LSI Chosen by IREX to Collaborate on U.S. Department of State-Funded Early Grade Education Activity in Jordan
Tallahassee, Fla. – The Learning Systems Institute (LSI) at Florida State University (FSU) has been selected to collaborate with IREX and other partners on the Early Grade Education Activity (ASAS) in Jordan. LSI will join the project to advance Jordanian-led teacher education initiatives.
Under the direction of IREX, LSI will foster a collaborative relationship between Florida State University and Jordanian universities to support initiatives that address low literacy and numeracy rates while promoting whole-child development. LSI will support Jordanian universities through curriculum review and co-development, faculty professional development and research and quality assurance frameworks.
“IREX is proud to partner with the Learning Systems Institute at Florida State University to support the groundbreaking Early Grade Education Activity, ASAS, across Jordan. This collaboration reflects the value of drawing on the experience and expertise of U.S. universities to strengthen higher education institutions internationally and better prepare educators to meet the needs of students and communities. At the same time, collaboration on AI in education is essential to responsibly realizing the opportunities AI can bring and to supporting long-term student success,” said Aleksander Dardeli, President and CEO of IREX.
Stephanie Simmons Zuilkowski, Ed.D., Associate Director for Research at LSI and Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy in the FSU College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, and Sana Tibi, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at FSU, will serve as principal investigators. Faculty in the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences and LSI staff will provide support.
“The FSU team is excited to start work on this project, which is grounded in partnership and mutual learning,” said Zuilkowski. “We look forward to collaborating with Jordanian universities to support their efforts to advance teacher education, while also deepening our own understanding of effective, contextually responsive approaches to primary grades teacher preparation.”
IREX and its partners are working with Jordan’s Ministry of Education and universities across the country to sustainably improve early grade education.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State, ASAS is strengthening Jordan’s human capital pipeline at its foundation, early grade literacy and numeracy. Stronger foundational skills contribute to long-term economic stability, workforce readiness, and institutional resilience, reinforcing Jordan as a stable regional partner.
ABOUT IREX
IREX is a global solutions provider that partners with communities and institutions in the United States and around the world to cultivate leaders, expand access to education, and create economic opportunity. With deep expertise, a forward-looking vision, and world-class practices in AI for Education, Future-Ready Workforce, Higher Education Solutions, Leadership Development, and Online Safety, IREX delivers innovative and proven solutions that help people, institutions, and communities thrive in a rapidly changing world.
ABOUT LSI
LSI strives to lead the way in creating innovative educational solutions that seamlessly connect theory with practice. Through advanced research, we develop industry-leading methods and implementation strategies to enhance systematic learning at all levels and in all environments. For more than five decades, LSI has been committed to driving measurable improvements in the performance of both individuals and organizations.