Educational and Cultural Programs

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan administers a variety of educational and cultural programs in the Republic of Armenia, including academic exchanges and activities involving individual fellowships or institutional linkages.

HIGH SCHOOL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS

Freedom Support Act Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX) ( Armenian Version )

The Freedom Support Act provides scholarships to more than 900 secondary school students from countries of the former Soviet Union each year. Each scholarship recipient lives with a U.S. host family for one academic year and studies in a U.S. high school. The scholarship is awarded through a merit-based competition, open at no cost to secondary school applicants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Recruitment, selection, and placement are administered through a grant to the American Councils for International Education (ACIE) (formerly ACCELS/ACTR).

UNDERGRADUATE (NON-DEGREE) PROGRAMS

Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD)

The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD) in Eurasia and Central Asia is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State. Global UGRAD provides opportunities for current first, second, and third* year undergraduate students (*in five-year programs) from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan to spend one academic year of non-degree study in a US university or community college. Participants are selected through an open, merit-based competition. All fellows will attend classes full time for one academic year, perform a minimum of 20 hours of community service in their host city during the first semester, and complete a part-time internship during their second semester. The Global UGRAD fellowship is fully funded and provided J-1 visa support, round trip travel from fellow’s home city to host institution in the United States, accident and sickness insurance, tuition and mandatory university fees, room and board (housing and meals), small incidentals allowance, limited allowance for books, and a wide variety of alumni networking and training opportunities.

GRADUATE (DEGREE) PROGRAMS

Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program (MUSKIE)

Established by the US Congress in 1992 to encourage economic and democratic growth in Eurasia, the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, and administered by IREX. The program provides opportunities for graduate students and professionals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan for one-year non-degree, one-year degree or two-year degree study in the United States. All fellows will attend classes full-time for one to two years and will be required to create and implement a project related to their professional interests that benefits the local community. Fellows will also be required to participate in a full-time summer internship after their first academic year. The Muskie fellowship is fully-funded and provides J-1 visa support, round-trip airfare from fellow’s home city in Eurasia to host institution in the United States, a monthly stipend, accident and sickness insurance, tuition and mandatory university fees, limited allowance for books, pre-academic English language training (if necessary), and a wide variety of alumni networking and training opportunities. Eligible fields of study for the 2009 Muskie Program for citizens of Armenia are: business administration, economics, education, environmental management, international affairs, journalism and mass communication, law, library and information science, public administration, public health, and public policy. Participants are selected through an open, merit-based competition.

PROFESSIONAL (NON-DEGREE) PROGRAMS

Fulbright Scholar Program

The Fulbright Scholar Program provides grants for Scholars and Professionals to lecture and/or conduct research in hosting institutions. The Program consists of two parts: (a) U.S. Faculty and Professionals offers U.S. scholars a unique opportunity to share their knowledge and experience with their colleagues in other countries and (b) Visiting Scholars offers international scholars a chance to visit a U.S. educational institution and exchange ideas with their counterparts through lecturing and research. Established in 1946 by former Senator J. William Fulbright the Program is designed to "increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries..." Currently, the Program operates in 140 countries. The Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), headquartered in Washington, D.C., assists the U.S. government in administering the Fulbright Scholar Program. In Armenia the Fulbright Program is administered by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy to Armenia. For more information on the Fulbright Program, please visit the Fulbright and CIES homepages.

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship is a one-year, full scholarship program offered to mid-career professionals who have a commitment to public service, are in current leadership positions, and at a point in their careers to fully benefit from a self-defined program of independent study at a leading U.S. university. The program awards a certificate from the U.S. Government, and it is not designed to deliver an advanced degree.
The Humphrey Program is administered directly by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy.

Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP) ( Armenian Version )
The Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP) is funded by the United States Department of State and administered by the American Councils for International Education. The primary goal of JFDP is to provide university instructors with training in their academic fields. Please see the attached brochure for more information.

Eurasia/South Asia Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA)

The Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA) is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, and implemented by IREX, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization. TEA provides secondary school teachers from Europe and Eurasia, East Asia and the Pacific, the Near East, South and Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Western Hemisphere with unique opportunities to develop expertise in their subject areas, enhance their teaching skills, and increase their knowledge about the United States. The international participants travel to the United States to participate in a program that includes coursework and intensive training in teaching methodologies, lesson planning, and teaching strategies for the participants’ home environment, as well as the use of computers for Internet, word processing, and as teaching tools. The 6-week program will also include a 2-week internship at a secondary school to actively engage participants with American teachers and students. Trips to U.S. cultural sites and academic support will be provided for participants throughout the program. Each year, U.S. teachers reciprocate the visits of the international teachers and are hosted by a TEA alumni school in the participating country where they will team-teach, discuss best teaching practices, curriculum, and educational issues in the host country. The trip will include visits to local schools and parent committees, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and local government offices.

The TEA fellowship is fully funded and provides J-1 visa support, round-trip airfare to and within the U.S., a Welcome Orientation in Washington, D.C., academic program fees, housing (generally shared with other program fellows) and meals, accident and sickness coverage, transportation to the internship school (if necessary), a book/professional development allowance, a closing seminar, the opportunity to host a U.S. teacher for two weeks, and the opportunity to apply for follow-on grants.

