Parami University of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The Parami University of Liberal Arts and Sciences will provide students from Myanmar with the interdisciplinary skills and critical thinking necessary for the 21st century workforce. Parami will leverage educational technology & pedagogy to educate a new generation of leaders from all walks of life to create sustainable global change.

Since opening up in 2011, Myanmar has been undergoing rapid socioeconomic transformation exacerbated by lack of educated forward-thinking leaders. However, the legacy of over 60 years of autocratic education that disparaged critical thinking and creativity means that the country is facing a widespread leadership crisis: from business to entrepreneurism, from civil service to political offices. This crisis is compounded by Myanmar lagging behind the rest of the world in terms of knowledge and technology, which affects the pace and equity of development. Hence, it is critical for the next generation to be trained in both leadership capability and practical skills.

According to Harvard Business Review, liberal arts and sciences education gives students the ability to function in a multitude of fields, ask questions, and use their well-rounded experience to respond to real-world human problems. By providing a state-of-the-art liberal arts education grounded in technology and hands-on experience, Parami Institute is producing the leaders that Myanmar needs. The recent graduates of the one-semester pilot program, who have acquired competitive jobs and a demonstrated improvement in critical thinking skills, are proof that the solution works and needs to be expanded. We are currently in the planning phase for the full-fledged university. 

The impact that Parami University aims to educate at least 150 students per year who have the potential to become leaders in Myanmar. We will serve top caliber high school graduates from diverse backgrounds who want to not only specialize in a subject area but also free and broaden their minds through interdisciplinary learning. The University will employ instructional technologies, such as web-based learning management and digital media, to integrate daily classroom learning with digital technology. Both faculty and students will be trained in instructional technology workshops before courses begin. 

Track the internship and employment rates throughout the school years. Ensure a healthy number of people who come back to work in Myanmar after studies abroad. - 150 bachelor’s degree holders each year who continue advanced studies abroad or work in private and public sectors within Myanmar.

Our benchmark is that 30% of all graduates will be from minority groups. To achieve this we will offer targeted scholarships as well as supplementary classes in English, writing, computer use, etc. to provide disadvantaged students equal opportunity. - Youth from diverse socioeconomic, religious and ethnic groups, as well as women and individuals with disabilities, will receive a quality liberal arts and sciences education to become leaders in their respective communities.

Ensure technology proficiency of professors and students through diagnostic testing and iterative pedagogic improvements. The level and success of technology integration will be included in course evaluations. - Technology will be fully integrated into the classroom experience, and faculty will be trained in strategies and usages of technology to ensure productive utilization.

In the context of Myanmar and similar countries in Southeast Asia, a Liberal Arts and Sciences education is very unique. To keep pace with the tremendous changes in the economy and stabilize the disruptions brought by them, an interdisciplinary education offers the best chance of equipping students with necessary capabilities and skills. Furthermore, the country’s education system does not yet incorporate technical, digital and research skills, and Parami University will be the first tertiary institution to actively synthesize digital literacy in Myanmar. This will enable students to work flexibly and acquire new skills in a fast-changing job market.

Instructional technology is interactive and therefore begins and ends with the people using it. It will integrate online communications as well as digitized learning and collaborative programming, managed and operated by both faculty and students. We believe that the emphasis on digital technology in everyday classroom experiences, paired with leadership skills, will enable students to become life-long change agents equipped with a solid foundation in technical skills adaptable to the fast changing world. Supplementary computer literacy classes will also be needed in the context of Myanmar to ensure that we meet the individual needs of everyone, including the marginalized population.

Parami University will be an entirely new and independent tertiary institution with its own university campus. We aim to fit each classroom with essential instructional technologies such as computer labs, educational software, projectors, and Wi-Fi access, facilities that universities in developed countries take for granted, so that it becomes an integral part of the everyday learning experience for students. We will also use open-source online platforms for document sharing, assignment submission, group projects, and open discussion forums. Parami University will purchase and license all necessary technology, and the majority of our early-stage students will be awarded full and partial scholarships. 

In the long run, Parami University aims to be financially sustainable by relying on a healthy mixture of donations, tuition fees, and endowments. As a non-profit 501(c)3, donations are currently the primary source of revenue. There has already been significant financial support for the pilot program, the Parami Leadership Program, and in the long-run we will leverage larger donations and strategic partnerships to establish a brand-new university campus.

Parami University is currently applying for educational grants both domestically and abroad. We are also seeking official endorsement by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the State Counsellor of Myanmar, which will significantly widen our public appeal and enable us to fundraise more resources domestically. 

There are two primary limiting factors to the university. First, since we are heavily dependent on donations, there is a significant risk that we will periodically be unable to meet operational costs. Donations may be irregular in the early stages, since people in Myanmar are historically more accustomed to donating to religious causes. Second, introducing a liberal arts and sciences education to Myanmar will require public acceptance. Single-discipline focuses are the standard in Myanmar’s higher education system, students are not taught online research skills, and plagiarism is commonly accepted. 

https://www.facebook.com/Parami.Institute/

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwxJfvYDkKIbZElRQ2daLUZTbzA

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwxJfvYDkKIbRjd3WjUxbTBLZkk

Solve will provide Parami University with the opportunity to invest in instructional technology for all our classrooms and expand from the pilot program to a scaled liberal arts and sciences university. Moreover, the establishment of a university requires significant knowledge networks, and we believe that the Solve community will be an invaluable asset to developing a sustainable program by linking us to individuals in Myanmar and around the world. Similarly, we believe that Solve mentors will help provide invaluable advice on how to select, implement and use the optimal instructional technologies for a modern liberal arts university in Myanmar.

Centre College and Bard College, both liberal arts and sciences universities in the United States. 

None. We will be the first Liberal Arts and Sciences university in Myanmar.