‘Pakistan is largest beneficiary of Fulbright programmes’

Dr Mushtaq Memon, Professor Emeritus at the Washington State University (WSU), has said that Pakistan is the largest Fulbright programmes beneficiary in the world, which sends annually 200 faculty members, post-doctorates, PhD students and others to the US.

He said this while delivering a lecture on “Fulbright Scholarship & Fellowship Opportunities for Students, Post Doctorates and Faculty Members in the United States” at the Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU) on Monday.

Dr Memon, who is a Fulbright specialist and have 35 years teaching experience in the US, said the Fulbright Scholar Programme is the largest scholar exchange programmer in the world, which was started in 1946 just after end of the World War II by the late Senator William Fulbright.

“Due to the destruction by the WWII the Senator William Fulbright thought to bring the world close to each other and then he started this programme with the help of the US government by selling the leftover ammunition of the WWII,” Dr Mushtaq Memon said and added that the students, faculty and administrative staff of Pakistan can benefit from these multiple academic exchange programmes which are being offered by the US for a long-term as well as for a short-term period.

He further said that 800 US scholars are working in 150 countries for Fulbright programmes and other related academic exchange programmes. Similarly 1,200 scholars come to the US under the Fulbright Scholar programmes. Also, Fulbright Commissions are working in 50 countries, which help the people who want to study in the US.

Dr Mushtaq Memon said it is a golden opportunity and a privilege for Pakistan’s students, faculty and administrative staff, specially women and aspiring people of rural areas of Pakistan, to study in the US. He further said that the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan is also helping students and faculty members of Pakistan in availing these opportunities. He suggested that the faculty members of universities should prepare their students for Fulbright Scholar Exchange Programmes as the students can qualify it on merit. He suggested that SMIU can establish a research centre in collaboration with the US.

He thanked Vice Chancellor SMIU Dr Mujeeb Sahrai for inviting him to the historical institution of Pakistan and said he felt honoured to be over here.

Dr Mujeeb Sahrai in his speech said that for human development of Pakistan our youth must avail the Fulbright Scholar Exchange Programmes and after completing their education abroad they must come back to their own country because they have a bond with this land. He said in this digital world we have to develop research culture and expand collaboration with the research institutions of the US and other countries. The vice chancellor said that although Dr Mushtaq Memon is a US citizen, he is a son of the soil and he has never disconnected himself with his own country, Pakistan.