Common Interest Program
The Common Interest Program, being piloted as a new approach for Eisenhower Fellowships in 2007, is bringing to the United States 21 emerging leaders from 12 countries and sending 8 U.S. Fellows abroad, all of whom are engaged in the program theme of “urban challenges”. The program provides two months of travel throughout the United States or overseas countries, with a custom-designed itinerary for each participant, as well as some group events, including opening and closing seminars. Meetings, conferences, and related events are tailored to Fellows’ professional interests and arranged with their active participation.
Participating countries are Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, and the United States. Topics included under the urbanization rubric include wealth creation and economic growth; poverty alleviation; infrastructure, including transportation and housing; social services, including education and public health; quality of life, including environmental issues and culture; public safety and security; and relevant private-public partnerships.
The program offers a unique opportunity to broaden the Fellows’ horizons by exchanging ideas and perspectives with leading thinkers and practitioners in those aspects of urbanization issues most relevant to the individual’s own work. The eight-week fellowships to the U.S. typically involve visits to 8–12 cities and 60–80 individual appointments.
Beyond 2007, a number of follow-up gatherings of alumni Fellows, as well as other professionals engaged in urbanization, will be organized to foster ongoing networking and exchange of best practices.
Whether Common Interest Programs will be organized in future years will be determined based on the 2007 program experience.
Click here to view the anticipated outcomes of the 2007 Common Interest Program.