Fulbright Pre-Departure Orientation 2016

American Ambassador David Hale congratulated 167 Pakistani Fulbright Student Program recipients at a pre-departure orientation organized by the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP). The 2016 Fulbright cohort hails from 38 universities across Pakistan, with women representing 55 percent of the group. The participants will be attending 82 different universities in a wide variety of academic disciplines, including engineering, energy management, and social sciences.

“I have been impressed by the diversity I’ve seen in our Pakistani Fulbrighters,” Ambassador Hale said. “You truly represent the breadth of Pakistani society. You are a credit to your nation, and are among the best and brightest in the world.”

The Fulbright program in Pakistan is the largest and one of the most distinguished in the world, and it is managed through USEFP, which is now celebrating its 66th year of operation in the country. Since 2005, 1,695 Pakistanis have received Fulbright awards for graduate degrees to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. The awards cover travel, living stipends, health insurance, and tuition for the entire period of study.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship academic exchange program of the U.S. government. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 360,000 participants from over 180 countries the opportunity to conduct research, implement skills and ideas, teach, and contribute to society. USEFP, a bi-national commission established in 1950 by the governments of Pakistan and the United States, is one of 49 Fulbright Commissions throughout the world. Since its inception, nearly 5,000 Pakistanis and more than 900 Americans have participated in USEFP-managed exchange programs. Its mission is to promote mutual understanding between the people of Pakistan and the United States through educational and cultural exchange programs. In addition to the Fulbright program, USEFP manages a number of scholarship programs for undergraduates, teachers, journalists, and other professionals.

To learn more about the Fulbright, and about U.S. education initiatives in Pakistan, visit
www.usefpakistan.org.