ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Faculty-level Academic Exchange Programs

Fulbright Scholarship Program: USIA's Fulbright Senior Scholar Program brings university faculty from all countries of the NIS to the United States to conduct research for periods ranging from one semester to one academic year. Their American counterparts travel to the NIS on lecturer or lecturing/research programs where they are based at NIS institutions of higher learning. During FY 96, 65 U.S. and 73 NIS professors participated in the program.

Prospective foreign scholars should submit applications to the USIS or Fulbright Office in the individual's home country. Prospective U.S. participants should contact the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) at 202-6864000 (Tel) or 202-362-3442 (fax). Additional information can be obtained from:

Europeans Program Branch
Academic Exchange Program Division
Tel: 202-619-4420

Regional Scholar Exchange Program: The Regional Scholar Exchange Program (RSEP) is a merit-based open competition that selects scholars in the social sciences and humanities from all countries of the NIS to receive research fellowships at US. universities. Similarly, the RSEP selects Ph.D. candidates and scholars from the U.S. to receive research fellowships at universities and institutes in the NIS. Fellowships are one semester or up to one academic year. All fellows are matched with host advisors who guide their research. The RSEP empowers scholars to research, write, and publish--based on access to the resource materials and specialists of the host country-studies that advance the state of knowledge in their specific fields in their home countries. In FY 96, 1 00 NIS and IO U.S. scholars were exchanged. USIA awarded a grant to the ]International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX), in partnership with the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies to administer the program. For more information, contact:

European Programs Branch
Academic Exchange Programs Division
Tel: 202-205-0525

Freedom Support Act Fellowships in Contemporary Issues: This merit-based open competition selects highly qualified citizens of the NIS who are engaged in the political, economic, social, and educational transformation of their countries to receive fellowships at U.S. universities, think tanks, NGOS, or government offices. All FSA Fellows in Contemporary Issues conduct research on topics that help to advance the transition to democracy, free markets, and the building of a civil society in their countries. Fellows are matched with U.S. host advisors who guide their research, writing, professional development, advocacy skiffs, and participation in U.S. conferences and seminars. FSA Contemporary Issues fellowships are awarded for periods of three, six, or eight months. In FY 96, 75 NIS policy-makers, NGO leaders, professionals, and scholars were selected to begin their programs in April and September 1997. The International Research & Exchanges Board and the Kennan Institute received a partnership grant to administer the program. For more information contact:

European Programs Branch
Academic Exchange Programs Division
Tel: 202-205-0525

Freedom Support Act Funded Teacher Exchange Programs: During FY 96 seventeen teachers from six NIS countries (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine) and two U.S. teachers (placed in Russia and e) successfully concluded year-long civic education-based teaching exchanges in U.S. and NIS schools, respectively. The U.S. teachers taught civics in an NIS secondary school and pedagogical institute; the NIS teachers taught social studies courses in U.S. secondary schools, observed local civic and community activities, and completed civic education curriculum projects for implementation in their home schools. in August 1996 eighteen teachers arrived from seven NIS countries (Georgia as well as the countries listed above) to begin their year-long exchange. At the same time, five U.S. teachers began teaching civics in schools in Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine. For more information on teacher exchange programs, contact:

Teacher Exchange Branch
Advising, Teaching and Specialized Programs Division
Tel: 202-619-4555

Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP): This Freedom Support Act-funded program is an open, merit-based competition that offers fellowships at U.S. universities in the fields of business administration, communications/journalism, economics, law, library administration, library science, public administration, and university administration to promising young faculty from Russia and Ukraine. JFDP fellows are placed at US. universities for one academic year where they conduct research, attend classes, and work with a mentor to develop curriculum in their fields. During the 1996-1997 academic year, 76 scholars are being hosted by 25 U.S. universities. For the first time, 20 JFDP participants are from Ukraine. The JFDP is administered in the U.S. by the Council for the International Exchange of Scholars (CIES). In Russia and Ukraine, JFDP activities, including recruitment and selection, are administered by the American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACTR). For more information, contact:

European Program Branch
Academic Exchange Programs Division
Tel: 202-619-4420

Curriculum Consultants Exchange: This program provides grants for the development and direction of teaching materials and curricula in the fields of humanities and social sciences to be incorporated in the educational programs of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Russian federation, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. The Curriculum Consultants program exchanges U.S. instructors and NIS instructors for one year to act as curriculum consultants. In FY 96, 15 U.S. and 15 NIS humanities and social science educators or advanced graduate students were exchanged. The program is administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). For more information, contact:

