International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP)
Current and emerging foreign leaders visit the U.S. to exchange best practices in their professional field.
The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is the United States’ foundational professional exchange program. Through short-term exchanges with interlocutors in the United States, current and emerging foreign leaders in a variety of fields develop lasting relationships with their American counterparts. Meetings reflect the participants’ professional interests and support the foreign policy goals of the United States. IVLP participants are nominated and selected by diplomats at U.S. missions abroad. Since 1940, the IVLP, with the help of a dedicated network of partner organizations, has introduced over 225,000 participants to communities throughout the United States.
The three-week-long programs are carefully designed as an opportunity for participants to expand their professional network and knowledge base, as well as develop leadership skills through professional site visits, interactive workshops, speaking engagements, and cultural activities. Outside of Washington, DC, American Councils partners with local non-profit organizations and members of Global Ties U.S., to enriching experiences for IVLP participants. Program themes have included agriculture, AI and emerging Tech, energy security, , STEM education, national security, economic development, civic education, combating trafficking in persons, entrepreneurship, and space policy.
Each year, nearly 5,000 IVLP participants come to the U.S. More than 225,000 international visitors have engaged with Americans through the IVLP, including more than 500 current or former chiefs of state or heads of government.
American Councils is one of eight national program agencies and is proud to work with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to administer IVLP.
There is no application for IVLP. Participants are nominated and selected annually by the staff at U.S. Embassies around the world.
