During the past 25 years, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore has had an outstanding record participating in international research, education and development activities. The successes achieved resulted from the partnerships that were initiated between institutions, government agencies, the private sector, and civil society. One of the lessons learned was the need for more sustainable partnerships and greater recognition of universities and their role as engaged agents of change.
Emerging from these lessons learned was the need for a biennial international workshop. The purpose of the workshop is to provide a forum for sharing experiences, developing innovative approaches and creating partnership opportunities to enhance international development. The primary focus is to develop solutions to the challenges faced by developing countries and their knowledge systems in addressing the needs of the underserved. The first workshop was held in Cambridge, Maryland, U.S.A. in March 2005; the second in Capetown, South Africa, in October 2007; and the third in Accra, Ghana, in October 2009.
Each workshop had its unique themes and a broad range of participants representing all facets of the partnerships. In planning the 4th biennial international workshop in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in October, 2011, the partners recognized the urgent need for higher education, the donor community, governments, the private sector, and civil society to confront the global hunger, poverty and human resource crises impacting developing as well as developed countries. The themes of this 4th international workshop are consistent with The Millennium Declaration of 2000 and the commitments to assist developing countries achieve a set of interwoven goals by 2015.
