Last week, for the first time ever, Bank Street was represented at the annual conference of the Comparative and International Education Society held in Washington, DC. The conference is a major gathering that brings together academics, policy makers, and practitioners in the field of global education. Bank Street alumni and faculty Judith Gold, Ali McKersie, and Beth Norford were joined by Nepali colleagues Shanta Dixit and Milan Dixit to present a panel titled, “School Reform in Nepal’s Transitioning Democracy.” The panel focused on the work of the Rato Bangala School and Foundation in Nepal, highlighting 25 years of collaboration between Bank Street and its South Asian partner organizations. The important voice of education practitioners, working “on the ground,” was appreciated by audience members who envision an increasing role for such voices in future conferences. Next year’s gathering is planned for Vancouver and we hope to further highlight Bank Street’s increasing international presence at that time.
In 2013, the Graduate School embarked on an international initiative that provides a greater coherence to our work while enriching the opportunities in which both graduate students and faculty may teach and learn across a broader geographical canvas. This international work has ambitious goals and a strong theoretical foundation rooted in developmental-interaction as a way to think about education in a global and rapidly changing world.