Al-Quds Bard Partnership

Bard College has joined forces with Al-Quds University, an institution located in and around Jerusalem, to establish three new programs aimed at improving the Palestinian education system: The Honors College for Liberal Arts and Sciences; the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program; and The Model School, covering grades 5 through 12. The Honors College and MAT programs will offer dual degrees from Bard and Al-Quds—the first such initiative between a Palestinian university and an American institution of higher education.

Beginning in 2009, the Al-Quds Bard Honors College will offer a four-year interdisciplinary curriculum that combines the best traditions of the Palestinian and U.S. education systems, while promoting active learning, independent thinking, critical inquiry, and the free exchange of ideas. It will include key elements of the Bard education, such as the First-Year Seminar, Moderation, and the Senior Project. Graduates will receive a B.A. Hons. from Al-Quds and a B.A. from Bard College. The MAT program, which educates teachers through a two-year program of graduate study in an academic field and in education, will also grant dual master’s degrees from Al-Quds and Bard. The Model School, set to open in 2010, will share its campus with the MAT program and serve as a “laboratory” for educational innovation. The goal is to raise expectations for local students and prepare graduates to complete a college degree.

Website: http://www.alqudsbard.org