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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.

MAY 12, 2005 EXCHANGES SUPPLEMENT
by John Brown

C) 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 MS. STACY MICHELLE GLASSGOLD, USC CENTER ON PUBLIC DIPLOMACY. C.1) USG-FUNDED EXCHANGE PROGRAMS       (SCROLL DOWN TO SECTION C.2 FOR OTHER TOPICS) 1. FORD FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM & FULBRIGHT BRAZIL PROGRAM LAUNCH COOPERATIVE EFFORT; YEAR OF STUDY IN US TO ENHANCE INTELLECTUAL EXPOSURE, NETWORKING POTENTIAL (US NEWSWIRE, MAY 4TH 2005): The Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP) and the Brazil-United States Fulbright scholarship program announced a new “Cooperative Initiative” to offer selected Brazilian IFP Fellows the opportunity to study for one year in the United States with Fulbright program support while pursuing doctoral studies in Brazil sponsored by IFP. LINK 2. $2.7 MILLION BOOST FOR FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIPS TO NEW ZEALANDERS (MAY 4TH 2005) The Government has announced an extra $2.7 million spread over four years to more than double the number of Fulbright Scholarships available to New Zealanders. LINK 3. RPI PROFESSOR TO CONDUCT PCB STUDY WITH FULBRIGHT GRANT (THE BUSINESS REVIEW, MAY 4TH 2005): Donna Bedard, a biology research professor at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., has received a Fulbright lecturing grant in biological sciences. Bedard, an international expert in environmental bacteria and PCB biodegradation, will use the grant to travel to Prague, Czech Republic, to teach and conduct research at the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT). LINK 4. OSU STUDENT EARNS FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP TO RUSSIA, JESSICA BURCHARD (MARIETTA TIMES, May 9TH 2005): Maya Krivchenia, a vocal performance major at the Ohio State University, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in Russia for 10 months.  She will study the country’s opera, language and culture at the internationally acclaimed Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. LINK 5. ILLINOIS COLLEGE STUDENT WINS FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP TO SOUTH KOREA (KNOX COLLEGE NEWS, MAY 6TH 2005): Christin Kjelland, a student at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, has been named recipient of a 2005-2006 Fulbright scholarship for teaching and research in South Korea. Kjelland will teach English in a secondary school in South Korea and assist other teachers for 20 hours per week.  For the research component, Kjelland will interview students at the school about their opinions and perceptions of United States policy toward Korea. LINK 6. PENN STATE SENIOR WINS FULBRIGHT TO TEACH IN GERMANY (PENN STATE NEWS, MAY 5TH 2005): Danielle Copelli, a Penn State University senior, was awarded a Fulbright Teaching Assistantship to teach English in Germany.  She will teach English to fifth- through 13th-grade German students in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. Additionally, she will be attending the local university where she will study the European Union. LINK 7. THE BEST AND THE FULBRIGHTEST, ANONYMOUS, CONNECTION (NEW ENGLAND’S JOURNAL OF HIGHER EDUCATION SPRING 2005): Around 15% of those offered the Fulbright Awards this academic year of 2005 are from universities and colleges in the New England region. Among these awards, the Fulbright Senior Specialist award was bestowed on Professor Ken Dunn of Middlesex Community College. The award, short-term assignments for accomplished professionals, is perhaps the most newsworthy—it rarely lands at community colleges. LINK C.2.) OTHER NEWS ON EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE ISSUES 8. ORGANIZERS DEDICATE AMERICAN STUDIES CONFERENCE TO PRESIDENT BUSH’S VISIT, MARY MAKHARASHVILI (THE MESSENGER MAY 9TH 2005): On May 10-12, the 7th Annual International Conference on American Studies is being held at Tbilisi State University. According to the Center of American Studies, which is organizing the event, this year’s conference is particularly significant for Georgian s specialists in American Studies, since it coincides with the first visit of an American president to Georgia.  