US Fellowship Opportunities for NIS Citizens

[Susan Pelton]

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                                     OPEN COMPETITION
                   FOR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN THE USA
  FOR SCHOLARS, UNIVERSITY FACULTY, NGO REPRESENTATIVES,
                 JOURNALISTS, AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS
                   FROM THE NEWLY INDEPENDENT STATES
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                 APPLICATION DEADLINE:  DECEMBER 2, 1996

The Government of the United States of America announces an open
competition for fellowships in the United States through the United
States Information Agency Regional Scholar Exchange Program with the
Newly Independent States and Freedom Support Act Fellowships in
Contemporary Issues.

The Regional Scholar Exchange Program and Freedom Support Act
Fellowships in Contemporary Issues are developed, funded, and
supervised by the United States Information Agency with funds
allocated by the Congress of the United States.  Both programs are
administered by the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX)
and the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies. A total of
one hundred and seventy five (175) fellowships for research projects in the
humanities and the social sciences will be awarded in this open competition.

The Regional Scholar Exchange Program and Freedom Support Act
Fellowships in Contemporary Issues provide opportunities to qualified
citizens of all twelve Newly Independent States (Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova,
Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan)
to conduct research, write studies, and deliver lectures in the
United States with the goal of contributing to the further
development of higher education, scholarship, public policy, the
economy and society in the New Independent States.

All Regional Scholars and Contemporary Issues Fellows are affiliated
with U.S. host institutions (i.e. universities,research institutes,
NGOs, and government agencies) that have resource materials and
specialists in the fellows' field and are placed with a host advisor
who guides their research projects and professional development.
Fellowships are for a period of either three months, six months,or
eight months.

All applicants must demonstrate a critical need to conduct their
research in the U.S., cite resources that are not available in the
home country, but would be required to advance their research,
address how their research will make a significant contribution to
their fields in their home countries, and how they will apply their
research and disseminate the knowledge, skills, and insights gained
during their U.S. fellowship upon return to the NIS.

Applicants must demonstrate a high level of proficiency in written
and spoken English, be over age 25 but under age 60 at the time of
application, be eligible to receive and maintain a U.S. visa, and
must not have participated in another United States Information
Agency-sponsored academic exchange program of more than six weeks
after June 1994.

The Regional Scholar Exchange Program and Freedom Support Act
Fellowships in Contemporary Issues provide round-trip travel from
fellows' home cities in the NIS to the U.S. host institution,
medical insurance, a monthly stipend for housing and living
expenses, a small allowance for educational materials and
professional conferences, membership in one U.S. professional
association, and access to and training in e-mail and Internet at
U.S. host institutions.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  Monday, December, 2, 1996.

All semi-finalists will be interviewed in person in their home countries
in February 1997.

All applicants will be notified of their status by March 1997.

Successful applicants are expected to begin fellowships in the United
States in either April 1997 or September 1997.

Applications for the Regional Scholar Exchange Program and Freedom
Support Act Fellowships in Contemporary Issues can be obtained from
and submitted to IREX offices in the NIS (Almaty, Bishkek, Irkutsk,
Kiev, Moscow, Rostov-na-Donu, Tashkent, Tbilisi, Vladivostok,
Yerevan) the Kennan Moscow Project, and Educational Advising Centers
located in all Newly Independent States.

FOR APPLICATIONS, MORE INFORMATION AND A COMPLETE LIST
OF CONTACT INFORMATION IN THE NIS, SEND A MESSAGE TO:

irex at info.irex.org

In the subject line, type:

RSEP/CI INFO REQUEST

The application is also available via the Internet at the following URL:
http://www.irex.org/grants/intl/rsepciapp.htm  or at
http://www.irex.ru (based in Moscow)

If you are interested in hosting a NIS Fellow at your US institution
(university, institute, NGO, think tank, or government office),
please send a message to Sean Holloway at:

shollowa at irex.org