administrator Posted February 22, 2010 Report Share Posted February 22, 2010 http://www.soros.org.../hesp/focus/afp Academic Fellowship Program The Open Society Institute's International Higher Education Support Program (HESP) launched the Academic Fellowship Program (AFP) in 2004 to support and guide higher education reform in South Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union (excluding the Baltic states), and Mongolia. Although the program readily evolves to meet the changing and varied educational challenges of the region, its aim remains to achieve lasting higher education reform by assisting progressive university departments and by supporting promising scholars who teach at these departments after they have returned from abroad with an internationally competitive master's or other postgraduate degree. Recognizing that universities play a fundamental role in strengthening civil society, AFP focuses on higher education reforms that will bolster open, democratic societies. Changing the Face of Education Higher education reform in the countries targeted by AFP is often impeded by lack of funding, ineffective education policies, poor planning and management, reliance on traditional curricula that emphasize passive rather than active learning, limited flexibility in career choices, corruption, and elitism. The Academic Fellowship Program seeks to diminish these obstacles by contributing to the reform of higher education and helping to build academic networks locally, regionally, and globally. The program focuses on aiding both the educational institution and the individual scholar in two main ways: AFP assists reform-minded departments in their efforts to achieve world-class academic stature and become models of innovation and reform in their region. AFP supports promising young scholars by promoting their return to the region, their positioning within academe, and their continued professional development within a healthy academic setting. To achieve these goals, AFP offers two fellowship programs: the Returning Scholars Fellowship Program and the International Scholars Fellowship Program. Returning Scholars Fellowship Program The program, as part of a conscious strategy to combat "brain drain" in the social sciences and humanities, supports talented scholars who, after earning a postgraduate degree abroad, seek university positions and academic careers in their home countries. Securing the services of such scholars is essential to the revitalization of academic departments and the sustainability of higher education reforms. The program offers scholars financial, professional, and departmental development support, as well as opportunities for further professional growth as AFP alumni. For more information, view the Returning Scholars grant guidelines. International Scholars Fellowship Program The program selects highly qualified scholars in the social sciences and humanities to assist AFP partner departments where Returning Scholars are placed. International Scholars advise on the overall reform agenda of the departments and share with departmental colleagues the latest developments in their discipline, collaborate on the introduction of new courses, and encourage the development of skills critical to academic work. Perhaps the greatest, and most needed, contribution of International Scholars is the expert advice they offer on curriculum development and academic planning. For more information, view the International Scholars grant guidelines. Program Effectiveness AFP fellows are placed in departments that have been carefully selected as AFP partners. Partnerships are established on the basis of the departments' openness to change and advancement, and clear visions for future development. Returning Scholars working in such environments will find the support and encouragement they need to launch and pursue their academic careers while at the same time contributing to the development of the departments. Partner departments are encouraged to take the lead in recruiting qualified Returning and International Scholars whose professional profiles match departmental needs. Selection of Partner Departments Departments are chosen based on several criteria: awareness of the need for educational reform, demonstrated willingness to embrace change, and concrete, realistic plans for achieving lasting reform. AFP gathers detailed information on departments at universities throughout the region, using written questionnaires, interviews, and site visits. Departments meeting program criteria are invited to submit detailed proposals for AFP support, outlining their plans for development over the course of several years. Based on these proposals, AFP selects the most promising departments for collaboration. A current list of partner departments can be found below. AFP partner departments benefit in many ways from the presence and activities of International and Returning Scholars. AFP invites fellows to submit proposals forDepartmental Development Projects and to play an active role in the implemention of the AFP strategy for partner departments. Funding for Professional Development is also available for fellows, and professional development and training opportunities are offered to core faculty (non-AFP scholars) as well. The AFP Mobility Fund is designed to support faculty visits between AFP partner departments. Specific areas of focus include curriculum development and teaching excellence. AFP promotes best practices in education through training events, workshops, and roundtables. The program also provides support for projects to extend the impact of teaching by incorporating fellows' research in their teaching. Download a list of current AFP partner departments below. Alumni Involvement AFP treats alumni as a core program component by integrating them into on-going education reform efforts and providing them with a framework for regional and international collaboration. The AFP Alumni Fund offers financial support to alumni who wish to contribute their extensive academic expertise and professional skills to the development of AFP partner departments. The fund is open to alumni of AFP, the Civic Education Project (CEP), and the Support for Community Outreach and University Teaching (SCOUT) Program. Academic Fields AFP supports scholars in the humanities and social sciences, including: anthropology area/cultural studies economics gender studies history human rights and public law international relations journalism/media studies philosophy political science psychology public policy/public health social work sociology Geographic Representation AFP supports efforts for higher education reform in: Albania Armenia Azerbaijan Bosnia & Herzegovina Croatia Georgia Kazakhstan Kosovo Kyrgyzstan Macedonia Moldova Mongolia Montenegro Russia Serbia Tajikistan Ukraine After their accession to the European Union, AFP no longer accepts new departmental applications from Romania and Bulgaria, although limited partnerships will continue there for the near future. Administration AFP is administered from Budapest in cooperation with field offices located in and serving the following subregions: Moldova, Ukraine, Russia Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia Central Asia?Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan?and Mongolia South Eastern Europe: Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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