Fulbright Program Information on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

12468-MC

Fulbright Scholar Award

ASEAN Research Program

Multiple Countries/Areas

Burma
Cambodia
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Multi-country
Brunei
Laos

East Asia and the Pacific

Global/Multi-country

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Award Details

Award Activity

Conduct collaborative research in the area of specialization on an issue of priority to ASEAN or to the U.S.-ASEAN relationship in 2-3 ASEAN countries: Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. Project statement must include a detailed description of proposed research and the relevance of the research to the broader ASEAN region, as well as the justification for each specific country included, duration and dates in each country, host institutions and planned site(s) to be visited.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the East Asia and the Pacific Team to discuss their proposed research before applying.

Scholars selected for this award will be required to:

Conduct a research project of the applicant’s choosing

Award Length and Period

Three to six months. Award activity must be undertaken in a single period of residence abroad. Applicants may propose travel to each country no more than once.

Research grants may start any time beginning August 2022 and must be completed by September 30, 2023.

Locations Text

Affiliations with universities, think tanks, nongovernmental organizations and research centers in the selected host countries may be considered.

Flex Option

Discipline Type

Only projects in the following disciplines will be considered

Disciplines

Area Studies, non- U.S.

Communication

Economics

Education

Environmental Sciences

History, non- U.S.

Law

Political Science

Public Administration

Public Health

Areas of Interest

Applications in the following specializations are particularly sought: ASEAN studies, comparative politics, dispute settlement and negotiation, economic integration and trade policy, educational policy (including technical and vocational education), environmental science/studies, human migration and trafficking, international law, international relations, marine conservation, public health, public policy, regional security, and wildlife trafficking.

Special Features

Fulbright East Asia Pacific Regional Travel Program

Fulbright Scholars in the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region have the opportunity to apply for funds to support short-term (3-14 days) travel to other countries in the EAP region for activities such as lectures, workshops, graduate or faculty seminars, master classes or recitals, curricular advising or panel presentations. EAP Regional Travel Program funding covers transportation only. Regional Travel Program activities/host sites should not be included in the initial Fulbright application. Scholars may pursue invitations for short-term activities in other EAP countries once notified that they have been selected for a Fulbright grant, and may only apply for travel program funds once they have actively started their Fulbright grant in their host country. Scholars on Flex grants are not eligible for the regional travel grant.

Award Requirements

Application Requirements

Invitation Requirement

A letter of invitation is preferred.

Invitation Requirement Additional Information

Applicants are encouraged to have identified potential host institutions. Applicants should inquire with the East Asia and the Pacific Team with questions about invitation requirements for specific countries.

Language Proficiency Requirements

None, English is sufficient. However, feasibility of conducting the project must be demonstrated in the project statement.

Additional Language Requirement

English is the official language of ASEAN. Applicants are not required to submit a language proficiency evaluation. However, proficiency in the local language may be recommended for some research topics, depending on the country. If applicants do not have local language skills, they should explicitly address the issue when discussing the feasibility of the project in their project statement.

Applicant Profile

Additional Qualification Information

These awards are for individuals who seek to establish a focus on U.S.-ASEAN relations in their work or to undertake research on a comparative project that has implications for the ASEAN region or the U.S.-ASEAN relationship.

Ph.D. is preferred, but applicants with master's degrees will be considered. Applications from established scholars as well as from candidates who are early in their careers are encouraged. Ph.D. candidates must attain a doctoral degree by the start of the grant (indicate expected date of conferral in application and project statement).

Additional Information

Additional Comments

Short-listed applicants may be invited to telephone or Skype interviews.

In addition to being a prestigious academic exchange program, the Fulbright Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other nations and to promote international understanding and cooperation. To support this mission, Fulbright Scholars may be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host community, in addition to their primary activities‎.

Contacts and Helpful Links

ASEAN Secretariat

ASEAN University Network

Fulbright Commissions:

American-Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF)
Malaysian-American Commission on Educational Exchange (MACEE)
Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF)
Thailand-U.S. Educational Foundation (TUSEF)

U.S. Department of State, Public Affairs Sections

U.S. Department of State country profiles

Email the East Asia and the Pacific Team with questions about applying.

