By Ourouba Hussein
Three Qataris have been nominated for the Fulbright programme for the academic year, 2010-2011, even as the US government has created the International Fulbright Science and Technology Award, a senior official at the US embassy said, yesterday.
Speaking at a reception to honour American and Qatari exchange programme participants, US embassy first secretary Joey Hood said the new programme allowed Qataris and others to pursue their doctoral studies at leading US institutions in science, technology and engineering.
In an interview with Gulf Times later, Hood said the new programme was related to President Barack Obama’s speech in Cairo, where he called for expanding exchange programmes to bring more Muslims to the US and vice-versa.
To a question about expanding the budget, as a result, in the light of the financial crisis, Hood explained that such projects will not be supported solely by government funds but also by private public partnerships.
“Private institutions such as businesses have an excellent reason to want to bring more people from around the world to learn from them,” he said, adding “We get strength through diversity.” Hood called for more Qatari applicants to the Fulbright programmes.
“We haven’t had a lot of Qatari applicants because they have a lot of scholarships available through the government,” he stated.
The US embassy has encouraged more Qataris to apply for the many exchange opportunities available to students, professors and business leaders.
Hood explained that the US’s Fulbright programme was an excellent vehicle to advance the calls of President Obama and Qatar National Vision 2030 for greater international engagement.
He further said that this programme was able to send thousands of Americans to more than 155 countries around the world to live, work and study.
“It also brings Qataris and others to the US for a year of study, research or leadership training,” he said, adding “We look forward to nominating more Qataris in future years as the programme becomes better known.”
The Qatari Fulbright nominees for academic year 2010-2011 are Dr Sarah al-Mohannadi, Dr Ali al-Shawi al-Marri and Dr Siham al-Qaradawi.
The American Fulbright students are Edward Kim and Michael Anderson, while the American Fulbright scholars are Mohamed Auwal, Salah Hommoud and Walter Chubert. Hood pointed out the different Fulbright programmes, such as the foreign students, foreign language teaching assistant, international science and technology award, specialists, visiting scholar and scholar-in-residence and Fulbright teacher exchange programmes, as well as the Hubert Humphrey programme.
Hood later introduced Dean of all Fulbrighters in Qatar professor Hussan al-Khateeb. |
