Tallahassee, Fla. -- Florida State University faculty and staff have begun their work in Egypt on the Teacher Excellence Initiative. The five-year, $49.5 million United States Agency for International Development project is supported by an international collaboration between FSU's Learning Systems Institute and College of Education, including faculty from the School of Teacher Education. The Teacher Excellence Initiative project is implemented by the Education Development Center consortium.

Since the Education Development Center (EDC) consortium signed a sub-award agreement with FSU to support the Teacher Excellence Initiative (TEI), a team of FSU faculty members from LSI and STE participated in partners' meetings in Cairo. The purpose of these meetings was to collaborate with local partners and stakeholders in supporting the goals of TEI-Egypt.

In Fall 2023, FSU plans to host a study tour, bringing Egyptian government officials, university deans and faculty members from five selected universities to the FSU campus in Tallahassee. Additionally, FSU will establish a visiting fellows program, allowing Faculties of Education (FOE) members to engage with STE from Spring 2024 to Fall 2025.

In partnership with TEI, the FSU team has undertaken a research study to evaluate current pre-service teacher education programs and course syllabi in Egypt. The primary aim is to align these programs, offered by public universities, with the Egyptian Teacher Competency Standards designed for in-service teachers. The study's implications are significant as they will guide stakeholders in supporting ongoing reforms in undergraduate teacher education.

"The partnership between the Learning Systems Institute, the College of Education and faculty from the School of Teacher Education is a unique opportunity to work across our campus to help implement an international project," said TEI principal investigator and LSI research faculty Dr. Flavia Ramos-Mattoussi. "The FSU team's dedication to enhancing teacher education in Egypt through research and collaboration demonstrates a pioneering spirit that sets an inspiring example for others in the field. With the potential to shape the future of education in the region, this effort exemplifies the power of partnership and knowledge-sharing on an international scale."  

The main objective of TEI-Egypt is to enhance the quality of instruction in pre-service teacher education in Egypt. The project aims to align teacher standards, curriculum and instruction in mathematics, science, technology and language arts (Arabic and English) with the goals of Education 2.0 in Egypt across all levels of education.

The TEI-Egypt project focuses on improving the quality and relevance of teacher preparation in Egyptian public universities, ensuring that teachers possess the necessary skills to support student learning in K-12 schools across the country. FSU will offer technical assistance to review, revise and enhance the capacity of FOEs at 15 Egyptian public universities. This assistance will focus on updating undergraduate and graduate degree programs for elementary school teachers. FSU will also establish partnerships between the U.S. and five Egyptian universities and integrate educational technology into all teaching programs.

"We are thrilled that the TEI-Egypt project fosters collaboration and co-creation among all partners and international universities," said Ramos-Mattoussi. "FSU has established close working relationships with higher education institutions in Egypt while also collaborating with Arizona State University and the American University of Beirut. Such a dynamic approach to international cooperation marks an innovative step forward."

LSI has been at the forefront of developing innovative solutions that bridge theory and practice in education. For over 50 years, LSI has delivered systems that measurably improve the learning and performance of organizations and individuals here in Florida and globally. To learn more about LSI, please visit LSI.FSU.edu.