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Since its inception in 1965, the Group Study Exchange program has provided grants funded by the Rotary Foundation for countless teams of men and women in the early stages of their business and professional careers to travel abroad and share vocational information with the representatives of their respective professions in another country. Team members spend four to six weeks studying the host country’s institutions, economy and culture, while observing how their own professions are practiced abroad. More than 500 exchanges between paired Rotary districts occur each year, advancing the program’s ultimate goal of promoting international understanding, goodwill…..and peace.
Rotary districts select teams consisting of four non-Rotarians and one Rotarian leader who are engaged in different businesses and professions. Each of two paired districts sends and receives a team for a four to six week study program. Pairings are usually determined by The Rotary Foundation’s trustees to ensure wide geographical distribution, but the participating districts can also arrange exchanges.
While visiting abroad, GSE team members follow a carefully planned itinerary, including visits to government and cultural institutions, schools, religious and historic sites and other points of interest. In addition, each member spends at least one day a week studying and observing the practice of his or her profession in the host district.
ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must be between the ages of 25 and 40 and employed full time, with a minimum of two years experience in a recognized business or profession. In addition, candidates should have some proficiency in the language of the country to which they intend to travel, must be exemplary in their business or professional conduct, enthusiastic about their vocations and capable of deriving maximum educational value from the program. After their study abroad, participants are expected to speak about their experiences at Rotary meetings and other civic functions. |
