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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.

FEBRUARY 15 2006 EXCHANGES SUPPLEMENT
by Stacy Glassgold

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. VIEWING ISLAM FROM THE INSIDE: SCHOLAR FROM NIGERIA TALKS ABOUT HIS HOMELAND AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE US, SARAH EVANS (SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL, FEBRUARY 13TH 2006): John A. Ayam, a political-science and international-relations scholar from Nigeria, has much to teach Americans about the fundamentalist Muslims who dominate the northern part of his country.  But he also has much to learn from Americans as he visits Oregon this month, his first time in the United States since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.Chemeketa Community College received a grant to bring Ayam to Oregon through the Fulbright Visiting Specialists Program.
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2. WEST BOCA TEACHER CHOSEN FOR FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP EXCHANGE PROGRAM, NICOL JENKINS (BOCA RATON NEWS, FEBRUARY 13TH 2006): Barbara Johnson teaches AP World History. And soon she’ll be traveling around the world seeing history.  The West Boca Raton Community High School teacher has been selected for the Fulbright Scholarship Exchange program. She’ll travel to Bulgaria, Poland or Romania for a semester as a teacher and a student.  LINK

3. PROFESSOR FOSTED FLAIR FOR GERMAN IN BERKELEY; MARJORIE GELUS SPENT SUMMER IN BERLIN ON FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP, JOSH HUGGET (STATE HORNET, FEBRUARY 8TH 2006): In June 2005, Gelus attended a German Studies Seminar in Berlin on a Fulbright Scholarship. For two months, she traveled through the beautiful and historic German countryside and studied some of the foremost issues of the nation. The trip provided her a means to enjoy the culture and allowed her to further her knowledge of the language and the people. LINK

4. UF POLITICAL SCIENTIST RECEIVES SECOND FULBRIGHT AWARD (UNIVERISTY OF FLORIDA NEWS, FEBRUARY 14TH 2006) A University of Florida political science professor has received a Fulbright Senior Scholar award for the 2006-2007 academic year.  Richard Scher previously received the honor for the 2002-2003 academic year, and he plans to use his new award in conjunction with his current sabbatical from UF.
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5. AMERICAN YOUTH NOW CATCHING UP WITH QAWALIA (TIMES OF INDIA, FEBRUARY 15TH 2006): After Bhangra and Indi-pop, which have cut a niche in the western music scene, Qawali seems to be cathing the fancy of American youth. Christopher Holland, one of the scholars under US Fulbright exchange programme is in the national capital to study Qawali. LINK

C.2) OTHER NEWS ON EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE ISSUES

6. US EMBASSY IMPROVES CONSULAR SERVICES FOR CITIZENS, OBTAINING VISAS—AMBASSADOR, EMAN AL-AWADHI (KUNA, FEBRUARY 2ND 2006): The US Embassy in Kuwait is working hard to improve consular services it provides to both its citizens living in Kuwait and for Kuwaitis seeking to obtain visas, said US Ambassador Richard LeBaron.
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7. CHINESE PUPILS GET GLIMPSE OF AREA SCHOOLS: VISIT COMES AS MUSH SOFTENS RHETORIC ON FOREIGN STUDENT VISASM RARE IN WAR ON TERROR, GRACE RAUH (DAILY REVIEW ONLINE, FEBRUARY 4TH 2006): During the past 15 years, George Hsieh has visited more than 400 universities in China, establishing exchange programs that have brought hundreds of Chinese students to Fremont to study at Northwestern Polytechnic University, a small business and engineering school in Silicon Valley’s back yard. For Hsieh, a self-appointed ambassador who jets around the world encouraging people to study in America, the Bush administration’s new outlook on international education is a welcome change. LINK

8. UK WARNED NEW VISA REGIME WILL HIT UNIVERSITIES (IRNA, FEBRUARY 6TH 2006): The British government was warned Monday that universities will lose income from hundreds of thousands of overseas students under a plan to limit the right of appeal for those refused visas. Vice-chancellors and business leaders urged ministers to rethink plans currently going through parliament in a new immigration, asylum and nationality bill.
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9. FOUNDATION FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS GLOBAL STUDY NOV 15 (GUILFORD COLLEGE NEWS, FEBRUARY 1ST 2006): Mike Woolf, president of the Foundation for International Education, will give a keynote address on the importance of global study Nov. 15 as a featured event during International Education Week.  Woolf manages the London, England-based foundation that has been sponsoring study and intern abroad programs in London and Madrid, Spain, since 1998. FIE offers academic and student support services to colleges and universities across the United States, and its programs emphasize theoretical knowledge, practical skills, life experience and an international perspective.
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10. SAUDI-INDIAN EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM, SIRAJ WAHAB & K.S. RAMKUMAR (ARAB NEWS, FEBRUARY 1ST 2006): Indian and Saudi diplomats and businessmen envision an exciting new era of bilateral relations in the wake of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s visit. LINK

11. OVERSEAS RECRUITING PAYS OFF FOR PENN INT’L RISE AS NATION SEES DROP; OTHER US SCHOOLS DROP IN APPLICATIONS FROM FOREIGN NATIONS, MEAGAN STEINER (DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN, FEBRUARY 1ST 2006): Nations as far-flung as Brazil, Kenya, and Singapore contributed to this year’s 7 percent boost in international applications to Penn, maintaining a trend of increasing outreach and expanding international interest in the University. This increase follows last year’s 11 percent rise in international applicants. LINK

12. DESIGN PROJECT UNITES U, INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: DESIGN STUDENTS TEAMED WITH SOUTH KOREAN PARTNERS TO CREATE CULTURAL ART, ELIZABETH GIORGI (MINNESOTA DAILY, FEBRUARY 2ND 2006): The detailed sewing of an intricate quilt or clothing piece has a cultural story attached to it for students who took part in an exchange program with South Korea. Nine University students made connections abroad with Korean students by communicating with one another to make a project that represented a cultural idea both groups could understand.
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13. HCAP OPENS NEW ASIA SITE, ALEX M. MCLEESE (HARVARD CRIMSON, FEBRUARY 10TH 2006):The Harvard College in Asia Project (HCAP) continues to expand its spring recess programs, adding a cultural exchange with Hong Kong University with funding from the Crimson China Cultural Exchange Foundation (CCCEF).
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14. UNIVERSITIES FACE FOREIGN SLUMP, MIKE BAKER (BBC NEWS, FEBRUARY 11TH 2006): The anxiously awaited university application figures are due next week. They will show that the introduction of “top-up” fees is having an impact on the demand for university places in England. However, soundings suggest they will be down by only a few percentage points which, after last’s year spike in demand, will not yet ring alarm bells or suggest school-leavers are abandoning the idea of going to university.  LINK

15. FIRST CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE OPENS IN CANADA (XINHUA, FEBRUARY 7TH 2006): The first Confucius Institute on Tuesday opened in Vancouver and was warmly acclaimed by both the Canadian and Chinese sides. Visiting Chinese State Councilor Chen Zhili inaugurated the opening of the institute, which was also attended by a group of Canadian officials. The opening of the institute not only strengthens Canada-China relations but also benefits Canadians, especially those interested in doing business and tourism with the fast-growing Asian country, according to officials from both countries at the inauguration ceremony. 
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