Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development

Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED) focuses on school improvement through professional development of teachers and managers of schools and school systems in the developing countries of the world, particularly Pakistan.

AKU-IED was established in July 1993 in Karachi, Pakistan. It is the first initiative of Aga Khan University outside the field of health sciences. The Institute aims to contribute to socio-economic development by improving the quality of education through huma resource development, institutional capacity building, research and dissemination, and policy analysis and advocacy. 

AKU-IED seeks to achieve its objective of school improvement by offering a variety of academic programmes to its students, who are basically in-service school teachers and education managers.

The Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development. Click on photo to enlarge (Photo: Jean-Luc Ray/AKF)

Academic Programmes

AKU-IED offers both graduate programmes and professional programmes to teachers and educators from South Asia, Central Asia and East Africa.

Graduate programmes are:

•  A two-year Master of Education degree in teacher education
• A planned PhD programme (2004)

Professional programmes include:

• A two-month Certificate in Education: Five curriculum areas (formerly known as Visiting Teacher Programme). The curriculum areas are: English, science, social studies, mathematics, and primary education.
• A 10-week Certificate in Education: Educational Leadership and Management (formerly known as Certificate in Educational Management)
• A one-year field-based Advanced Diploma in Education: Educational Leadership and Management (formerly known as Advanced Diploma in School Management)
• A one-year Advanced Diploma in Education: Five curriculum areas (formerly known as Advanced Diploma Subject Specialist Teacher Programme).

Partnerships and Collaboration

The academic programmes have been developed in collaboration with the partner universities -Ontario Institute of Studies in Education, University of Toronto; and Department of Educational Studies, University of Oxford. AKU-IED offers its programmes to its cooperating schools and a number of partner institutions (Aga Khan Education Services, NGOs and CBOs, and some public educational institutes).

In addition to partner universities, AKU-IED has links with Sheffield Hallam University (UK), Phillips Academy (USA) through the International Academic Partnership (IAP), Oslo College (Norway), and AKDN institutions.

AKU-IED has also been working in collaboration with the Government of Pakistan and other developing countries to help improve the quality of education in these countries.  AKU-IED faculty has made a significant contribution to the development of public sector educational system in Pakistan, which has been widely acknowledged at federal, provincial and district levels.

Currently, AKU-IED is collaborating with the public sector educational institutes of 10 countries: Pakistan, including Northern Areas and Chitral; Zanzibar; Uganda; Tanzania; Kenya; Bangladesh; Tajikistan; Kyrgyzstan; Syria and Afghanistan.

AKU-IED is funded primarily by the European Union, the Canadian International Development Agency, the United Nations Development Programme, and Aga Khan Foundation. Specific grants for its programmes and activities have also been received from USAID, IDRC, SC (UK), NORAD, etc.

Research

AKU-IED has established a Research and Policy Studies (RAPS) unit to strengthen the Institute's role in educational research and educational policy analysis and advocacy. It is expected that RAPS will provide leadership and support in doing and disseminating research, and initiating research and policy dialogues.

In 2002, RAPS, in collaboration with the Department for International Development (UK), initiated a series of policy dialogues on key educational issues. It organised three policy dialogues in 2002, and has held two in 2003. The dialogues were arranged in Karachi, Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar and Lahore. AKU-IED undertakes classroom-based and policy-related research, focusing particularly on areas of access and equity; supporting curriculum and school improvement; monitoring and documenting the effectiveness of its academic programmes; and undertaking research which informs and influences educational policy.

Course work at the Institute for Educational Development. Click on photo to enlarge. (Photo: Jean-Luc Ray/AKF)

Professional Development Centres

AKU-IED's first purpose-built campus, designated a Professional Development Centre (PDC), is located within the Sultan Mohamed Shah School campus in Karachi. It has been offering AKU-certified professional development programmes for teachers since October 1995. The core function of the PDC is professional development of in-service teachers. Key supporting functions include management training for school heads, middle and senior educational managers, curriculum development and research.

Reflecting its commitment to local capacity building and the development of programmes that meet regional needs, a Professional Development Centre was constructed in Gilgit (Northern Areas of Pakistan) in July 1999, with funding support from the European Union for five years.

Another PDC has been planned for Chitral.

Similarly, a PDC Lead-in Project was established in East Africa in March 2000. Although a project, it has functioned as a PDC in terms of programme delivery. It has been running successfully and substantial progress has been made in terms of human capacity development. 

In Central Asia - Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan - and to a lesser extent in Bangladesh, AKU-IED is exploring either the possible future creation of PDCs, or ways in which it can collaborate with the governments of those countries and AKES to help make a difference in their educational systems.

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