Fulbright Program in Ireland Overview

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Fulbright Program in IrelandOverview
Opportunities

• March 2009
• Presented by Colleen Dube, Executive Director
• Fulbright Commission

2
Overview

• Background to the Fulbright Program
• Recent / Current Actions
• Evolution / Contribution in Ireland
• Benefits of Participation
• Current Awards
• Questions / Discussion
• Staff Contact Details

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Background

• 1946 Established under under legislation
  sponsored by Senator J. William Fulbright
• Purpose to increase mutual respect and
  understanding between the people of the United
  States and the people of other countries by means
  of educational and cultural exchanges.
• 1957 Fulbright Program established in Ireland,
  more commonly known as An Bord Scholáireacthaí
  Cómhalairte (The Scholarship Exchange Board)
• 1991 Fulbright Commission established as a
  public body supported by the US Department of
  State and the Department of Foreign Affairs to
  operate the Fulbright Program

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Recent / Current Actions

• 2007
• 50th Anniversary of the Fulbright Program in
  Ireland celebrated with inter-changes Fulbright
  at 50 exhibition concert
• a priceless gift commissioned a multi-media
  exploration of the evolution of the Fulbright
  Program in Ireland and how Fulbright makes a
  difference to be launched April 2009
• 2008
• Record 60 Scholarships awarded for the 2008
  2009 academic year
• Re-branding completed to ensure Fulbrights
  purpose programs are effectively creatively
  communicated
• 660 k from DCRGA / National Lottery for Irish
  language awards 2008 2011 launched

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Recent / Current Actions

• 2009
• January / February Applications from US
  Fulbright Candidates considered and Irish
  Fulbright candidates interviewed
• 14 18 January Orientation for US Fulbrighters
  
• March April 2009 Grant offers made /
  announced
• April 2009 a priceless gift launched, EU and
  Berlin Seminars
• 14 15 May visits to Northern Ireland
• 9 11 June Orientation / Awards Ceremony for
  Irish Fulbrighters

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Evolution / Contribution

• Evolution of Fulbright in Ireland
• a very long journey
• Program 52 Years old but Commission only 17 Years
  old
• 3 distinct phases
• Contribution of the Fulbright Program
• Personal, Professional Educational Development
• Cultural Mutual Understanding

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Background Evolution

• 1947 1957 Negotiation / Formation
• Tension re Mission, Administration, Finance
• Legislation
• 1957 1991 Operation of Scholarship Exchange
  Board
• 1957 1983 Initiation / Concentration on
  Economic Benefit
• 1983 1991 Transition to Commission / Reagans
  Intervention
• 1992 - Initiation of Fulbright Commission
• 1992 2002 Independence / Innovation
• 2002 - Relocation Expansion, Celebration
  Collaborations

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Contribution

• From Total grantees 1949 2007 2164
• 1572 Irish
• 592 US
• To Personal, Professional Educational
  Development
• To Cultural Mutual Understanding
• Informed by 1967 and 1995 Surveys of Alumni and
  Grantee report, interviews with US and Irish
  Fulbrighters
• Inspired the forthcoming publications title
• This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience
  and a priceless gift
• -- U.S. Grantee, 1995 -1996

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Contribution to Personal, Professional
Educational Development

• getting fresh ideas and coming back to change
  attitudes.
• Irish grantee 1972
• The educational benefits which I derived from my
  grant period can be passed on directly to Irish
  students through my teaching and research. New
  techniques and ideas acquired abroad can be
  utilised in my work here in Ireland. Personal
  contacts made abroad can prove of great
  importance for further co-operation and exchange
  of ideas in the future.
• Irish grantee 1966 1967
• The year was a tremendous success. In particular
  it built my confidence. Within six months I
  realised I could hold my own with the
  superconfident, rich Americans that were also
  doing research for their Ph.Ds.
• Irish grantee 1972 - 1973

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Contribution to Personal, Professional
Educational Development

• professional and personal gained confidence
• accessed advanced research facilities and
  specialised departments
• worked and publish with experts in their field
• introduced to new courses, techniques, practices,
  fields of study
• forged relationships between US and Irish
  institutions
• benefits not confined to academia, third level
  but extend to public and private sector, primary
  and secondary levels
• national and international (e.g. UN Commissions
  Agencies, World Bank, NASA, University of Zambia,
  CONCERN, IMF, CRH).

