The Mutual Educational Exchange Program or the Fulbright Program, named in honor of Senator J. William Fulbright, was established by the U.S. Congress on August 1, 1946. The main objective of the program is "to enable the government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries … and thus to assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful relations, between the United States and other countries of the world."
The program operates in more than 150 countries. Binational commissions were established by executive agreements in 43 countries. The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (BFS) in Washington, D.C., is composed of 12 educational and public leaders appointed by the President of the United States. It has statutory responsibility for the selection of all academic exchange grantees, the establishment of policies and procedures, and the supervision of the Fulbright Program worldwide. Motivated by the need to change the U.S.'s traditional isolationist policy, the Fulbright Program developed into an indispensable resource for scholars and institutions all over the world.
More than 200,000 alumni have studied for their leadership roles through the Fulbright Program (including Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, Heads of State and Prime Ministers, artists and ambassadors, Governors and Senators, professors and physicians, Supreme Court Justices and CEOs). These Fulbrighters, past and present, have enabled the Fulbright Program to become the world's largest and most prestigious scholarly exchange program.
In May 1993, Senator J. William Fulbright, whose vision resulted in the Fulbright Program, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton at an 88th birthday tribute sponsored by the Fulbright Association. This well-deserved recognition from his own country was followed by many honors and awards accorded to him by other countries. The Hungarian Government awarded him the Silver Cross of the Hungarian Republic in 1994.
THE FULBRIGHT PROGRAM IN HUNGARY
Hungary joined the Fulbright Program during the late 1970s. It was a milestone in the history of the Hungarian-American Educational Exchange Program when on the 6th of December, 1990, the Republic of Hungary and the United States of America signed an agreement to establish the Fulbright Commission in Hungary.
The goal of the Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange is to support educational and research programs which are in harmony with the spirit of the signing partner states and which receive financial support from the two governments. The Fulbright Commission organizes the exchange of Hungarian and American graduate students, scholars, researchers, lecturers and artists. The aim of the Commission is to increase the visibility of the Fulbright Program in Hungary and to encourage possibilities for scholarly exchange between the two countries.
In Hungary there is a growing number of those who show interest in the opportunities for further education in the United States, in programs offering a first degree as well as in Ph.D. courses. The Fulbright Commission's Educational Advising Center is part of a national network. The center is open to the public and its services are available for graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and researchers.
Up to now, there have been approximately 500 American and 450 Hungarian participants involved in the Hungarian Fulbright Program as Fulbright grantees. The Alumni Association has a key role in promoting and helping to guide the Fulbright Program.
The Hungarian Fulbright Alumni Association was established in 1991 to foster mutual understanding between different peoples and nations, and, in particular, to promote relations between the peoples of Hungary and the United States in the fields of culture, research and education – all in the Fulbright spirit.
During the last four years the membership has grown steadily. The Alumni regularly organize cultural and professional meetings with the American Fulbrighters staying in Hungary.
