The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv coordinates several
professional exchange programs for Ukrainian citizens in a variety of fields.
Participation in these exchange programs is determined by differing criteria for
each program.
International Visitors Leadership Program
This program presents a unique opportunity for U.S. Embassy personnel working overseas
to nominate mid-level professionals to participate in a two to three-week program
designed specifically to address their professional interests. While the International
Visitor Leadership Program usually seeks to form small groups of four to six people, it
is also possible to tailor a program to a single individual. Some visitors with strong
English skills participate in multi-regional projects with visitors from other countries;
others travel with other Ukrainians and professional escort interpreters provided by the
Department of State. The Public Affairs Section does not solicit outside applications
or nominations for this program.
Open World Leadership Program
The Open World Program brings young Ukrainian political and civic leaders to
the United States for short-term stays. The program aims to promote mutual
understanding between Ukraine and the United States by giving leaders from Ukraine the
opportunity to observe and experience American political, business, and community life
firsthand. The Open World Program typically features 10-day visits focused on a
particular theme of interest. The 2005 program focused on NGO development,
independent media development, and rule of law.
Open World aims to reach leaders from non-profit organizations, business, and national,
regional, and local government who are public policy decision-makers, or who influence
the policy arena and public opinion. The most appropriate nominees are talented
leaders who are relatively young (ages 25-45) but have already demonstrated leadership
skills and a commitment to building democracy, free markets, and the rule of law in
Ukraine. Each year, our partner, American Councils for International Education, invites
Ukrainian and American organizations to nominate participants for consideration by a
U.S. Embassy vetting committee. For this program, American Councils does not accept
unsolicited applications.
Citizen's Exchanges Program
The Citizen's Exchanges Program focuses on enhancing institutional ties between U.S. and Ukrainian institutions in specialized fields. Fields and geographic eligibility are announced on an annual basis and proposals are accepted from U.S. exchange organizations. Some recent programs include tourism development and the development of professional associations for economists and political scientists.
These professional exchange programs are administered by other offices of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine:
Community Connections
Community Connections is a program of the U.S. Agency for International Development
which offers home stay-based, three- to five-week practical training opportunities in
the United States for entrepreneurs, legal professionals, non-governmental organization
leaders, journalists, NGO representatives, school administrators, and other
professionals. The program is administered by Project Harmony and participants are
chosen based on a free and open competition that is announced in the geographical
regions selected for the exchange each year. For more information, visit
http://www.worldlearning.org/wlid/tande/ccp and
http://ukraine.usaid.gov/ukraine_special.shtml.
The Special American Business Internship Training Program (SABIT)
With an experienced staff in both Washington and the NIS, SABIT places mid- to
senior-level managers, scientists, and engineers from the NIS in internships with small,
medium, and large U.S. businesses and organizations throughout the United States.
The internships focus on industry training and exposure to Western management concepts
and market-based economic fundamentals which are crucial to strengthening economic
growth and attracting foreign investment in the NIS. For 2006 SABIT offers
programs in: hotel management, water resource management, agribusiness association
development (Ukraine only), rural business development: craft industry and road
construction.
More information and applications are available at:
www.sabitprogram.org and
www.mac.doc.gov/sabit/sabit.html.