European Program Branch
Academic Exchange Programs Division
Tel: 202-205-0525

U.S. - Eurasia Internet Access and Training Program: In FY 96, USIA, in cooperation with U.S. and NIS private and public sector, launched this project to provide sustainable access to and training in e-mail, Internet, and the World Wide Web for alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange and training programs and their colleagues in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. On-line access to the resources of the World Wide Web has helped NIS citizens, who are engaged in consolidating the transition to democracy, free markets, and civil society, keep current and connected in their fields, obtain educational and professional resources, disseminate information, publish articles on the Web, and continue collaborative projects with U.S. and NIS colleagues. The IATP is expected to crease 65 public access sites at NIS universities, libraries, and NGOs, provide communications assistance to 480 NIS institutions, and train 90 NIS Internet trainers by June 1998. For more information contact:

European Programs Branch
Academic Exchange Programs Division
Tel: 202-205-0525

Graduate-level Academic Exchange Programs

Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Program: The Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Program selects outstanding citizens from the NIS and the Baltics to receive scholarships for Master's4evel study and professional development programs in the United States in the fields of business administration, economics, law, and public administration. Candidates are recruited through an open, merit-based competition. Fellows enroll in graduate degree, certificate, professional development, and non-degree programs lasting one to two academic years, and take part in an eight- to twelve- week internship during the summer following the first academic year. In FY 96, 101 fellowships were awarded. USIA sponsored a mid-program workshop for 127 FY 95 fellows and a Career Forum in Moscow for Russian program alumni. In FY 97, the program is being administered by the American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACTR) and the Soros Foundations/Open Society Institute (Soros/OSI). For more information, contact:

European Programs Branch
Academic Exchange Programs Division
Tel: 202-205-0525

Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship Program: Through a merit-based competition, this program selects outstanding citizens from the NIS to receive scholarships for Master's-level study and professional development programs in the United States in the fields of business administration, communications6oumalism, economics, education administration, law, library and information science, public administration, and public policy. Fellows enroll in graduate degree, certificate, professional development, and non-degree programs lasting one to two academic years and take part in eight- to twelve- week internships during the summer following the first academic year. In FY 96, 108 fellowships were awarded and 50 institutions in 28 states and the District of Columbia served as host universities. The program is administered by the American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACTR) and the Soros Foundations/Open Society Institute (Soros/OSI). For more information, contact:

European Programs Branch
Academic Exchange Programs Division
Tel: 202-205-0525

Undergraduate-level Academic Exchange Programs

Freedom Support Act Undergraduate Program: This program provides fellowships for undergraduate students from the NIS to study in the U.S. in the fields of agriculture, business administration, communications/journalism, computer science, annual justice studies, economics, education, environmental management, government, library and information sciences, public policy, and sociology. Students are selected to study for one academic year in accredited four year universities or colleges, or community college through an open, merit-based competition, and may either live on campus or with a host-family. In FY 96, USIA placed 262 NIS undergraduate students at 77 four-year colleges and universities and seven community colleges representing 35 states. The American Council of Teachers of Russian and Youth For Understanding (YFU) received grants in FY 97 to administer this program. For more information, contact:

European Programs Branch
Academic Exchange Program Division
Tel: 202-205-0525

NIS Secondary School Initiative: Launched in January 1993 by Senator Bill Bradley as a major Freedom Support Act funded program of secondary school exchanges. The program offers three types of exchanges:

Academic Year Program: In FY 96 1,180 students from the NIS countries were placed with U.S. host families to attend local high schools for the 1996-97 academic year. The recruitment and selection process for this program is conducted by the American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACTR) and Youth for Understanding (YFU). The selection is based on English ability, social skills, academic achievement and leadership potential. All students receive an extensive orientation to fife in America, pursue a full course of study at an American high school. School and host family placement and overall student monitoring is conducted by private U.S. organizations awarded USIA grants.

Academic Studies Program: 182 NIS students and 86 U.S. students participated in this program during FY 96. The program provides partial funding for the selection and exchange of NIS and U.S. high school students to spend one semester of study in their host country. Participants are chosen by the U.S. organizations that are awarded USIA grants and their NIS partners.

