The following article was written by Marina Cunningham, director of the Global Education Center. It appeared this fall in the International Institute of Education's Neworker, the magazine of the International Education Knowledge Nework, as a feature showcasing schools and programs that promote international cooperation.

Montclair State University recently completed a three-year university partnership with Kirovograd State Pedagogical University (KSPU) in Ukraine, sponsored by the U.S. Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Critical-thinking methodology was introduced into the KSPU curriculum and the Philosophy for Children Program was introduced into surrounding schools. Involving more than 2,000 Ukrainian students and 40 faculty exchanges, the partnership generated more than 100 project papers and brought about an international conference on democracy and education in Kyiv. Most important, the partnership proved self-sustaining, adding an important dimension to the internationalization of Montclair State University and producing independently thriving inter-faculty friendships.

Both partners realized that the success of the endeavor largely depended on establishing clearly defined goals, securing institutional support and fostering a spirit of mutual trust.

First we identified how both partners would benefit from the project, and then we made sure both were completely involved throughout the entire planning process. At the outset, it was essential to formulate mutually understandable explanations of goals and objectives. Likewise, we based the selection process on clearly defined criteria and interviews, and project directors from both institutions administered it.

In order to strengthen institutional support, we involved faculty members who were not directly connected to the project or who even were from unrelated fields. For example, although the project had no direct connection with music, MSU music professors visited Kirovograd to give concerts and conduct master classes. We also sent MSU students from various departments to teach in summer academic camps in Kirovograd, and KSPU invited faculty members (some of whom were initially resistant to participating in a project with the United States) to participate in seminars and social events involving U.S. faculty. For example, guests from Ukraine's academic and political spheres, as well as representatives from U.S. agencies in Kyiv, lent importance to the conference in Kyiv and gave our project widespread recognition through Ukraine.

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