ECDVU: AN OVERVIEW

The Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) works with nominees of participating countries to enhance the country's social and economic development through addressing the needs of their youngest citizens and the families and communities which nurture them.

The ECDVU grew out of a series of ECD training seminars (Summer Institutes) initiated by UNICEF in 1994/95. For more information click on the history of the ECDVU.

In 2000 the World Bank, utilizing Norwegian Educational Trust Funds, supported the development phase of the ECDVU. The World Bank was then joined by UNICEF, UNESCO, CIDA, the Bernard van Leer Foundation, the British Columbia Human Early Learning Partnerships (HELP) initiative, and local employers of participants in supporting the delivery of the inaugural three year graduate degree program in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA-1) .

In 2001 the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region of the World Bank requested the delivery of a one year professional development program based on the ECDVU model. As a result, the ECDVU MENA program was developed in 2002 and delivered in 2003 utilizing funds from the Dutch government. A second delivery in the Middle East was requested by UNICEF-Yemen and the Government of Yemen in 2005 and was delivered in 2005/2006. In 2006 funds were received from the Dutch government and the World Bank to deliver a one-year program in 2006/2007 in Africa in cooperation with African universities (SSA-2)..