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A portion of the Fulbright Program is a Congressional appropriation to the United States Department of Education for the Fulbright-Hays Program. These grants are awarded to individual U.S. K-14 pre-teachers, teachers and administrators, pre-doctoral students and post-doctoral faculty, as well as to U.S. institutions and organizations. Funding supports research and training efforts overseas, which focus on non-western foreign languages and area studies.<ref>http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/fulbright-hays.html</ref>
A portion of the Fulbright Program is a Congressional appropriation to the United States Department of Education for the Fulbright-Hays Program. These grants are awarded to individual U.S. K-14 pre-teachers, teachers and administrators, pre-doctoral students and post-doctoral faculty, as well as to U.S. institutions and organizations. Funding supports research and training efforts overseas, which focus on non-western foreign languages and area studies.<ref>http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/fulbright-hays.html</ref>


== Administration and funding ==
== Administration ==


The program is administered by 50 bi-national Fulbright commissions, U.S. embassies, and cooperating organizations.
The program is coordinated by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State under policy guidelines established by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB), with the help of 50 bi-national Fulbright commissions, U.S. embassies, and cooperating organizations in the U.S.<ref name="Fulbright Program Fact Sheet"/>

A Fulbright Commission is a foundation established abroad to co-sponsor and administer Fulbright grants locally. Unlike countries where Fulbright grants are paid by the U.S. Department of State, Commissions pay some or all of the scholarships.


The list below outlines the organizations involved in the administration of the Fulbright Program.
The list below outlines the organizations involved in the administration of the Fulbright Program.
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'''Fulbright Commissions and Public Affairs Sections within the U.S. Embassies''' -
'''Fulbright Commissions and Public Affairs Sections within the U.S. Embassies''' -
These organizations operate outside of the United States and are responsible for recruiting and nominating students and scholars for Fulbright Scholarships to the FSB. They also administer the scholarship from their countries, including issuing award documents and scholarship payments.
These organizations operate outside of the United States and are responsible for recruiting and nominating students and scholars for Fulbright grants to the FSB. They also administer the scholarship from their countries, including issuing award documents and scholarship payments.


'''[[Institute_of_International_Education|Institute of International Education (IIE)]]''' -
'''[[Institute_of_International_Education|Institute of International Education (IIE)]]''' -

Revision as of 00:53, 28 December 2010

"Fulbright" redirects here. For the senator, see J. William Fulbright.
J. William Fulbright

The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946.

The Fulbright Program is one of the most prestigious awards programs worldwide, operating in over 155 countries.[1] Forty-three Fulbright alumni have won Nobel Prizes (including two in 2010, Peter Diamond (economist) and Ei-ichi Negishi) and seventy-eight have won Pulitzer Prizes.[2]

The programs were established to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries through the exchange of persons, knowledge, and skills.

The Fulbright Program provides 8,000 grants annually to undertake graduate study, advanced research, university lecturing, and classroom teaching. The program is active in over 155 countries in all world regions. As of 2010, 300,000 persons - 114,000 from the United States and 188,000 from other countries - have participated in the program since it began.

In each of 50 countries, a bi-national Fulbright Commission administers and oversees the Fulbright Program. In countries without a Fulbright Commission but that have an active program, the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy oversees the Fulbright Program.

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsors the Fulbright Program from an annual appropriation from the U.S. Congress. Additional direct and in-kind support comes from partner governments, foundations, corporations, and host institutions both in and outside the U.S.[1]

History

The Fulbright Program aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship.[3]

— Senator J. William Fulbright

In 1945, Senator J.William Fulbright proposed a bill to use the proceeds from selling surplus U.S. government war property to fund international exchange between the U.S. and other countries. With the crucial timing of the aftermath of the Second War and with the pressing establishment of the United Nations, the Fulbright Program was a solution in promoting peace and understanding through educational exchange. The bill devised a plan to forgo the debts foreign countries amassed during the war and in return for funding an international educational program. It was through the belief that this program would be an essential vehicle to promote peace and mutual understanding between individuals, institutions and future leaders wherever they may be.[4]

If we do not want to die together in war, we have to learn to live together in peace.[5]

— President Harry S. Truman

On August 1, 1946, President Harry S Truman signed the bill into law, and Congress created the Fulbright Program in what became the largest education exchange program in history.

