Fulbright fellowship program begins
The Fulbright Fellowship Program, established in 1946 following a bill introduced by Senator J. William Fulbright, aims to enhance international goodwill through educational, cultural, and scientific exchanges. This initiative emerged in the aftermath of World War II as a significant public diplomacy effort, fostering bilateral relationships between the United States and various countries. The program is overseen by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, composed of twelve members appointed by the U.S. President.
Funding for Fulbright comes primarily from annual appropriations by Congress, supplemented by contributions from foreign governments and host institutions. Since its inception, the program has awarded over 300,000 grants, making it the largest U.S. exchange initiative, with around 1,500 grants offered each year. Participants engage in a wide range of academic disciplines, exploring diverse political, economic, and cultural contexts. The Fulbright program is highly regarded globally, with a notable number of alumni achieving prestigious accolades, including Nobel Prizes. Through these exchanges, the program aims to promote mutual understanding and collaboration across cultures.
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Fulbright fellowship program begins
Identification The largest U.S. international exchange program of grants for students, scholars, educators, and professionals to undertake graduate study, advanced research, and teaching practice
Date Established on August 1, 1946
Since its creation in 1946, the Fulbright fellowship program has promoted peace and understanding through educational exchange, fostering better relationships with the global community and gaining allies and support for the United States.
In 1945, Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas introduced a bill in the U.S. Congress that called for the use of surplus war property to fund the “promotion of international good will through the exchange of students in the fields of education, culture, and science.” As a mainstay of America’s public-diplomacy efforts in the aftermath of World War II, the Fulbright program has fostered bilateral relationships with other countries and governments.
On August 1, 1946, President Harry S. Truman signed the bill into law, and Congress created the Fulbright program. The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) was created by Congress to supervise the program. Its board has twelve members appointed by the president of the United States, each serving a three-year term. The intent of Congress in creating the board was to establish an impartial and independent body that would ensure the respect and cooperation of the academic world for the educational exchange program, particularly in the selection of grantees and of educational institutions qualified to participate. The FSB was to set policies and procedures for administration of the Fulbright program, having final authority for selection of all grantees and for supervision of the conduct of the program both in the United States and abroad.
On March 23, 1948, the Fulbright commission established its first program, the Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF); this program was fully funded by war reparations and foreign loan repayments to the United States. Other programs followed quickly, as for example the US-UK Fulbright Commission, which was created on September 22, 1948. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright program is an annual appropriation by the U.S. Congress to the Department of State; however, participating governments and host institutions in foreign countries and in the United States also contribute financially through cost-sharing.
Impact
The Fulbright program has promoted understanding between the United States and other nations by giving its participants an opportunity to explore each other’s political, economic, and cultural institutions and to exchange ideas. With more than 300,000 participants chosen during its history for their leadership potential, from hundreds of countries, the Fulbright program is the largest U.S. exchange program, with 1,500 grants annually in all fields of study. The Fulbright program is one of the most prestigious awards programs in the world; more Fulbright alumni have won Nobel Prizes than those of any other academic program.
Bibliography
Gayner, Jeffrey B. The Fulbright Program After Fifty Years: From Mutual Understanding to Mutual Support. Washington, D.C.: Capital Research Center, 1996.
Johnson, Walter, and Francis J. Colligan. The Fulbright Program: A History. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1965.
Woods, Randall Bennett. Fulbright: A Biography. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2006.