Promoting changes in Dominican higher education
USAID is helping higher education institutions in the Dominican Republic to strengthen their institutional programs and services.
For Luz Josefina Peña, Director of General Studies at ISA University, working directly with her students is both rewarding and challenging.
“It is rewarding because it allows me to help young people develop effectively during their university career, and challenging because each student has a different story, so I must be able to work with all of them in a way that responds to each reality,” Luz explains.
Despite the importance of the work carried out by Luz Josefina, not all of her students had the necessary support to progress. For this reason, she felt the need to acquire new skills and tools that would allow her to work with them more successfully and help them develop their full potential.
According to Luz Josefina, “As a psychologist, I had extensive knowledge of socio-emotional learning, but I knew that I needed to develop skills in other areas to provide more comprehensive support to the students, especially those in vulnerable situations.”
Today, thanks to the support of USAID, Luz Josefina has acquired valuable skills that have allowed her to implement improvements in her work.
In the Dominican Republic, USAID’s Higher Education Partnership helps higher education institutions to strengthen their institutional programs and services, with the goal of ensuring access, retention, and completion of university studies for youth. The youth come from high-risk environments, and this project increases their opportunities to find decent work and better their social well being. Under this project, Luz was able to participate in two training programs: the Development of Teaching Skills and Competences for Awareness and Innovation in Interaction with Diverse Student Populations Course; and the Transformation of Teaching Skills Course.
These programs aimed to improve the capacities of the staff of higher education institutions to help young people to succeed in their higher education through Positive Youth Development. The programs are important because they train participants in innovative strategies for access, retention. and completion of studies, focusing on process improvement, strategies for academic modernization, support for personal well being, and social engagement.
Luz Josefina found out about the training through her work at ISA University, one of the institutions where the project is carried out. When learning about the proposals, she was motivated to participate in order to strengthen her role at the university.
“The possibility of continuing to grow professionally is what prompted me to participate in the diploma courses. I also felt the need to upgrade my skills and prepare to face the new challenges that arise in my work,” she says.
Through participation in these trainings, Luz Josefina was able to consolidate and expand her prior knowledge on reskilling and upskilling, diversity and inclusion, positive youth development, gender perspective, formulation of awareness and innovation projects, socio-emotional learning, coaching and advising, and using information and communication technologies to enhance college success. This had a significant impact on her performance both in the teaching and administrative fields, as well as in her role as a facilitator of discussions and workshops for various groups at the university. In turn, these graduates generate added value for the institution, thanks to the knowledge acquired. Together with other colleagues, the graduates will implement two process improvement projects: one for inclusion and another for socio-emotional skills and the use of information and communication technologies.
“I have acquired valuable knowledge to work more effectively with populations at risk, as well as to improve university procedures and infrastructure for greater inclusiveness,” Luz Josefina tells us. “Also, I have significantly strengthened my skills in the use of information and communication technologies, which has translated into greater efficiency in the management of institutional mail and in the management of web tools and interactive surveys.”
In addition to the technical knowledge acquired, Luz Josefina highlights the importance of interaction, self-awareness activities and integration with other participants, which allowed her to connect with her way of being and empathize with others.
“The exercises allowed me to reflect on what had worked in the past and how I could act assertively to give faster and more effective responses in the present; in addition, the opportunity to share my experiences and point of view with other participants made me broaden my horizons”, she notes.
For her, through the Higher Education Partnership, USAID has provided “extraordinary support to the university which has made it possible to dismantle myths, broaden horizons, and strengthen administrative systems.” This has positively impacted the quality of life of the university community, which in turn contributes to the progress of education nationwide.
She comments, “Participating in this project is a golden opportunity to open up and overcome fear and uncertainty, benefitting participants both personally and professionally,” she says.
About this story
Written by: Yaira Portes, USAID Higher Education Partnership Communications Officer.
Edited by: Brenda Silverio, Social Media and and Multimedia Specialist at USAID/Dominican Republic.