U.S. Embassy in the
Philippines

STUDY OF THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTES FOR SCHOLARS

Program Description:

Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars (SUSIs) are intensive post-graduate level academic programs whose purpose is to provide foreign university faculty and other scholars 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 at academic institutions abroad.  The Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars will take place at various colleges, universities, and academic institutions throughout the United States over the course of six weeks, beginning in or after June 2022.  Each Institute includes a four-week academic residency component and up to two weeks of an integrated study tour to another region of the United States.

 

Institute themes:

• American Politics and Political Thought

This Institute will provide a multinational group of experienced and highly motivated foreign university faculty and other related specialists with an insight into how intellectual and political movements have influenced American political institutions and American democracy.  The Institute will explore the shaping of American identity and the chemistry between that identity and U.S. history, politics, and the democratic process.  The Institute will cover a broad range of American experiences that have influenced and been influenced by American national identity.  The Institute will provide a deeper understanding of major currents in U.S. political thought, from the colonial period to the present, and explore contemporary U.S. political and social debates and public policy, relating them back to U.S. political thought and American identity.  The University of Montana (UM) in Missoula, MT will administer this program; the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA will host the Institute in Amherst, MA.

• Contemporary American Literature

This Institute will provide a multinational group of experienced and highly motivated foreign university faculty and other related specialists with a deeper understanding of U.S. society and culture, past and present, through an examination of contemporary American literature.  The Institute will examine how major contemporary writers, schools, and movements reflect the U.S. literary canon.  The Institute will also explore the diverse communities and voices that constitute the American literary landscape and expose participants to writers who are establishing new directions for American literature.  The Institute will cover a variety of contemporary American writers and writing and suggest how the themes explored reflect larger currents within contemporary U.S. society and culture.  The University of Montana (UM) in Missoula, MT will administer and host this Institute.

• Journalism and Media

This Institute will provide a multinational group of experienced and highly motivated foreign journalism instructors and other related specialists with a deeper understanding of journalism and media’s role in U.S. society.  The Institute will examine journalists’ role in recognizing and preventing disinformation. It will explore strategies for media and information literacy to counter disinformation.  Additionally, the Institute will examine best journalism practices by discussing the media’s rights and responsibilities in a democratic society, including editorial independence, journalistic ethics, legal constraints, and international journalism.  The Institute will also examine pedagogical strategies for teaching journalism students the tradecraft basics: researching, critical thinking, reporting, interviewing, writing, and editing.  The program will also highlight the impact of technology in journalism, including the influence of the Internet, globalization of the news media, and other transformations.  The University of Montana in Missoula, Montana, will oversee and administer this program. Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, will conduct and host the Institute.

• U.S. Culture, Identity, and Society

This Institute will provide a multinational group of experienced foreign university faculty, scholars, researchers, and religious leaders with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions through the lens of diversity and national unity.  The Institute will examine the ethnic, racial, social, economic, political, and religious contexts in which various cultures have manifested in U.S. society while focusing on the ways in which these cultures have influenced social movements and American identity throughout U.S. history.  The program will draw from a diverse disciplinary base and will itself provide a model of how a foreign university might approach the study of American culture and society.  The University of Montana (UM) in Missoula, MT will administer this program; New York University in New York, NY will host the Institute.

• U.S. Economics and Sustainable Development

This Institute will provide a multinational group of experienced foreign university faculty, researchers, experts, and policymakers with a deeper understanding of key components and structures of the U.S. economy.  Using a multidisciplinary approach, the program will explore various topics of socioeconomics; how financial institutions, investors, and businesses interact to support sustainable economic development, innovation, and growth; and increasing diverse and equitable employment through institutional regulation, social inclusion strategies, and private and public policies.  Throughout the Institute, participants will examine the interplay of climate change, U.S. business innovation, corporate regulation, entrepreneurship, and economic theory.  Participants will have opportunities to learn about key institutions and stakeholders in the U.S. economy and meet with a diverse range of business leaders and small business owners, among others.  The University of Montana (UM) in Missoula, MT will administer this program; the Institute for Training and Development (ITD), in conjunction with Suffolk University, will host the Institute in Amherst and Boston, MA.

• U.S. Foreign Policy 

This Institute will provide a multinational group of experienced foreign university faculty and practitioners with a deeper understanding of new approaches to U.S. foreign policy and how the U.S. formulates and implements its foreign policy.  The Institute will include a historical review of significant events, individuals, and philosophies that have shaped U.S. foreign policy.  It will explain the role of critical influences on U.S. foreign policy, including the executive and legislative branches of government, the media, the U.S. public, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, and multilateral institutions.  The Institute will also examine the current U.S. foreign policymaking landscape and recent trends that shape policy.  The University of Montana in Missoula, Montana, will oversee and administer this program. The University of Delaware will conduct and host the Institute in Newark, Delaware.

 

Ideal candidates:

• Are residents and citizens of the Philippines;
• Are mid-career, typically between the ages 30-50, highly motivated and experienced scholars and professionals generally from higher education institutions or research-focused organizations (not-for-profits, think tanks, etc.);
• Are individuals whose home institutions are seeking to introduce or enhance aspects of U.S. studies into their curricula, to develop/enhance/update courses in the subject of the Institute, or to offer specialized seminars/workshops for education professionals in the U.S. studies or related fields;
• Have professional English language proficiency;
• Have little or no prior experience in the United States; and
• Are willing and able to fully participate in an intensive post-graduate level academic program and study tour of key cities in the United States when travel conditions allow.

 

Health Benefits:

All participants will receive the U.S. Department of State’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) health benefit, which provides coverage of up to $100,000 with a $25 co-pay per medical visit and a $75 co-pay per emergency room visit for the duration of the program.  Pre-existing conditions may be covered up to $100,000, subject to policy exclusions and limitations.  COVID-19 is treated like any other illness under the ASPE policy.  Information on the health benefits program may be found online at https://www.sevencorners.com/gov/usdos.

 

Virtual Program Contingency:

The SUSI will pivot to a virtual format if health, safety, and travel conditions continue to pose significant challenges.  The virtual program will consist of a minimum of 36 hours of required programming and will combine synchronous and asynchronous learning.  To the extent possible, the virtual programming will include lectures, small group discussions, videos, readings, panels, site visits, assignments, and individual and group activities.  Participants must fully participate in the entire virtual program from their home location outside the United States.

 

Application procedure:

Complete the application form via https://forms.gle/MbpoQMhYwDqEEXp89.  The application submission deadline is Friday, December 9, 2022, at 11:59 pm.  Only successful applicants will be notified.