The International Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Pittsburgh has longstanding expertise in lowering the costs and extending the reach of underserved populations to education, through the development of global networks. IISE creates learning communities focused on generational transitions, and cooperates with governmental and non-governmental entities around the world to: encourage equitable educational access across region, language, and gender; ensure continuous education for regions in crisis or transition; support professional capacity building; facilitate the creation of sustainable professional communications networks; and construct on-line professional development. IISE has developed teacher resource centers providing Internet, CD-ROM and desktop publishing to overcome teacher isolation and lack ot teaching materials, provided technological support for UN-based interagency education networks, anddeveloped low-cost non-formal teacher training programs for Internet and CD-ROM based training of non-qualified individuals to rebuild teaching cadres decimated by civil unrest and HIV/AIDS.
