Deadline: 8 November 2019
Applications are now open for 2020 Professional Fellows for Governance and Society Program which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by World Learning.
The Professional Fellows for Governance and Society, South and Central Asia program that brings young professionals from India, Pakistan, and Nepal to the U.S. to exchange ideas, strategies, and best practices in legislative process and policy making.
Through this two-way exchange for emerging leaders ages 25-40 from India, Pakistan, Nepal, and the United States, participants will exchange ideas and best practices, while also improving leadership skills and developing sustainable and enduring linkages with professional counterparts. Participants will be matched with a U.S. organization or government office for a professional fellowship in order to increase their understanding of the U.S. legislative process. They will also engage in civic life through enrichment activities such as meeting with key stakeholders, dialogues, and site visits and participate in the Professional Fellows Congress with other 200+ Fellows from 48 countries.
The following are themes and topics related to legislation and governance that may be included in the program: good governance (e.g. transparency and anti-corruption); legislative processes; the role of women, minorities, and marginalized populations in civil society and the political process; decentralization; youth engagement; development and strengthening of NGOs and civil society; post-conflict transitions; and non-violent civic participation.
Program Goals
- Promote mutual understanding.
- Establish networks among mid-level professionals in the U.S., India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
- Encourage increased knowledge of the legislative process and principles of good governance.
Components
The program includes the following components:
- Participant selection and pre-departure orientation in India, Pakistan, or Nepal;
- A one-month U.S. experiential program for participants from India, Pakistan, and Nepal that includes fellowships, interactive seminars, site visits, synthesis discussions, and designing follow-on projects (multiple cohorts)
- In-country seminars and support of follow-on activities for participants from India, Pakistan, and Nepal, including workshops and consultations by American experts (multiple cohorts)
The U.S. program begins with an orientation in Washington, DC that focuses on the structure of the US government, the legislative process, and the role of civil society. Following is a four-week fellowship in several US cities, which includes professional fellowships, seminars, homestays, and civic engagement. Participants then return to Washington, DC for the concluding Professional Fellows’ Congress, which includes workshops, meetings with US government officials, and a program debrief.
Benefits
- Accommodations will include double-person hotel rooms and homestays with American families and peers.
- A small stipend will be provided during the participants’ time in the United States to cover basic living expenses.
- The cost of international and domestic travel, program-related ground transportation, cultural activities, and all the other programmatic and logistical arrangements will be covered.
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates from India, Pakistan, and Nepal will be professionals ages 25-40.
- They seek candidates with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, proven leadership abilities, the ability to work in a cross-cultural setting and a commitment to the program and follow-on activities.
- Written and oral English proficiency is required as the participants will need to converse about complex political and global issues with U.S. peers and experts.
- Preference will be given to applicants with relevant professional achievements who have not previously visited the United States.
- All candidates should be able and willing to host American counterparts, for up to a week, and design, arrange, and coordinate, under World Learning and its partners’ supervision, a local professional and cultural program for the American participants.
How to Apply
Applicants can apply online via given website.
For more information, please visit https://www.worldlearning.org/program/professional-fellows-for-governance-and-society-south-and-central-asia/