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Open Call: BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program

2024 Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship

Deadline: 15-May-23

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)’s Office of Private Sector Exchange (BridgeUSA) announces an open competition for the administration of the FY 2023 BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program.

Accredited U.S. colleges and universities (to include community colleges), U.S. consortia of accredited colleges and universities, or U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) are eligible to submit one proposal to cooperate with BridgeUSA to provide between 30 to 45 scholarships for academic participants from within Ukraine. The scholarship will cover BridgeUSA program fees, healthcare benefits coverage, visa fees, SEVIS fees, and airfare. The program will be implemented in a 36-month time frame.

The BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program will focus on Ukrainian academics living in Ukraine in any of the three eligible J-1 categories: Professor, Research Scholar, and Short-Term Scholar.

Scholars may be selected from disciplines in any of the following eligible fields: Agricultural Technology, Conflict Resolution/Peace Studies, Engineering, Information Technology, Mental Health, Pedagogy, and Urban Planning.

Competitive proposals will demonstrate the ability to place exchange visitors across a wide variety of eligible fields. To ensure maximum program flexibility and in recognition of the challenges created by longterm absences from Ukraine given Russia’s full-scale invasion, the award recipient may have the capability of the Out of Country functionality in SEVIS for eligible J-1 categories to allow for continued program participation from Ukraine.

Purpose

In order to enhance the U.S. Department of State’s engagement with BridgeUSA exchange visitors in support of U.S. foreign policy and public diplomacy objectives, BridgeUSA will issue a cooperative agreement for $500,000, pending the availability of FY 2023 funds, to conduct the FY 2023 BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program.

Goals

This programming will support scholars from Ukraine to collaborate and learn with U.S. counterparts, enabling them to put their exchange experiences into practice within their home institutions to rebuild and enhance higher education opportunities in Ukraine, and to support the rebuilding of Ukraine’s physical and social infrastructure.

Throughout the program, exchange visitors will be encouraged to think about how they can apply lessons learned in the United States to their home institutions and to share what they have learned within their communities. Program alumni will also stay in contact with each other to collaborate on initiatives following their return to Ukraine. The program will build the foundation for lasting university exchanges between U.S. and Ukrainian tertiary educational institutions, ensuring ongoing collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Funding Information
Eligibility Criteria

For more information, visit ECA.

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