Different fields of American Studies will be discussed during the conference, academic papers will be presented by different panels, and there will be a Round Table on American Educational Exchange Programs. LINK 9. LARGEST JAPANESE CULTURAL DELEGATION TO VISIT VIETNAM (VIETNAM NEWS AGENCY, MAY 4TH, 2005): A 16-member cultural delegation from Japan led by Ogura Kazuo, President of the Japan Fund for International Exchange, will visit Vietnam from May 8-11.  The two countries will aim to boost cultural exchange by addressing cultural heritage maintenance, Japanese language teaching and student exchange, and modern Japanese culture. LINK 10. DISPEL YOUR US VISA-RELATED MYTHS, KARAN GUPTA, TIMES NEWS NETWORK (THE ECONOMIC TIMES, MAY 8TH 2005): For the last couple of years, Indians comprise the largest percentage of foreign students in the US.  This year, the American Consulate General in Mumbai announced this year that students applying for degrees in high technology areas will have to undergo additional scrutiny. LINK 11. BIRZEIT’S CULTURAL GALLERY: THE UNIVERSITY’S LATEST MEANS OF CULTURAL EXCHANGE, MAUREEN CLARE MURPHY (THE ELECTRONIC INTIFADA, MAY 6TH 2005): This spring Palestine’s Birzeit University launched its latest means of cultural exchange. The new Paltel Virtual Gallery, which serves as an Internet portal for Birzeit students, Palestinians, and anyone else interested in Palestinian art, will also feature academic courses on Palestinian, Arab, and contemporary international art. LINK 12. ACTION AGAINST WORKING STUDENTS, HAMIDAH ATAN (NEW STRAIT TIMES ONLINE, MAY 5TH 2005) Home Affairs Minister Datuk Azmi Khalid said the Malaysian Government had been flexible in its policy to allow foreigners to study and work part-time only during semester breaks or holidays.  However, those found to have abused their student visas by working full-time instead of studying would be dealt with strictly under the law. LINK 13. ENGLISH TESTS FAKED TO CHEAT ON RESIDENCY, DEBRA JOPSON & KELLY BURKE (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, MAY 9TH 2005): Thousands of foreign students, particularly from Asia, are attempting to use fake qualifications to get into Australian universities to obtain prized language certificates because a degree will win them extra visa points towards permanent migration. A Herald investigation found that forged English-language certificates are trading for as much as $10,000 on the black market and professional exam sitters are being hired to take the tests. LINK 14. US STATE DEPARTMENT: US SIGNS OPEN SKIES AVIATION WITH MALDIVES, M2PRESSWIRE (COVENTRY MAY 6TH 2005): Establishing Open Skies as the basis of U.S.-Maldives aviation relations is an important step toward spurring trade, investment, tourism, and cultural exchange between the two nations. The agreement with the Maldives follows the U.S. Open Skies pact signed last month with neighboring India, as well as previous Open Skies agreements with other South Asian nations, including Sri Lanka and Pakistan. With this signing, Maldives is the 69th country with which the United States has negotiated a bilateral Open Skies agreement. LINK 15. ALWAYS A DIPLOMAT, KELLY KAYSONEPHETH (THE SETONIAN): Clay Constantinou will step down on June 30th as dean of the Whitehead School of Diplomacy at Seton Hall University and return to the private sector.  For Constantinou, former U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg, who has been the diplomacy school’s top man since 1999, his tenure as dean is due greatly to his own political and diplomatic experiences.  One program that defines his era is the recent signing of an educational exchange agreement with a university in Moscow. LINK 16. VISAS APART, US TURNS WEB-FEE-FRIENDLY TO INDIA, (INDIAN EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS MAY 6TH 2005) International students and exchange visitors seeking to study in the United States will now be able to monitor the status of their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee payments online, officials with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced. LINK 17. THE HOUSE OF TEQUILA CAZADORES INTRODUCES US CULTURAL EXCHANGE TOUR (HISPANIC PR WIRE, MAY 5TH 2005): The House of Tequila Cazadores announced a unique cultural exchange tour that will educate U.S. consumers about Mexican culture and heritage; and in the process introduce two new products: Cazadores Añejo and Cazadores Blanco. LINK
 
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