The Qisasna program engages American and Yemeni students in 1) online dialogue sessions to learn about each other’s cultures and discuss issues of mutual interest, and 2) collaboration to produce international podcasts related to shared challenges and opportunities—all through virtual exchange. No previous podcasting experience is necessary, as podcast training will be provided. Students will gain valuable skills in cross-cultural engagement and dialogue as well as international podcast production, and become part of a program alumnae network with access to additional US Department of State-sponsored opportunities. There is no fee to participate in the program.
Through our previous and current collaborations, partner universities participated through different kinds of arrangements:
- Some designed their syllabus around the program (we understand this might not be an option if class registration is already open at your university).
- Other partners included Qisasna in their classes as a graded assignment.
- Students can also apply through an open enrollment mechanism without any involvement from the department other than spreading the word about the program. If this is the best option for your department, we would be grateful if you would share the announcement and visuals below with students at your university. Spaces are limited, and applications are generally considered on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage interested students to apply as soon as possible.
Please feel free to visit the following link to see some student testimonials about the positive impact Qisasna has had: https://www.stevensinitiative.org/impact/sound-waves-a-virtual-journey-in-podcast-making/
Opportunity for interested undergraduate students to participate in virtual exchange with students in Yemen this semester
The ‘Qisasna’ (‘Our Stories’ in Arabic) program will engage American and Yemeni students in 1) online dialogue sessions to learn about each other’s cultures and discuss issues of mutual interest, and 2) collaboration to produce international podcasts related to shared challenges and opportunities—all through virtual exchange. No previous podcasting experience is necessary, as podcast training will be provided. Students will gain valuable skills in cross-cultural engagement and dialogue as well as international podcast production, and become part of a program alumni network with access to additional US Department of State-sponsored opportunities. There is no fee to participate in the program.
Requirements to participate:
1. Be a US citizen currently enrolled as a university undergraduate.
2. Commit to attending 3 online dialogue sessions with Yemeni students and completing an 8-hr self-paced online podcast skills training by Mar./Apr. 2023.
3. Commit to attending 1 final online dialogue session and to working with fellow American and Yemeni students to complete a short podcast, and related tasks, by May 2023 (each student group will determine its own schedule for meeting to produce podcasts).
The Qisasna program is being facilitated by AMIDEAST and the International Center for Religion & Diplomacy (ICRD) as part of the Stevens Initiative of the US Department of State.
Benefits for students who complete the program include:
· Receiving a digital badge that can be posted on LinkedIn profiles (badge issued by AMIDEAST references the Stevens Initiative program that is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US Department of State);
· Acquiring media skills in podcast production through training by a professional podcast company and hands-on experience;
· Developing technical skills in using Microsoft Teams, a platform used by many employers;
· Building skills in cross-cultural communication, teamwork, and project implementation;
· Co-creating a podcast for broadcast to international audiences;
· Joining a program alumni network and becoming eligible for involvement in continued alumni activities from the Stevens Initiative and the US Department of State. Alumni are invited to join the US Department of State International Exchange Alumni site which provides access to events, research databases, alumni grant fund opportunities, and other resources. Alumni are additionally invited to join Localized, an online professional development platform. Alumni may also be invited to have their stories featured on the Stevens Initiative website. In addition, alumni are eligible for special consideration for internship and networking opportunities from the International Center for Religion & Diplomacy.
Spaces are limited! To apply, please complete the online form at the link below as soon as possible. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.
For questions, please contact Loujain Kiki at loujain@icrd.org .
The Qisasna program is being facilitated by AMIDEAST and the International Center for Religion & Diplomacy as part of the Stevens Initiative of the US Department of State.