Partnering to Improve Education for Public Service

Abstract

How do we ensure the relevance of curricula for international students while also enhancing American public affairs students’ understanding of critical global issues? This paper tells a success story about crosscultural learning in public service training. Timing is typically a key element in life, and it certainly is in this story. During a threeyear period following the terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001, a time during which Arab/Islamic cultures became especially alienated from the United States, public administration program faculties in the capitals of the United States and Egypt forged an extremely productive collaboration. We present some background information about the public administration programs at Cairo University and The George Washington University and the origin and structure of the collaboration. Then we detail the program activities that occurred over the grant period.We discuss the outcomes of the joint venture, including both the expected and unexpected learning outcomes. And finally, we identify a few lessons learned from our experience. These lessons are included to assist public affairs faculties who design projects to foster crosscultural learning in public service training