Volume 16 Summer 2005 Issue No. 4

In This Issue
International Indigenous Education

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RESOURCE GUIDE for Partners for International Education

Over the past 5 years, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) has helped organize and sponsor two international conferences where tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) met potential partners for international projects. The Globalization of Tribal Colleges and Universities International Conference in August 2000 was supported by the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In September 2004, AIHEC sponsored a meeting in conjunction with the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). More than 50 people attended representing federal agencies, NMAI, AIHEC, foundations, the World Bank, World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium, Maori post-secondary institutions, eight TCUs, indigenous people in South America, and several state universities.

The guide below evolved primarily from those meetings. It lists both public and private resources, including several agencies whose international partnerships with tribal colleges and universities are described elsewhere in this issue. The opportunities listed apply to both individuals and institutions.

The New Indigenous Peoples Funding and Resource Guide

The Indigenous Peoples Funding and Resource Guide was developed in collaboration with International Funders for Indigenous Peoples (IFIP) and First Peoples Worldwide. It has been distributed to hundreds of indigenous communities and nonprofit organizations in both English and Spanish. The guide helps build the indigenous communities’ capacity for successful grants. It covers the elements of a proposal; conducting foundation research; useful research websites; glossary of fundraising terms; and information on more than 250 foundations, corporations, and government agencies that provide funding for indigenous and grassroots projects. To purchase copies, download the form from IFIP’s website at www.firstpeoples.org/ifip.html. Indigenous organizations can call Evelyn Arce-White at (540) 371-5615 ext.14 for a complimentary copy.

National Endowment for the Humanities

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) offers a special grant opportunity for faculty members at tribal colleges and universities to develop educational projects in all subject areas of the humanities, including (but not limited to) American history, world literature, languages, and culture studies. Awards to single institutions may range up to a maximum of $30,000; awards to two or more collaborating institutions may range up to $75,000. Interested parties are encouraged to discuss project ideas with an NEH program officer well in advance of the June 15, 2005, application deadline. Contact Dr. Robert Sayers in the NEH Division of Education Programs at (202) 606-8215 or rsayers@neh.gov.

In addition to this special initiative, NEH has a variety of additional opportunities for tribal colleges, some of which could support international collaborations, in its regular grant categories. See the NEH website at www.neh.gov.

Visitor’s Guide to USDA’s International Programs

The Cooperative State Research and Education Extension Service website provides this comprehensive document, which was culled from USDA websites and includes the links to websites. Go to the website www.csrees.usda.gov and click on international activities under quick links. The visitor’s guide is near the bottom of the page.

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State sponsors a wide range of international academic, professional, and cultural exchange programs and activities that promote mutual understanding between U.S. citizens and people from other countries worldwide. As part of its diversity efforts, the bureau is committed to expanding program participation by tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). The programs listed below are particularly relevant.

The Gilman Scholarship Program provides awards of up to $5,000 to U.S. undergraduate students to support study abroad programs.

The Fulbright Scholar Program provides grants for U.S. faculty and professionals to lecture and/or conduct research worldwide. The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program brings faculty from abroad to lecture for an academic year at U.S. minority-serving institutions and other colleges and universities.

The Fulbright Occasional Lecturer Program enables Fulbright visiting scholars already in the United States to visit other campuses for 2-day to 5-day periods to offer teaching and training for students and faculty and to participate in campus and community programs.

The Fulbright Senior Specialist Program makes awards for 2-6 weeks for U.S. faculty and professionals to travel abroad to collaborate with foreign counterparts on curriculum and faculty development, needs assessment, and other academically-related activities.

The Fulbright Visiting Specialists Program enables U.S. institutions of higher education to host scholars and specialists from the Islamic world for 3-6 weeks for lectures, short courses, team-teaching, curriculum and outreach activities.

The International Visitor Leadership Program brings future foreign leaders in government, media, education, labor, the arts, and other fields to America to meet and confer with their professional counterparts and to gain an appreciation of the United States. Tribal colleges are encouraged to host these visitors.

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program sends U.S. high school students and young professionals to Germany to study and intern for an academic year and brings German students to the United States. Tribal college students are encouraged to apply to the program, both during and after completing their degree programs. Also, U.S. colleges are recruited to host German students.

Cultural programs focus on American artists, filmmakers, musicians, and other specialists who demonstrate America’s creative and diverse society. Activities also relate to cultural patrimony efforts in other countries.

A global network of 450 EducationUSA advising centers offers a wide range of information and guidance for prospective international students regarding opportunities for study in the United States. TCUs may want to promote their educational opportunities through the centers. Contact David Levin, diversity coordinator at the bureau, by phone (202) 453-8132, email levindn@.state.gov, or see the website http://exchanges.state.gov.

CSREES International Programs

The mission is to provide nationwide program leadership for international activities of USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) and U.S. land grant colleges and universities. The department’s major activities include facilitating globalization of U.S. campuses and enhancing the mutual benefits of international agriculture. The International Programs office fosters programs that not only provide technical assistance to developing nations worldwide but also assist cooperating universities and colleges in their efforts to bring an international dimension to their campuses. Contact Hiram Larew, director of international programs, by phone (202) 720-3801, email hlarew@csrees.usda.gov, or see the website www.csrees.usda.gov

To subscribe to International Update, the electronic posting of CSREES-related international assignments and project updates, send a message with your name, organization, and telephone number to ipnews@csrees.usda.gov.

Agricultural Research Service

Serving as an arm of the USDA, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) conducts research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority. Collaborative opportunities include human capacity development, providing opportunities for careers within ARS, student internships, and summer employment.

