When officials in Saudi Arabia went looking for someone to help them assist students with special needs, they found it was worth the trip halfway around to world to consult experts at the UO College of Education.

“They chose us because they looked around the world and realized the University of Oregon really has talent in this area,” said Dan Close, a professor in the Family and Human Services program.

Twenty-two Saudi representatives spent about a week and a half on campus this November, visiting COE facilities and partner schools and learning more about the road ahead. Now, thanks in part to a $397,600 grant, the UO is poised to help shape educational reform in one of the world’s wealthiest and most traditional societies.

Read the full story at “Building a more inclusive Saudi Arabia” on the College of Education website.