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2004 Press Releases

Slovakia and University of Michigan to Collaborate

Bratislava, July 1, 2004

Contact: Joe Serwach, (734) 647-1844, jserwach@umich.edu

U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia Ronald Weiser and Mrs. Eileen Weiser have pledged $250,000 to the University of Michigan's Center for Russian and East European Studies to support scholarly exchanges between the University of Michigan and Slovakia.

"We hope these awards will provide an opportunity for the U-M to build a bridge to universities, NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations), the government and the people of Slovakia,'' the US Ambassador said. "Slovakia is a strong friend and ally of the United States, which makes a relationship that will increase mutual understanding even more important."

The Ronald and Eileen Weiser Slovakia-University of Michigan Collaboration will have two main purposes:

The Ronald and Eileen Weiser Awards for Student Research and Internships in Slovakia will support U-M student travel awards for summer or semester-long research projects or internships at institutions, businesses and other organizations in the Slovak Republic. Assistance will be made available for allocation to University of Michigan students in any field of study.

The Ronald and Eileen Weiser Professional Development Awards will support short-term travel awards designed to stimulate sustained collaboration in research and teaching. Support will be provided to University of Michigan and Slovak scholars and artists who wish to explore projects in any field of research or teaching at the University of Michigan.

"Both American and Slovak scholars will benefit from this professional development program,'' said Barbara A. Anderson, director of the U-M Center for Russian and East European Studies. "For American scholars, there is no better way to develop a deep understanding of a culture and how scholars in that country think than to work collaboratively on a project. For Slovak scholars and artists, this program provides research and other professional development opportunities that they would not have otherwise."

For more information about the Ronald and Eileen Weiser Slovakia-University of Michigan Collaboration, please contact the International Institute or visit http://www.umich.edu/~iinet/crees.