Islamabad, 12 June, (DNA) – Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) to the U.S. Thomas Williams congratulated 147 Pakistani Fulbright Student Program recipients at a pre-departure orientation organized by the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP).

The 2015 Fulbright cohort hails from 33 universities across Pakistan, with women representing 46 percent of the group.  For their studies in the United States, the Fulbright participants will be attending 70 different universities in a wide variety of academic disciplines, including engineering, energy management, and social sciences.

DCM Williams highlighted the important role of academic exchange programs in strengthening people-to-people ties between the United States and Pakistan.  “Pakistan shines brightest in the constellation of Fulbright programs because it represents the largest investment of U.S. government funds of its kind anywhere in the world,” he said.

“Each one of you will become an ambassador of the rich culture and society that is Pakistan.  You will be able to share your own unique experience and insights to make a difference in the lives of the people you meet and the institutions of which you are a part, both in the United States and upon your return to Pakistan”, William added.

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 65th year of operation in the country.

Since 2005, 1,537 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 51 Fulbright Commissions throughout the world.  Since its inception, nearly 5,000 Pakistanis and more than 900 Americans have participated in USEFP-administered 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 administers a number of scholarship programs for undergraduates, teachers, journalists, and other professionals. =DNA

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