Description
A. Program Description This program will support the design and delivery of training activities for university professors in Veterinary Science from the Philippines and Vietnam. Veterinary training design and training under the FEP must include a curriculum that addresses science based Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) issues that connect to international trade. Training programs are designed and organized in conjunction with U.S. universities, USDA, and other government agencies. The FEP emphasizes the development of improved and updated courses and curricula, teaching and student assessment methods, exposure to current research techniques, and practical field experiences while the Fellows study in the United States. In addition, the FEP includes follow-up visits by U.S. host professors (the Mentors) to their Fellow’s home country. While visiting the participants' universities, U.S. faculty members are expected to assess progress on the implementation of courses developed during the U.S. based portion of the program and should continue to encourage collaboration between U.S. and participating universities. Background 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. Between 2002-2012, the program evolved to also include an Agricultural Science area, which focused on subjects such as animal health, food quality, food inspection, phytosanitary measures, and grades and standards, and involved scientists from Africa and Central America in addition to Eastern Europe and Eurasian countries. Starting in 2016, the FEP narrowed its geographic focus solely to Africa, and to the area of Veterinary Science. Since 2016, this Veterinary Science area of the program has hosted 71 early to mid-career instructors at Colleges of Veterinary Science and Medicine from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. FEP further expanded in 2021 to host early to mid-career instructors at Colleges of Veterinary Science and Medicine from all of Africa, including new participant countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Morocco. For the 2022 program, the FEP shifted focus to veterinary medicine in Southeast Asia, specifically Vietnam and the Philippines. In 2023 the FEP will continue to program in Southeast Asia, again with a specific focus on Vietnam and the Philippines. Objectives The purpose of the FEP is to assist developing countries with improvements to 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, learn new teaching methods through class observation, and new research methods through experience in the lab, short courses, and/or one-on-one instruction. Lastly, assist Fellows in researching additional public/private grants/funding opportunities as well as proposal writing. During this FY 2023 FEP programming cycle, it is expected that each participant from the Philippines and Vietnam revise and modernize their class outlines for introduction at their home university after they return. Participants should 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 should 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/FAS will select Fellows based on their experiences and expertise in their field and will place them in two groups of up to ten Fellows. Each group will be hosted by a selected Land Grant University for the program. Expectations Duration: The U.S.-based training will be 4-5 months within the full period of performance (one semester). All Fellows from the Philippines and Vietnam should participate in the program at the same time as a cohort. Ideally, this period would align with the Fall session of classes at the respective host university. Location: The implementing institution is expected to host the Fellows at a research facility on their campus in the United States. The Mentors are expected to make reciprocal visits of up to 2 weeks to the Fellows’ home institutions in the Philippines and Vietnam. In addition, the implementing institution is expected to conduct pre and post visits for the Fellows to Washington, DC to be greeted at USDA’s Washington, DC headquarters and participate in meetings and presentations organized by the USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs team. Funding Opportunity Number USDA-FAS-10613-0700-10.-23-0001 Assistance Listing Number 10.613 Faculty Exchange Program Authorizing Legislation National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, PL 95-113, as amended, 7 USC §§ 3291 and 3319a