The Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP) is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State, and is administered by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS.
The JFDP provides university instructors with a semester-long opportunity to expand their knowledge and expertise in their academic field by attending classes and working with faculty members at universities in the United States. Individuals may apply for fields in the humanities and social sciences.
The competition is open to citizens from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and residents of Kosovo.
To qualify for a JFDP Fellowship, an applicant must:
- hold a university degree;
- be currently teaching at an institution of higher education;
- have at least two years of teaching experience at an institution of higher education; and,
- have a mastery of the English language.
The primary and distinct goal of the JFDP is to provide university instructors from the places listed above with training in their academic fields. Participants in the JFDP are also encouraged to forge relationships between U.S. universities and their home universities, in order to support ongoing contact and collaboration. JFDP Fellows work closely with faculty mentors from host universities in the United States to develop their knowledge in their fields of study, to gather new academic materials and resources, to garner new educational perspectives, and to enlighten U.S. faculty and students on education and life in their home countries. Throughout their stay in the United States, JFDP Fellows observe and listen to courses, attend academic conferences, and may be invited to teach or co-teach classes at a U.S. university. Fellows do not earn academic degrees, credits or transcripts through the JFDP, and must return to their home countries after completing the program.
Each JFDP Fellow will spend a total of five (5) months (approximately January-May) in the United States. American Councils is responsible for placing Fellows at U.S. host universities and for providing logistical support for the Fellows throughout their stay in the United States. The JFDP Fellowship provides round-trip international and domestic transportation, medical insurance, monthly stipends, and a professional development fund. In addition, ECA and American Councils sponsor events and activities for JFDP alumni after they return to their home countries.
To read more about the program, please go to http://www.jfdp.org/.