Pakistani students prepare for semester at US universities

Islamabad

American Ambassador David Hale congratulated more than 100 Pakistani undergraduate students who have been selected to participate in the fall 2017 U.S. Government-funded Global Undergraduate Exchange Programme (Global UGRAD) during a pre-departure orientation in Islamabad.

Since Global UGRAD’s launch in 2010, approximately 1,400 Pakistani students have participated in the programme, which allows students to spend a semester studying alongside American peers at American colleges and universities.

“Meeting with bright, enthusiastic students like you is one of the best parts of my job,” Ambassador Hale said. “The United States has a long tradition of embracing international students, and I am certain that each of you will represent your nation well and return home to Pakistan with new ideas and skills.”

Pakistani Global UGRAD participants hail from all across Pakistan and represent a broad range of academic fields including engineering, business administration, and the sciences.

U.S. Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) Executive Director Rita Akhtar encouraged students to take full advantage of the academic and extracurricular activities available in the United States.

“Global UGRAD is not only an academic experience,” Akhtar said. “It is an opportunity to explore community service programs, to share your culture with the Americans you meet, and to broaden your perspective in other ways.”

Spring 2015 Global UGRAD alumna Alvina Ahmad commented, “After my return, I have come to realize that what I have in common with my international friends is faith and hope that each of our countries and its people are striving for excellence.”

USEFP, a bi-national commission established in 1950 by the governments of Pakistan and the United States, helps the US Embassy administer the Global UGRAD Programme in Pakistan. Its mission is to promote mutual understanding between the people of Pakistan and the United States through educational and cultural exchange programmes.