UK Fulbright Commission
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The US-UK Fulbright Commission is a
non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...
with the purpose of "promoting cultural understanding between the US and UK" primarily through academic grants. It was created by a
treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign states and/or international organizations that is governed by international law. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, covenant, convention ...
signed by both countries on 22 September 1948 and is based in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
.


Global Fulbright Programme

The US-UK Fulbright Commission is part of the worldwide
Fulbright Program The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people ...
. The global program was conceived by Senator J. William Fulbright after the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
to promote leadership, learning, and empathy between nations through educational exchange. The global program operates in over 155 countries and has supported 300,000 alumni in exchanges to and from the US. Within the global Fulbright program, 28 alumni have served as heads of state or government, 11
Fulbright The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people ...
alumni have been elected to
US Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
, and one Fulbright alumnus has served as Secretary-General of the UN, 43 Fulbright alumni from 11 countries have received the
Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
(including 2 in 2010), and 78 alumni have received
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...
s.


UK Fulbright Awards

Several scholarship programs are in operation between the US and the UK. However, the US-UK Fulbright Commission is the only organization that offers scholarships on a bi-national basis in any field and at any university. Fulbright offers a wide range of programs, including Distinguished Chairs for senior academics, postgraduate study scholarships, professional awards, and Summer Institutes for younger students. Since 1948, the UK Commission has supported approximately 15,000 British nationals on exchanges to the US and nearly 12,000 Americans to the UK. In recent years, around 50 citizens have received grants annually in both countries.


Education USA Advisory Service

In addition to its scholarships, Fulbright provides information on and promotes US-UK exchange. In the school year 2009-2010, 8,861 British students studied in the US, and with the rise of tuition fees at UK universities, there has been increased interest in US study. That same year, more than 45,000 Americans studied abroad in the UK. Fulbright's advisory service is part of the Education USA network of over 450 advising centers worldwide. The advisors are the UK's official source of information on educational exchange opportunities to the US. Advisors can provide accurate, unbiased information about all accredited US higher education institutions. Fulbright's website provides information on how to apply to US universities. They also offer events on US study, such as their College Day undergraduate university fair each autumn, a Grad School Day workshop in the spring, student and parent seminars throughout the year,
webinars Web conferencing is used as an umbrella term for various types of online conferencing and collaborative services including webinars (web seminars), webcasts, and web meetings. Sometimes it may be used also in the more narrow sense of the peer-le ...
and advisor training. Students can also receive additional advice by phone, email and in person at their office in
Battersea Battersea is a large district in southwest London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and also extends along the south bank of the Thames Tideway. It includes the Battersea Park. Hist ...
.


Funding and administration

The US-UK Commission is partially funded by the
US State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs o ...
and the UK government through BIS. Additional support is provided by individual and institutional partners. Fulbright is governed by a Board of Commissioners made up of representatives nominated by the US and UK governments. Work is carried out by ten full-time staff and participants in their internship program. The
Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961 The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people o ...
states that the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the United States Department of State fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries around the world. It is responsible for the Un ...
(ECA) administers the global Fulbright Program under policy guidelines set by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB). ECA does this with the assistance of bi-national commissions and foundations, U.S. embassies, and cooperating agencies in the United States, such as the
Institute of International Education The Institute of International Education (IIE) is an American 501(c) non-profit organization that focuses on international student exchange and aid, foreign affairs, and international peace and security. IIE creates programs of study and training ...
(IIE) and
Council for International Exchange of Scholars For over 60 years, the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) has helped administer the Fulbright Scholar Program, the U.S. government's flagship academic exchange effort, on behalf of the United States Department of State, Bureau o ...
.


Alumni

The British Fulbright Scholars Association (BFSA) is the alumni association for British Fulbright Scholars. The BFSA is a private, non-profit organization that promotes transatlantic relationships and international understanding through its network of Fulbright scholars. US-UK Fulbright alumni are also invited to join the State Alumni and
Fulbright Association The Fulbright Association is an American 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose members are Fulbright Program alumni and friends of international education. Established on February 27, 1977, the association supports and promotes international edu ...
networks. According to the Fulbright website, the following individuals are notable alumni of the scholarship program:


Legacy

The UK Fulbright Commission Archive is housed at the
British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. Based in London, it is one of the largest libraries in the world, with an estimated collection of between 170 and 200 million items from multiple countries. As a legal deposit li ...
. The papers can be accessed through the British Library catalogue. The Fulbright Association has a long-standing collaboration with the US-UK Educational Commission (The Fulbright Commission) to support an annual lecture series held in the UK called the Fulbright Legacy Lectures.


References


Further reading

*Fulbright, J. William (1966). ''The Arrogance of Power,'' New York: Random House. *Fulbright, J. William (1985). ''Advice and Dissent,'' Iowa City: University of Iowa Press. *Clinton, Bill (2005). ''My Life''. Vintage. . *Johnson, Haynes and Gwertzmann, Bernard (1968). ''Fulbright: The Dissenter''. Doubleday. *Woods, Randall B. (1995) "Fulbright: A Biography," Cambridge University Press. {{DEFAULTSORT:UK Fulbright Commission Educational foundations based in the United Kingdom Higher education organisations based in the United Kingdom History of higher education in the United Kingdom Scholarships in the United Kingdom Fellowships Non-profit organisations based in London Organizations established in 1948 1948 establishments in the United Kingdom United Kingdom–United States relations