Central Asia-Caucasus Fellowship Program

We support rising leaders across all sectors from the countries of Central Asia, the Caucasus, Afghanistan and Mongolia through our Central Asia-Caucasus Fellowship Program. The Program connects talented professionals from across the region, encouraging an intraregional network and exchange of ideas, as well as fosters better understanding and stronger relations between the United States and the region.

PROGRAM COUNTRIES

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Afghanistan
Azerbaijan
Kazakhstan
Mongolia
Turkmenistan
Armenia
Georgia
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Uzbekistan

FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Each spring and fall, 10-13 applicants are selected to participate in the 6-week Central Asia-Caucasus Fellowship Program. The Program consists of a series of high-level meetings during which Fellows have an opportunity to engage and interact with top policy-makers, business leaders, journalists, academics, military personnel, non-governmental organizations and regional experts, exposing them to inside perspectives on how the U.S. public and private sectors work. The Program also incorporates opportunities for professional development and networking. As part of the Fellowship, Fellows additionally spend the fourth week of the Program traveling to two major U.S. cities for meetings with local businesses and government representatives, providing them with insights into the United States beyond the nation's capital. In the final weeks of the Program, Fellows collaborate on and complete a group presentation on a topic of their choice at a Central Asia-Caucasus Institute public forum, which serves as a platform for the Fellows to present their thoughts and engage with representatives from local embassies, businesses, universities, media and others interested in the region.

OUR PARTNER

The Central Asia-Caucasus Institute and Silk Road Studies Program is a Joint Transatlantic Research and Policy Center, affiliated with the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington D.C., and the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm.

Learn More ❭❭

Fall 2019 Fellows

FELLOWS ANNOUNCEMENT ❭❭ PROGRAM REPORT ❭❭ PHOTO ALBUM ❭❭

FEATURED FELLOWS

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Gunesh Bakgalova

"When I think about my experience in the program, I realize how lucky I am to have come to know so many bright and talented people from around the world and my own region. This new network has enriched my knowledge, experience and friendships and I use the contacts I have made constantly. "

Zarina Chekirbaeva

Fall 2012, Kyrgyzstan

Current Position: Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Kyrgyz Republic

Colonel Grigol Chelidze

Spring 2017, Georgia

Current Position:

Commander of the Training and Military Education Command of the Armed Forces of Georgia

Shoaib Rahim

Fall 2015, Afghanistan

Current Position: Senior Advisor, State Ministry for Peace

Enkhzul Dambajantsan

"The Fellowship has been transformational in that I learned to think like a policymaker and execute like a businessperson."

Arevik Anapiosyan

Spring 2018, Armenia

Current Position:

Governing Board of the UNESCO Institute of Statistics

NETWORK

Country Teams

The alumni from each of the ten countries are led by a nominated representative called the National Coordinator who serves on the Fellowship Alumni Council. Each National Coordinator is responsible for organizing alumni meetings within their country as well as serving as a key representative and point of contact for the broader CAMCA network and its activities. Learn more about our National Coordinators.

Alumni Conferences

After five years of successful Fellowship sessions, in 2012 the Foundation began hosting annual regional alumni gatherings. Since 2014, these annual meetings have taken place alongside the CAMCA Regional Forums.

CAMCA Regional Forums

The CAMCA (Central Asia-Mongolia-Caucasus-Afghanistan) Regional Forum was established in 2014 by the Fellowship alumni in collaboration with the Foundation and Central Asia-Caucasus Institute to create a platform for the alumni to engage with a broader international audience invested in the future of the region. Read more about the CAMCA Network.

“Being part of the program has given me a distinct sense of pride and belonging to a diverse group of leaders from the CAMCA region. These six intensive weeks of interacting with leading activists, experts and policy makers in the United States was a unique experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. The network is a powerful resource and capability multiplier, which enables each Fellow to set the narrative in our respective countries instead of catching up with it. Ultimately, the network is built on trust, competence and leadership, which are forged through the Fellowship Program.”
Tajikistan Fellow, Fall 2019
“It is an intensive, fast-paced program that gives participants the unique opportunity to meet and network with outstanding people in the United States, as well as with future leaders of the CAMCA region, while at the same time helping you discover your own hidden potential.”
Uzbekistan Fellow, Fall 2015
“This program is an excellent opportunity to understand the U.S. decision and policy-making processes through learning first-hand from officials who have been participating in these processes for decades. Our entire experience was perfectly organized and managed, and the time I spent during the program was an unforgettable experience. The most valuable and important asset of this program is becoming a part of the network of outstanding people from the CAMCA region.”
Kazakhstan Fellow, Spring 2019
“The program encouraged me to think outside of myself, my country and the region. I was constantly inspired by outstanding people we met as well as the exceptional fellows that I shared all of these unique experiences with.”
Azerbaijan Fellow, Spring 2013