Deadline: 10 January 2020
U.S. Embassy in Estonia is currently inviting applicants to apply for Summer 2020 Study of the U.S. Institutes on the topics of Education and the Future of Work, and Entrepreneurship and Economic Development.
Study of the U.S. Institutes” (SUSI) for Student Leaders are intensive short term academic programs whose purpose is to provide groups of undergraduate student leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States, while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills.
SUSI programs are five-week Institutes in June-July that consist of a balanced series of seminar discussions, readings, group presentations, and lectures. The coursework and classroom activities will be complemented by educational travel, site visits, leadership activities, and volunteer opportunities within the local community.
Each Institute will have up to 20 participants and will include a four week academic residency component and a one week integrated study tour. The Institutes will include an academic residency component of approximately four weeks and a domestic study tour of approximately one week. During the academic residency, participants will also have the opportunity to engage in educational and cultural activities outside of the classroom.
Institution Programs
- The Study of the U.S. Institute on Education and the Future of Work, hosted by the University of Massachusetts-Boston, will explore how technology, the job economy, and skill based education are interconnected in the United States. The Institute will expose participants to global issues in the context of the future of work by examining educational, social, and economic trends. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the academic program will examine the role of U.S. educational institutions, particularly community colleges, in preparing Americans with the skills needed to succeed in multiple industries and sectors including business, technology, science, higher education, the creative arts, and other fields.
- The Study of the U.S. Institute on Entrepreneurship and Economic Development hosted by the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, will provide participants with an overview of entrepreneurial approaches by reviewing the development, history, challenges, and successes of U.S. entrepreneurial enterprises, including social enterprises, business leadership and women’s economic empowerment, in the United States and globally.
Essential Information
- All participant costs will be covered, including: program administration; domestic travel and ground transportation; book, cultural, mailing and incidental allowances; and housing and subsistence;
- Housing and Meal Arrangements: Housing will be in university dorms. Participants may be expected to share a room and bathroom with another student of the same gender. Most meals will be provided at campus facilities, though participants may have access to a kitchen to cook some meals on their own. It is important that nominees are aware of these arrangements and that they are comfortable with such accommodations;
- Health Benefits: All participants will receive the Department of State’s coverage of $100,000 with a $25 co-pay for the duration of the program. Pre-existing conditions are not covered;
- Program Requirements and Restrictions: Participants are expected to fully participate in the academic program. They should attend all lectures and organized activities, and complete assigned readings. Candidates should be made aware that the Institute is very intensive and that there will be little time for personal pursuits unrelated to the program;
- Under no circumstances are participants allowed to arrive in the U.S. prior to the start date of the Institute or remain in the U.S. after its end date. Similarly, participants will not be permitted to leave the Institute to visit relatives or friends while in the U.S. If a relative or friend wishes to visit them, it will be addressed on a case by case basis, in consultation with the program officer and the host institution. Participants are required to return to their home countries immediately following the end of the Institute;
- Violations of program rules, host institution rules, or local, state or federal laws can be grounds for immediate dismissal from the program. It is important that these requirements and restrictions are clear to all candidates before nominations are submitted;
- English Language Ability: All candidates should be proficient in English so that they can actively participate in the academic program. Host institutions will take into account that the level of comprehension and speaking ability of students may vary, and will prepare lectures and discussions that meet the highest academic standards while using language appropriate for students where English is their second or third language.
Eligibility Criteria
- The participants are expected to be highly motivated first through third year undergraduate students from colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education, who demonstrate leadership through academic work, community involvement, and extracurricular activities;
- Their fields of study will be varied, and may include the sciences, social sciences, humanities, education, business, and other professional fields. They are looking for participants from variety of backgrounds, from both rural and urban areas, and with little or no prior experience in the United States or elsewhere outside their home country.
- Candidates applying for this program will:
- Be Estonian citizens;
- Be proficient in English;
- Be interested in the Institute topic;
- Be between 18 and 25 years of age;
- Have at least one semester left of their undergraduate studies, and therefore be committed to return to their home universities following completion of the program;
- Demonstrate strong leadership qualities and potential in their university and community activities;
- Indicate a serious interest in learning about the United States;
- Have a sustained high level of academic achievement, as indicated by grades, awards, and teacher recommendations;
- Demonstrate commitment to community and extracurricular university activities;
- Have little or no prior study or travel experience in the United States or elsewhere outside of their home country;
- Be mature, responsible, independent, confident, open-minded, tolerant, thoughtful, and inquisitive;
- Be willing and able to fully participate in an intensive academic program, community service, and educational travel; and,
- Be comfortable with campus life, prepared to share living accommodations, and able to make adjustments to cultural and social practices different from those of their home country.
Eligible Country: Estonia
For more information, visit https://ee.usembassy.gov/education-culture/educational-exchange-programs/susi-program/