U.S. Embassy in Georgia

2023 Study of the United States Institute (SUSI) for Scholars

Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars (SUSIs) are intensive post-graduate level academic programs with integrated study tours 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 in academic institutions abroad.

Please send your completed application, saved in Microsoft Word format, with a subject line “2023 SUSI for Scholars” by email to TbilisiExchanges@state.gov. Applications saved in PDF format will not be accepted.

Application deadline: 23 December 2022

Program Overview

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 five-to-six weeks beginning in or after June 2023.  Each Institute includes a four-week academic residency component and, if possible, up to two weeks of an integrated study tour to another region of the United States.  Posts and prospective applicants may visit exchanges.state.gov/susi to obtain general information about the Institutes.

Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars comprise the following themes in U.S. Studies: American Politics and Political Thought; Contemporary American Literature; Journalism and Media; U.S. Culture, Identity, and Society; U.S. Economics and Sustainable Development; and U.S. Foreign Policy.

The website address is http://exchanges.state.gov/susi.

Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars in the summer will be on the following themes in U.S. Studies:

1. American Politics and Political Thought
2. Contemporary American Literature
3. Journalism and Media
4. U.S. Culture, Identity, and Society
5. U.S. Economics and Sustainable Development
6. U.S. Foreign Policy

1. The Institute on American Politics and Political Thought will provide a multinational group of 18 experienced and highly motivated foreign university faculty and practitioners 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.
2. The Institute on Contemporary American Literature will provide a multinational group of 18 experienced and highly motivated foreign university faculty and practitioners 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.
3. The Institute on Journalism and Media will provide a multinational group of 18 experienced and highly motivated foreign journalism instructors and other related specialists with a deeper understanding of the roles that journalism and the media play in U.S. society.

The Institute will examine the role of journalists in recognizing and preventing disinformation and will explore strategies for media and information literacy to counter disinformation.  Additionally, the Institute will examine best practices in journalism by discussing the rights and responsibilities of the media in a democratic society, including editorial independence, journalistic ethics, legal constraints, and international journalism.  The program will also highlight the impact of technology in journalism, including the influence of the digital economy, globalization of the news media, and other changes that are transforming the profession.  The University of Montana (UM) in Missoula, MT will administer this program; Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ will host the Institute.

4. The Institute on U.S. Culture, Identity, and Society will provide a multinational group of 18 experienced and highly motivated foreign university faculty and other specialists 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.
5. The Institute on U.S. Economics and Sustainable Development will provide a multinational group of 18 experienced foreign university faculty, researchers, practitioners, 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.
6. The Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy will provide a multinational group of 18 experienced and highly motivated foreign university faculty and practitioners with a deeper understanding of new approaches to U.S. foreign policy and how U.S. foreign policy is formulated and implemented.  The Institute will include a historical review of significant events, individuals, and philosophies that have shaped U.S. foreign policy.  The program will explain the role of key 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 emerging trends that are shaping policy.  The University of Montana (UM) in Missoula, MT will administer this program; the University of Delaware will host the Institute in Newark, DE.

Program Funding

Through an award given to the University of Montana (UM), ECA will cover all participant costs, including program administration; travel allowances, domestic travel and ground transportation; book, cultural, mailing and incidental allowances; and housing and subsistence, as well as arrange and pay for participants’ international and visa travel costs and travel allowances within set limits and in coordination with posts and Fulbright commissions.  If the program is conducted virtually, ECA will work with UM to provide a technology stipend to all participants.

Housing and Meal Arrangements

When possible, each participant will have a private room with a shared bathroom during the residency portion (four weeks) of the Institute.  However, private room accommodations are not guaranteed.  During the study tour (up to two weeks), participants will likely share a hotel room with another participant of the same gender.  During the residency, housing will typically 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.  Please explain the above possible housing arrangements to your nominees to ensure that they are comfortable with such arrangements, particularly sharing a room with another participant during the study tour.

Travel Arrangements

For all Institutes, the implementing partner (UM) will arrange and pay for international and visa travel.  The host institution will provide each participant with a small travel allowance.  In all Institutes, the host institutions will cover the cost of any travel within the United States during the program.

Health Benefits

All participants will receive the 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.

Virtual Program Contingency

Should health, safety, and travel conditions pose significant challenges to the program, the SUSIs will pivot to a virtual format.  The virtual program will consist of a minimum of 36 hours of required programming and will be a combination of 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 will be required to fully participate in the entire virtual program from their location.

Connectivity

Participants should have access to a computer and a stable internet connection for virtual pre-departure orientation sessions.  If a participant does not have a computer or adequate internet access, the University of Montana (UM) will work with the participant to facilitate access on an as-needed basis.