International research opportunities include linkages to the ARS Biological Control Laboratories in Argentina, Australia, China, and France; international sabbatical and visiting scientist programs; the U.S.-Israel Bi-national Agricultural Research and Development Program (BARD); the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) program; and projects in Mexico, Europe, the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, and South Korea. For additional information contact ARS/Office of International Research Programs. Telephone (301) 504-4545 or see the website www.ars.usda.gov/research (click on international).

OTS Research Experiences

The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) is a nonprofit consortium of over 60 universities and research institutions from the United States and other countries, which is based at Duke University. Since 1963, OTS has provided leadership in education, research, and the responsible use of natural resources in the tropics. OTS is committed to increasing the participation of women, ethnic minorities, and economically disadvantaged students. The OTS Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) offers students the opportunity to conduct field research with an experienced tropical ecologist. In collaboration with a research mentor, each student designs, conducts, and presents field research projects in Costa Rica. For the 2006 summer program, the application deadline is January 31, 2006. For more information on the program, contact Rodney J. Vargas, undergraduate program officer, by telephone (919) 684-5774, email at rvargas@duke.edu, or visit the website at www.ots.duke.edu. For information about the Research Experience for Faculty, email ots@duke.edu.

Population Fellows Programs

Administered by the University of Michigan School of Public Health and funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Population Fellows Programs were established to train the next generation of leaders in international population assistance. The Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Initiative was established in 1999. It offers paid undergraduate summer internships and graduate coursework / internship packages to qualified students of tribal colleges and universities and other minority serving institutions to introduce them to the fields of international development and family planning. The initiative aims to increase the number of MSI students who pursue careers in these fields. For more information, call (734) 763-9456 or visit the website www.sph.umich.edu/pfps/

White House Initiative on Tribal Colleges and Universities (WHITCU)

The WHITCU staff can help tribal colleges and universities research which federal agencies might be able to help them with specific international projects. WHITCU is working with AIHEC and the National Museum of the American Indian on an international technology initiative. Contact Diane Cullo by phone (202) 260-1700, email Diane.Cullo@ed.gov, or see the website www.ed.gov/WHITCU.

National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI)

The NMAI Resource Center information specialists answer inquiries about the Native peoples of the Western Hemisphere, the museum, its programs, collections, and exhibitions. The center's state-of-the-art computer and imaging equipment facilitates access, effectively “removing the walls” and enabling visitors around the world to access the museum over the World Wide Web. For more information about the resource center or for names of contacts in indigenous communities in the Western Hemisphere, contact Marty DeMontano by telephone (202) 633-6901 or email demontanom@ic.si.edu. For the website, see www.nmai.si.edu.

Fulbright-Hayes Seminars Abroad

The Seminars Abroad Program is under the U.S. Department of Education. It provides opportunities for qualified U.S. educators to participate in short-term seminars abroad mainly on topics in the social sciences, social studies, and the humanities. The purpose of the program is to help U.S. educators/administrators enhance their international understanding and increase their knowledge of the people and culture of another country. Contact Michelle Guilfoil, senior program officer, by telephone (202) 502-7625 or email michelle.guilfoil@ed.gov. For group projects abroad, see www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsgpa/index.html. For seminars abroad, see www.ed.gov/programs/iegpssap/index.html.

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE, USDA

The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) includes several divisions, which are described below. For guidance with determining which division to explore, contact Calvina Dupre by telephone (202) 720-0618 or email calvina.dupre@fas.usda.gov.

Development Resources Division, FAS, USDA

The Development Resources Division of the FAS designs and manages technical assistance, training, and cooperative programs with other nations to help build stable economies and productive, sustainable agricultural sectors. The division channels the technical expertise of USDA agencies as well as that of the U.S. land grant colleges and universities to provide technical assistance in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. The website describes several initiatives for advancing food security and sustainable development. Contact Grant Pettrie, director, by telephone (202) 690-1924, email Grant.Pettrie@usda.gov, or see the website www.fas.usda.gov/icd/drd/drd.html.

Food Industries Division, FAS, USDA

The Food Industries Division provides training and technical assistance relevant to agricultural development and economic growth in other countries. Through USDA’s international training programs for foreign participants, U.S. colleges and universities help eligible countries develop agricultural systems necessary to meet the food needs of their domestic populations and to strengthen and enhance trade linkages. Contact Merritt Chesley, director, by telephone (202) 690-1339, email Merritt.Chesley@usda.gov, or see the website www.fas.usda.gov/icd/food-industries/index.html.

Research and Scientific Exchanges Division, FAS, USDA

The Research and Scientific Exchanges Division identifies and coordinates strategic international science and technology initiatives and promotes scientific capacity building worldwide. The division supports U.S. and global food security, sustainable agriculture and natural resource management, and linkages between science and trade. Colleges and universities participate in programs such as the competitive Scientific Cooperation and Research Program that funds U.S. scientists in mutually beneficial long-term joint research and short-term exchanges worldwide.

Other programs include a U.S.-Egypt Science and Technology Agreement for collaborative research, visits by scientists, and workshops, a new Norman E. Borlaug International Science and Technology Fellows Program that provides training and collaborative research opportunities for developing countries, collaborative research sponsored by foreign currency funding, and efforts that help countries obtain science-based information on trade issues. Contact Susan J. Owens, acting director, by telephone (202) 690-4872, email Susan.J.Owens@usda.gov, or see the website www.fas.usda.gov/icd/rsed/res-scient-exchanges.html.