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In 2004, Marga Incorporated arranged a tour of universities in the United States for London South Bank University (LSBU). LSBU, with its highly diverse student body was seeking a greater understanding of how universities in the U.S. have been working with student bodies from multiple varying backgrounds. Morgan University in Baltimore was one of the stops on this tour. An exchange of ideas that began at Morgan’s School of Education led to a cross Atlantic partnership to build leadership and educational capacity through teacher training.
This initiative seeks to diversify the ranks of teachers in school systems, providing opportunities for university students of African descent to work in schools where teachers from similar backgrounds as students are sorely needed. This effort holds the dual potential to add new highly qualified teachers to public school systems and expose children in such schools to teachers to whom they can relate. This kind of exposure could bring significant long term benefits – increasing aspirations, and keeping young people advancing through the educational system.
Marga visited LSBU recently to discuss its role in designing the strategic direction of this teacher training/leadership development initiative. Over the next several months, Marga will be assisting this transatlantic program in developing a unique approach to building leadership, expanding opportunities, and enhancing education that can be applied in various parts of the world.
Also in Europe, Marga visited the World Economic Forum at its office in Geneva, Switzerland to exchange ideas about strategies for effective partnerships. As Marga continues to refine and develop its method for strengthening partnerships, dialogue with a range of partnerships around the world remains critical to understand what works and where challenges lie. Employing its staggering convening power, the World Economic Forum has engaged some of the most influential people in the world in dialogue around the appropriate strategies for taking on the most pressing challenges of our time. It is clear to the Forum that partnerships, especially those leveraging the resources of the private sector, are required to health, education, the environment, and economic well being globally.
Also in London, Citigroup arranged another important exchange of ideas around how to leverage long term economic revitalization through partnerships around the 2012 Olympics. An exciting effort has emerged, which seeks to harness long term economic gains from the Olympics to improve one of London’s historically disadvantaged areas, East London. Citigroup initiated an exciting dialogue between Marga and Legacy 2020 to ensure that this economic development approach is grounded in the best practices of partnerships for urban development.
Next up on Marga’s international learning exchange is a trip to South Africa, where the concept and practice of partnership appears to be quite prevalent. |
