press releases
The Fulbright Program In Its 60th Year
11/30/2006
Islamabad - "Fulbright" is the flagship higher education program in the U.S.-Pakistani relationship. Founded in 1947, this is the 60th anniversary year of the Fulbright Program. It is especially notable in Pakistan, as the U.S.-Pakistan program is now the largest bilateral Fulbright program in the world. Fulbright academic exchanges have become a central part of the growing and diversified relationship between Pakistan and the United States.
Since the Fulbright program was established in Pakistan in 1950, more than 1,700 Pakistanis have studied in the U.S. under Fulbright programs. In the last two years, the Fulbright program in Pakistan has grown exponentially to become the world’s biggest bilateral Fulbright program, with a budget of over 30 million dollars a year. Over the next five years, the two governments will provide 157 million dollars to enable talented young Pakistanis to pursue M.A. and Ph.D. programs in the United States. There are currently 225 Pakistanis participating in Fulbright programs in the U.S.; 160 of them are new participants this year. 245 Pakistani students have been selected for the academic year that begins in September, 2007.
Fulbright students are expected to return to their countries on completion of their academic programs. On a limited, case by case basis, an "academic training" opportunity can be provided following academic studies. Of the 2800 Fulbright students currently in the U.S., only about 120 are currently granted Academic Training.
Looking ahead, the U.S. State Department has just announced a new program for "Foreign Language Teaching Assistants." This recognizes the need for more Americans to learn such critical languages as Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Hindi, Urdu and Pashto. This year, the Fulbright Foundation in Pakistan will be recruiting Pakistani teachers of English to teach Urdu or Pashto while they study language teaching and U.S. studies at U.S. universities. The Fulbright Foundation in Pakistan is also beginning to recruit U.S. academics for Pakistan for the fall of 2007.
The Fulbright Program in Pakistan is one of the key elements in the long-term bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan. As it has been since its inception, it is a fundamental part of building mutual understanding between the U.S. and Pakistan.