Deadline: 12-Aug-2024
The U.S. Embassy Ethiopia’s Public Diplomacy (PD Ethiopia) section announces an open competition for organizations to submit proposals to carry out a public engagement programs in support of the transition of Ethiopia’s public universities to autonomous governance.
Purpose of Small Grants
- PD Ethiopia invites proposals for initiatives that will strengthen the capacity of Ethiopia’s ten leading universities to transition their governance structures to operate with greater independence from Ministry of Education (MOE) oversight, as defined in University Autonomy Proclamation No. 1294/2023. The program activities should be designed with the ultimate goal of helping these universities to improve the quality of education, enhance academic freedom, and strengthen relations with U.S. universities. All programs must include an American educational element or connection with U.S. experts, organizations, or institutions that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policies, values, and perspectives.
The proposed engagements should follow two models to be implemented in close collaboration with PD.
- In the first model, the grantee, in close collaboration with PD, will conduct a series of workshops and conferences for university leaders and administrators focused around the visits of Fulbright Specialists and other U.S. government exchange participants and U.S. university experts specifically selected for their expertise in key areas of university administration such as student admissions, research administration, alumni engagement, accreditation, educational leadership, and grants management and publication.
- Key elements of the program will include:
- Accreditation: Two two-day workshops in Addis for teams of three from the ten leading research universities. Overnight site visits by U.S. expert to two regional universities.
- The workshops will be led by speakers provided by PD through the Fulbright Specialist program or other exchanges.
- Costs Applicable to Grant: Accommodation for 27 participants in each workshop, conference package for 40 participants for each workshop, honoraria for one local speaker (4 days), speaker’s transportation to two regional universities.
- All other costs covered through contributions by USG, MOE, or partner universities, pending the availability of funds.
- Student Admission Policy: Two two-day workshops in Addis for teams of two from the ten leading research universities. Overnight site visits by U.S. expert to two regional universities.
- The workshops will be led by speakers provided by PD through the Fulbright Specialist program or other exchanges.
- Costs Applicable to Grant: Accommodation for 27 participants in each workshop, conference package for 30 participants for each workshop, honoraria for one local speaker (4 days), speaker’s transportation to two regional universities.
- All other costs covered through contributions by USG, MOE, or partner universities, pending the availability of funds.
- Alumni Engagement: Two two-day workshops in Addis for teams of two from the ten leading research universities. Overnight site visits by U.S. expert to two regional universities.
- The workshops will be led by speakers provided by PD through the Fulbright Specialist program or other exchanges.
- Costs Applicable to Grant: Accommodation for 27 participants in each workshop, conference package for 30 participants for each workshop, honoraria for one local speaker (4 days), speaker’s transportation to two regional universities.
- All other costs covered through contributions by USG, MOE, or partner universities, pending the availability of funds.
- Educational Leadership: Four regional trips by Ethiopia-based Fulbright Scholar for consultations.
- The workshops will be led by speakers provided by PD through the Fulbright Specialist program or other exchanges.
- Costs Applicable to Grant: one speaker’s transportation to four regional universities.
- All other costs covered through contributions by USG, MOE, or partner universities, pending the availability of funds.
- Publications and Grant Management: Five regional trips by two Ethiopia-based Fulbright Scholar for two-day workshops.
- The workshops will be led by speakers provided by PD through the Fulbright Specialist program or other exchanges.
- Costs Applicable to Grant: two speakers’ transportation and lodging (3 nights) to five regional universities.
- All other costs covered through contributions by USG, MOE, or partner universities, pending the availability of funds.
- Research Administration: A five-day workshop on research administration for teams of two from ten leading research universities. The workshop will be led by a leading U.S. land grant university. Three U.S. experts will participate in person and five will participate remotely.
- Costs Applicable to Grant: 3 U.S. experts’ international transportation, per diem, honoraria, and accommodation; accommodation for 18 participants; and conference package for 30 participants.
- All other costs covered through contributions by USG, MOE, or partner universities, pending the availability of funds.
- Accreditation: Two two-day workshops in Addis for teams of three from the ten leading research universities. Overnight site visits by U.S. expert to two regional universities.
- In the second model, the grantee, working in close collaboration with PD, will engage a team of renowned U.S. and Ethiopian higher education experts – including all or some of those who previously helped AAU develop its key framework policy documents. The expert team will convene university leaders from the nine leading for intensive workshops in which they will deliberate the issues central to the formulation of each framework policy.
- The expert team of four should consist of two Ethiopian-based scholars and two U.S. based scholars.
- The expert team will conduct two visits to Ethiopia. During each visit, they will conduct five days of intensive dialogues with university leaders from the nine leading universities to review key decisions on each framework policy.
- Costs Applicable to Grant: The expert team will receive honoraria for ten days of pre-program preparation. Two experts’ international transportation and accommodation for two workshops. Four experts’ per diem; accommodation for 18 participants; and conference package for 30 participants.
- All other costs covered through contributions by USG, MOE, or partner universities, pending the availability of funds.
- Through these parallel and complimentary lines of effort, the grantee and PD will assist Ethiopia’s leading public universities to develop policies that will shape their new governance structures and build their capacity to successfully implement those policies.
Funding Information
- Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $200,000 to a maximum of $300,000
- Length of performance period: 12 to 18 months
- Number of awards anticipated: Up to two
- Anticipated programs start date: October 2024
Eligibility Criteria
- PD encourages applications from U.S. and Ethiopian:
- Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non governmental organizations
- Non-profit or governmental educational institutions
- Local presence (in the form of offices, staff, and/or registration) in Ethiopia is strongly encouraged.
- For-profit or commercial entities, including for-profit media organizations, are not eligible to apply.
Ineligible
- The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:
- Programs relating to partisan political activity
- Charitable or development activities
- Construction programs
- Programs that support specific religious activities
- Fund-raising campaigns
- Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
- Scientific research
- Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the funded organization; or
- Programs that duplicate existing programs.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.