School Linkage Program: In FY 96, 856 NIS students, 193 NIS teachers, 821 U.S. students and 150 U.S. teachers participated in reciprocal exchanges of three weeks to one semester in the host country. Partnerships were established between 100 U.S. schools and 100 NIS schools (except Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan). This program stimulates community support, kindles an interest in language acquisition and area studies, and fosters ongoing institutional ties. It also provides access to resources for curriculum development and educational training that promote educational reform and institution building. Grantees include exchange organizations, universities, and state and local school systems. For more information, contact:

NIS Secondary School initiative
Office of Citizen Exchanges
Tel: 202-619-6299

Awards for Excellence in Teaching: The U.S.-Russia and U.S.-Ukraine Awards for Excellence in Teaching programs were officially launched in separate press conferences in Moscow and Kiev in the Fall of 1996. Funded by the Freedom Support Act, these high-profile, nationwide programs will recognize the best teachers of English and American Studies in the two countries. The 300 regional winners will receive educational equipment for their schools valued up to $2,200; the 45 national winners (30 from Russia, 15 from Ukraine) will attend a seven- to eight-week professional enrichment program in the U.S. The operational details of the awards programs were negotiated by the USIS posts in Moscow and Kiev in cooperation with the ministries of education in the two countries. The American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACIR) will be administering the program. For more information, contact:

NIS Secondary School Initiative
Office of Citizen Exchanges
Tel: 202-619-6299

REAP - Russian and Eurasian Awards Program (also known as Top Up Grants): USIA awards Top-Up grants for undergraduate and graduate students from the NIS who are admitted to U.S. universities, but need partial financial assistance to enable them to attend. Maximum grants of $10,000 per student are awarded to defray transportation and living expenses. The U.S. institution is expected to provide full tuition for the recipient. In FY 94, 251 students received funding (195 from Russia). FY 94 funds will continue to support Top-Up Grants for 251 students in FY 94, 359 students in FY 95 and 209 students in FY 96. This program has received no additional funding and will be closed in FY-97.

Student Advising: USIA funds 15 NIS Educational Information Centers (EICS) directly or through cooperative agreements with IREY., ACTR, and Soros/OSI. In addition, USIA provides books and materials to approximately 20 independent educational advising centers which are typically affiliated with a university, or operated by NGOs or the Peace Corps. USIA also provides training opportunities for professional educational advisers from the NIS. NIS EICs provide information about opportunities for study in the United States and the admissions process, assist U.S. college and university recruiters in the region, and support recruitment, re-entry, and alumni activities for USIA's academic exchange programs. Regional Educational Advising Consultancy (REAC): This consultancy position is based in Moscow and serves as a resource for all NIS educational information centers. The NIS REAC assists in the development of the network of NIS educational information centers (currently estimated at 60) by setting up training activities for advisers, conducting site visits at the request of centers or USIS posts, distributing current information about the U.S. educational system and providing guidance about establishing and maintaining advising centers according to professional advising standards. In FY 96, the REAC conducted regional advising workshops in Tomsk & Yekaterinburg, Russia and plans to conduct similar events in Kiev, Tashkent, Nizhny Novgorod, Minsk and Rostov-.on-Don. For more information on this program, contact:

Advising and Student Services Branch
Advising, Teaching and Specialized Programs Division
Tel: 202-619-5434

University Affiliations/Partnerships: Since the fall of 1993, a total of 34 college and university partnership grants have been administered by USIA- These grants have led to numerous spin-off activities, and established a solid basis for continued institutional reform in the NIS. Although many of these grants expired at the end of FY 96, the linkages have been sustained through other activities and funding sources.

University,Affiliations: This annual, worldwide program awards grants to support three-year affiliations which consist mostly of faculty and staff exchanges.

University Partnerships: This Freedom Support Act-funded program is designed to promote curriculum development and administrative reform in Russian colleges and universities in the following fields: law, economics/business, public administration/public policy/government, and education. Programs carried out under these partnerships include materials development, writing of new curricula, training and team teaching, library development and librarian training and administrative development.

NIS Linkage Program: This program provides support for institutional partnerships between colleges and universities 'm the U.S. and the New Independent States (excluding the Russian Federation) in the fields of law, business/economics, education/continuing education/educational reform, government/public policy/pubfic administration, and communications/journalism.

For more information on university linkage and partnership programs, contact:

Specialized Programs Unit
Advising, Teaching, and Specialized Programs Division
Tel: 202-619-5289

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Return to the USIA Fact Sheet on NIS Programs.

Last updated:    April 1997

A print version of much of the information contained in this NIS Third Sector Organizations section can be found in the The Post-Soviet Handbook (Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1999).

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