Concordia University Wisconsin’s School of Education and the Office of Continuing Education Studies is proud to announce a new international collaboration with U.S. University Pathways, extending its educational reach and influence into global K–12 classrooms.
This exciting new partnership launched in summer 2025 with a teacher training program designed for international educators in Lagos, Nigeria. The effort was a joint endeavor between Concordia and U.S. University Pathways, which operates Forward International Academy (FIA)—a network of global schools that deliver U.S. high school diplomas aligned with Wisconsin’s academic standards.
“This summer, as part of a partnership with U.S. University Pathways, CUW began offering a new program to international teachers hoping to learn more about the concepts of the U.S. education system,” explained Dr. Dan Frederking, the CUW adjunct professor who led the inaugural course.
The five-day professional development course, conducted via Zoom from July 7–11, introduced Nigerian educators to foundational topics in Western-style teaching. “It was fun,” Dr. Frederking reflected. “I learned as much from them about the Nigerian education system as they learned from me. It was a great experience.”
The workshop featured five one-hour sessions covering:
- Day 1: Introduction to the Western-Style Classroom
- Day 2: Differentiation: Meeting Students Where They Are
- Day 3: Assessment for Learning
- Day 4: Promoting Critical Thinking and Inquiry
- Day 5: Putting It All Together
Educators explored topics such as Bloom’s Taxonomy, differentiation, and the differences between formative and summative assessments—all with the goal of building instructional strategies rooted in student-centered learning. The training was conducted at 10 a.m. Central Time (4 p.m. in Nigeria), making it easily accessible for participants.
Dr. Liang, president of U.S. University Pathways, emphasized the growing reach and mission of FIA. “Since 2016, U.S. University Pathways has been exporting Wisconsin K–12 education and connecting talented international students with Wisconsin universities,” he shared. “Our mission is to make education accessible to students around the world, regardless of their circumstances, while also helping address declining enrollment at Wisconsin universities and the state’s growing workforce shortage.”
From 2024 to 2025, FIA’s international student population more than doubled—from 80 to 180 students—representing countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Algeria, China, Portugal, and Ukraine. Students receive a U.S. high school diploma from their home country while being prepared to apply to Wisconsin universities.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Concordia University Wisconsin to train our local teachers abroad to deliver FIA’s curriculum with Wisconsin grades 6 to 12 academic standards,” Dr. Liang added. “Most recently, Concordia University completed a training program for our newest school in Nigeria, which is set to launch in September 2025.”
Dr. Adam Paape, assistant dean of the School of Education at Concordia, echoed the enthusiasm: “I’m excited about this partnership as we get to expand Concordia’s influence in international education at the high school level. Dr. Frederking brings significant background in the world of education and did a wonderful job with our first running of this program with the school in Nigeria. We are excited to continue this partnership and look forward to influencing even more educators with our high-quality, student-focused approach to teacher development.”
Written by Dr. Adam Paape
Want in?
Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world. To learn more about the School of Education’s outreach or explore how your school might benefit from international collaboration, visit our School of Education programs page: CUW School of Education. To learn more about our professional development offerings, visit Continuing Education Studies page at CUW Continuing Education Studies.