May 3, 1998

UWO SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN TIES WITH CUBA

By John Herbert -- Free Press Reporter
First it was the Pope.
Then Prime Minister Jean Chretien.
Now it's Rebecca Coulter's turn in Cuba.
The associate dean of education at the University of Western Ontario leaves London today for Havana to meet with colleagues at the University of Havana.
Coulter is part of a three-person delegation from Canada that hopes to develop a funding proposal for a continuing education program for lawyers, journalists, social workers and teachers in Cuba.
Her visit is part of a co-operation agreement UWO president Paul Davenport signed in March 1997 with the Cuban university.

FUNDING PROPOSAL
Coulter will be joined in Cuba by Stephen McMichael, a consultant hired by the international research office at UWO, and the associate dean from the University of Manitoba. They end their mission on May 10.
Coulter said she became interested in participating in joint ventures with Cuba long before Chretien's visit last week.
She said the whole idea for the project initiated about 18 months ago when External Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy raised the possibility.
Coulter wrote to Davenport to tell him she was interested.
"He said it was a funny thing I wrote because he was going (to Cuba) to sign an agreement.''
The purpose of the delegation's visit this week is to work on a proposal for funding to be submitted to the Canadian International Development Agency.
The delegation plans to identify ways to train Cuban professionals.

NEW LEGAL SYSTEM
"For example, they are introducing a new legal system in Cuba and they need a way to upgrade practising lawyers in Cuba. So we're hoping to work on systems for educating this professional group, partially utilizing technology and distance education," Coulter said.
"The expertise we have is in teaching -- to help them devise a way to teach a number of professionals very quickly.''
Coulter said the University of Havana also wants to introduce professors to a wider range of teaching methods.
She suggested one method would be an exchange program for students from Cuba who will become teachers.
Meanwhile, Coulter is one of eight academics to be honored May 22 in Toronto by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations. Awards will be presented to people who make a significant difference in their profession and in the lives of their students.