Study of the United States Institute on U.S. National Security Policymaking- 2011

Competition open until September 15, 2010.

Competition is open for the Study of the United States Institute on National Security to take place at the University of Delaware beginning in early January and ending in late February 2011.

Institute Description:
The institute is a rigorous post-graduate-level academic seminar with integrated study tours which will provide a group of 18 scholars and professionals an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the foundations of U.S. national security policy and current threats facing the United States. The institute focuses on the formulation of U.S. foreign and national security policy and the role of the federal government, think-tanks, media, and public opinion in shaping that policy.

The program will examine specific security issues such as energy policy, economic stability, cyber-security, chemical and biological weapons, nuclear weapons, and infectious diseases. The program will also focus on regional security concerns in Africa, Europe, South Asia, the Western Hemisphere, East Asia, and the Middle East. Finally, the program will cover the fight against terrorism, the impact of globalization, and U.S. global leadership. The program will be supplemented by a simulation exercise, a group project, and a study tour.

The program's ultimate goal is to promote the development and improvement of courses and teaching about the United States at universities and other educational, training, and research institutions abroad.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit the following website to obtain general information about last year's institute at: http://exchanges.state.gov/academicexchanges/scholars.html

Program Funding:
The U.S. Department of State will cover all participant costs, including: program administration, international travel, domestic travel and ground transportation, books, cultural activities, mailing and incidental allowances, housing, and subsistence.

Housing and Meal Arrangements:
Participants will have a private room with a shared bathroom during the residency portion (four weeks) of the institute, and will share hotel rooms during the study tour (up to two weeks).

Housing will be in college or university owned housing. Most meals will be provided at campus facilities, though participants may have access to a kitchen to cook some meals on their own. Full details will be provided at a later stage.

Health Benefits:
All participants will receive the Department of State's coverage of $50,000 with a $25 deductible for the duration of the program. Pre-existing conditions are not covered.

Program Requirements and Restrictions:
Participants are expected to participate fully in the program. They are expected to attend all lectures and organized activities, and complete assigned readings. Family members and/or friends cannot accompany participants on any part of the program. Please note that teaching methodology and pedagogical methods will not be addressed formally in the institute. Candidates should be made aware that the institute is very intensive and that there will be little time for personal pursuits unrelated to the program. The institute should not be viewed as a research program.

Candidate Description and Qualifications:
A. Candidates should be mid-career, typically between the ages of 30-50, highly-motivated and experienced university-level faculty or national security professionals from institutions of higher education, or national security policymaking institutions, including national military academies, government ministries, and think-tanks. The ideal candidate will be a specialist in international relations or a related field. While the educational level of participants will likely vary, most should have graduate degrees and have substantial knowledge of foreign affairs.

B. The ideal candidate also will be an experienced professional with little or no prior experience in the United States, whose home institution is seeking to introduce aspects of U.S. studies into its curricula, to develop new courses in the subject of the institute, to enhance and update existing courses on the United States, or to offer specialized seminars/workshops for professionals in U.S. studies areas related to the program theme. While the candidate's scholarly and professional credentials are an important consideration, an equally important factor is how participation in the institute will enhance course offerings in U.S. studies at the candidate's home institution.

C. Candidates should be willing and able to participate fully in an intensive post-graduate level academic program and study tour. While senior faculty members are eligible applicants, first consideration will be given to mid-career professionals, and to persons who are likely to be comfortable with campus life and an active program schedule.

D. It is imperative that all candidates demonstrate English language fluency. Institutes are rigorous and demanding programs; participants will be expected to handle substantial reading assignments in English and to be full and active participants in all seminar and panel discussions. English fluency is vital to a successful experience in the institute.

Applications should be submitted by e-mail to program@fulbright.pt no later than September, 15 using the following format:

A. Title of Institute

B. Candidate's Full Name: Candidate's names should match his/her passport and should be presented in the following order: Prefix (Dr., Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss), Last Name(s), First Name, Middle Name.

C. Gender

D. Date of Birth (please spell out Month, Day, Year)

E. Birth City

F. Birth Country

G. Country(ies) of Citizenship: Primary and, if applicable, secondary country

H. Country of Residence

I. Medical, Physical, Dietary or other Personal Considerations: Please describe any pre-existing medical conditions, including any prescription medication the candidate maybe taking, or any other dietary or personal considerations.  This will not affect candidate selection, but will enable the host institution to make any necessary accommodations.

J. Candidate Contact Information: Home Address, City, Home Country, E-mail, and Telephone.

K. Current Position Type, Title, Institutional Name, and Country.

For "Position Type," please select one from among the following: 1) Senior Executive, President, Government Minister, etc.; 2) Junior Executive, Vice President, Dean, Government Advisor, etc.; 3) Professor, Editor, Officer, Director, etc.; 4) Associate Professor, Senior Researcher, Senior Staff, etc.; 5) Assistant Professor, Assistant Editor, Coordinator, Staff; 6) Lecturer, Teacher, Consultant; 7) Teaching Assistant, Instructor; or, 8) Other.

L. Work Experience, including previous positions and titles, and the approximate dates of employment.

M. Education, and Academic and Professional Training, including degree earned and fields of specialization. 

Degrees listed should reflect the closest U.S. equivalent.

N. Active Professional Memberships.  Please select from among the following position types to describe the level of the candidate's involvement with the organizations listed; 1) President, Board Chairperson, Director; 2) Board Member; 3) Editorial Staff, Officer; 4)Contributing Member; 5)Member.

O. Publications: Publications should include the publication year, type of publication, title, and publisher.  All foreign titles should be translated into English. (Maximum 10 publications.)

To identify the publication type, please choose from among the following options: 1) Book; 2) Edited volume (as primary or co-editor); 3) Book chapter; 4) Journal article; 5) Newspaper/ online article; or, 6) Conference/ University/ Government working paper.

P. Previous Experience in the United States: Please list all trips the candidate has made to the United States and include approximate dates and the reason for travel.

Q. Family Residing in the United States: Please list any immediate family members who currently are residing in the United States, including city and state.

R. Evidence of English Fluency (e.g. school certificate, test score, etc.)

S. Professional Responsibilities:

Current Courses Taught- Should include the course title, level of student (Ph.D., M.A., Undergraduate, High School), number of hours per semester, number of students, and the estimated percent of U.S. studies content.

Current Student Advising- Should include the number of students advised who are studying U.S. related topics, level of students (Ph.D., M.A., Undergraduate, High School), and the number of advising hours.

Other Potential Outcomes- Please select all of the likely potential outcomes that might result from the candidate's participation in this institute: 1) Update Existing Course; 2) Create New Course; 3) Create New Degree Program; 4) University Curriculum Redesign; 5) National Curriculum Redesign; 6) New Research Project; 7) New Publication; 8) Professional Promotion; 9) Government or Ministry Policy; 10) New Professional Organization; 11) New Institutional Linkages; 12) Raise Institutional Profile.

T. Personal Essays to be written by candidates, limit 4,500 characters each. 1) Please discuss your professional responsibilities in greater detail, including how attending this Institute would help you achieve the "Other Potential Outcomes" you have checked above; AND 2) Please discuss how your participation would enhance this Institute, based either upon your personal and professional experience or upon the current state of U.S. studies in your home country.

 Selection process:
Pre-selected candidates will be interviewed. The Fulbright Commission will nominate ONE candidate for this institute, but final decision regarding selection or non-selection of nominated candidates is taken by the U.S. Department of States. The final selection results will be released by mid-October.