SUSI for Cameroon scholars notice of study opportunity 2022

SUSI for Cameroon scholars notice of study opportunity 2022

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Cameroon announces an open competition to recruit qualified scholars to participate in the Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars (SUSI) which will take place at various colleges, universities, and academic institutions throughout the United States over the course of six weeks beginning in or after June 2022. Each Institute includes a four-week academic residency and up to two weeks of an integrated study tour to another region of the United States. To obtain general information about the Institutes, prospective applicants are encouraged to visit this website: http://exchanges.state.gov/susi. The Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars will be on the following themes in U.S. Studies: American Culture and Values, Journalism and Media, Religious Freedom and Pluralism in the United States, U.S. Economics and Business, U.S. Foreign Policy, and Workforce Development. Please note that should health, safety, and travel conditions continue to pose significant challenges, the programs will pivot to a modified virtual format.

Institute Themes:

The Institute on American Culture and Values will provide experienced and highly motivated foreign university faculty and other specialists with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions. 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 foreign university might approach the study of American culture and society.

The Institute on Journalism and Media will provide experienced and highly motivated foreign journalism instructors and other related specialists with a deeper understanding of the role 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. addition, the Institute will examine pedagogical strategies for teaching students of journalism the basics of the tradecraft: researching, critical thinking, reporting, interviewing, writing, editing. The program will also highlight the impact of technology in journalism, including influence of the Internet, globalization of the news media, and other changes that are transforming the profession.

The Institute on Religious Pluralism in the United States will provide experienced foreign university faculty, scholars, researchers and religious leaders with a deeper understanding of U.S. society and culture, past and present, through examination of religious pluralism in the United States and its intersection with American democracy. The program will include a survey of the religious landscape of the United States, including religious groups; an exploration of the historical and contemporary relationship between church and state in the United States; an examination of the ways in which religious thought and practice have modified and have been influenced by, the development of American-style democracy; and discussions on the intersections of religion and politics in United States in such areas as elections, public policy, and foreign policy. Participants will have opportunities to meet U.S. community leaders of different faiths who advocate for collaboration and tolerance among religious groups.

The Institute on U.S. Economics and Business will provide experienced foreign university faculty, researchers, experts 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 and growth; and increasing diverse and equitable employment through institutional regulation, social inclusion strategies, and private and public policies. Throughout the Institute, participants will engage in a case study involving the fishing industry, which examine the interplay of climate change, U.S. business innovation, corporate regulation, entrepreneurship, and economic theory. Participants will have opportunities to learn about institutions and stakeholders in the U.S. economy and meet with a diverse range of business leaders and small business owners, among others. A symposium where scholars will present their own research and scholarly practices will allow for robust discussion and an exchange of diverse perspectives.

The Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy will provide experienced 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 Institute will explain the role 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 program will also examine the current U.S. foreign policymaking landscape and recent trends that are shaping policy.

The Institute on Workforce Development will provide experienced foreign faculty and practitioners with a deeper understanding of how recent socioeconomic trends have changed the concept of work, workforce development, and career paths in the United States. The academic program will include a thorough discussion of the role of U.S. educational institutions, particularly community colleges, in preparing Americans with the skills needed to succeed in multiple industries including business, technology, science, the creative arts, and emerging fields. The Institute will offer opportunities for participants to research new ideas, in conjunction with American peers, to better understand the evolution of work, the changing demand for skills, and the advancements in workforce development through retraining and reskilling.

Candidate description and qualifications:

Priority will be given to candidates who have firm plans to enhance, update or develop courses and/or educational materials with a 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.

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

Submitting Candidatures: Interested applicants must submit a completed application in English and a statement/personal essay of two pages conveying why the applicant is interested in participating in the selected Institute, what s/he expects to gain from the experience, what s/he will bring to the program, and how s/he will leverage the experience to achieve any of these other potential outcomes:

• update existing course
• create new course
• create new degree program
• school/university curriculum redesign
• national curriculum redesign
• new publication
• government or ministry policy
• new professional organization
• new institutional linkages
• professional promotion
• new research project
• raise institutional profile

To download the application, please visit https://cm.usembassy.gov/education-culture/education-exchange-programs/program-applications/. All applications must be submitted via email to ExchangesYaounde@state.gov, no later than midnight Cameroonian time on January 9, 2022. Late applications will not be considered.