The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) was established in 1992 as the centerpiece of the NIS Secondary School Initiative with FREEDOM Support Act funding from the State Department and USAID. Its goal is to provide an opportunity for high school students from the countries of the former Soviet Union to experience life in a democratic society in order to promote democratic values and institutions in Eurasia.

Youth Exchange and Study (YES) is a program that was established in October, 2002 and sponsored by the Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to provide scholarships for secondary school students from countries with significant Muslim populations to spend up to one academic year in the U.S. The program is vital to expanding communication between the people of the United States and the partner countries in the interest of promoting mutual understanding and respect.