President James Ammons signed an agreement today with a Canadian organization that will allow Florida A&M University students to intern in Cairo, Egypt.
The partnership with the Information Technology Academy Canada-Africa Branch, will allow 11 previously chosen students, to start the program next semester.
Students were chosen from the School of Business and Industry, College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture and the School of Architecture. They will participate in the program from six months to a year.
Ammons said the partnership between FAMU and the organization will “internationalize” the campus.
“It is a part of our mission, and who we are, to extend our mission.”
He said there is a critical need for blacks in Foreign Service, and FAMU students can fill those areas.
Under the agreement, students will be provided with fellowship and internship opportunities. Grant writing and cross-disciplinary research will also be available. Faculty and student exchanges from both countries will be a future goal as the partnership develops.
Provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, Cindy Harris, said the agreement will expand international relations for the university.
“There are some unique opportunities here,” she said.
The Canadian-based organization, ITACAB, is an online university that educates students about business education through Information Technology.
Medhat Mounir, president of the organization, said ITACAB has a focus to link cultures, bridge diversity and create opportunities through new markets.
“We deliver good quality education to our students,” he said.
Students who have a strong interest economics or business should apply, Mounir said.
Vice President of ITACAB, Mohamed Ebeid, said the organization approached the FAMU first about the partnership. He said they searched for other schools to partner with, like Tuskegee University and University of Alabama, but chose FAMU.
“Other universities weren’t ready yet,” he said. “FAMU has a great academic system we need.”
Ebeid said the organization was impressed by FAMU’s quality of students and wants members of the university to take advantage of the program.
“We need your students, we need your faculty, we need your technology,” he said.
He also said that an emergency number and free calls to the U.S will be available for interning students.
Interim director of the Office of International Education and Development, Joseph Jones, said the international opportunity will expose students to Arabic language that is useful for foreign relations.
Jones said prospective students would have to apply and go through a screening process. A large concentration of interns will come from SBI. A letter of intent, resume and passport are required as well.
For more information about the program, contact Joseph Jones at (850) 599-3562.