Program Requirements and Restrictions

All participants are expected to participate fully in the program.  There will be little time for personal pursuits unrelated to the program.  The Institute is not a research program.  Participants must attend all lectures and organized activities and complete assigned readings.  Family members and/or friends may not accompany participants on any part of the program.  Please note that Institute curriculum will not formally address teaching methodology and pedagogical methods.

Candidate Qualifications

Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars are highly competitive.  Priority will be given to candidates who have firm plans to enhance, update or develop courses and/or educational materials with U.S. studies focus or component; who have no prior or limited experience in the United States; and who have special interest in the program subject areas as demonstrated through past scholarship, accomplishments, and professional duties.

Candidates should be mid-career, typically between the ages of 30-50, highly motivated, experienced scholars and professionals generally from institutions of higher education or research focused organizations (not-for-profits, think tanks, etc.).  While the educational level of participants will likely vary, most should have graduate degrees and have substantial knowledge of the thematic area of the Institute or a related field.

Ideal candidates are individuals 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 nominee’s scholarly and professional credentials are an important consideration, the potential impact and multiplier effect of the Institute is equally important.  Ideal candidates will have little or no prior experience in the United States.

Candidates must demonstrate English language fluency.  Institutes are rigorous and demanding programs. Participants will be expected to handle substantial reading assignments in English and to fully and actively participate in all seminar and panel discussions.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What degree of English proficiency should a nominee have? All participants must be fully proficient in English; throughout the Institute, they will need to fully understand lectures, actively participate in discussions, and read and write assignments in English.
• Can a nominee who is a dual citizen (U.S. and country of origin) participate in Study of the U.S. Institutes? U.S. citizens and permanent residents (green card holders) are not eligible to participate in this program.
• A nominee has been to the U.S. before; would he/she be disqualified? Nominees with some experience in the United States can be considered for the program.  Please be sure to clearly indicate the purpose of the nominee’s prior visit(s) to the United States, the year, and the length of his/her stay.
• Can family members of U.S. Embassy employees apply for the program? Immediate family members of U.S. Embassy employees are ineligible for this program.
• How much free time/time for independent research will a participant have during the program? There will be some free time during the program as well as some time designated for independent research.  However, nominees must understand that this is an intensive academic program and they are expected to participate in all lectures, activities, and scheduled events.
• A nominee is not a college professor; can he/she be considered for the program? ECA will consider nominees from a variety of professional backgrounds who are professors at all stages of their careers, practitioners in a designated field, college and university administrators, and community leaders, among others.
• If a nominee has relatives in the United States, would he/she have time to see them?  Because of the intensive nature of the Institutes, participants will not be able to leave the Institute to visit relatives or friends.
• Can a relative travel and stay with the participant during the Institute? Relatives are not permitted to travel or stay with a participant during the program.  There are no exceptions to this rule.
• If a nominee is chosen as an alternate, what are the chances that he/she will participate in the program? The Study of the U.S. Branch strives to have the best possible diversity and gender balance in each Institute. If a selected candidate is not able to participate, the Study of the U.S. Branch will choose a candidate from the alternate list, if time allows.
• Can a participant arrive early/late for the Institute? Participants should arrive on the Institute start date.  Occasionally flight schedules necessitate that a participant to arrive a day early.  These situations will be addressed on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the program officer and the host institution.
• Can a participant stay after the end of the Institute? Under the terms of their J-1 visas, participants have up to 30 days after the end of the program to depart from the U.S.  However, the participant must be aware that s/he is responsible for all expenses after the end of the Institute and will no longer have ECA-sponsored health benefits.
• Can a participant miss one part or component of the Institute? All participants are expected to participate in all scheduled lectures, events, site visits, trips, and activities.
• How much money will participants need to bring for the program? The Study of the U.S. Institutes cover all costs of an individual’s participation including transportation, lodging, and meals.  Generally, host institutions provide for meals through a combination of a cafeteria meal plan and cash allowance to permit participants to cook or eat at local restaurants.  Information on housing and meal arrangements will be provided by the host institution six weeks prior to the start of the Institute.  Participants should bring their own spending money if they wish to purchase souvenirs or other items during their time in the United States.  All participating scholars will receive a stipend to purchase books and research materials while in the U.S. as well as a certain amount to cover mailing costs.
• Will applicants with disabilities be considered? Yes, the Study of the U.S. Branch welcomes nominations for individuals with disabilities.  We are committed to working with our Institute hosts to arrange reasonable accommodations for all participants.