Study of the U.S. Institutes for Young Women Leaders (Mongolia)

The Institutes will incorporate a focus on American historical events as well as contemporary American life including current political, social, and economic debates in a pluralistic society. The Institutes will examine how government policies, business and private sector practices, and socio-cultural norms engage and affect women through the four thematic lenses presented below. The Institutes will also provide participants with opportunities to discuss current U.S. and global women’s issues such as: progress and opportunities for women’s leadership, combatting violence against women, addressing income disparity and other challenges to women in the workplace, women’s health issues, and the ways in which women can contribute to global peace, security, and stability.

Program Components

• Albright Young Women Leaders Program is an intensive and rigorous academic Institute and participants are expected to fully engage in all aspects of the program. Participants must attend all lectures, participate in all required organized activities, and complete all assignments. Family members and/or friends may not accompany or join participants for any part of the program. Housing will be in shared or single university dorms on campus or full-service hotels within walking distance of most classroom activities. In addition to regular group meals and a university meal plan, participants may have access to a kitchen to cook some meals on their own. Care will be taken to ensure that any special requirements regarding diet, daily worship, housing, and medical care are satisfied. Special accommodations will be made available to the greatest extent possible. Violations of program rules, host institution rules, or local, state, or federal laws can be grounds for immediate dismissal from the program.
• Should health, safety, and travel conditions continue to pose significant challenges, the Albright Young Women Leaders Program will pivot to a virtual format. The virtual program would consist of a minimum of 36 hours of required programming with a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning. To the extent possible, the virtual programming would include lectures, small group discussions, videos, readings, panels, site visits, leadership development, assignments, and individual and group activities. Participants would be expected to fully participate in the entire virtual program from their locations.

Fields of Study

• The program will examine the participation of women through the following four thematic lenses: Civic Engagement, Economic Development, Environmental Issues, and Public Policy. Participants from Mongolia will take part in the Albright Young Women Leaders Program on Public Policy, which will examine topics including, but not limited to, women in public service, the roles of government, private sector, civil society, and media in the policymaking process, and public policy as it relates education, public health, economic issues, technology and privacy, and diversity and inclusion, among others.
• The Institutes will consist of a four-week academic residency with a balanced series of seminar discussions, readings, group presentations, and lectures. Site visits, leadership development, cultural activities, and community service complement the coursework and academic sessions. If conditions allow, the Institutes will include a one-week integrated study tour in the United States.

Expenses Covered

• The program scholarship covers:
  • All Transportation Costs: International airfare and domestic travel (Including in-country visa-related travels if the candidate resides outside Ulaanbaatar)
  • Meals and Accommodations: Participants are placed in university housing and are provided with a modest meal and incidental expenses allowance
  • Health Insurance: Participants are provided with an accident and sickness benefit for the duration of their program
  • Visa Costs: Visa payment is waived for all U.S. Government sponsored scholarship participants
  • Travel Allowance: Participants are provided with a small allowance for luggage and other travel-related expenses

Eligibility Criteria

• To qualify, the applicants must:
  • Be a Mongolian freshman, sophomore, or junior undergraduate student at an accredited university in Mongolia, between the ages of 18 and 25
  • Be proficient in English
  • Be interested in the Institute topic
  • Have at least one semester left of their undergraduate studies, and be committed to returning to their home universities following completion of the program
  • Demonstrate strong leadership qualities and potential in their university and community activities
  • Indicate a serious interest in learning about the United States
  • Have a sustained high level of academic achievement, as indicated by grades, awards, and teacher recommendations
  • Demonstrate commitment to community service and extracurricular university activities
  • Have little or no prior study or travel experience in the United States or elsewhere outside of their home country
  • Be mature, responsible, independent, confident, open-minded, tolerant, thoughtful, and inquisitive
  • Be willing and able to fully participate in an intensive academic program, community service, and educational travel
  • Be willing to respectfully engage with fellow participants representing different backgrounds and different points of view
  • Be comfortable with campus life, prepared to share living accommodations, and able to adjust to cultural and social practices different from those of their home country
  • Preference will be given to candidates with limited prior experience in the U.S. Note that Mongolians holding a U.S. green card are not eligible to apply.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Mongolia.