The U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) brings in current and emerging foreign leaders to the U.S., and provides short-term professional exchange programs to cultivate lasting relationships between the U.S. and international counterparts.
VIPP serves as the Michigan Council for Citizen Diplomacy and is designated as a community-based member for IVLP implementation. We work with seven National Program Agencies to secure incoming projects. VIPP is always seeking out new partners in the Greater Lansing Area, at MSU, and throughout the state of Michigan to help implement worthwhile programs for IVLP participants.
VIPP has hosted over 250 IVLP visitors from over 60 countries. Read about some of our recent programs below.
Strategic University Partnerships, Sept. 2026 Hosted by VIPP and organized locally by the Michigan Council for Citizen Diplomacy (MCCD), this initiative welcomed 13 higher education leaders and delegates to MSU from across Africa to examine how universities leverage international partnerships and collaborative research networks to address shared global challenges. Our discussions with representatives from Michigan’s universities highlighted international academic collaboration and the role of research universities in driving innovation.
Combating Drug Trafficking, April 2026VIPP hosted a delegation of three esteemed experts from India, Pranjit Deka, a senior reporter at Dainik Asam, Akash Chandra Sahoo, Additional Superintendent of Police at the Biju Patnaik State Police Academy, and Ayiaz Ahmad Wani, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF.) The group engaged in critical dialogues with local organizations and law enforcement agencies around the topics of collaborative advocacy, global policy insights, and justice in action.
State and Local Government: Case Studies for Leaders in Ukraine, June 2025Officials from Ukraine had the opportunity to engage with local leaders on U.S. approaches to state and local government, including Mitch Bean, former Director of the Michigan House Fiscal Agency, who shared a deep dive into fiscal policy, budget processes, and government accountability, as well as the Honorable Stephen J. Markman, former Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, who gave a lecture on the judicial system.
Innovative Higher Education Partnerships, April 2025 University leaders and administrators from the Middle East and North Africa connected with their counterparts from South and Latin America through two concurrent IVLP programs at MSU exploring a variety of topics in higher education partnerships such as education abroad, entrepreneurship and innovation programming, collaboration with the private sector for workforce and economic development, and accreditation processes.
Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists: New and Traditional Broadcast Media, September 2024Participants engaged deeply with U.S. broadcasting practices through a series of workshops and discussions. Professor Bob Gould, an acclaimed broadcast journalist, led an interactive workshop on traditional and new media journalism. A highlight was his surprise inclusion of recorded interviews with industry leaders from MSNBC, Scripps, and the Poynter Institute, who shared insights on broadcasting challenges in the age of AI.
Science and Technology Entrepreneurship, March 2023An international delegation of leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, and innovators from 13 countries exchanged ideas and expertise while exploring the themes of fostering entrepreneurship and supporting innovation, promoting science and technology start-ups, and the role of higher education in advancing technologies. They enjoyed meeting with a variety of MSU and community experts and innovators, experiencing MSU’s facilities and labs, and hands-on demonstrations of technologies.
The Rule of Law and U.S. Judicial System, December 2022VIPP welcomed a delegation of 21 legal experts from 21 different countries and five continents. The visitors enjoyed learning about government structure, rule-making in the U.S. system, and American legal institutions and mechanisms, including public engagement in government, separation of powers, and the constitutional basis for judicial
Advancing Economic Partnerships: A Project for Lebanon, September 2022Hosted in collaboration with Cultural Vistas, this program brought seven Lebanese government officials and financial institution analysts specializing in the fields of economics, industry, and trade to Lansing for an interactive cultural visit to learn about economic diversification and the role of education and research in economic development.
The Rule of Law and U.S. Judicial System, March 2022VIPP welcomed 14 delegates from 12 African countries for a virtual program studying the rule of law and the U.S. judicial system. The program featured information about legal education in the United States, as well as a presentation about Indigenous Law and Activism by Professor Matthew Fletcher, Director of the Indigenous Law and Policy Center at MSU College of Law.