Stipend & Benefits

Award Allowances

Tracks with research awards from each country.

Estimated Travel and Relocation Allowance for Grantee

Initial travel tracks with first country of award; additional intraregional travel to second or third country is $500 per trip.
Dependent travel: travel for up to two accompanying dependents, based on the country

Estimated Book and Research Allowance

$800 research allowance

Please refer to the figures above for an estimate of total monthly Fulbright award benefits. Benefits may include a monthly base stipend, living and housing allowances, and additional one-time allowances. Benefits may vary based on a scholar's current academic rank (or professional equivalent), the city of placement, the type of award (teaching, teaching/research, or research), and the number of and duration of stay of accompanying dependents. Research-only or Professional Project grantees receive a standard stipend that is not adjusted for academic rank. In most cases, dependent benefits will not be provided to Flex grantees, or to grantees pursuing grants less than four months (or a semester) in length.

Final grant amounts will be determined prior to the start of the academic year and are subject to the availability of funds. The United States Department of State reserves the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, number of awards and allowances.

Country/Area Overview

Summary

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program to Burma offers up to five teaching or teaching/research grants.

What is life like for Fulbrighters in your country?

Burma is emerging from years of isolation and international sanctions and thus is experiencing a knowledge gap in many disciplines. Despite increased openness in the country, many challenges remain: outdated teaching materials and teaching methods. Students’ proficiency in English can be lower than expected, making it difficult for them to fully utilize and absorb materials in English. The teaching grants offered by the Fulbright Program aim to strengthen university programs critical to the development of Burma.

Most higher education institutions are supported by the Myanmar government with small budgets and administered by the Ministry of Education. Curriculum is set by the Ministry of Education while site-based rectors have limited decision-making powers. A top-down, centralized approach limits reform efforts and decision making. It can be difficult to work with some host institutions due to a legacy of fear of engaging with the United States within the university department heads and administrators, making it difficult to arrange meetings and promote U.S. programs. While the majority of Fulbright placements are successful, the initial period can be challenging as scholars must sometimes work hard to find their place among overworked faculty.

Most educational institutions operate on a two-semester academic year: December-April and June-September.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia: Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. The United States was the first country to recognize ASEAN with an official U.S. Mission to ASEAN, and supports the organizational efforts to create a unified region with one vision, one identity and one community. Key areas of focus for ASEAN (and U.S. engagement with ASEAN) include promoting inclusivity, improving the quality of basic education, addressing the development gaps across the region, aligning ASEAN goals with the Sustainable Development Goals, enhancing ASEAN awareness, and furthering the development of ASEAN studies programs. American Scholars selected for this regional program should pursue collaborative research projects which support priority issue areas for the ASEAN region and to the U.S.-ASEAN relationship, with activities taking place in two or three ASEAN countries. Scholars will be encouraged to include a trip during their grant period to the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia to present on their research and meet with staff at the Secretariat and the U.S. Mission to ASEAN.

Application Deadline

Closed

Activity Type

Research

Research includes activities involving scientific research, qualitative research, quantitative research, and practice-based research, including artistic research. Research can take place in locations such as the laboratory, the field, the archives, or an artist residency. It can be experimental, clinical, or applied. It can include examining policies, systems, theories, methods, interactions, and works of art and music, with the objective to evaluate or develop new knowledge or works. Quantifiable (tangible) outcomes can include publications (books, journal articles, scripts, etc.), conference presentations, artistic and musical compositions, exhibitions, performances, films, and patents.

Degree Requirements

Ph.D. (or other terminal degree) not required

Career Profile

Early Career Academics

Awards are open to those who have been working in the capacity of a teacher or scholar for no more than seven years.

Mid-Career Academics

Awards are open to those who have been working in the capacity of a teacher or scholar for more than seven, and less than 13, years.

Senior Academics

Awards are open to those who have been working in the capacity of a teacher or scholar for more than 13 years.

Number of Recipients

Approximately 4

Program Staff

Outreach and Recruitment Specialist

Phone:

202-686-4000

Email:

eastasiapacific@iie.org

Join an Office Hour

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