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Contribution to Cultural Mutual Understanding

• The trip to Queens University of Belfast last
  week was a successful and informative oneLooking
  down the barrel of an RUCs M-16 was also a first
  for me. It brings the conflict down to a very
  personal level, one that you cant appreciate
  from books or documentaries.
• -- US grantee 1994
• exciting to witness one of the true tests of
  American democracy in real time Bush / Gore
  election 2000 This experience September 11th
  2001 compounded my fundamental belief that
  programs such as Fulbright, which encourage
  mutual understanding through educational and
  cultural exchange, have an immensely important
  role to play in fostering greater levels of
  international cooperation and peace in the
  future
• -- Irish grantee 2000 - 2001

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Contribution to Cultural Mutual Understanding

• In the long course of history, having people who
  understand your thought is much greater security
  than another submarine. J. William Fulbright
• Fulfilling Fulbrights mission by
• Tackling, talking about and experiencing large
  political and historical issues (e.g. Vietnam,
  Northern Ireland, Bush / Gore election, September
  11th, Hurricane Katrina)
• Experiencing another culture, its hospitality and
  welcome, its diversity
• Forging friendships

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Benefits of Participation / Collaboration

• Quality - Fulbright is one of the most
  prestigious international education programs with
  very high visibility. It attracts and selects
  candidates with academic and personal excellence,
  leadership potential, commitment to scholarship
  and society and recognition that receiving a
  Fulbright award is for life.
• Contacts Fulbright can access a deep reservoir
  of expertise and create an international network
  of contacts, skills and expertise to advance
  institutional priorities, personnel and programs

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Benefits of Participation / Collaboration

• Cost Fulbright grants to in-coming US scholars
  / professionals and students are a cost effective
  and creative way to facilitate the advancement of
  institutional and professional objectives and
  international understanding.
• For US applicants, Fulbright manages the
  advertising and recruitment of candidates, work
  permit processing, health insurance and
  orientation programs for grantees. Irish
  organisations bear no employers PRSI or any
  other social costs for US scholars /
  professionals while in Ireland as grant payments
  are administered by the Fulbright Program which
  is subject to annual Comptroller and Auditor
  General audits.
• For Irish applicants, Fulbright assists with
  the application / admission process to US
  institutions and visa processing with the US
  Embassy. US host institutions may provide
  tuition assistance, accommodation and stipends to
  Irish grantees

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Current Awards

• 1. Irish Awards for
• Students
• Scholars / Professionals
• 2. US Awards for
• Students
• Scholars / Professionals

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Irish Awards - Students

• Annual Fulbright Awards for Irish Students
• Number Approx 14
• Value Max 20,000
• This Program enables Irish students to undertake
  postgraduate study and research at US colleges.
  There are 2 types of awards
• Commission awards in any discipline including the
  visual and performing arts
• Sponsored awards for specific areas / applicants.
  For 2009 - 2010, these include
• Enterprise Ireland in Science, Technology and
  Innovation
• Environmental Protection Agency in Environmental
  Science / Policy
• Glen Dimplex in Science, Technology and
  Renewables
• Teagasc in Agriculture and Food Science / Policy
• The grant is only available for the first year
  but students may remain in the US for the full
  duration of Masters and PhD programmes. The 2009
  2010 competition closed 5th December 2008.
  Awards will be announced March / April 2009. The
  2010 2011 competition will open 14th September
  and close 4th December 2009.

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Irish Awards Students

• International Science Technology Award
• Number Approx 25 27 internationally
• Value 60 k per annum x years
• Initiated in 2006, the award for Ph.D. candidates
  is designed to provide top-level students in
  science and technology with the U.S. governments
  most prestigious and valuable scholarship. It is
  advertised internationally to attract the most
  highly qualified young women and men in the 147
  countries in which Fulbright operates to the
  study at Americas leading universities. It
  provides successful candidates with fully funded
  Ph.D. studies for 5 years. Ireland has been
  successful in 2007 and 2009.
• The competition for the 2010 2011 Academic Year
  closes on 30th April 2009.

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Irish Awards Students

• Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship Program
  (FLTA)
• Number Approx 10
• Value 6,000 to cover airfare and living
  costs tuition waivers
• The aim of the FLTA program is to strengthen
  Irish language instruction at US colleges and
  universities while providing current or future
  teachers with the opportunity to refine their
  teaching skills and extend their knowledge of US
  society and culture that they can draw upon /
  impart when they return to Ireland. The Program
  offers FLTAs and US students the unique
  opportunity to learn about each others' culture
  and to build mutual understanding.
• The 2009 2010 competition closed on 30th
  January 2009. The 2010 2011 competition will
  open on 31st August and close 30th October 2009.

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Irish Awards Scholars/Professionals

• Annual Fulbright Awards for Irish Scholars /
  Professionals
• Number Approx 6
• Value 10k - 15k for full academic year
• This Programme enables Irish academics /
  post-doctoral scholars professionals to spend
  3-12 months researching / lecturing in the US.
  The following awards were offered for 2009 -
  2010
• Fulbright Award in any discipline including the
  visual and performing arts
• Fulbright Award in Irish Literary and Cultural
  Studies. This award is co-sponsored by the
  Department of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with
  the Western Institute of Irish Studies and will
  be hosted by Stanford Universitys History
  Department during the 2009-2010 academic year.
• The 2009 2010 competition closed 5th December
  2008. Awards will be announced March June 2009.
  The 2010 2011 competition will open 14th
  September and close 4th December 2009.

