RUSSIAN & EAST EUROPEAN STUDIES CONSORTIUM
	Arizona State University • Tempe, AZ 85287-2601 • PH: 480/965-4188 • FAX: 480/965-0310

ASU - UKIM   Academic Exchange

Arizona State University maintains an academic exchange with the University of Ss. Kiril and Metodij (UKIM) in Skopje, Macedonia. This exchange, established in 1973, is administered by the ASU Russian and East European Studies Consortium. Today, the ASU-UKIM academic exchange is the longest unbroken academic exchange between a Balkan university and an American counterpart. The ASU-UKIM academic exchange includes three regular programs, as well as occasional special related projects.

First, the ASU-UKIM academic exchange involves an annual exchange of graduate students and faculty in which each host institution stipends the visiting exhangee(s). An exhange of nominations for this part of the program occurs each January for the following academic year. The Russian and East European Studies Consortium normally reviews ASU faculty and graduate student applications for the exchange in September, well in advance of official nomination in January. Applicants for the program in Skopje must be registered students or faculty at Arizona State University; students who will be applying for admission to graduate programs at Arizona State University are also eligible to apply.

Second, the ASU-UKIM academic exchange involves a formal Study Abroad at UKIM program intended for use by both undergraduate and graduate students. Under the terms of this program, students from any accredited U.S. institution of higher education may spend a semester or academic year abroad taking specially arranged courses at UKIM. The courses automatically transfer for official credit at Arizona State University. Each semester students take eight (8) credits of intensive beginning, intermediate, or advanced Macedonian language training. The program also features up to six (6) credit hours per semester in the study of Balkan history and modern Macedonian government and society. Students enrolled in Study Abroad at UKIM are eligible for competitive grants from the National Security Education Program (NSEP). To date, four NSEP awardees have participated in Study Abroad at UKIM.

Third, the ASU-UKIM academic exchange involves an annual short-term research visit and lecture in the field of Balkan Studies by a Macedonian scholar. This short-term research visit and lecture is funded jointly by the Mary Choncoff Fund and the Open Society Institute - Macedonia (Soros Foundation). For further information on the short-term visitor program, see the Mary Choncoff Fund.

Finally, several related projects have grown out of the ASU-UKIM academic exchange. In 1992, the ASU Russian and East European Studies Consortium sponsored with USIA Samantha Smith funding a summer program in American studies for undergraduate students from UKIM. More recently, Arizona State University has sponsored with USIA support a two-year project in "Business Management Training," whereby twenty UKIM and ASU faculty in fields of management have been exchanged for periods of up to one semester each.

For inquiries relating to one or more specific parts of the ASU-UKIM academic exchange contact Carol Withers, program coordinator of the ASU Russian and East European Studies Consortium.