CEOP director presents proposal at European Access Network conference
LAWRENCE — Ngondi Kamatuka, director of the Center for Educational Opportunity Programs in the University of Kansas’ Achievement & Assessment Institute, presented “Political Advocacy: Best Practices In Influencing Educational Inequalities Through Applied Applications” with co-author Amy Verlanic of Montana Tech at the European Access Network’s 24th annual conference, which was June 4-12 in Oslo, Norway.
The conference brought together more than 150 equity champions from all over Europe’s higher education system. Students, academics, administrators, policymakers and support workers gathered under the theme Advocating for Access, Equity, Inclusion and Diversity in Higher Education: Politics, Policies, Power and Persuasion.
“Although the conference participants came from every continent except Antarctica, it was clear that access and success challenges of low-income and first-generation college students transcend national borders and that mutual learning serves the world community well,” Kamatuka said.
Kamatuka and Verlanic, executive director of the Institute for Educational Opportunities at Montana Tech, were among four Americans on the agenda at the conference. Since then, the Journal of US-China Education Review has accepted their manuscript for publication.
About the Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI)
AAI is the umbrella organization for four specialized research centers at KU, including CEOP, which supports a wide spectrum of learners and provides educational information, counseling, academic instruction, tutoring, assistance in applying for financial aid and supportive encouragement to both students and their families. Programs help students overcome academic, economic, social and cultural barriers to higher education. CEOP programs serve students at KU, and youths and adults in the Lawrence, Topeka and Kansas City areas.
AAI’s other research centers are Agile Technology Solutions, the Center for Public Partnerships & Research and the Center for Educational Testing & Evaluation. In all, AAI employs about 500 staff members, all committed to building partnerships, products, and programs in educational practice, assessment, and evaluation. These initiatives benefit children, adults, communities and publicly funded agencies at the local, state and national levels.