Oksana Yakovishak, NVSU International Office Project Manager, has recently returned from an internship in the United States taken within the Russian International Education Administrators (RIEA) Program. She became one of 8 Russian Fulbright grant awardees.
The program lasted 3 months, from mid-January to mid-April 2016. The program is geared towards individuals who facilitate international exchange programs, including hosting international students, professors and visiting guests as well as providing information support to Russian students, faculty and administrators traveling abroad for academic study and research.
The program had several components:
1
. Academic Component
A four-week program in the Indiana University (Bloomington), aimed at familiarizing the Fulbright participants with the system of the U.S. higher education and the activities
organized by the international offices in American universities. During this part of the program the participants joined seminars and discussions organized by the members of the Indiana University. The discussion included such topics as intercultural communication; strategy and tactics used to attract foreign students; issues related to health insurance and medical care; security issues; visa and financial issues. In addition, the participants gave presentations of their home universities.
2. Seminars held in the offices of the Institute of International Education in New York and Washington
The seminar discussions included the most successful examples of academic exchange, important trends in international education, and best dissemination strategies. In addition, the program participants visited a number of universities in Washington (American University, University of the District of Columbia) and New York (New York University, Columbia University, Borough of Manhattan Community College).
3. Networking week
During the Networking Week the participants were able to plan their own visits to the US universities. Oksana Yakovishak visited two universities located in New Hampshire, such as Dartmouth College, a private research university located in Hanover, one of the oldest universities in the US and a member of the elite Ivy League, and Antioch University New England in Keen. During the visits she discussed the opportunities for possible cooperation and exchange of experience and prospects of joint participation in international projects with the American colleagues.
4. Practicum Component
RIEA Program participants spent a month practicing in one of the US universities to get first-hand experience with international students and scholars. Oksana Yakovishak was placed at the Center of global Education, Montclair State University (NJ), located near New York. The host university coordinators had prepared a diverse activity program, including meetings with various departments of the University (office of admission, financial aid, alumni relations); meetings with international and American students who had studied abroad; visiting classes on International law, Russian Language and Literature, Early Years Education, Environmental Studies.
5. New York RIEA Program Debrief
At the end of the program, all the participants came to New York for two days to discuss the results of the program. The participants made short presentations of the experiences they gained and shared their opinion on the RIEA Program. In addition to professional training, the participants enjoined a diverse cultural and sightseeing program in Chicago, Indianapolis, Washington, and New York.
Best American practices of organizing the international education and research activities shared with the RIEA Program participants can be successfully integrated in 
Russian universities and their international offices, which will increase the efficiency of ongoing and future international initiatives and projects.
