Acting deputy chief of the US mission Thomas Miller on Wednesday advised Pakistani students, going for studies in American educational institutions to play vital role in their country's prosperity. Thomas, who is also director of strategic communication at the US Embassy, was addressing the pre-departure orientation of 200 undergraduate Pakistani students here at a hotel.
All the 200 undergraduate students from all parts of Pakistan will be departing over the next year for a semester of study at colleges and universities in the US as part of the Global Undergraduate Programme (UGRAD) in Pakistan. 100 will travel in August/September on the fall semester and an additional 100 will go to the USA in January 2013.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to interact and communicate with the US people besides getting education in the US educational institutions", Thomas told the students.
An initiative of the US Department of State, the UGRAD programme will send Pakistani students to over 50 campuses in the US where they will take classes along with American students, do public presentations on the culture and people of Pakistan, and be an active part of the local community they will be staying with. Since the programme began in 2010, approximately 500 Pakistanis students have participated in it.
The fellowships cover all expenses for the students including travel, lodging, stipend, and tuition. All of the students are required to return to Pakistan to complete their bachelor's degrees.
The students were briefed by USEFP about the programme, visa regulations, American culture, and US higher education and campus life. "To see so many impressive Pakistani young people - each of whom is an incredibly talented representative of this great nation's bright future - is inspiring," said Brent Beemer, Cultural Attaché at the US Embassy while addressing the students.
"To think that my country has had some role in advancing your education and helping your nation makes me feel very good, and even proud", he added
Rita Akhtar, Executive Director of the USEFP spoke about the nature of the program saying the really exciting thing about this group of undergraduates, is that so many of these students come from remote or economically disadvantaged areas of Pakistan.
The group includes students from every province of Pakistan and 52 percent are women, she said. "The students come from a wide variety of disciplines, including humanities and social science subjects, engineering, basic sciences, law, art and design, economics, and business administration." she added.
She further said that USEFP, a bi-national commission established in 1950 by the governments of Pakistan and the United States, is one of 51 Fulbright Commissions located throughout the world. The mission of the program is to promote mutual understanding between the people of Pakistan and the people of the United States through educational and cultural exchange, she added.
Since its inception more than 61 years ago, she said that nearly 4,000 Pakistanis and more than 800 Americans have participated in USEFP administered exchange programs.
In addition to the Fulbright programme, USEFP administers a number of scholarship programs for undergraduates, teachers, journalists, and other professionals.
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