Center for Civil Society International ([email protected])
Tue, 6 May 1997 10:42:35 -0700 (PDT)
Cross posted from Sister-Cities List
For more information, contact Amy Forest: [email protected]
UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Title: Provision of Overseas Educational Advising Services -
Seeking Partnerships
ANNOUNCEMENT: Call For Concept Papers
SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Programs of the United States
Information Agency's (USIA) Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs announces an opportunity to create public/private sector
partnerships with USIA in order to ensure the long-term viability
of educational advising centers abroad which provide information
on and facilitate access to U.S. institutions of higher education
to overseas audiences. Because of the important role of these
centers in achieving the United States' educational exchange and
foreign policy objectives, USIA is committed to maintaining
comprehensive and objective educational advisory services to
overseas audiences. Recent budget reductions, however, have
limited the operational, material and training support that USIA
can offer to the network of overseas educational advising
centers. USIA is seeking outside funding, contributions and
creative solutions to continue providing educational advising
services in cooperation with United States Information Service
(USIS) posts abroad. USIA invites public and private, for-profit
and not-for-profit organizations with significant substantive
experience in international education to submit statements of
interest for collaborating with USIA and USIS posts abroad.
Limited support for initiatives may be available, depending on
the specific circumstances of the advising program in each
country, the interest and requirements of individual USIS posts,
and the availability of funds.
RANGE OF PARTICIPATION:
USIA is seeking non-governmental organizations to collaborate in
one or more of the following types of activities:
A} Under direction of the USIS post, to accept responsibility
for all or part of the operation of an overseas educational
advising center currently operated by the post;
B} To establish a cooperative relationship with a Fulbright
commission, a host-country institution or a USIS post in support
of a new or existing educational advising activity;
C} To contribute material, technological, staffing or other
support to ongoing advising operations.
D} To contribute to professional development programs for
advisers.
OPERATIONAL STANDARDS:
I. USIA requires all advising centers within its network to
adhere to the following basic principles:
A} They should provide impartial, accurate information about the
full range of accredited institutions of higher learning in the
United States and must not serve as agents or recruiters.
Ethical standards of appropriate professional associations must
be followed.
B} They should provide, at no charge, access to essential
reference materials and to an introductory advising session,
which may be a group or video presentation.
II. If an advising center decides to offer fee-based services,
the following principles also apply:
A} All services beyond the introductory level may be provided
for a fee that is in accordance with the local market and laws.
These services might include one-on-one advising, transcript
evaluations, translations, pre-departure orientations, and
specialized workshops.
B} Services may be provided to U.S. colleges, universities and
schools {e.g., college fairs, assistance in logistical
arrangements for recruitment} provided that the center maintains
impartiality and continues to present the full range of
accredited U.S. academic institutions. Fees may be charged for
these services.
C} Students who are clearly not qualified for U.S. study, i.e.,
lack financial resources, English language ability, and/or
sufficient academic preparation, should not be offered fee-based
services.
D} Centers may recruit sponsors for specific activities,
provided solicitation is done in coordination with the local USIS
post.
ANNOUNCEMENT TITLE AND NUMBER: All communications with USIA
concerning this announcement should refer to the above title and
reference number E/ASA-97-11.
SUBMISSIONS: Organizations wishing to pursue collaborative
activities as described above should prepare a concept paper, not
to exceed five pages. This paper should include the following
information:
A} Name and address of organization(s).
B} Principal contact information (name, phone/fax numbers, e-mail
address).
C} Outline of organization's history, mission, and scope.
D} Brief description of organization's involvement with U.S. and
foreign higher educational systems, educational exchange, and
overseas educational advising and/or other services.
E} Resources (human, financial, in-kind etc.) which applicant
organization proposes to contribute to the achievement of the
goals of the educational advising program.
F} Countries or regions of interest.
G} Scope of proposed activity.
The original and five copies of the concept paper, along with the
same information on a 3.5" diskette in ASCII text format, should
be sent to:
U.S. Information Agency
Ref.: E/ASA-97-11
Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326
301 4th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20547
USIA will use the electronic submissions to transmit concept
papers to appropriate USIS posts for their review and comment.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: All concept papers must be received at
the U.S. Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on
July 25, 1997. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time.
Documents postmarked July 25 but received at a later date will
not be accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
The Advising and Student Services Branch, E/ASA, Rm. 349, U.S.
Information Agency, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547,
telephone 202-619-5434; fax 202-401-1433; e-mail telephone 202-619-5434; fax 202-401-1433; e-mail [email protected].
Contact officer is Amy Forest.
TO RECEIVE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA FAX ON DEMAND:
This announcement may be requested from the Bureau's "Grants
Information Fax on Demand System," which is accessed by calling
(202) 401-7616. The "Table of Contents" listing available
documents and order numbers should be the first order when
entering the system.
TO DOWNLOAD THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA INTERNET:
This announcement may be downloaded from USIA's website at
http://www.usia.gov/ or from the Internet Gopher at
gopher://gopher.usia.gov. Under the heading "International
Exchanges/Training," select "Request for Proposals (RFPs)."
Please read "About the Following RFPs" before downloading.
(Signed)
Dell Pendergrast April 23, 1997
Deputy Associate Director for
Educational and Cultural Affairs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mr. David G. Potter, Program Officer for Development
Program Manager, U.S.-NIS Sister Schools Initiative
Program Manager, U.S.-NIS Thematic Youth Exchange Program
Sister Cities International <http://www.sister-cities.org/>
120 South Payne St. tel (703) 836-3535
Alexandria, VA 22314 fax (703) 836-4815
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