The Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission announces the competition for the 2020 Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders from Europe, a five-week academic program in the U.S. for Romanian undergraduate students. The Institutes are an all-expense paid program, including program administration; domestic travel and ground transportation; book, cultural, mailing and incidental allowances; and housing and subsistence. Participants will be enrolled in ASPE, the Bureau's Accident Sickness Program for Exchanges.

Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs) 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. The five-week Institutes will 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.

Themes: • Education and the Future of Work; • Entrepreneurship and Economic Development

Education and the Future of Work
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. Topics will include, but are not limited to, communication, entrepreneurship, globalization and urbanization, innovation and technology, organizational development and management, skills development, and reskilling and retraining. The program will also provide opportunities for participants to engage with educational and industry leaders through site visits around the greater Boston metropolitan area. A study tour to a different region in the United States will explore the theme from a different perspective. The Institute will end in Washington, D.C. where participants from all the Institutes will come together for a closing forum. During the closing forum, participants will have opportunities to network, discuss their action plans, and engage in conversations on relevant topics with local subject matter experts.

Entrepreneurship and Economic Development
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. Topics will include, but are not limited to, business development in a global setting, diversity in the workforce, management strategies and techniques, and the relationship among businesses, governments and NGOs. Academic activities will be supplemented by opportunities to engage with the local community, including meeting with local entrepreneurs, and a study tour to Atlanta, Georgia. The Institute will end in Washington, D.C. where participants from all Institutes will come together for a closing forum. During the closing forum, participants will have opportunities to network, discuss their action plans, and engage in conversations on relevant topics with local subject matter experts.

Grant duration: 5 weeks in the June to August 2020 timeframe

Applicants must meet the following criteria:    

•    have Romanian citizenship and study in Romania;
•    be proficient in English;
•    be interested in the Institute topic;
•  have at least one semester left of their undergraduate studies, and therefore be committed to return to their home university following completion of the program (BA students finishing their undergraduate studies in the summer of 2020 are not eligible);
•    be between 18 and 25 years of age;
•    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;
•   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;
•    be prepared to submit a report to the Fulbright Commission on the program experience.

•  an application form to be downloaded from: Application form 2020_Study of the U.S. Institutes

•  scanned academic transcripts.

NOTE: the application includes the reference form to be completed and signed by one evaluator.

For further details, please send your inquiries to office@fulbright.ro