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NOFO: English Language for the IT Sector for Uzbekistani University Students

Deadline: 15 June 2024

The U.S. Embassy Tashkent Public Diplomacy Section (PD) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to organize a two to three-week day camp in Uzbekistan to improve university students’ English and IT skills in summer of 2025.

The project must be innovative and creative to promote and improve English language learning as well as master basic and intermediate IT/software skills. This grant seeks to support initiatives such as: improving the quality of English language learning; introducing and training university students to new and existing IT programs; teaching communicative English in the IT sphere; and increasing awareness of emerging trends in IT.

Project Goal

  • Equip Uzbekistan’s next generation of IT professionals with in-demand English language and technical skills to compete successfully in the global IT market.

Project Objectives

  • The Embassy seeks applications that use English language as the language of instruction to develop English and IT abilities during a multi-week intensive camp to take place in summer 2025. The Embassy welcomes creative approaches and activities to improve English language and IT instruction at the day camp. The program must include activities that improve instruction, engage students in English language training specifically for the IT sector, and activities that promote IT technologies.
    • Objective 1: Improve the ability of IT students to communicate, comprehend and apply English-language terminology related to IT concepts.
      • Camp activities may include but are not limited to: workshops on essential technical vocabulary related to the IT sector, role play scenarios where students simulate real life IT-related scenarios such as troubleshooting computer issues or explaining technical concepts to clients, or developing IT products for English speaking audiences
    • Objective 2: Strengthen university students’ foundational IT knowledge and skills through a structured multi-week day camp.
      • Examples of IT skills include but are not limited to: Introduction to programming, web development basics, introduction to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, IT project management, etc.
    • Objective 3: Develop essential soft skills and competencies among IT university students such as critical thinking, cross-cultural communication, problem solving, and more to enhance competitiveness in the global IT market.
      • Examples of camp activities include but are not limited to: critical reflection on cultural differences, similarities perspective-taking role-playing exercises that simulate scenarios from the global IT sector such as product development, market analysis, or project management
    • Objective 4: Increase knowledge and awareness of prospective collaboration opportunities with U.S.-based IT businesses and institutions.
      • Examples of camp activities include but are not limited to: guest lectures from U.S. industry leaders, interactive workshops on cross-cultural communication, and case studies highlighting successful partnerships between international entities and U.S. counterparts.

Funding Information

  • Total available funding: $500,000
  • Award Ceiling: $500,000
  • Award Floor: $50,000
  • Length of performance period: 12 to 18 months
  • Number of awards anticipated: 1-2 awards (dependent on amounts)
  • Anticipated program start date: October 15, 2024

Project Audience(s)

  • The Embassy encourages applications from institutions from the United States and from institutions throughout Uzbekistan, but the day camp should be held in one primary location in the summer of 2025. Camps can be run in multiple cities through this funding opportunity.
  • Primary audiences (beneficiaries) for proposals should be public and private university students from across Uzbekistan with an estimated proficiency of B1 in English per the CEFR or equivalent.
  • Participants should not be required to take a formal language assessment for participation in programming funded through this award. This award may not be used to cover external language assessment such as IELTS, TOEFL, CEFR, or other assessment.
  • They are also specifically looking to support vulnerable populations, such as economically disadvantaged students, residents of rural communities, and persons with disabilities (PWDs). Men and women should be equally represented among camp participants.

Eligibility Criteria

  • The following organizations are eligible to apply:
    • Must be an accredited public or private institute, university, or non-profit organization based in Uzbekistan or the United States.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.