Scholar-in-Residence Program

The Worldwide Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program brings scholars and professionals from abroad to lecture at U.S. colleges and universities for one semester or one academic year.

If you are interested in participating in SIR, there are some steps you will need to take in developing a proposal.
It starts with developing the proposed program your institution being submitted for SIR funding. The institution must determine whether it has a faculty member outside of the United States in mind for SIR funding or needs assistance in recruiting one for the program. This will factor into the SIR review process.

• If your institution wants to name a faculty member as a potential Scholar-in-Residence, it must determine whether that person has significant experience lecturing or researching in U.S. higher education. If the proposed scholar has taught extensively in the United States within the past five years, he or she will not be considered for SIR funding.
• The institution must also determine if the potential Scholar-in-Residence has the academic standing needed to teach the courses being proposed. This is a significant factor in determining SIR funding. The proposed Visiting Scholar must also have the English-language proficiency needed to conduct teaching.
• If the institution doesn’t have a faculty in mind, it can request help from CIES, who will work with Fulbright Commissions or U.S. Embassies abroad to recruit a potential Scholar-in-Residence. In order to facilitate the request, the proposal should list one or two countries in the same geographic region from where the institution wishes to have scholars, and provide a rationale for each country.

The institution must then determine how it will incorporate the Scholar-in-Residence into its teaching, curriculum development and campus activities. Your institution must…

• Show how it will plan the activities of the scholar and oversee whether he or she successfully fulfills proposed activities.

• Incorporate the Visiting Scholar into faculty meetings and other activity. This ensures that the Scholar-in-Residence is facilitating faculty and institutional development, and allows for the development of their expertise.
• Show how the contributions of the Scholar-in-Residence can be sustained for the long term. The institution should provide short-term (one-to-five year) and long-term plans for the proposed program and show how the scholar will contribute to sustaining it.
• Provide professional development opportunities for the Visiting Scholar. This includes participation in national conferences of professional organizations within their particular discipline.
• Involve the Visiting Scholar in campus and community activities. This may include participating in special lecturing series or even speaking engagements before local community groups. There are no limits on the range of activities that can be listed in the proposal.

Your institution should then assess whether it has the institutional and community resources needed to develop the proposal and successfully gain SIR funding. Because of the SIR Program’s unique cost-sharing model, your institution must pay for part of the cost of hosting the Visiting Scholar. Although a salary supplement is generally expected to be provided, the institution can substitute that with housing or other in-kind remuneration.

The institution should also work with community groups on developing activities for the proposed Visiting Scholar. This will help build goodwill with the community and help the Scholar-in-Residence gain the experience needed for his or her successful comparative lecturing and advising.

A helpful list of tips for developing a successful application is available, as is the Guidelines for the SIR proposal. You can also contact SIR Program for additional guidance on developing your proposal.