The International Development Initiative works with USAID and in-country education, government and civic partners to promote inclusive, accessible educational models that drive economic growth and workforce development and unlock opportunities for youth.

Across the developing world, exploding youth populations bring new challenges — and opportunities — for education systems and national economies. Many developing countries have made dramatic strides in expanding access to basic education, but the next horizon is increasing educational quality while developing accessible pathways to post-secondary opportunities, especially for girls and students from marginalized and vulnerable backgrounds. Realizing the potential of higher education as a catalyst for employment, entrepreneurship and economic growth requires capacity strengthening at the individual, institutional and systemic level with a focus on workforce development, private sector partnership and applied research.

The International Development Initiative works to translate the lessons learned in ASU’s own transformation — one of the most radical redesigns in the history of global higher education — which simultaneously increases accessibility and quality, advances economic growth and responds to the social challenges facing opportunity youth and marginalized and vulnerable learners. We work with local partners to elevate basic education quality through teacher training, curriculum development and innovative approaches to education delivery that overcome geographic and technological limitations. In higher education, we work with ministries and institutions to advance transformative models that increase market relevance, drive workforce development and create capacity for development-relevant local research. 

In both basic and higher education, ASU leverages its strengths as a leader in education technology to advance digital transformation, even in low-tech and low bandwidth environments, to expand access, strengthen delivery and improve student outcomes at scale. We also focus on empowering youth through opportunities for entrepreneurship, employment and civic engagement, fostering leadership skills and supporting their ability to be agents of positive change.