The Yegor Gaidar Fellowship Program in Economics

The Yegor Gaidar Fellowship Program in Economics supports the long-term development of Russia’s market economy by providing opportunities for leading Russian economists to conduct collaborative research with U.S. economic experts. The program aims to strengthen the human capacity at Russian institutions in developing entrepreneurship, economic diversification, technological innovation, and globalization.

The Yegor Gaidar Fellowship Program is a program of the U.S. Russia Foundation for Economic Advancement and Rule of Law (USRF) and IREX. It is named in honor of Yegor Gaidar (1956-2009), the first Minister of Economy and Finance of the RSFSR, the first Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of Democratic Choice of Russia, and Member of the State Duma.

Goals

• Gaidar fellows effectively contribute to Russia’s economic advancement: The 2011-12 Gaidar Fellows are sharing developments in emerging energy markets, foreign direct investment, and international trade. Through a mid-program teleconference with their home institutions in Russia, fellows provided feedback on current trends in their respective fields of expertise and, upon their return to Russia, continue to contribute their individual research findings to the economic community.

• The Gaidar Fellowship develops bi-lateral partnerships between U.S. and Russian economic experts: While in the United States, Gaidar Fellows connect with a wide range of economic experts, beginning with a series of networking meetings at the start of the program. Fellows develop collaborative relationships that continue to support their careers and increase the professional networks of their home institutions.

• Gaidar Fellows contribute to the broader community of U.S. and Russian economic expertise: Gaidar fellows share their expertise through the publication of articles in relevant Russian newspapers and journals, and on U.S. institutional websites. Fellows also contribute their research findings in both informal and formal presentations in the U.S. and Russia.

Project Activities

Gaidar Fellows are chosen through a merit-based and open competition to spend a minimum of two, and up to approximately six months at a U.S. think tank, university, or research center according to their research focus and professional expertise. Fellows and their U.S. collaborators engage in relevant research in topics of importance to both countries at a host institution, leading to a co-authored white paper to be presented at conferences in the U.S. and Russia.

Gaidar fellows focus on a diverse range of economic research including the formation of international trade policy in Russia and the United States, multi-national investment strategies, energy policy and the development of the energy market.

While in the United States, Gaidar fellows enlarge their networks of professional contacts, inform and educate the public about key issues of importance to both nations, and attend conferences and networking events in order to support the success of the joint research project.

The collaborative research results of the Gaidar Fellow and U.S. collaborator are released at a closing program conference that is held in Moscow, Russia.