Since it began, the program has operated on a bi-national basis; each country active in the Fulbright Program has entered into an agreement with the U.S. government. The first countries to sign agreements were China in 1947 and Burma, the Philippines and Greece in 1948.[4]

The program

Educational exchange can turn nations into people, contributing as no other form of communication can to the humanizing of international relations.[6]

— Senator J. William Fulbright

The Fulbright Program essentially works in two modes: a U.S. citizen receives funding or other support to go to a foreign country (U.S. Student Program, U.S. Scholar Program, and Teacher Exchange Program) or a non-U.S. citizen comes to U.S. (Foreign Student Program, Visiting Scholar Program, Teacher Exchange Program).

Candidates recommended for Fulbright grants have high academic achievement, a compelling project proposal, demonstrated leadership potential, and flexibility and adaptability to interact successfully with the host community abroad.

Types of Fulbright Program Grants/ Field of study

Fulbright grants are offered in almost all academic disciplines with the exception of clinical medical research involving patient contact. Fulbright grantees' fields of study span the fine arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, natural and physical sciences, and professional and applied sciences.[7]

Grants for Students

  • The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for U.S. graduating seniors, graduate students, young professionals and artists to study abroad for one academic year. The Program also includes an English Teaching Assistant component.
  • The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals and artists from abroad to conduct research and study in the United States. Some scholarships are renewed after the initial year of study.
  • The Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program provides opportunities for young English teachers from overseas to refine their teaching skills and broaden their knowledge of American culture and society while strengthening the instruction of foreign languages at colleges and universities in the United States.
  • The International Fulbright Science and Technology Award, a component of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, supports doctoral study at leading U.S. institutions in science, technology, engineering or related fields for outstanding foreign students.
  • The Fulbright-mtvU Fellowships award up to 4 U.S. students the opportunity to study the power of music as a cultural force abroad. Fellows conduct research for one academic year on projects of their own design about a chosen musical aspect. They share their experiences during their Fulbright year via video reports, blogs and podcasts.[8]

Grants for Scholars

  • The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program sends American faculty members, scholars and professionals abroad to lecture and/or conduct research for up to a year.
  • The Fulbright Specialist Program sends U.S. faculty and professionals to serve as expert consultants on curriculum, faculty development, institutional planning, and related subjects at overseas academic institutions for a period of 2 to 6 weeks.
  • The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program and Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program bring foreign scholars to lecture and/or conduct post-doctoral research for up to a year at U.S. colleges and universities.[8]

Grants for Teachers

  • The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program supports one-to-one exchanges of teachers from K-12 schools and a small number of post-secondary institutions.
  • The Distinguished Fulbright Awards in Teaching Program sends teachers abroad for a semester to pursue individual projects, conduct research, and lead master classes or seminars.[8]

Grants for Professionals

  • The Hubert H. Humphrey Program brings outstanding mid-career professionals from the developing world and societies in transition to the United States for one year. Fellows participate in a non-degree program of academic study and gain professional experience.
  • The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program sends American scholars and professionals abroad to lecture and/or conduct research for up to a year.
  • The Fulbright Specialist Program sends U.S. faculty and professionals to serve as expert consultants on curriculum, faculty development, institutional planning, and related subjects at overseas academic institutions for a period of 2 to 6 weeks.
  • The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for U.S. graduating seniors, graduate students, young professionals and artists to study abroad for one academic year. The Program also includes an English Teaching Assistant component.
  • The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals and artists from abroad to conduct research and study in the United States. Some scholarships are renewed after the initial year of study.[8]

Fulbright-Hays Program

A portion of the Fulbright Program is a Congressional appropriation to the United States Department of Education for the Fulbright-Hays Program. These grants are awarded to individual U.S. K-14 pre-teachers, teachers and administrators, pre-doctoral students and post-doctoral faculty, as well as to U.S. institutions and organizations. Funding supports research and training efforts overseas, which focus on non-western foreign languages and area studies.[9]

Administration

The program is coordinated by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State under policy guidelines established by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB), with the help of 50 bi-national Fulbright commissions, U.S. embassies, and cooperating organizations in the U.S.[1]

The list below outlines the organizations involved in the administration of the Fulbright Program.

The U.S. Department of State - The U.S. Department of State is responsible for managing, coordinating and overseeing the Fulbright program.

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) - ECA is the bureau in the Department of State that has primary responsibility for the administration of the program.

The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) - The FSB is a twelve-member board of educational and public leaders appointed by the President of the Unites States, that determines general policy and direction for the Fulbright Program and approves all candidates nominated for Fulbright Scholarships.

Fulbright Commissions and Public Affairs Sections within the U.S. Embassies - These organizations operate outside of the United States and are responsible for recruiting and nominating students and scholars for Fulbright grants to the FSB. They also administer the scholarship from their countries, including issuing award documents and scholarship payments.

