This bill establishes bodies in the Foreign Service Institute and addresses other issues related to training Foreign Service and Department of State Civil Service personnel.
The bill establishes within the institute (1) the Center for Innovation in Training, which shall allow the institute to periodically evaluate its courses and curricula to identify needed updates to address ever-changing global dynamics; (2) the Board of Visitors, which shall provide the State Department with advice and recommendations pertaining to the institute; and (3) the position of provost, which shall have duties such as overseeing and coordinating the institute's academic curriculum.
The State Department must report to Congress a strategy to (1) allow 10%-15% of Civil Service and Foreign Service officers to participate in long-term training at any given time, and (2) establish residential training for the A-100 orientation course administered by the institute.
The bill also establishes within the State Department the position of Chief Learning Officer. The officer shall be the principal advisor to the State Department on intellectual preparation and development of the entire State Department workforce for 21st century diplomacy.
The Foreign Service must (1) establish new fellowship programs for Foreign Service and Civil Service officers that include opportunities in certain organizations, such as think tanks and industry entities; and (2) expand certain existing fellowship programs to allow fellows in those programs to undertake follow-on State Department opportunities that will benefit from practical knowledge of the people and processes of Congress.