Balkans Junior Faculty Development Program (includes Bosnia-Hercegovina)

Primary Sponsor: Department of State
Deadline: 5/10/2002

[Public Notice 3945]

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs; Request for Grant Proposals:
Balkans Junior Faculty Development Program

SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Exchange Programs/European Programs Branch
of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open
competition for the new Balkans Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP).
Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions
described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c) (3) may submit 
proposals to place visiting faculty from Bosnia and Herzegovina (and 
Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) at U.S. universities in a one academic 
year (nine months) teacher training and curriculum development program. The 
grantee organization for this new program will support and oversee the 
activities of the faculty throughout their stay in the United States, 
including their undertaking a practical internship at the end of the 
academic program (an additional two months). In addition, the grantee 
organization will recruit and select candidates for the JFDP in Bosnia and 
Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia to begin the program in the 
United States in Fall 2003.

Program Information

Overview

The new Balkans Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP) will offer
fellowships to university instructors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, 
Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Selected through an open, merit-based
competition, JFDP Fellows will attend U.S. universities for one academic
year to work with faculty mentors and to audit courses in order to develop 
new curricula and approaches to teaching in their fields of study. The JFDP
will encourage its Fellows to develop professional relationships with the 
U.S. academic community, and to forge ties between their U.S. colleagues
and colleagues in their home countries, and to share their experiences and
knowledge with U.S. students and professors.

Throughout their stay in the United States, JFDP Fellows will attend 
conferences and seminars, and participate in two-month practical
internships after completing the academic component of the program. The
goals of the program are to allow U.S. scholars and scholars from the
participating countries to exchange ideas on curriculum design and
teaching, and to increase collaboration and cooperation between
universities in the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia,
Montenegro and Serbia. Participation in the JFDP under this grant is
restricted to university instructors from Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia in the following fields of study: American
studies, business administration, economics, education administration,
environmental studies, history, international affairs, journalism, law,
library science, political science, public administration and public
policy.

Programs must comply with J-1 Visa regulations. Subject to the availability
of funds, it is anticipated that this grant will begin on or about July 1,
2002. Please refer to the Solicitation Package for further information.

Budget Guidelines

Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years of
experience in conducting international exchange programs will be limited to
$60,000.

Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire program. The
Bureau anticipates awarding one grant in the amount of $1,240,000 ($140,000
for Bosnia and Herzegovina; $550,000 for Macedonia; $150,000 for
Montenegro; and $400,000 for Serbia) to support the program and
administrative costs required to implement this program. The Bureau
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding
from private sources in support of its programs. There must be a summary
budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program
budgets. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program
component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification.


Allowable costs for the program include the following:

1) Overseas recruitment and selection of candidates
2) Participant travel expenses, stipends, accident and sickness insurance,
visa fees, professional development costs
3) Orientations, participant conferences
4) Host university fees

5) Alumni and follow-on activities Please refer to the Solicitation Package
for complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions.

Announcement Title and Number: All correspondence with the Bureau
concerning this RFGP should reference the above title and number
ECA/A/ E/EUR-02-07.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: The Office of Academic Exchanges,
ECA/A/E/EUR, Room 246, U.S. Department of State, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547, tel. (202) 205-0525, fax (202) 260-7985,
exchanges@pd.state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. The Solicitation
Package contains detailed award criteria, required application forms,
specific budget instructions, and standard guidelines for proposal 
preparation. Please specify Bureau Program Officer Sheila Casey on all
other inquiries and correspondence.


Please read the complete Federal Register announcement before sending
inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed,
Bureau staff may not discuss this competition with applicants until the
proposal review process has been completed.

To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet

The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's website at
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/RFGPs
Please read all information before downloading.

Deadline for Proposals: All proposal copies must be received at the Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on
Friday, May 10, 2002. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time.
Documents postmarked the due date but received on a later date will not be
accepted. Each applicant must ensure that the proposals are received by the
above deadline.

Op-ed

Many Croatians live in Vojvodina, Bosnia-Herzegovina and some in Serbia andMontenegro.

nb