Alumni Thematic International Exchange Seminars (Alumni TIES)

The U.S. Department of State sponsors Alumni Thematic International Exchange Seminars (Alumni TIES) exclusively for alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs. Alumni TIES is an opportunity for exchange alumni to learn about key regional issues, receive training, collaborate with fellow alumni, and apply for small grants to implement projects in their home communities.
 

Through Alumni TIES, participants:

• Identify and form networks with partners for ongoing regional networking and action.
• Increase their knowledge of U.S. policies and practices related to the thematic focus of the seminar and apply this knowledge within their own community.
• Develop and implement action plans and apply for small grants to complete their projects.

Alumni TIES take place four times a year in various regions of the world. These 3-4 day seminars address a theme of regional importance and include expert speakers, panels, trainings on project management, site visits, and alumni networking activities. Alumni TIES is implemented in partnership with World Learning.

Participants vary in age and level of expertise, but all are USG exchange alumni who are engaged on the seminar topic. All participants are also highly motivated to create positive change on this topic in their communities.

Participant Selection Process

• International exchange alumni are nominated by their regional U.S. Embassies based on the theme of the seminar. Final selection is conducted by the State Department’s Office of Alumni Affairs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
• U.S. citizen exchange alumni interested in domestic TIES events must apply through a competitive, online application process. Final review is conducted by the State Department’s Office of Alumni Affairs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Alumni TIES in Action

• Alumni TIES: #ExchangeAlumni Making a Difference
• An Online Education Pioneer: Gilman and AlumniTIES Alumni Builds Tech Skills Locally
• Learn about more winning TIES grant projects and their impact at the Alumni TIES blog.

Previous International Seminars

• Women in Media: Creating Networks for Social Change - Almaty, Kazakhstan (November 2019)
• Strengthening Business and Trade for Women Entrepreneurs in Africa – Accra, Ghana (June 2019)
• Alumni Educators in Action: Media Literacy and Critical Thinking in the Digital Age - Kyiv, Ukraine (October 2018)
• Strengthening Environments for Civic Participation and Public Engagement- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (August 2018)
• Alumni in Action for Resilient Communities: Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response - Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (February 2018)
• Preparing for a 21st Century Economy – Casablanca, Morocco (July 2017)
• Access to Energy for All – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (April 2017)
• Strengthening the Business Climate for Women Entrepreneurs in South and Central Asia – Kathmandu, Nepal (December 2016)
• Community Organizing and Program Management – Bangkok, Thailand (July 2016)
• Strengthening Democratic Institutions – Nairobi, Kenya (April 2016)
• Refugee and Migration Issues – Zagreb, Croatia (February 2016)

Previous U.S. Seminars

• Art, Culture, and Transforming Conflict - Santa Fe, NM (December 2019)
• Stronger American Cities: Closing the Skills Gap and Building Entrepreneurial Ecosystems - Kansas City, MO (March 2019)
• Building Communities of Hope: Collective Action to Tackle Addiction - Cleveland, Ohio (April 2018)
• Illicit Networks: Preventing and Combating Trafficking - Washington, DC (September 2017)
• Building Resilient Communities: Religious and Ethnic Diversity – Philadelphia, PA (July 2017)
• Education for All: Inclusion and Access as Pathways to Peace – Portland, OR (May 2017)
• New Frontiers of Global Public Health – Atlanta, GA (February 2017)
• Climate Change, Global Affairs, and the Digital Age - Santa Clara, CA (September 2016)