RECENT HISTORY

The Community Colleges for International Development (CCID) has had an active presence in India of over 30 years with its most recent activities since 1989. During this time CCID colleges have conducted a five-year USAID funded College and University Affiliations grant to create a Centre for Vocational Education to develop curriculum to train early school leavers with employable skills. The synergy created by this activity led to a USIA grant to develop a functional literacy program targeted to women in rural villages. Other activities have included Department of Education grants in Title VI-B to internationalize community college curriculum, organize a trade mission of US Iowa businesses to go to south India and initiate business relationships, and the continuance of assistance to developing community colleges in the Chennai (Madras) area.

TRIP PURPOSE
As a result of these activities, CCID officially opened its first overseas office in Chennai in March of this year managed by Adrian Almeida. As the community college concept becomes more fully understood, many groups are looking to begin such institutions in India. CCID responded to this increasing desire for information about the community college to organize a delegation to visit the cities of Chennai, Trivandrum, Bangalore and Hyderabad to discuss the merits of the community college, how it works with business and industry, and its impact on workforce development.

PARTICIPANTS
At the presentations in the various cities, the participants consisted of representatives from religious groups, government, business and industry, higher education faculty and NGOs. They indicated they needed assistance with how to start a community college and develop an organizational structure, how to train-the-trainer, curriculum development, faculty exchange opportunities, the development of instructional aids, finance issues and administrative guidance. At each presentation site there literally was excitement in the air and real enthusiasm for action.

AS YOU EXPLORE THIS SITE
As you navigate your way around this site, you will visit the cities where we conducted our presentations or conducted meetings. We will attempt to provide you with hard hitting facts about what we learned from visiting
each city.

LESSONS LEARNED

In assessing our trip, the following are some of the lessons we learned from this experience.

1. This trip would not have been productive without the CCID Indian presence on the ground to assist with all the arrangements.
2. Ambassador Celeste was the key for us to be able to meet with USAID and CII.
3. Excellent behind the scenes work made this trip so productive and flow so smoothly.
4. The preplanning process for the trip made for a smooth running program and contributed to having the right mix of personnel participate. Preplanning the presentations and program were key to a successful venture. This permitted us to better adjust to unforeseen challenges.
5. It would have been better for us if we had more prior knowledge of who our audience was at each presentation site. Our ability to be flexible assisted us in trying to be more aware of participants' needs so we could better orient them.
6. The decision to rely on as little technology in the presentations as possible was the right one given the amount of travel and varying conditions we encountered.
7. We must follow-up with those who want to proceed.
8. Each delegation team needs a veteran of the country visited and knowledgeable of the material to be presented.
9. Car expenses were vitally needed due to the amount of local travel required.
10. Overseas activity such as this is a contact sport in addition to the technical skills needed. Participants must be able to be flexible.
11. CCID is still perceived to be a funding institution in spite of our presentations.