The Fulbright-RAF Scholar Award 2021-2022

 
The Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission announces the Fulbright-RAF (Romanian-American Foundation) Scholar Award, dedicated to Romanian academics from technical universities and departments who wish to carry out a semester-long fellowship in residence at the University of Rochester – Ain Center for Entrepreneurship, for study and independent research, curriculum development, classroom observation and participation in community-based entrepreneurial activities.

The program starts in February 2022 and will provide the Romanian fellows with valuable experience enabling them to develop high-quality entrepreneurship education opportunities for university students throughout Romania.
        

Eligible Fields: Entrepreneurship & Entrepreneurial Studies

Applicants must meet the following criteria:
•    hold Romanian citizenship; green card holders and persons with dual (Romanian and U.S.) citizenship are ineligible;
•    hold a PhD degree and carry out regular teaching responsibilities;
•   demonstrate interest and ability to fully participate in the educational experience and to implement entrepreneurship education upon return;
•   show willingness to advance educational innovation through development of a national entrepreneurship education association;
•    have the support* of their home university for achievement of high impact results for Romanian students;
•    show a proficiency in English corresponding to the activities required by this type of program; a language proficiency test is not required.

*Home university administrators should submit the University Letter of Support  to confirm their support for scholar’s participation in the program and also for implementation of entrepreneurship education opportunities upon his/her return.

Each applicant will be required to submit:
•    an online application form (https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2021);
•    a personal statement uploaded to the online application;  
•    one letter of support, provided by your home university administrator/vice-rector or faculty dean using the standard form directly uploaded to the online application, by December 2, 2020;
•    the applicant’s CV, along with a valid passport copy, plus dependent’s valid passports (if need be), uploaded to the corresponding sections of the online application;

The applicants are strongly encouraged to refer to the application instructions HERE

-  As part of the program, administrators from selected universities will be invited to visit the U.S. at the conclusion of the residency semester to learn about the grantees’ experience and observe an active entrepreneurial ecosystem first hand.
-    Short-listed candidates will be invited to an in-person interview conducted in English.
-    All the required documents must be submitted in English no later than December 2, 2020. Documents will not be returned. Only online applications will be accepted;

NATURE OF GRANTS

The Fulbright-RAF Scholar Award program has been established to provide Romanian academics from technical universities and faculties with valuable experience enabling them to develop high-quality entrepreneurship education opportunities for students all over Romania.

The success of the program entails visionary professors committed to learning and implementing best practices in entrepreneurship education as well as university administrators committed to supporting new programs for their students.

The Fulbright-RAF Scholar Award is for one semester and will start in February 2022. No extensions or adjustments can be made for this specified duration of the award.

The Fulbright-RAF Scholar Award consists of:
• travel to/from the US, accommodation and general maintenance costs while in the US, settling-in -allowance, professional allowance and dependent allowance (if need be);
• Sickness and accident benefit coverage - ASPE (https://www.sevencorners.com/gov/usdos);
• J-1 visa sponsorship and administration (https://j1visa.state.gov/);
• pre-departure support, including one-day Orientation Program;
• Once on-the-ground in the US, further support is offered by the Institute of International Education/ IIE-CIES (www.cies.org; www.iie.org) and by the Council on International Educational Exchange/CIEE (http://www.ciee.org/) - for a series of Fulbright-RAF Scholar Award program-related activities.

The Fulbright-RAF Scholar Award does not cover: computer hardware or equipment purchase; leisure travel; personal shopping gifts; additional expenses that relate to lifestyle preferences.

THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND THE REVIEW PROCESS

The applications will be evaluated based on educational background and experience, current teaching duties, demonstrated interest to fully participate in the educational experience and to implement entrepreneurship education upon return as well as on applicant’s willingness to advance educational innovation through development of a national entrepreneurship education association. Selection will be based on the combination of qualified professors with the support of their university for achievement of high impact results for Romanian students.

• All the required documents must be submitted in English no later than Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020. Documents will not be returned. Only online applications will be accepted;

• Initial screening and endorsement of a scholar’s application are done by the Fulbright organization in your country of application;

• Short-listed candidates will be invited to an in-person interview conducted in English (date to be announced);

• After interviews, Romanian finalists’ applications are forwarded to IIE/CIES and the U.S. Department of State by the Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission. Final selection/approval of all grants is made by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board/FFSB (https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright/j-william-fulbright-foreign-scholarship-board-ffsb); It is the policy of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board not to give to individual applicants, to others inquiring on their behalf, or to the public generally, the specific reasons for selection or non-selection of applicants for awards under the program, to the extent not required to do so as a matter of law.

• Before a grant can be confirmed, a Medical History and Examination Report is required and will be reviewed by appropriate personnel;

• For all Fulbright-RAF Scholar Award finalists of the competition, the affiliation will be concluded at the University of Rochester, Ain Center for Entrepreneurship;

• As part of the program, administrators from selected universities will be invited to visit the U.S. at the conclusion of the residency semester to learn about the grantees’ experience and observe an active entrepreneurial ecosystem first hand.