The Study of the United States Institutes (SUSI) is sponsored by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and administered by the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of North Macedonia.
Application deadline: December 31, 2019.
INSTITUTE DESCRIPTION: Study of the U.S. Institutes are intensive post-graduate level academic programs with integrated study tours whose purpose is to provide foreign university faculty and other scholars the opportunity to deepen their understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions. The ultimate goal of these Institutes is to strengthen curricula and to enhance the quality of teaching about the United States in academic institutions abroad. Study of the U.S. Institutes will take place at various colleges, universities, and institutions throughout the United States over the course of six weeks beginning in or after June 2020. Each Institute includes a four-week academic residency component and up to two weeks of an integrated study tour.
The Institute on American Culture and Values will promote American culture, leadership, and values by providing a multinational group of 18 experienced and highly motivated foreign university faculty and other specialists with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, civil society institutions, democratic principles, human rights, and the rule of law. The Institute will examine the concepts of American exceptionalism and American resilience through social, economic, political, and religious contexts in which, historically, various cultures have manifested and shaped contemporary U.S. culture, values, and society. The Institute will include an integrated study tour to New Mexico and Washington D.C. Pending final ECA grant approval, the University of Montana in Missoula, MT will oversee and administer this program and New York University in New York, NY will host the Institute from June 6 until July 18, 2020.
The Institute on Journalism and Media will provide a multinational group of 18 experienced and highly motivated foreign journalism instructors and other related specialists with a deeper understanding of the roles that journalism and the media play in U.S. society. The Institute will examine the role of journalists in recognizing and preventing disinformation and will explore strategies for media and information literacy to counter disinformation. Additionally, the Institute will examine best practices in journalism by discussing the rights and responsibilities of the media in a democratic society, including editorial independence, journalistic ethics, legal constraints, and international journalism. In addition, the Institute will examine pedagogical strategies for teaching students of journalism the basics of the tradecraft: researching, critical thinking, reporting, interviewing, writing, and editing. The program will also highlight the impact of technology in journalism, including the influence of the Internet, globalization of the news media, and other changes that are transforming the profession. The Institute will include an integrated study tour to Alabama, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Pending final ECA grant approval, the University of Montana in Missoula, MT will oversee and administer this program and Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ will host the Institute from June 7 until July 19, 2020.
The Institute on Religious Freedom and Pluralism will provide a multinational group of up to 18 experienced foreign university faculty, scholars, researchers and religious leaders with a deeper understanding of U.S. society and culture, past and present, through an examination of religious freedom as a foundational American value. The program will include a survey of the religious landscape of the United States, including major and minor religious groups; historic religious traditions and contemporary American religious groups will also be included. The Institute will explore both the historical and contemporary relationship between church and state in the United States; examine interfaith understanding and dialogue, religious pluralism, freedom of religion as a fundamental unalienable human right and source of stability; and discuss ways in which religious freedom is protected. In addition, the Institute will examine the intersections of religion and politics in the United States, especially in U.S. foreign policy. Participants will have opportunities to meet with U.S. community leaders of different faiths who advocate for collaboration and tolerance among religious groups. The program will take place during the June to August timeframe in 2020. This Institute along with one other SUSI for scholars are currently being openly competed under one award; the recipient and implementing institutions will be known in April 2020.
The Institute on U.S. Economics and Business will provide a multinational group of 18 experienced foreign university faculty, researchers, experts and policymakers with a deeper understanding of key components and structures of the U.S. economy as the world’s largest economy. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the program will explore 1) how financial institutions, investors, and businesses interact to support growth and employment and 2) the institutional backdrop that is required to sustain a competitive and strong private sector, including but not limited to corporate governance structures, monetary policy, and the legal and regulatory framework of the business sector. The program will also discuss how the United States, as the leading nation for global trade, influences industries, free markets and financial sectors around the world and advances trade, investment, and capital flows. Participants should have a firsthand look at key institutions and stakeholders in U.S. economy and the opportunity to meet with business and corporate leaders, Wall Street executives and board members, and small business owners, among others. The program will take place during the June to August timeframe in 2020. This Institute along with one other SUSI for scholars are currently being openly competed under one award; the recipient and implementing institutions will be known in April 2020.
The Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy will provide a multinational group of 18 experienced foreign university faculty and practitioners with a deeper understanding of new approaches to U.S. foreign policy and how U.S. foreign policy is formulated and implemented. The Institute will include a historical review of significant events, individuals, and philosophies that have shaped U.S. foreign policy. The Institute will explain the role of key players in U.S. foreign policy including the executive and legislative branches of government, the media, the U.S. public, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, and multilateral institutions. The program will also examine the current U.S. foreign policymaking and the new trends that are shaping policy. Topics such as the concept of American sovereignty, shifting attitudes towards globalism, U.S. foreign aid, the monitoring of foreign investment in the United States, the efforts to combat terrorism and radicalization, new trade policies and agreements, immigration and border safety, and cybersecurity will be included. The program will also discuss the reorganization of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the new U.S. approaches to international organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The Institute will include an integrated study tour to New York City, Philadelphia, Texas and Washington, D.C. Pending final ECA grant approval, the University of Montana in Missoula, MT will oversee and administer this program and the University of Delaware in Newark, DE will host the Institute from June 11 until July 24, 2020.
The Institute of Youth, Workforce Development, and Closing the Skills Gap will provide a multinational group of 18 experienced foreign faculty and practitioners with a deeper understanding of how new socioeconomic trends have changed the concept of work, workforce development, and career paths in the United States. The academic program will include a thorough discussion of the role of U.S. educational institutions, particularly community colleges, in preparing Americans with the skills needed to succeed in multiple industries including business, technology, science, the creative arts, and other emerging fields. Topics such as economic development and advances in technology such as automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence will also be included. The Institute will offer opportunities for participants to research new ideas, in conjunction with American peers, to better understand the evolution of work, the changing demand for skills, and the advancements in workforce development through retraining, reskilling, and closing the skills gap. The Institute will include an integrated study tour to Georgia, Oklahoma and Washington D.C. Pending final ECA grant approval, University of Montana in Missoula, MT will administer, oversee and host this Institute from July 6 until August 17, 2020.
The Study of the U.S. Institutes for Secondary Educators will provide three multinational groups of 20 experienced secondary school educators (including teachers, administrators, teacher trainers, curriculum developers, textbook writers, ministry of education officials, and others) with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, education, and culture – past and present. The focus of the Institutes will be on providing content and materials for participants to develop high school level curricula about the United States. Two of the Institutes are tailored for secondary school teachers; please note that the Institutes for Teachers focus on content and materials about the United States rather than teaching methods and pedagogy. The third Institute is tailored for experienced administrators including teacher trainers, curriculum developers, textbook writers, ministry of education officials, and others. The University of Montana in Missoula, MT will oversee and administer the three Study of the U.S. Institutes for Secondary Educators under the unifying theme of “Liberty, Equality, and the American Dream.” All three Institutes will examine this topic through a different lens, capitalizing on the resources and culture of each location. The University of Montana (UM) in Missoula, MT will host one Institute for Teachers from approximately May 31 to July 5, 2020. The Institute will explore American studies through the lens of democracy and citizenship. The Institute for Training and Development (ITD) in Amherst, Massachusetts will host the second Institute for Teachers from June 6 to July 11, 2020. The Institute will explore the ways in which individual rights and social obligations have evolved through American history. California State University at Chico will host the Institute for Administrators from June 3 to July 9, 2020. Within the overarching shared theme, the Institute will focus on access and equity in U.S. education and society. All three Institutes will conclude with one-week study tours that end in Washington, D.C.
For additional information on SUSI programs please visit the website: http://exchanges.state.gov/susi
OTHER ESSENTIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION:
Program Funding: Through Cooperative Agreements to host institutions, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs will cover all participant costs, including program administration; travel and ground transportation in the United States; housing and subsistence; and book, cultural, mailing, and incidental allowances.
Program Requirements and Restrictions: Participants are expected to participate fully in the program. They are expected to attend all lectures and organized activities, and complete assigned readings. Family members and/or friends cannot accompany participants on any part of the program. Please note that teaching methodology and pedagogical methods will not be addressed formally in the institute. The institute should not be viewed as a research program. Participants must demonstrate English language fluency. Institutes are rigorous and demanding programs; participants will be expected to handle substantial reading assignments in English and to fully and actively participate in all seminar and panel discussions. English fluency is vital to a successful experience in the Institute.
Priority Consideration: Priority will be given to candidates who have firm plans to enhance, update, or develop courses and/or educational materials with a U.S. studies focus or component, who have limited experience in the United States, and who have special interest in the program subject areas as demonstrated through past scholarship, accomplishments, and professional duties.
MAILING INSTRUCTIONS: Please send your application form via e-mail by December 31, 2019, to Gazmend Ilazi, Exchanges and Alumni Coordinator, e-mail: ilazig@state.gov; for additional information you may call 02 310 2099.