Institute of International Education (IIE) - IIE is a non-profit, private organization that administers 250 programs throughout the world, including the Fulbright Program, under contract to ECA. IIE administers both the U.S. and international students.

Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) - CIES is a division of IIE that administers the Fulbright Scholar Program.

Participating countries

Currently the Fulbright Program operates in over 155 countries worldwide. Grant, application and contact information about the Fulbright Program varies by world region and country and by whether one is a U.S. citizen interested in going abroad or a non-U.S. citizen interested in coming to the United States.

Programs stemming from the Fulbright Program

Institute of International Education - Established in 1919 in the aftermath of World War I, the Institute was created to catalyze educational exchange. In 1946, the U.S. Department of State invited IIE to administer the graduate student component and CIES to administer the faculty component of the Fulbright Program—IIE's largest program to date.[10]

Fulbright Association (Fulbright Alumni) - An organization independent of the Fulbright Program and not associated with the U.S. Department of State. The Fulbright Association was established on Feb. 27, 1977, as a private nonprofit, membership organization with over 9,000 members. The late Arthur Power Dudden was its founding president. He wanted alumni to educate members of the U.S. Congress and the public about the benefits of advancing increased mutual understanding between the people of the United States and those of other countries. In addition to the Fulbright Association in the U.S., independent Fulbright Alumni associations exist in over 75 countries around the world.

Fulbright Academy of Science & Technology (FAST) - An organization independent of the Fulbright Program and not associated with the U.S. Department of State. A non-partisan, non-profit organization with members worldwide, FAST focuses on the professional advancement and collaboration needs among the 100,000+ Fulbright alumni in science, technology and related fields. Eric S Howard was its founding executive director. FAST works with individual members, Fulbright alumni associations and other organizations interested in leveraging the unique knowledge and skills of Fulbright alumni.

Fulbright Commission - Bi-national Fulbright commissions and foundations, most of which are funded jointly by the U.S. and partner governments, develop priorities for the program, including the numbers and categories of grants. More specifically, they plan and implement educational exchanges, recruit and nominate candidates for fellowships; designate qualified local educational institutions to host Fulbrighters; fundraise; engage alumni; support incoming U.S. Fulbrighters; and, in many countries, operate an information service for the public on educational opportunities in the United States.[11]

The Fulbright-Hays Program - The Fulbright-Hays programs, administered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), are distinct from the Fulbright programs administered by the U.S. Department of State. In contrast, the Fulbright-Hays programs at ED serve a domestic agenda. Authorized under Section 102(b)(6) of the Fulbright-Hays Act, they support the internationalization of the nation's educational infrastructure by strengthening area and foreign language expertise among current and prospective U.S. educators. They do this in two ways: by providing critical, advanced overseas study and research opportunities for area and language experts and faculty-in-training; and by offering experiences and resources enabling educators to strengthen their international teaching. Some of the Fulbright-Hays grants are for groups. All Fulbright Program grants administered by the State Department are for individual grantees.

Notable Fulbright scholars

The following list is a selected group of distinguished people who were also Fulbright grant recipients:[12]

J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding

The J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding, established in 1993, is awarded by the Fulbright Association to recognize individuals who have made extraordinary contributions toward bringing peoples, cultures, or nations to greater understanding of others. Fulbright Prize laureates include:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c http://fulbright.state.gov/collateral/fact-sheets/fulbright-fact-sheet.pdf
  2. ^ http://fulbright.state.gov/notable-alumni.html
  3. ^ "About Fulbright". Fulbright Sweden. 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  4. ^ a b http://fulbright.state.gov/history/fulbright-the-early-years
  5. ^ http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/policy/1945/450425a.html
  6. ^ http://us.fulbrightonline.org/overview.html
  7. ^ http://fulbright.state.gov/grants/fields-of-study/project-topics.html
  8. ^ a b c d http://fulbright.state.gov/grants/which-grant-is-right-for-me
  9. ^ http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/fulbright-hays.html
  10. ^ http://www.iie.org/en/Who-We-Are/History
  11. ^ http://fulbright.state.gov/participating-countries/fulbright-commissions
  12. ^ "Fulbright Alumni Craig R. Barrett, John Hope Franklin, and Shirley Strum Kenny Receive Lifetime Achievement Medals".
  13. ^ http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=991tT3wSot0C&lpg=PP1&ots=kMv9_Isgh9&dq=Makers%20of%20modern%20culture%20By%20Justin%20Wintle&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false
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