Eleventh Annual Fulbright and Humphrey Alumni The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan Conference Inaugurated by Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning

Islamabad – The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) inaugurated its 11th Annual Fulbright and Humphrey Alumni Conference at the Fulbright Center at Forman Christian College in Lahore on 5 December, 2014. The keynote address for the three-day conference was given by Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms. On the theme of “Vision 2025: Our Plan of Action”, the conference brought together over 200 Fulbright and Humphrey alumni from across Pakistan for academic presentations and discussions on a number of key issues affecting the country’s socio-economic development. With a strong policy focus reflecting the wide ranging experience and expertise of Fulbright and Humphrey alumni, the conference addresses topics in agriculture, cultural studies, education, energy, environment, governance and public policy, health, higher education, human rights, law and order, media, science and technology, and socio-economic development.

USEFP or the Fulbright Commission has been operating in Pakistan since 1950. It is one of oldest of 50 such bi-national commissions around the world. Bi-national means that it is guided by a board whose members are appointed in equal numbers by the governments of the United States and Pakistan. It was established to manage the United States government’s prestigious flagship scholarship program — the Fulbright Program. The merit-based program operates in 150 countries to promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Since 2005, USEFP has been managing the largest Fulbright Program in the world. The program sends talented Pakistanis selected on merit to the best universities in the United States on fully-funded Masters and PhD programs.

So far about 1,500 individuals have been sent to the U.S. on these Fulbright degree programs, of whom nearly 900 have completed their degrees and returned. Ninety-nine per cent of Fulbrighters return to Pakistan and the vast majority are working in Pakistan: more than a third of them in Pakistan’s private sector, about another third is working in education, about 20 per cent the development sector, and another smaller percentage is self-employed. The prestigious Humphrey Program sends mid-career professionals to the U.S. on a non-degree program; about 20 leaders in their professional fields, including many civil servants, are selected annually.

Fulbright and Humphrey alumni, including vice chancellors, senior university faculty, prominent government officials, and heads of key civil society organizations are participating in various sessions and roundtable discussions. Among several noteworthy alumni speaking at the conference are USEFP Board Vice-Chair and Humphrey alumnus Dr. Syed Iqbal Raza (Joint Executive Director at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad), USEFP Board Member Dr. Muhammad Ali Shaikh (Vice Chancellor of SMI University), and Mr. Tariq Khosa (former Federal Secretary, Narcotics Control and former Director General, Federal Investigation).

Welcoming participants to the conference, USEFP Executive Director Rita Akhtar explained that, “This conference shows that Pakistan’s Fulbright and Humphrey alumni are leading the way toward positive change in Pakistan, and beyond. USEFP is therefore especially grateful for the support we receive for such alumni activities. We are proud to have a part in building and nurturing a network of alumni who have both the capacity and will to bring change to Pakistan. Most of all, we are pleased to have the bi-national support of the governments of both Pakistan and the United States.”

In addition to the Fulbright program, USEFP administers a number of academic and cultural exchange programs for undergraduates, teachers, journalists, and other professionals. USEFP also manages three comprehensive EducationUSA advising centers, where guidance and a wide range of support services are provided to students free of cost. It operates award-winning and internationally recognized testing centers in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi administering the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, and other standardized examinations.

Rita Akhtar, Executive Director stated at this occasion that  welcomed the participants  Fulbright alumni, Humphrey alumni, USEFP board members Dr. Raza and Dr. Shaikh, FC Rector Dr. Jim Tebbe, and our honored guest Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Minister Planning, Development, and Reform: It is our great pleasure and privilege to welcome you to the Fulbright Center here on the FC College campus for the 11th annual Fulbright and Humphrey Alumni Conference. The conference offers an opportunity to demonstrate the contributions these programs are making in Pakistan and also to network and draw inspiration through interaction.

I’will start with a few words about USEFP. USEFP or the Fulbright Commission has been operating in Pakistan since 1950. It is one of oldest of 50 such bi-national commissions around the world. Bi-national here means that it is guided by a board whose members are appointed in equal numbers by the governments of the United States and Pakistan. Since 2005, USEFP has been managing the largest Fulbright Program in the world. The program sends talented Pakistanis selected on merit to the best universities in the United States on fully-funded Masters and PhD programs. This huge investment in Pakistan’s future, of more than USD 150 million so far, is funded almost entirely by the Government of the United States through the Department of State, and ultimately of course by the U.S. taxpayer.

So far about 1,500 individuals have been sent to the U.S. on these degree programs, of whom nearly 900 have already returned with degrees. I’m happy to say that 99 per cent of our Fulbrighters do return to Pakistan and the vast majority stay and are working here: more than a third of them in Pakistan’s private sector, about another third is working in education, about 20 per cent the development sector, another smaller percentage is self-employed, and so forth. The prestigious Humphrey Program sends mid-career professionals to the U.S. on a non-degree program. Our Pakistan Humphrey program sends about 20 leaders in their professional fields, including many civil servants, to the U.S. annually. This conference gives our Fulbright and Humphrey alumni an opportunity to talk about the change they are bringing in all these sectors and to demonstrate that this investment in Pakistan’s human resources is contributing to the development and progress of Pakistan. It also gives us a chance to network and see where we might collaborate to work even more effectively for change and development.

The Fulbright program operates in 150 countries to promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The need for enhanced mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of Pakistan is, if anything, greater now than when Senator Fulbright conceived the program at the end of WWII. The program also aims to promote democratic and progressive values. Set in U.S. universities that are one of the country’s proudest achievements, educational exchange programs can’t help but provoke thinking and discussion on the fundamental principles of social organization. Our U.S. universities are built on the foundation of free inquiry and encourage both critical thinking and problem solving. The Fulbright programs all over the world serve these two purposes. Even the shorter term and less costly programs, such as the one-semester undergraduate program we manage, address these two goals of building mutual understanding and promoting democratic values.

Our very large Fulbright program in Pakistan, however, serves the additional and extremely important purpose of contributing to socio-economic development and promoting peace through building capacity. Socio-economic development requires a more substantial investment of time and money and a longer gestation.  The merit-based Pakistan Fulbright program gives people with the greatest potential (in all academic disciplines) the opportunity to gain much needed skills and knowledge in rigorous degree programs essential to economic development. This is why the overarching theme of this year’s conference “Vision 2025: Our Plan of Action” is so pertinent. It gives us a chance to show that civilian aid, especially for the Fulbright Program, is working in Pakistan in all of the fields on our conference program: Agriculture, Cultural Studies, Education, Energy, Environment, Governance & Public Policy, Health, Higher Education, Human Rights, Law and Order, Media, Science and Technology, and Socio-economic Development.

We are extremely gratified that the value of this investment is appreciated by the people and the government of Pakistan, especially the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Reform. Under the direction of Prof. Ahsan Iqbal the Ministry has taken the initiative of seeking to hire and contract our Fulbrighters whenever possible in economic development projects and activities. We are grateful for this as well as for his show of support by coming here today to speak to you.

This conference will show that Pakistan’s Fulbright and Humphrey alumni are leading the way toward positive change in Pakistan, and beyond. USEFP is therefore especially grateful for the support we receive for such alumni activities. We are proud to have a part in building and nurturing a network of alumni who have both the capacity and will to bring change to Pakistan. Most of all, we are pleased to have the bi-national support of the governments of both Pakistan and the United States.

Thank you very much.