Student exchange for development. Report on a project.

Abstract

The project ‘SRS 105 Exchange for Development’ was planned and carried out by five partner colleges: Chancellor College of University of Malawi and Lilongwe Teacher Training College in Malawi, Ongwediva College of Education and Windhoek College of Education in Namibia and Volda University College in Norway. The project was organized in cooperation with the Norwegian Peace Corps-Youth (FK-Youth) and is one of the projects with the highest number of participants in the new FK Youth program so far, with a total of 83 participants (39 from Norway, 24 from Malawi and 20 from Namibia). A majority of the 83 participants are going to teach Social Studies in primary/secondary school as their future occupation in Norway (North), Namibia and Malawi (South). The essence of the project has been to prepare the participants for the important job as teachers and ‘bridge builders’ between partner institutions and partner countries. For those of us who came up with the idea of an exchange project for teacher trainees and who have played key roles in its implementation, it is very important to offer a vote of thanks to everyone who in their various ways has contributed. Here we especially want to thank all the coordinators who have represented the four African partner institutions for their important role in the project, the evaluation included. They have contributed through written statements, discussions and interviews. Student participants have been giving their share of information through answering on a questionnaire and participating in group discussions and individual interviews. We have also been able to observe some of them teach their own students in their home countries.