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Irish Awards Irish Scholars/Professionals

• Fulbright Awards for Irish Language Scholars /
  Professionals
• Number Approx 2
• Value Max 70 k for full academic year
• These awards aim to promote Irish language and
  culture in the United States by providing
  opportunities for Irish language academics to
  lecture / research for 4-9 months at a recognised
  academic institution in the U.S. and New York
  University for 2009 2010 and University of
  Notre Dame for 2010 - 2011
• The 2009 2010 competition closed 5th December
  2008. The 2010 2011 competition will open on
  31st August and close 30th October 2009.

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Irish Awards Irish Scholars/Professional

• Fulbright Schuman Program
• Number Approx 11 13 throughout Europe
• Value A monthly stipend of 3k, 2k for
  airfare, max 30 k for re-location costs
• The awards of 3 10 months are for research
  and/or post-graduate study on EU affairs or US-EU
  relations at an accredited U.S. university or
  independent research centre. Candidates are
  responsible for arranging their own affiliation
  and can request projects tenable in a maximum of
  two different US institutions
• Two to four one-semester awards for lecturing on
  EU affairs or U.S.-E.U. relations, integration,
  and political economy at a US university.
• The 2009 2010 competition closed on 2nd March
  2009. The 2010 2011 competition will open again
  in autumn 2009 and close March 2010.

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US Awards - Students

• Annual Fulbright Awards for US Students
• Number Approx 3
• Value 16 - 30 k
• The reciprocal award to the program for Irish
  students in the US, this Program enables US
  postgraduate students to spend one-year studying
  / researching at a college in Ireland.
• These are advertised and short-listed by the
  Institute of International Education
  (www.iie.org) each March. The Fulbright
  Commission in Ireland makes recommendations to
  the J. William Fulbright Scholarship Board that
  makes the final selection.
• The Commission invites applications from all
  disciplines and from 2009 2010 will have a
  dedicated Irish Language Award and from 2010
  2011 a tuition waiver award with 9 Irish
  universities / colleges

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US Awards Scholars / Professionals

• Annual Fulbright Awards for US Scholars /
  Professionals
• Number Approx 12
• Value 42 k for a full academic year
• The reciprocal award to the program for Irish
  scholars in the US, this Program
• enables US academics / post-doctoral scholars /
  professionals to spend 3 12 months researching
  and lecturing in an academic institution in
  Ireland.
• The Commission fully funds / co-funds 2 4
  awards each year. From 2009 Colleges /
  institutions must fully-fund awards for inclusion
  in the Commissions award text that is advertised
  by the Council of International Exchange of
  Scholars (www.cies.org) who short-list candidates
  for the institution and Commissions
  consideration. The Fulbright Commission in
  Ireland makes recommendations to the J. William
  Fulbright Scholarship Board that makes the final
  selection.

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US Awards Scholars / Professionals

• Fulbright Senior Specialist
• Number Approx 6
• Value US State Dept cover travel, insurance
  and a per diem, Host institution cover local
  travel / subsistence
• Program duration 2-6 weeks.
• The Program is designed to provide US faculty and
  professionals with opportunities to collaborate
  with professional counterparts outside the US on
  curriculum and faculty development, institutional
  planning and a variety of other academic
  activities in a selected range of eligible
  academic disciplines
• Host institutions may nominate a particular US
  academic or may simply request an approved expert
  in specific field. In both cases, candidates must
  be approved by the US Council for the
  International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) and the
  J. William Fulbright Scholarship Board.

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US Awards Scholars / Professionals

• Fulbright Inter-country Program
• Number N / A
• Value Fulbright Commission assists with
  travel. Host institution requested to provide
  accommodation, subsistence and possibly a per
  diem
• This program allows the Fulbright Commission /
  interested institutions in Ireland to bring a US
  Scholar in another European Country to Ireland
  for a short period (maximum 1 week) to lecture /
  visit with relevant colleagues.
• A list of US Scholars currently in Europe is
  available on request from the Fulbright
  Commission.

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Questions / Discussion
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Commission Staff Contact Details

• Colleen Dube, Executive Director
• E colleen.dube_at_fulbright.ie
• Marianne Doyle, Communications Information
  Officer
• E info_at_fulbright.ie
• Janine Torell, Program Administrator
• E admin_at_fulbright.ie
• Fulbright Commission
• Brooklawn House
• Shelbourne Road
• Dublin 4
•  
• T  353 (0) 1 660 7670 F  353 (0) 1 660 7668
• W www.fulbright.ie