Faculty Exchange Program – African Veterinary Science

Description

Program DescriptionProgram Overview, Objectives, and PrioritiesThe Faculty Exchange Program is requesting the design and delivery of training activities for African university professors in Veterinary Science. Training design and training deliverables must include strong elements of international trade including curriculum that addresses science based SPS/TPT issues. Except for Ethiopia, USDA is opening this NOFO for all African nations.BACKGROUNDThe Faculty Exchange Program (FEP) began in 1995 to bring junior- or mid-level university professors from countries in the Former Soviet Union to the United States for one semester to increase their knowledge of, and ability to teach, agricultural economics, marketing, and agribusiness management at their home institutions. The program was funded by the Department of State under the Freedom Support Act. Program activities in this area ended in 2018. Over the years the program has evolved to include agricultural scientists from Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. Training programs are designed and organized in conjunction with U.S. universities, USDA, and other government agencies. FEP emphasizes improved and updated course and curriculum development, teaching and student assessment methods, exposure to current research techniques and practical field experiences while studying in the United States.FEP includes follow-up visits by U.S. host professors to the participants' universities to assess progress in implementation of courses developed and encourage collaboration between U.S. and participating universities. Since 2016, the program has hosted 54 veterinary faculty participants from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Under this current NOFO, USDA is focusing on improving veterinary education and research throughout the continent of Africa (excluding Ethiopia) for early to mid-career instructors at Colleges of Veterinary Medicine.ObjectivesThe purpose of the Faculty Exchange Program is to assist developing countries to improve their university agricultural education, research, and extension programs by providing a one semester training program at U.S. Land Grant Agricultural Universities. Participants upgrade their technical knowledge in their subject area, they learn new teaching methods through class observation, and they will learn new research methods though experience in the lab, through short courses, or one-on-one instruction. Each participant revises and modernizes their class outlines for introduction at their home university after they return. Participants travel to laboratories, farms agribusinesses, and government offices to gain an understanding of how the veterinary science and animal health systems operate in the United States. Faculty mentors visit each participant in their home country 3-9 months after the conclusion of the U.S. based program to provide follow-on support and advice. USDA will select Fellows based on similar backgrounds in research areas and place them in groups of ten Fellows. Each group will be placed at a Land Grant University specializing in their topic.

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