PAS: U.S. Mission to Japan, U.S. Embassy Tokyo Strategic Education Policy - focused Speaker Program

Overview

U.S. Embassy Tokyo’s Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out its Education Policy-focused Speaker’s Program. The Education Speakers’ Program brings dynamic U.S. citizen experts to Japan and Japanese presenters to engage professional audiences throughout the country on education-related strategic topics of importance to the United States and Japan. Specifically, the program seeks to influence local audiences to 1) enhance student mobility, both inbound and outbound; 2) boost the pursuit of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education in Japan at the graduate level; 3) promote great cooperation in science and technology between U.S. and Japanese universities and protect research and improve export controls; and 4) build stronger partnerships between universities and the private sector, including strengthening workforce development, promoting research and development, and supporting Japanese universities looking to translate basic research into commercially viable and societally beneficial services.

Proposals should seek to meet all the following goals: 

Objective 1: Within two years from the start award date, conduct one U.S. speaker program on increasing STEM graduate students in Japan. 

Objective 2: Within two years from the grant start date, conduct one U.S. speaker program on science and technology cooperation between universities. 

Objective 3: Within two years from the start award date, conduct one U.S. speaker program on building stronger partnerships between universities and the private sector. 

Objective 4: Within two years from the grant start date, conduct one U.S. speaker program on enhancing student mobility. 

Objective 5: Within two years from the grant start date, conduct one U.S. speaker program on a topic of mutual interest as determine by the newly created binational U.S.-Japan Education Working Group.

The Education Policy-focused Speaker Program for Japan supports both traveling and virtual speakers, and a combination of both. Proposals should clearly state whether organizations are requesting to conduct traveling or virtual speaker programs or a combination of both.

• Traveling Programs: Speaker/expert travels to Japan to present lectures, serve as consultants, or conduct workshops and seminars for appropriate audiences as identified and arranged by the requesting organization. Organizations may request a single speaker or, funding permitting, a series of speakers to conduct targeted strategic programs. Programs can take place in one city, or in multiple cities in Japan depending on the target audience.
• Virtual Programs: Speaker/expert engages foreign audiences in real time through virtual platforms. U.S. Speakers for virtual programs may do the program remotely from a location in or outside the U.S. Virtual engagements may be customized to be point-to-point, multi-point interactions, or some combination thereof, depending on the nature and location of the audience. Consider the time difference when arranging for a virtual program.

Participants and Audiences: 
Established opinion and emerging leaders in education, business, technology, government, media, and public administration. 

All programs must engage Japanese audiences. All programs must include a U.S. element or connection with U.S. experts that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives. Programs may take place in person or virtually. If you apply from outside of Japan, we highly recommend potential applicants to collaborate and coordinate with project partners in Japan to implement requested programs successfully.

All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE/CAGE) code.

Length of performance period: Up to 24 months 

Number of awards anticipated: 1 award (dependent on amounts) 

Anticipated program start date: No later than January 31, 2024. 

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 2 years or less.

Complete applications, including all documents specified above, must be submitted in one email to [email protected].