Expanding Sustainable Educational Partnerships, November 2021VIPP virtually hosted a delegation of higher education administrators from Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, and Peru for "100,000 Strong in the Americas - Expanding Sustainable Education Partnerships" administered by Meridian International Center. Delegates enjoyed learning about international exchange programs offered by U.S. universities and community colleges, and best practices for collaboration and expanding partnerships.
Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, September 2021The Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management virtual exchange covered a range of topics including best practices in emergency preparedness, management, planning, and coordination among federal, state and local governments, and the private sector. Among the 8 international participants were disaster management professionals, first responders, health care providers, and media professionals from 7 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Combating Infectious Diseases, March 2021VIPP hosted 25 public health officials from 14 African countries for a virtual exchange program on March 24 and 26, 2021. The program covered a range of topics including federal and state infectious disease policy, media campaigns, community partnership, and youth health. As one of the nation’s top biomedical researchers well known for his work on defense against emerging infectious diseases, MSU President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. shared his expertise.
Pakistan Higher Education Leadership, February 2020VIPP hosted a delegation of 10 higher education leaders from Pakistan. The delegates traveled to various locations in the U.S. to exchange ideas on capacity building. The program featured a seminar on MSU's global engagement by Dr. DeAndra Beck, Associate Dean for Research in International Studies and Programs, as well as a networking luncheon with MSU faculty.
Kazakhstan International Higher Education Leadership, February 2020A delegation of eight Senior International Officers from Kazakhstan representing a variety of institutions visited East Lansing to discuss internationalization across the university, and learn about MSU's international engagement strategies. The delegates met with a variety of deans, faculty, and academic units to forge connections and new initiatives for cooperation.
International Journalists in Democracy, November 2018From November 8th-13th, 2018, VIPP hosted five international journalists from Malaysia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic. They were visiting the U.S. on the Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). VIPP arranged a visit to WKAR - Public Media from Michigan State University and Lansing State Journal to explore the best practices in ethical reporting and responsibilities of a free press in a democracy. They also discussed recent Michigan based investigative journalism cases such as Larry Nassar and the Flint Water Crisis.
Estonian Law Enforcement in Criminal Rehabilitation, May 2018VIPP had an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) delegation of eight Estonian law enforcement, social workers, and legal officials visit MSU's Campus. They explored the topic of "Trafficking in Persons: Rehabilitation". The group's first keynote was with James Kissinger, a Psychologist and Sexual Offender Services Manager from the Michigan Department of Corrections. It focused on rehabilitation strategies and evidence-based practices to asses the risk of recidivism for adult male sex offenders.
France Delegates in Food Safety, March 2017VIPP hosted a group of French specialists in food safety and provided a seven-day workshop for knowledge transfer and cultural exchange. They learned about U.S. laws and regulations governing food safety and the process involved in policy making and regulatory action. They also visited companies in the Michigan agricultural industry such as Michigan Farm Bureau Insurance and Michigan Agricultural Commodities Grain Elevator to meet American experts.
Palestine Leaders in Higher Education, October 2016VIPP hosted ten high-ranking university administrators from Palestine who sought to gain insight into the U.S. higher education system. They met former MSU president Lou Anna K. Simon and learned about MSU's research and development work, both in the U.S. and abroad, and partnership with other academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector.
African Journalists, August 2016Ten journalists from francophone Africa including Mali, Republic of the Congo, Mauritius, Madagascar, Senegal, Guinea, Benin and Cote D'Ivoire visited MSU campus for a three-day long program. VIPP developed and delivered the program in collaboration with Prof. Eric Freedman at the MSU School of Journalism. The goal was to provide an opportunity to examine the nature, functions and rights of a free and independent press in the United States and the role the press plays in a democratic society.
Chinese Aquaculture Scientists, April 2016VIPP hosted 10 Aquaculture scientists from China, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's U.S.-China Young Scientist Forum (YSF). The group visited the MSU Aquatic Animal Health Labs (AAHL) and the Indian Brook Trout Farm. They met MSU faculty and Michigan government officials to learn more about Michigan's aquaculture science. Participants exchanged research ideas and explored collaboration opportunities during the program.
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