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John Brown aggregates all the most recent public diplomacy related news, including current issues in U.S. foreign policy, international broadcasting and media, propaganda, cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, anti-Americanism, and the reception of American popular culture abroad.

DECEMBER 28 2005 EXCHANGES SUPPLEMENT
by Sherine Walton

WEEKLY EXCHANGES SUPPLEMENT The following articles are related to educational and cultural exchange programs. Specific topics in this supplement include USG-funded exchange programs (e.g., Fulbright scholarships, Ron Brown Fellowship, International Visitors) as well as issues relating to student visas, study abroad, and NGOs involved in exchanges. The articles are aggregated weekly by STACY MICHELLE GLASSGOLD, THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY. C.1) USG–FUNDED EXCHANGE PROGRAMS (SCROLL DOWN TO SECTION C.2 FOR OTHER TOPICS) 1. TWO UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND PROFESSORS CHOSEN AS FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS, AP (EYEWITNESS NEWS- EAST PROVIDENCE, RI, DECEMBER 23RD 2005): Nasser Zawia, an associate professor of pharmacy, is spending this academic year at San’a University in San’a, Yemen.  Meenakshisunder Venkatesan, a business administration professor, lectured at a technological institute in Chennai, India. LINK 2. FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS TO ASSIST IN TEACHING OF ENGLISH AT 10 SCHOOLS, ZAINUDDIN MUHAMMAD (NEW STRAITS TIMES, DECEMBER 26TH 2005): Fulbright scholars will help to teach English at 10 secondary schools in Terengganu beginning next year.  The 10 scholars, who come from the United States, are part of the US English Teaching Assistant (USETA) programme. LINK C.2) OTHER NEWS ON EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE ISSUES 3.  PAKISTAN SEMINARIES REFUSE TO ACCEPT FOREIGN STUDENTS EXPULSION (IRNA, DECEMBER 27TH 2005): Religious seminaries in Pakistan announced on Wednesday that they will not accept a deadline of December 31st, set by President General Pervez Musharraf for the expulsion of foreign students from the country’s seminaries. Alliance of the seminaries has called a convention of religious leaders in Islamabad on January 1st to chalk out future strategy. LINK 4. AMERICA’S INDONESIAN PR BLITZ, DIANE FARSETTA, PR WATCH (ALTERNET, DECEMBER 22ND 2005): The U.S. is doing everything it can to burnish its tarnished image among Indonesians—everything short of engaging in real dialogue. Instead of engaging in real dialogue, the United States is relying on paid Muslim endorsers, PR campaigns, limited humanitarian assistance and growing support for one of the world’s most brutal militaries to endear itself to Indonesians.                            LINK 5. US SENATE DROPS TAIWAN MEASURES, CHARLES SNYDER (TAIPEI TIMES, DECEMBER 22ND 2005): The US Congress has jettisoned legislative proposals to improve ties between US and Taiwanese military leaders along with a plan to sanction countries that sell China sensitive arms which could be used to attack Taiwan.  One scuttled provision would have created a program for top-level military exchanges between Taiwan and the US aimed at improving Taiwan’s defenses against China, especially against potential submarine and missile attacks. Another provision would have included Taipei on the list of foreign sites that newly promoted senior military officers visit as part of an educational exchange program.            LINK 6. SEOUL INKS CULTURAL EXCHANGE PACT WITH MADRID: SPANISH AMBASSADOR COLOME WISHES TO BOLSTER BILATERAL TIES, JUDITH PARK (SEOUL TIMES, DECEMBER 28TH 2005): Cultural exchanges between Spain and South Korean will even be expedited in the future as the two countries sign an agreement on cultural cooperation on Dec. 19, 2005. With the signing of the cultural cooperation agreement, bilateral cultural exchanges and cooperations will be further boosted particularly in the fields of education, culture, sports, and youths. LINK 7. US TO HELP ADDRESS INDIA’S ENERGY SECURITY CONCERNS: OFFICIAL (WEBINDIA123, DECEMBER 22ND 2005): Ahead of US President George W Bush’s visit to Delhi in early 2006, a senior US Embassy official today said Washington was committed to help address India’s energy security concerns and keen on putting in place a framework that would enable the transfer of sensitive technology and joint production of F-16 aircraft. The US missions in India accorded the highest priority to business and student visas, believing strongly that greater people-to-people interaction was essential for bringing about more investment flows. LINK 8. DIALOGUE WITH ARAB WORLD/POLITICAL, CULTURAL DISTANCE MUST BE NARROWED (THE DAILY YOMIURI, DECEMBER 23RD 2005): Since the terrorist attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, the Middle East situation, including the Iraq war and the proliferation of international terrorism, has been a major contributory factor to global instability. In order to better understand the Arab world, The Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan Foundation jointly held a symposium, “A Dialogue with the Arab World, Searching for and Sharing Wisdom” on Dec. 9 at the Marunouchi Building Hall in Tokyo. LINK 9. MILLIONS WITH VISAS ‘OVERSTAY’ VISITS TO US, STATE; EXPERTS: BORDER PLANS MUST INCLUDE THEM, AP (TUSCON CITIZEN, DECEMBER 27TH 2005): Millions of illegal immigrants - many from Canada, Mexico and Europe - have entered Arizona and U.S. states legally with student, work or tourism visas and then remain after their visas expired.  Known as “overstays,” they have received scant attention in the national debate over immigration reform and homeland security, even though the government estimates overstays make up at least a third of the nation’s total illegal population of about 11 million people. LINK 10. BOOM IN OVERSEAS STUDENTS IS OVER, DOROTHY ILLING (THE AUSTRALIAN, DECEMBER 28TH 2005): The boom in overseas students studying in Australian universities appears to be at an end as global security fears and the rising dollar make this country less appealing internationally.  Despite making up almost a quarter of all enrolments in Australian universities, the number of overseas students starting courses here rose less than 1 per cent this year after a decade of escalating numbers. LINK 11. FORD FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM ANNOUNCES 543 NEW AWARDS; NEW FELLOWS BEGIN ACADEMIC JOURNEY AS 1ST IFP ALUMNI RESUME WORK TOWARD SOCIAL JUSTICE (US NEWSWIRE, DECEMBER 21ST 2005): The Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP) announced today the selection of 543 new Ford Foundation International Fellows from among nearly 25,000 applicants in 21 countries and territories across the developing world. IFP Fellows are selected on the basis of IFP’s three core criteria of academic achievement, strong leadership skills and potential, and commitment to social justice. LINK 12. INTERNATIONAL ENROLLMENT DROPS AT STATE’S COLLEGES, BIANCA PRIETO (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, DECEMBER 28TH 2005): International student enrollment at many of Colorado’s universities dropped last school year, mirroring a nationwide trend. Tuition increases and the perception that the U.S. isn’t a welcoming place for foreigners are two major contributors to the drop, school officials said. LINK 13. SAINT ANDREW’S SCHOOL STUDENT TRAVELS TO JAPAN TO SPEAK ABOUT PREJUDICE, NICOL JENKINS (BOCA RATON NEWS, DECEMBER 23RD 2005): Traveling halfway around the world, Andre Davies will speak to audiences about his encounters with teen prejudices and his role model Chinu Sugihara, a man who saved thousands of Jews from Hitler.  Davies, a junior at Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton was chosen by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to travel to Japan for one week as a National Sugihara Fellow. LINK    
 
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