Professional Exchanges

What are exchanges?

The Department of State asked their social media communities to share what State Department exchange programs meant to them. Discover the responses by watching the video.

International Visitor Leadership Program

More than half of WorldChicago’s yearly visitors come to Chicago through the  International Visitor Leadership Program  (IVLP), the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program. IVLP participants, nominated by the U.S. Embassies, visit multiple cities across the U.S.to build relationships and exchange best practices with their American counterparts in a variety of fields. WorldChicago’s goal is to connect IVLP visitors with non-profit, business, and civic leaders in the Chicago area to spark meaningful dialogue and collaboration.

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Open World Program 

The Open World program is a U.S. Legislative Branch initiative that aims to illustrate the importance of legislative functions in creating and sustaining democracies to rising leaders in Eurasian countries. Participants engage with U.S. governing systems at the federal state, and local levels and interact with their American counterparts, members of Congress, and Congressional staff.

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Shanghai Management Fellowship Program

In partnership with the Shanghai Economic Management College and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the Shanghai Municipal Government, WorldChicago has hosted the Shanghai Manager Fellowship Program since 2010. Talented professionals from China exchange best practices with business hosts in an 8-week exchange here in Chicago, bringing international expertise to Chicago businesses and learning American practices to bring back home.

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USAID Community Connections Program

Community Connections is a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) program intended to support post-Soviet countries’ transitions to more democratic and free market-oriented societies.

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US-Mexico-Nicaragua International Sports Programming Initiative

The International Sports Programming Initiative (ISPI) is a U.S. Department of State funded program that sponsors sport exchanges to help underserved youth around the world develop important leadership skills, promote tolerance and respect for diversity, and create positive impacts in both their home and host countries.

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