The Study of the U.S. Branch, Office of Academic Exchange Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), invites proposal submissions for the design and implementation of five different Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars and Secondary Educators to take place over the course of five to six weeks beginning in June 2014, pending the availability of funds. These Institutes should provide multinational groups of experienced foreign university educators, scholars, teachers, and other professionals with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions. Three of these Institutes will be for groups of 18 foreign university level faculty, focusing on the themes of Contemporary American Literature, Religious Pluralism in the United States, and U.S. Political Thought, and with a total duration of six weeks each. Two additional Institutes will be five-week general survey courses on the United States for a group of 20 foreign secondary educators. Applicants may submit only one proposal under this competition. If multiple proposals are received from the same applicant, all submissions will be declared ineligible and receive no further consideration in the review process. It is ECA?s intent to award five Cooperative Agreements (one base year plus two option years) for an estimated total amount of $3,960,000, pending availability of funds and successful performance.