Not long ago Kyiv witnessed the ceremony of opening the Fulbright Program Office representing the world’s oldest and most reputed scientific, scholarly, and student exchange project of the United States. Founded in 1946, it is currently underway in 140 countries. The terrorist attack on America merely emphasized the need to expand such exchanges among various countries. Only the light of science and knowledge can help one understand the world, without dividing people into friends and foes. Owing to such programs, yesterday’s marginality in science and scholarship has turned into an ability to understand different cultures and be aware of one’s involvement in the global human and scientific space.
The Soviet Union refused to participate in the Fulbright Program, but in the 1970s the US introduced such exchanges, at its own expense, as part of the US-Soviet cultural exchange program. At the time, few Americans visited Ukraine and only a handful of Ukrainian scientists took part in the Fulbright project (the US also set up the Council for International Research and Exchanges [IREX] which is still active in Ukraine. The Fulbright Program started actively operating in Ukraine in 1992. Throughout it has been supervised by the United States Information Agency at the US Embassy. A separate Fulbright office has operated in Kyiv since 1998. And recently we had a housewarming party.
150 Ukrainians have spent about a year doing research in the US, and some 90 Americans have done the same plus teaching in Ukraine. Fulbright graduates in the US constitute a very active group of citizens and a powerful lobby keeping congressmen aware of the need to finance such educational programs. Money for the program is annually allocated by US Congress in the budget.
Although the Fulbright Program is financed by the US federal budget, these funds belong to the citizens of the country, so the program is independent of the goals of the political party in power. The Fulbright Program is known for its independence and dedication to the idea of the common interests of mankind in general and scholars in particular. For the past decade a unique non-governmental network of Fulbright offices and societies has been created. The work of the offices is coordinated by the International Fulbright Scholarly Council, including twenty noted scholars and public figures approved by the US president. From time to time the council convenes the directors of individual Fulbright commissions all over the world to exchange experience and plans.
In most countries, the program is managed by a Fulbright Commission, half of the members of which are citizens of a given country and the other half US representatives. Together they decide the possibilities of financing and priorities of programs. Countries with so far limited financial resources make a certain symbolic contribution, to be considered partners of the program. This does not necessarily have to be a monetary contribution from budgetary funds; a contribution can be in the form of any services or allocating premises.
Although Ukraine has taken part in Fulbright programs since 1992, it has not as yet made any financial or other contribution. Nevertheless, Ukrainians have established their Society of Program Graduates which assists the Fulbright Office with the dissemination of information about educational programs. Fulbright graduates take active part in the intellectual and scholarly life of Ukraine. The society runs summer schools for teachers, organizes conferences, and takes part in the elaboration of research and teaching programs. With the program’s aid, Ukrainian scientists take part in the scientific life of various countries. As far as scholars, they are provided assistance with the publication of their works. All Fulbright offices hold applicant contests in accordance with projects submitted by them. The projects are assessed by reviewers and by a commission made up of Ukrainian and American scholars. The final decision is made by the International Fulbright Council in Washington. The decisive factor of a project’s passage are: the importance of the project and the applicant’s ability to carry out the stated work; ability to aptly describe the project, indicating the importance and context of the subject and outlining the work’s potential influence on further personal studies; knowledge of English, etc.
In addition, Ukrainian scientific institutions, universities, higher educational establishments, etc., may invite American scholars and scientists for a term ranging from two weeks to a year.
