New Jersey/Haiti: Established in 1964 as the people-to-people component of President Kennedy’s Alliance for Progress, Partners is now the largest private voluntary organization in the Western Hemisphere engaged in international development and training. Its 60 ‘partnerships’ link 31 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America with 45 US states. A partnership consists of two committees, one on the northern side and one on the southern side, each locally incorporated as tax-exempt, non-profit organization conducting projects in development assistance and education, professional and cultural exchange. Today, more than 20,000 people across the hemisphere call themselves Partners volunteers. They have a long-term commitment to the economic and social development of the Western Hemisphere.

The New Jersey/Haiti Partnership was created in 1976 when a group of enthusiastic New Jersey and Haitian business and professional leaders combined talents to form a union of cooperation and understanding. Since that time, exchanges have occurred in such diverse areas as agriculture, education, emergency preparedness and disaster control, health, economic development, technology, sports and the arts. In 1996 the accomplishments of New Jersey/Haiti Partner, Inc. were acknowledged at the Annual Partners of the Americas International Convention when the Partnership was awarded the prestigious Chapter Excellence Award and one of its members received the Volunteer of the Year Award. More recently, New Jersey/Haiti Partners collaborated with Haiti Community Development, Inc., a grassroots NGO in New Jersey, in an award-winning project, funded by a 2001 World Bank grant, to bring Wireless Solar-Powered Internet to a rural school in Leogane, Haiti.

Prince of Songkla University (Thailand)

Prince of Songkla University, with its 5 campuses in different parts of Thailand, is a leading research based university. It ranks one of the first among major regional universities, and is a true leader of international standards.

Rhodes University

Founded in 1904 as Rhodes University College, Rhodes University is located in Grahamstown, South Africa. The University owes it unique character to a combination of factors -- historical, geographical, cultural and architectural – and offers an extensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the Faculties of Commerce, Humanities, Law, Pharmacy, Education and Science. With 5,583 students, of whom many came from other countries, and more than 20 research institutes and units, the University has confirmed its standing as a centre of global academic excellence.

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (Japan)

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), located in Beppu, Kyushu (Japan), serves 4,500 students from 71 Pacific Basin countries. A part of the historic Ritsumeikan Trust that dates back to 1869, when Prince Saionji Kinmochi, an eminent and cosmopolitan Japanese statesman, founded the private school “Ritsumeikan” in Kyoto, APU responds to the needs of a globalizing society and the coming Asian-Pacific age. With approximately half of its students and faculty comprised of foreign nationals, the University truly constitutes an international community. APU has the largest number of undergraduate international students in Japan and this can be easily observed on campus, where students and faculty come together to overcome differences and learn about various traditions, religions and cultures, leading to a deeper understanding of each other. APU is an educational leader in Japan where its dual education system, multicultural environment, and interdisciplinary curriculum fosters young leaders with the talent and ability to act on the global stage in the 21st century.

Women Journalists without Borders (Yemen)

Women Journalist without Borders (WJwB) was established in 2004 as an institutional structure to unite women journalists from different perspectives, newspapers and nationalities to work together on issues of common interests, and to train qualified women journalists to deliver their message and conduct their mission effectively. WJwB exists to: improve the status of journalists (both men and women), confront all kinds of discrimination against them, and protect and insure their rights; raise the awareness of press and human rights conventions, and spread word about the international organizations working in field of press and freedom of speech and expression; publicize, defend and support human rights and women rights; network and coordinate with local, regional and international organizations concerned with freedom of the press, women's rights in particular and human rights in general; conduct and publish studies and field research on human rights and women's rights issues, and report on them in newspapers, magazines; arrange activities for women journalists from all over the world with the objective of establishing an international women journalists' organization. WJwB was established by a group of young Yemeni journalists with experience at many different Yemeni papers. It has ties to like-minded organizations throughout the Middle East.

Women for Social Progress (Mongolia)

Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania)

Reestablished in 1989, Vytautas Magnus University (Vytautas the Great University) was the first school of higher education independent of governmental institutions. Academic freedom became the foremost principle of the university, while its main purpose was to prepare graduates with a broad humanistic orientation for Lithuania 's needs in research, culture, education and economy.

A common program of study in humanities and general education for the first two years of study for all students appeared in 1990. Its aim was to develop well-rounded individuals who were free and creative. In 1991, the university was the first in Lithuania to establish a system of study based on several levels, the completion of which resulted in the granting of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. The university’s liberal academic policy—students are admitted into fields of study, not into specializations—makes it unique in Lithuania today. The students put together their plan of study and make a final choice of their program after the first two years of study. Foreign languages and computer skills are particularly emphasized. The number of students and teachers grew more than twenty times during the university's first decade. The university is located in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Zoon Politikon

Zoon Politikon is a nonprofit student association at the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Zagreb. It has existed for more than 10 years, but has operated in its present form since the fall of 2001. The organization aims to promote and improve cooperation between student associations in Croatia and abroad in the area of education and scientific work. It also aims to popularize and affirm political science and journalism. In addition, Zoon Politikon acts as a mediator between students and faculty or the university administration concerning student rights, and organizes conferences, roundtables, seminars and student exchanges. Zoon Politikon is a member of the International Association of Political Science Students, which includes member societies from 24 countries from around the world.