156 Pakistanis Awarded Fulbright Grants, All Set to Leave for the US
Islamabad: American Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Hoover and Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce recently spoke to 156 Pakistani Fulbright Scholarship recipients ready to leave for the US, where they will pursue advanced studies and research.
The Fulbright Program is the American government’s flagship academic exchange program, and, thanks to contributions by both the American and Pakistani governments, Pakistan’s program is one of the largest in the world. The Pakistani participants will attend 70 US universities to study and conduct research in a wide variety of academic disciplines, including engineering, social sciences and energy management.
The Chargé d’Affaires congratulated the students on being selected for the prestigious program and askedthem to begin thinking about how they can help Pakistan when they return.
“What you do next is what truly matters,” he said. “How you take the knowledge you’ll gain in America—whether from textbook, your professors or the everyday challenges of life—and use it to benefit all of society will determine where life takes you.”
Noting that “the President has said that we must empower women as pillars of our society and of our success,” Royce emphasized that 46 percent of this year’s students are women. She also singled out the work of Fulbright alumna Dr Najma Najam, who founded Fatima Jinnah Women’s University and helped create “the next generation of the country’s women leaders.”
Since 1946, the Fulbright Program, which is administered by the US Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP), has provided more than 370,000 participants from around the world the opportunity to conduct research, implement skills and ideas, teach, and contribute to society.
US education envoy visits HEC, calls on chairperson: United States (US) Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce visited the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to introduce the wide range of state department education and exchange opportunities that the US embassy offers to Pakistani citizens.
Royce met with HEC Chairman Prof Dr Tariq Banuri and discussed the continuing educational partnership between the US and Pakistani governments, including the Fulbright program.
Dr Banuri shared HEC’s plans with the visiting delegation to create a culture of quality in Pakistani higher education sector through scholarly interaction among US and Pakistani faculty and administrators.
Royce also met with USEFP Executive Director Rita Akhtar.
The US Embassy’s Regional English Language Office sponsors numerous English language initiatives for students and teachers. Royce met participants of one such program - a two-week workshop for 40 female madrassa teachers from across Pakistan.
Royce also visited the Pakistan National Council for the Arts, where she met Executive Director Jamal Shah and admired the work of some of Pakistan’s best-known artists.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
