Overall objectives of the A’oa’oga Aso Nei Initiative include:

1. Serve Digital Equity for the Minority Community of American Samoa by transforming ASCC into a technologically modern campus with digital capabilities and curricula similar to those of a typical mainland community college campus.

2. Within 5 years, begin matriculating more than 20 percent of graduating students with digitally competitive degrees and/or certifications. 50 percent within 10 years.

3. Give staff the tools they need to support and maintain equitable delivery of digitally-updated education.

Specific objectives are listed below in Project Results and Evaluation.

Strategic Alignment

Economic Alignment

The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy of American Samoa (CEDS-AS) provides the territory with a plan to strategically manage its resources and prioritize development in key industries.  These efforts are aimed at creating an environment in which economic diversification and resilience can flourish.

The Aʻoaʻoga Aso Nei Initiative is fully aligned with the CEDS Goal 1: Build a Robust Business Environment and Business Ecosystem. In particular, it supports Objective 6: Support innovators and entrepreneurs, as well as directly and indirectly supporting many other objectives and goals from the strategic plan.

Broadband Strategy Alignment

The ASTBS (American Samoa Territory Broadband Strategy) supplies a set of priorities and strategies arrived upon by the consensus of a wide range of American Samoa leaders and institutions. The Department of Commerce of American Samoa recognizes the ASTBS as a critical strategy guide for initiatives focused on technological innovation and leveraging the territory’s existing investment in broadband.

The Aʻoaʻoga Aso Nei Initiative project conforms with several of those priorities and strategies. Specifically, the initiative addresses Priority 5:Economic Development, for which the initiative will fulfill many specific strategies. In particular, the Strategy P.5.3 specifically mentions, “Build available capacity for new IT businesses and for growth expansion – American Samoa Innovation and Technology Campus.” Other relevant strategies include P.5.4: “Create a Comprehensive IT/ICT Workforce Development Initiative” (likely to be housed on campus); P.5.15: “Build confidence of potential investors and business operators,” and several others as well. Priority 7:Education from the ASTBS is also well aligned with this initiative, with several matching goals and strategies.

As the project teams solidify and exact details of implementation evolve, the team will always turn to the ASTBS as a guideline for prioritizing objectives and deliverables.