Former College Dean Meredith Woo was appointed director of Open Society Foundations’ International Higher Education Support Program Jan. 12. The program’s mission is to facilitate higher education in countries transitioning to democracy to enable positive social change.
Woo said the initiative is critical to OSF’s overall mission of facilitating democratic government and generating responsible, well-informed citizens.
“I have long admired George Soros and Open Society Foundations’ efforts to promote justice and rule of law,” Woo said. “I believe that at the core of the effort is education because open societies are not possible without it.”
Woo said her goal in working on the program is to improve access to higher education by capitalizing on the relationship between the growing prevalence of technology in the modern world and the time-honored local traditions integral to the culture of many of the transitioning countries with which OSF works.
“The combination of global opportunities and local knowledge Open Society Foundations has accumulated is a winning combination for meaningful change,” Woo said.
Woo said her experience and the values she gained during her time at the University will also guide her in this next undertaking.
“What I take away from the University is a commitment to education, conceived as a critical element to democratic citizenry,” Woo said.
She cited Thomas Jefferson’s vision for both the University and for the United States as inspiration for her work with OSF.
“Mr. Jefferson was not sure if the republic would survive, and if it were to survive, education would play a terribly important role,” Woo said. “I believe at the fundamental level [the goals of] the University and Open Society Foundations are the same.”
Laura Silber, OSF director of public affairs, said she thinks Woo will be an essential addition to the program.
“She is very talented in nurturing and fostering local talent and helping local voices in various communities to be heard,” Silber said. “She is able to see what is changing and spot new opportunities.”
Woo will begin her new position in London on June 1.
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