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CORVALLIS - Some international research and educational efforts in the College of Forestry at Oregon State University were among projects recently highlighted at a national conference in Washington, D.C.

The results of OSU's successful outreach programs were outlined at a conference titled "Higher Education and USAID: Synergy in Development 2000," which was hosted by the Association Liaison Office for University Cooperation in Development, or ALO.

The ALO conference brought together 150 representatives from 28 countries, representing partnerships involving over 160 U.S. and foreign colleges and universities.

OSU's College of Forestry received one of 14 original partnership awards in 1998 from this organization, to work with two historically black institutions in South Africa - the Fort Cox College of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Fort Hare.

"Our project goals include development of a new curriculum in agroforestry at the University of Fort Hare, and improvement of the community forestry program and development of a horticultural nursery at Fort Cox College," said Mark Reed, an OSU forestry instructor. "We just received an additional $150,000 to extend the partnership in two new directions, including a feasibility study for low cost wooden housing and improvement of teaching technology."

ALO coordinates the efforts of higher education associations to cooperate with USAID and to help their member institutions plan and implement development programs with colleges and universities around the world. Its goal is to broaden the involvement of the American higher education community in partnerships for global development.