Apply for a fully funded 2018 exchange program in the United States
Apply by Friday, January 12, 2018 at 5pm Samoa time online using the Form.
What is the program about?
The five-week Study of the U.S. Institutes for Secondary Educators are intensive post-graduate level academic programs with integrated study tours whose purpose is to provide foreign secondary educators and administrators the opportunity to deepen their understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions. The ultimate goal of the Institutes is to strengthen curricula and to enhance the quality of teaching about the United States in secondary schools and other academic institutions abroad. Applicants are encouraged to visit our website for general information about the Institutes: http://exchanges.state.gov/susi
What will the program look like? When will it take place?
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. To this end, the Institutes are organized around a central theme or themes in U.S. civilization. Through a combination of traditional, multi-disciplinary, and interdisciplinary approaches, program content will examine the history and evolution of U.S. institutions and values, broadly defined. The programs will also serve to illuminate contemporary political, social, and economic debates in American society.
The four-week academic residencies will take place at U.S. universities, colleges, or other academic institutions and will consist of a balanced series of lectures, panels, seminar discussions, readings, workshops, site visits, meetings with practitioners in the field, and cultural activities. One week study tours to a different region of the United States will complement the four week academic residencies. One goal of the study tours is to showcase the cultural, geographic, and ethnic diversity of the United States.
Who is the ideal candidate?
Study of the U.S. Institutes are highly competitive. 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 no or limited prior experience in the United States, and who have special interest in secondary education as demonstrated through past scholarship, accomplishments, and professional duties. In addition, the selection committee makes every effort to have both a geographic and gender balance in the makeup of the Institutes.
Candidates should be mid-career, typically between the ages of 30-50, highly-motivated and experienced secondary school teachers and administrators. Ideal candidates are individuals who are seeking to introduce or enhance aspects of U.S. studies into their curricula or to offer specialized seminars/workshops for education professionals in U.S. studies or related fields. While the nominee’s scholarly and professional credentials are an important consideration, the potential impact and multiplier effect of the Institute is equally important.
Candidates 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, both for your participant and participants from other countries.
How to Apply:
Request for an application form from educationusasamoa@state.gov then submit the completed application form to educationusasamoa@state.gov by Friday, January 12, 2018 at 5pm Samoa time.
Interviews for shortlisted applicants will take place the week of January 22, 2018.
Selected applicants will be nominated by the U.S. Embassy Apia to main headquarters in Washington D.C. by January 29, 2018. Washington D.C. officials will make the final decision as to whether the applicant may participate in the program.