The Future of Higher Ed in Haiti

This report from Inside Higher Ed...

A new study of higher education in Haiti -- the first to examine the state of the system in the wake of the Jan. 12 earthquake -- documents debilitating problems that existed before the natural disaster and have only been compounded by the lost lives and destroyed infrastructure.
The devastation in Haiti was so widespread that it was immediately clear in the weeks after the earthquake that all levels of education suffered the deaths and injuries of students and instructors, and the collapse of classrooms. But a study issued Tuesday by Haiti's Interuniversity Institute for Research and Development -- a respected think tank known by its acronym INURED -- documents the extent of the damage, and of the problems that existed previously.

Find the full report here.

For an eyewitness account of the January 12 earthquake, and the first response to calls for assistance, please see this event on the MU campus later today.

Rural Haiti Struggles Following Earthquake

This Wednesday we're co-hosting a campus-wide lecture on the challenges of aid and reconstruction following the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Much of the world's attention today is on health care reform legislation in the US.  Though it no longer occupies headlines, Haiti still struggles in the aftermath of January disaster.

Three different stories come to mind.

First, this article describes how rural communities in Haiti struggle to absorb city populations displaced by the earthquake.

Second, yesterday's  60 Minutes on CBS followed the efforts (and grief) of a few Haitian volunteers.

These stories remind me of an excellent book by Tracy Kidder, called Mountains Beyond Mountains.  This book tells the story of Dr. Paul Farmer, his visionary work on health and health care in Haiti, which has developed into Partners in Health.  I highly recommend the book -- and Dr. Farmer's work.

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At Wednesday's campus lecture, I'm sure we'll hear even more challenging stories about the struggle in Haiti.