Currently applications for the Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program are available online at http://www.usa.am/announcements.php. Completed applications must be submitted by 6:00 PM, Friday May 8, 2009 to the U.S. Embassy at:

Address: 1 American Ave.
Fax: 374-10-464735; Phone: 374-10-494211
Contact Person: Hasmik Mikayelyan
If you have any questions please contact the U.S. Embassy at: tea@usa.am

Study of the U.S. Institutes

Provides a six-week academic study in the U.S. Institutes for multinational groups of university faculty.

International Visitors Leadership Program (IVP)

The International Visitors Leadership Program (IVP), presents a unique opportunity for U.S. Embassy personnel working overseas to nominate mid-level professionals to participate in a two to three-week program designed specifically to address their professional interests.

OTHER PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES

Armenia School Connectivity Program (ASCP)

The Armenia School Connectivity Program (ASCP), a program of the U.S. Department of State implemented by Project Harmony, connects schools in Armenia to the internet and to the world through a network of secondary school-based Internet Connectivity Centers (ICCs). Through ASCP, Armenia's children become familiar with basic computer programs, research, and access information available through the internet and use e-mail to communicate with other students in Armenia. The program also allows community members to develop technical skills, go online and participate in a wide range of collaborative, educational programs. For more information on this program, please visit ASCP's and Project Harmony's websites at http://www.ascp.am/ and www.projectharmony.am.

Community Connections Exchange Program (CC-A)

Project Harmony administers participant recruitment and selection for the USAID funded Community Connections - Armenia Program (CC-A). The goal of program is to provide training that will prepare Armenians in key fields to respond to the needs of the country and to introduce innovative and effective practices into their professions. Additionally, the program aims to assist in creating constructive, long-term connections between the U.S. and Armenian communities that will result in beneficial cooperation and investment.

The CC-A program is a community-specific professional development opportunity for Armenian specialists from various occupational groups. Interns are placed in U.S. cities for three to five weeks to gain practical knowledge and networking experiences. The CC program first began in 1997. Armenian specialists are recruited throughout designated regions (through media and CC field staff visits to towns and villages in the regions) and selection is based on the principles of open competition. Upon return from their internship, the participants are involved in various alumni events and continue to develop programs implementing the new skills gained during the U.S. internship. The participants benefit not only from connections with U.S. communities, but often also from new relationships that they establish with their fellow Armenian colleagues.

Educational Advising Center (EAC) ( Armenian Version )
The Educational Advising Center offers a wide range of different services for those individuals who are interested in study and research opportunities in the United States. Please contact the American Councils Yerevan Office for additional information.

Prometric Testing Center (PTC)

IREX Yerevan is the official center for the administration of computer/internet-based tests in Armenia. Information on internet-based TOEFL, computer-based GRE, and USMLE registration and/or test delivery is available from IREX/Armenia.

Alumni Small Grants Program

The purpose of this program is to further the professional development of U.S. Government Exchange Program alumni. The maximum grant amount awarded for any project is $3,000. Alumni are welcome to collaborate with other ECA alumni (including eligible alumni from other countries) to submit joint projects. The maximum grant award is $3,000, regardless of the number of alumni collaborators. For more information, please contact the IREX Yerevan Office.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State (ECA) invites of all ECA exchange programs to join State Exchange, the website by and for alumni. The website is a way for ECA to stay in touch with its exchange program alumni, as well as a way for alumni to network and stay in touch with each other. The site offers alumni a calendar of alumni events, links to useful information, grant opportunities, and job postings. Registered users can also search the database of State Exchange community members to find colleagues, friends and alumni with similar interests. Alumni are also given the option of posting their own news, events, or links. To register please visit the following site https://alumni.state.gov.

From the State Alumni Website...

Alumni Information

American Graduates Association (AGA)

American Graduates Association (AGA), is a not-for-profit, membership based public organization registered in Armenia in December 2003. The members of the Association are graduates of various universities and schools in the United States. American Graduates Association (AGA) is established on the basis of common interests of these individuals and their supporters to build a community of individuals and organizations to implement different activities and projects such as knowledge dissemination, organization of events, development of publications of interest, collaboration with local and international organizations, implementation of media publicity events on economic policy and youth problems, research and studies in a variety of areas, development of regional cooperation models, and other activities contributing to AGA's mission and objectives.

United States Research and Education Programs Alumni Armenian Association (USREPAAA)

USREPAAA, a non-governmental, non-profit organization, was created on July 4, 1997 with the goal of bringing together Armenian citizens who have spent extensive time studying or participating in academic and research programs in U.S. universities and other academic institutions. The purpose of the Association is to unify these students and researchers to attain common goals, and to utilize their experience and knowledge gained in the USA to provide for a better life for the people of Armenia. Over the course of the last seven years, the membership of association has increased nearly eight-fold, reaching 120.

Youth For Achievements (YFA)

"Youth For Achievements" Association (YFA) was formed and is managed by the Freedom Support Act Future Leaders Exchange Program Alumni of Armenia. The organization was founded in 1994 and is officially registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia. YFA is an Educational Non-Governmental Organization with a mission to promote ideas of democracy, freedom and humanism.

For further information, contact:

Public Affairs Section (PAS)

Public Affairs Officer: Thomas Mittnacht
Assistant Public Affairs Officer: Susan Bridenstine

Contact: (374 10) 46 47 00
E-mail: usinfo@usa.am
1 American Avenue
Yerevan 0082, Armenia
PAS Fax: (374 10) 46 47 35