IREX Announces Contemporary Issues Fellowships

IREX is pleased to announce an open competition for the Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program. The deadline for this application is November 24, 2000. 

Since 1996, the Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program has awarded Fellowships to professionals, specialists, consultants, practitioners, NGO leaders and policy-makers from the NIS to conduct research and gain knowledge and experience in United States institutions. The program is developed, funded and supervised by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of State and administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). 

The Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program provides opportunities to qualified citizens of all twelve New Independent States to conduct research, write studies, gain experience and develop contacts in the United States with the goal of playing an active role in sustaining the transition to democracy, open markets, and civil society in their home country. Fellowships are for four months. All applications must contain focused, well-developed research proposals, which are issue and policy driven with practical application and address recent developments and trends in the NIS. 

The Contemporary Issues Fellowship proposals must focus on one of the following five topics: 

* Sustainable Growth and Economic Development of NIS Economies in Transition 

* Democratization, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law 

* Political, Military, Security and Public Policy Issues 

* Strengthening Civil Society 

* The Communications Revolution, and Access to Information 

Examples of research topics for the Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program would include, but are not limited to: Telecommunications Systems in the NIS; the Impact of NATO Expansion; Nuclear Safety and Non-Proliferation; Covering Election Year Politics in the Press; Combating Organized Crime and Corruption; NGO Management and Development; Creating a Social Safety Net; Politics of Pipelines in Central Asia and the Caucasus; Resolving Regional Conflict; Trade, Investment, and Tax Policy; Reforming the Military; Human Resources Management in International Businesses; Freedom of the Press in Electronic Publishing; Distance Education; the Legal Rights of Women, Children, Workers, and the Disabled; Health Care Administration and Policy in the Wake of the Chernobyl Disaster; Environmental Policy; New Technologies in Library Information Management; Reforming Educational Policy; and Media Management. 

All applicants must demonstrate a critical need to conduct their research in the United States, address how their research will make a significant contribution to their fields in their home countries, and explain how they will apply their research and disseminate the knowledge gained during their U.S. fellowship upon return to the NIS. All Contemporary Issues Fellows are affiliated with U.S. host institutions (i.e., universities, research institutes, NGOs, and government agencies) appropriate to their field and are assigned to a host advisor who guides them in their research projects and professional development. Collaborative projects with American colleagues are highly encouraged. 

All participants are required to submit a final report discussing their program activities, the results of their research, and future plans upon returning to their home country. Eligibility Requirements for the Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program Applicant must: 

1. Be a citizen of and residing in the NIS (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine or Uzbekistan); 

2. Be over the age of 24, but under the age of 55 at the time of the November 24, 2000 deadline; 

3. Be a policy-maker or government official at the national, regional, or local level, NGO staff member, or other practitioner including journalist, lawyer, manager, judge, law enforcement official, etc. having had few or no recent opportunities to conduct research at U.S. institutions in one of the five targeted categories of topics eligible for the Contemporary Issues Fellowships Program; 

4. Hold an academic degree equivalent to, if not above, a U.S. Master of Arts or Master of Sciences degree; 

5. Have at least three years of professional experience in the topic of the research proposal; 

6. Submit a research proposal in one of the Contemporary Issues categories listed above with demonstrated need for research in the U.S.; 

7. Have a high level of proficiency in written and spoken English necessary to conduct independent research in the U.S. and engage colleagues; 

8. Have written publications or delivered presentations at conferences or seminars; 

9. Be able to receive and maintain a J-1 visa; 

10. Be able to begin the Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program in mid-August 2001 or mid-February 2002. 

11. Not be a spouse of an U.S. citizen nor a spouse of a citizen of countries other than the 12 participating countries; 

12. Not be currently participating in academic, training or research programs outside the 12 participating countries; 

13. Not be currently residing or working outside the 12 participating countries; 

14. Not have previously participated in a program sponsored or funded by the U.S. government (US Department of State or other U.S. government institution) after August 1999 [past two years] for a period of more than six weeks; and 

15. Not have applied for an immigrant visa to any country, or requested political asylum in any country. This includes individuals who hold or have applied for an U.S. "green card," or who have applied to the U.S. Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery. 

Employees of US Embassies and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs contract/grantee organizations are eligible to apply to the Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program. 

Under the terms of the grant and the laws governing the J-1 visa required for participation in the Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program, fellows must return to their home country immediately upon completion of the program for a period of at least two years. Fellows may not continue their studies in the US, and are not eligible for extended practical training or employment in the United States. 

Financial and Professional Provisions of the Grant 

The program provides: 

*round-trip travel from fellows' home cities in the NIS to the U.S. host institution; 

* medical insurance; 

* a three-day orientation in Washington, DC; 

* a monthly stipend for housing and living expenses; 

* an optional internship allowance; and 

* a small allowance for educational materials and professional conferences and membership in U.S. professional associations. 

The program also provides post-fellowship opportunities in the New Independent States for continued professional growth of alumni. These opportunities for alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs in the NIS generally include: 

* an alumni small grants program 

* participation in and the development of regional conferences, seminars, and lecture series; 

* an alumni listserv; 

* continued access to e-mail, Internet, and the resources of the World Wide Web. 

US Host Institution Affiliation 

Contemporary Issues Fellows will be affiliated with a US university, institute, think-tank, NGO or government office appropriate to their research objectives and be placed with a host advisor. Applicants should suggest possible placement institutions in their application where they prefer to conduct their research. IREX will determine the final appropriate U.S. affiliation based on the participants' preferences, recommendations of senior specialists and scholars in the United States, and availability of United States' host institutions. All applicants must realize that final affiliations will be decided by IREX and suggesting institutions in their application is no guarantee of future placement. 

The program is developed, funded and supervised by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of State and administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). 

Selection Process and Program Timeline for the Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program 

The Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program is conducted as merit-based open competition in the NIS with selections by review panels of US and NIS scholars and professionals who are knowledgeable about social, political, economic, and educational developments in the NIS. All qualified applicants, regardless of gender, race, religion, ethnic group, or physical challenge will be considered equally. 

The application deadline for the Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program is Friday, 5:00 p.m., November 24, 2000. 

All semi-finalists will be interviewed in person in their home countries in February-March 2001. All applicants will be notified of their status by April-May 2001. Contemporary Issues Fellows will begin their fellowships in the United States in late August 2001 or February 2002. All Fellows attend a pre-departure orientation in their home countries in May-July 2001 and a comprehensive program orientation in Washington, DC, prior to beginning fellowships at U.S. host institutions. 

Finalists awarded grants and designated alternates must complete a full medical form certifying that they are in good health. Medical forms are in English and will be sent to the selected finalists together with an official acceptance letter. Fellows without completed medical forms certifying that they are in good health will not participate in the program. 

A series of public informational lectures about these fellowship opportunities will be held in the NIS in September and October 2000. 

Applications for the Contemporary Issues Fellowship Program can be obtained by contacting the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX), the IREX field offices, and Educational Information Centers located in the NIS. Contact your nearest IREX office or EIC for more information. In addition, the application can be downloaded from http://www.irex.org or http://www.irex.ru.

Last updated:    October 2000

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