Training & Exchanges

Through its Training and Exchanges Division, FRAEC educates and unites Russian, Eurasian, and American communities. Our programs, relying on the expertise and hospitality of the diverse Puget Sound community, provide Eurasian professionals and entrepreneurs with a practical, holistic professional development and cultural exchange through internships, interactive training, home stays, and cultural activities in the U.S. FRAEC also regularly coordinates need-based trainings across Russia, in collaboration with Russian and U.S. experts. The results are dynamic partnerships and mutual understanding that bridge our regions at the grassroots level.

FRAEC’s current ongoing training and exchange activities include the following:

Community Connections Program
Open World Program

“These types of exchanges in a small way help foster world peace and understanding.” –Chris Sannito, FRAEC Home Host

Since 1995, FRAEC has administered international training and exchanges. More than 500 Russian professionals and entrepreneurs have received instruction through exchanges to the U.S. and FRAEC directly provided training for hundreds of Russian citizens throughout the Russian Far East. Through projects like the Nuclear Cities Initiative and the U.S.-RFE Partnership Activity, FRAEC staff and our Russian partners sponsored courses for thousands of Russians in subjects such as business development, public health, governance, among other topics. Through our Exchanges Division, dozens of Americans have traveled to Russia to train or to work on joint projects with their Russian counterparts.

Types of Training

FRAEC offers three primary types of training geared towards professionals and entrepreneurs:

Group site visit programs,
Workshop and seminar training programs, and
Individualized internships.

All programs are customized to meet the needs of particular groups or individuals and courses typically incorporate interactive classroom-style learning, professional meetings, and site visits.

FRAEC’s Training and Exchanges Team directly coordinates all training and exchange activities, each typically lasting from two to four weeks. The FRAEC team organizes and facilitates field visits, internships, workshops, and professional appointments, using outside volunteer trainers as appropriate. With a network of more than 1500 companies and organizations, built over ten years of conducting training and exchanges, FRAEC can bring the most appropriate and experienced resources to a program. Our team also works with more than 200 local families and individuals to provide volunteer-based homestays for visitors, when appropriate.By leveraging a dedicated network of local expertise, FRAEC has provided training in the following areas:

Small business management
Small & Medium-sized Enterprise Development
Local governance
Social services and policy
Public health delivery and policy
Education and curriculum development
Youth program development
NGO management and development
Tolerance and conflict resolution
Law Enforcement

FRAEC incorporates different methodologies as appropriate, working closely with trainers to make topics relevant for a cross-cultural audience. These include the following:

Half-, full- or multi-day workshops and seminars
Mini-conferences, roundtables and panel discussions
Site visits and case studies
Interactive activities such as teambuilding and internships
Action planning

FRAEC’s Training and Exchange programs offer an opportunity to:

Make professional contacts
Understand contemporary Russian and Eurasian society and culture
Promote economic growth in Eurasia