RESPECT University On Expansion Drive
RESPECT University (RU) began the year with an aim to complete at least one course through correspondence and we managed to complete two courses successfully and three are nearing completion.
However, our failure to continue our courses in one of our major affiliates prompted us to take up a major program to create awareness among the academic community and refugee organisations, and to encourage more people and organisations to promote and support our cause.
A drive to strengthen existing infrastructure of affiliates where our courses have come to a standstill has been initiated and is picking up pace.
Many volunteers and their colleagues have joined us in this endeavour. As well, new refugee organisations have joined us to benefit from our courses.
The year 2007 saw RESPECT University winning the Online Volunteering Team of the Year Award from the United Nations Online Volunteer Service. The collective effort of and support for each other within RU has been the reason for some great achievements that we have witnessed this past year.
The year 2008 promises to be a very significant year as we may try to promote new courses in French and Arabic. The volunteers of RU have been attempting to raise funds for RU courses. There is an interest among them to move out to meet people and institutions who could assist RU to run its programs.
RU volunteers are proud to be associated with an institution they feel has great potential to grow. It is this trend that is expected to bring about overall development to the institution. The university, like RESPECT International, prides itself on acquiring very talented volunteers that have the ability to bring about far-reaching changes.
Today there are 30 volunteers and they expect to bring an equal number of volunteers, if not more, to join us.
Therefore, 2008 is a year in which we look forward to growth and to reaching out to more refugee students around the world. We also look forward to creating online courses and creating a network of like-minded institutions to join us and utilise our programs for the benefit of refugees and internally displaced persons.