New literacy center to open at U.

A United Nations organization announced earlier this month that it will work with the Graduate School of Education to establish an international literacy institute at the University next fall. The move comes only four years after the U.S. Department of Education awarded the University a $10 million grant to establish the National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL). The announcement means an additional $1 million annually to GSE from UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization . "It's certainly a big deal," Interim President Claire Fagin said this week. The new international institute will be housed at the existing literacy center at 3910 Chestnut Street. NCAL Director Daniel Wagner said the University's selection four years ago for the national grant helped it win the international grant from UNESCO. "It's on the strength of our productivity and the reputation that we have established through the national center that the [international] relationship has taken on new significance," said Wagner. Fagin said the announcement means a larger role for the University in combatting illiteracy. "[Wagner] is the most prominent person [in the field]," she said. "This is?going to increase the depth and breadth of what he's currently doing." Wagner said the international literacy center promises great opportunity. "It gives us an opportunity to reach out internationally, not just to the developing world?but also to the whole international community," Wagner said. There are currently 40 researchers and students working at NCAL on literacy innovations, policy forums and training. "[The University has] probably the largest center in the U.S. that does work on adult literacy in terms of research and development," Wagner said. He added that the literacy center is currently working on a number of other projects, including a joint program with South Africa. UNESCO, a Paris based organization, works to promote freedom of the press and freedom of information, in addition to literacy. The group has been in contact with researchers at the University for a number of years, Wagner said.