Child Development for Developing Countries, University of Haifa
Child Development for Developing Countries, University of Haifa
The field of early childhood education and development is gaining increasing interest in north America, western Europe and Israel, reflected in a significant increase in the number of graduate programs over the past decade. However, the possibilities for students from developing countries to study the field in the context of their unique cultural, social, and educational frameworks are very limited.
The University of Haifa, the first and only University in Israel to champion the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), launched the Interdisciplinary Master's Degree Program in Early Childhood Education and Development in Developing Countries. The program trains the next generation of early childhood experts from developing countries, who will become agents of change and contribute to improving the lives of children in these countries, as part of a general need to improve by impact. The curriculum is based on a global perspective and collaboration with renowned experts from all over the world. The program is conducted in English, and it bridges research and practice holistically to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable children around the world. In the spirit of the program's multidisciplinary policy, the student group represents a diverse spectrum of professions including: early childhood education, special education, psychology, social work, nursing, paediatrics, public policy, Public policy, and more – all are eager to make a difference. With the assistance of Anatta, the pioneering program in child development was conducted with great success between 2014-2020 at the Faculty of Social Sciences, with the last cohort having to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the program was put on hold, leaving a void in our ability to make an impact in these parts of the world.
With the renewed and generous assistance of Anatta, the activity will be renewed this year as part of the interdisciplinary Master's degree program in Early Childhood Education and Development at the Faculty of Education. The screening process, which included more than 100 candidates, is currently being completed. The upcoming class in October 2023 will be joined by about 20 students who will come to Haifa from a variety of countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Georgia, India, Honduras, the Philippines, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Liberia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and more.