Named after the late U.S. Vice-President Hubert H. Humphrey, the fellowships allow accomplished professionals from developing countries to go to the U.S. for study and related practical professional experiences. Fellows are nominated by the U.S. Embassy in Kingston based on their potential for national leadership and also to enhance their professional competence. This highly competitive program provides a year of professional enrichment in the U.S. for mid-career professionals with potential for leadership and fosters an exchange of knowledge and mutual understanding through which the U.S. joins in a significant partnership with developing countries.
Lasting productive ties between Americans and their professional counterparts in other countries are enhanced by providing these future leaders and policymakers with a shared experience of U.S. society and culture. They are also exposed to current U.S. approaches to the fields in which they work. Fellows pursue tailored study programs at participating U.S. institutions. There is no provision for Fellows to request a particular university for placement. Applicants should not assume that they can become degree candidates after they arrive in the U.S. Fellowships are granted competitively to professional candidates with a commitment to public service in both the public and private sectors, specifically in the fields of communications/journalism; HIV/AIDS policy and prevention; trafficking in persons, prevention and policy; natural resources and environmental management/climate change; public policy analysis and public administration; economic development/finance and banking, agricultural development/and rural development; human resource management; law and human rights; urban and regional planning; public health policy and management; technology policy and management; and educational administration, planning and policy. An additional substance abuse component of the field of public health policy and management emphasizes drug education, treatment, and prevention (a candidate in this field must either have a research background in the field or demonstrate an ability to learn to understand the results and policy implications of current research).
Prospective Fellows should be policy rather than research oriented, with a minimum professional experience of five years, and should be between the ages of 35 and 45. Preference is given to applicants who have not lived, studied, or worked overseas within the last five years. PAS announces this program in mid-April with a mid-July deadline for the submission of applications in hardcopy to KingstonExchanges@state.gov. The program begins in August of the same year.