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Pre-University engagement and education for sustainable development in Aruba: The Academic Foundation Year.

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Location research
Date
2023
Language
English
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Abstract
Low participation grades in university education, high dropout ratios, and brain drain are threats for sustainable development in small island states. This leads to a lack of locally developed expertise and local ownership of sustainable development processes due to the dependency on external consultancy and expertise that does not fit the context of the regions in which it is implemented. At the University of Aruba, one of the efforts to address this challenge has been the development of the Academic Foundation Year (AFY). Offered since 2016, the AFY is a one-year full time pre-university program that aims to optimally equip students for higher education, either in Aruba or abroad. Apart from the development of academic skills, the program aims to foster the local embeddedness of the students in context, culture, and history as well as an understanding of opportunities and challenges for sustainable development in small island states. This study builds on the existing extensive volume of alumni evaluations and quantitative studies with interviews and focus group meetings with lecturers, students, and alumni of the program to come to a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities for developing local ownership and initiatives for sustainable development in small island states through education.
Citation
Chapman, M., Eppinga, M.B., de Scisciolo, T., Mijts, E.N. (2023, October). Pre-University engagement and education for sustainable development in Aruba: The Academic Foundation Year. At Turning the Tide: Climate change, Social change and Islandness. SNIJ-conference, University of Prince Edward Island/University of Aruba
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14473/151
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