Readiness Institute at Penn State team members were honored to serve as a United States host site for four representatives from the Academy of Civil Service under the President of Turkmenistan this week. Founded by President Berdimuhamedov in 2008, the Academy is a government institution that has played a significant role in fulfilling modern educational policy by training administrators and civil servants by the standards of international experience.
The participants were invited to the U.S. under the auspices of the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program in the special project “Strengthening E-governance Capacity for the Academy of Civil Service.” The meeting was held at the newly dedicated Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State at the Energy Innovation Center.
Administered by Meridian International Center and coordinated by Global Pittsburgh, the Department of State outlined specific objectives for the project: Provide an overview of current technological trends in education and examine partnerships between educational institutions and private businesses or philanthropic organizations. At the State Department’s request, a meeting with the Readiness Institute at Penn State was highly desired, with a discussion around how the Institute introduces AI to high school students and its impact on secondary education, as well as philanthropic support for this initiative.
In addition, Readiness Institute at Penn State team members shared several other Penn State initiatives, such as the Nittany AI Alliance, campus programs, Penn State Extension, Invent Penn State, WPSU, and more.